This question, caused me to wonder about the formula for being and several questions began to enter my mind. What does it mean to be? What is the role of doing in that formula? How are doing and being related? Is there any relation at all?

It didn’t take me long to realize that it is possible to do, without being, but I do not believe that it is possible to become, or to be, without doing something. Are you with me on that?

Permission To Soar In Ascending Spirals

This is actually a conversation that I have had with myself many times and it represents the vision of my work. I believe that achievement, the result of our doing, by itself is worth very little. If we spend our life achieving and doing, we will never be filled. We will simply move from one quest to another without ever gaining any sense of satisfaction. That said, we can’t just throw away any and all forms of doing in pursuit to be. In all reality, we must be anxiously engaged in many good causes.

Buddha taught this lesson beautifully. He began his journey to enlightenment by sitting under a Bodhi tree. He believed that if he denied himself all his privileges and desires and sat under that tree suffering all manners of affliction, he would soon suffer his way to an enlightened state of being. It didn’t take him long to discover that that was not the way. He realized that the true path required both active (doing) and passive (being) activities.

The journey to being begins with a careful clarification of what it is that we value. Our values, must then influence our dreams and aspirations. Our dreams and aspirations, must then guide the things we do. Aligning all that we do, with what we wish to become puts us in a state of balance and we are then free to soar in ascending spirals. This is important, WE GIVE OURSELVES PERMISSION TO DO THAT!

Living The Commitments That Accelerate Growth

What we do, determines our ability to grow and to be. Paul, taught us this lesson in a letter he wrote to the early Christian community that was living in the Roman Province of Galatia. He warned them to be very careful about how they spent their time by saying, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Hence, our version, you reap what you sow, was born.

If you really want to “BE” something, you must be willing to live the commitments that are associated with that quality or behavior. You can’t smoke and be a “non-smoker”. It takes effort to be, and that effort translates into doing. Do you see the natural connection?

Arya was asking about the relationship between doing and being, but I believe he was also asking about the place of rest and meditation. Is it necessary to be doing something all the time? The answer of course is yes, but you are the one responsible for choosing your activity.

My perfect day includes a lot of time to meditate, pray, study, and ponder. I like to be alone in my thoughts. It is how I reinvent myself. It is how I recharge my batteries. When I give those activities up for the pursuit of others, I find myself out of balance. These are the things that I am willing to commit to, and they work for me. You may find your energy in totally different places doing totally different activities. The key is deciding what commitments we are willing to make and then sticking with them.

This, is where the balanced feeling of being comes from. When our dreams are aligned with our commitments, we create harmony. Life begins to feel like, and appear as if, we are running on auto-pilot. Growth is accelerated, and we are ready to become.

Standing Whole and Ready To Lead With Purpose

But alignment is not enough. Your light, the essence of your being, will never reach its full potential until you learn to shine brightly. It is only when we learn to radiate the vision of who we are to the world, that we begin to lead with purpose.

Leadership – that is the purpose of becoming. The greatest work we will ever do is to lift another to a new level. It is the most fulfilling and satisfying experience. It is the essence of being. When we become our best, we see for the first time that there is room for everyone to be their best.

Arriving at this gateway to enlightenment strips us of all forms of toxic competition. We learn to cheer others on without any worry that they will somehow surpass us. We are inspired by their efforts. We feel a desire to be better for our own account, because we see that there is so much potential that is yet to be realized. We see so very clearly that we are all connected and that we are all one.

Life moves fluidly. The doing that we do appears to happen without any effort. From the outside to the inside, we are filled with peace. We know who we are and we are being that person. The struggle to do, is no longer found within us. We simply live on purpose and we lead that way too.

Have you identified your aspirations?

Are you willing to live the commitments that are necessary for their realization?

What are you doing with your light? Are you willing to shine brightly?

I don’t have all the answers, but I know that I am anxiously engaged in becoming my best. I understand where balance comes from and what it takes to get it. I want you to create harmony in your own life and leadership responsibilities because I know it will bring you great joy. Please do me a favor today. Take a moment to write down what you value most in life. Then examine how you are spending your time. Then take a step, no matter how small toward balancing the ledger. You are now free to move about the cabin!

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn

760-559-3548

Andrew Thorn

Ankle Breakers

While the tree is known for its beauty, it is also known for its spiked fruit. These “gumball” shaped droppings are very unpleasant to walk on, and they do not decompose. If left on the lawn, they turn it into an uneven surface full of lumpy pock marks. Here in North Carolina, they call the the fruit “ankle breakers” because both the fruit, and the holes they create in the lawn, are known to cause many ankle injuries.

As a newcomer, it was hard for me to understand why this tree was being removed. It looked like a beautiful tree. The decision to eliminate it, was not made in haste. Its removal had been considered for many year and it was finally time to create a new landscape plan. Its seasonal beauty and the shade it provided could no longer save it. The mess it regularly makes had finally sealed its doom.

Character Reveals Itself Over Time

As I watched the tree fall, I thought about the people I know who have faced a similar fate. They may possess many strengths, but for some reason, their weaknesses always seem to bring them down. In the beginning, their coworkers and leaders enjoy the immediate contributions they make, but in the end, the pollution they spew on their social environment is so toxic that they are asked to leave.

I find this especially sad because people are not trees. The “gumball” tree is what it is and cannot change its behavior, but people can. Some simply reject the idea of growing new behaviors. They believe that their strengths will always save them, so they refuse to deal with their fatal flaws. They are surprised when they are no longer wanted, but they shouldn’t be.

I foster a “strength based approach” in all of the work that I do, but I also make sure we take enough time to identify and eliminate any critical behaviors that can potentially derail a career. These characteristics are usually seen by all, but rarely addressed until it is too late. It is my job to discuss these unspeakable blemishes in such away that the needed growth is understood, accepted and embraced.

No one can really expect to hide these types of behaviors for very long. They are always revealed in time. The only way to deal with these challenges is to grow beyond them. That requires constant effort. I like to help people learn what they can do, instead of what they must stop doing, but sometimes they just need to stop doing certain things or they will continue to face similar consequences.

Leveraging the Perspectives of Others

I realize that it is difficult to see our own “fatal flaws” and that is why we must encourage others to tell us the truth about our behavior. Sometimes those around us don’t tell us the truth because they don’t want to hurt us, but the only way the truth can hurt us is when it is withheld from us or covered up. Plain and simple, we need to know if there is a problem.

Other times, the truth is spoken and we refuse to hear it. We tell ourselves that the person that is speaking it does not really believe what they are saying, or we argue that their perspective is not valid. The person trying to tell us the truth eventually loses interest and leaves us alone until we self-destruct.

If we want to thrive, we must be willing to listen to the spoken and unspoken feedback we receive from others. If we fail to do that, we will be cut down. It is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when.

• Are you taking the time to hear and understand the feedback you are receiving?
• Do you look for ways to uncover the unspeakable?
• What are you doing to encourage others to tell you the truth?

We cannot ignore the truth for very long. If we do, we will find ourselves in undesirable circumstances. Growth is much easier to accomplish when we see it ourselves. Don’t wait for somebody to tell you that you need to do it. Take care of your personal “ankle breakers” today.

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn

760-559-3548

I looked out the window, and there, far below I noticed a field where some youth were playing soccer. They looked so incredibly tiny. I could not really distinguish the ball. I am sure it was there, but it was too small for me to see. All I could make out were the colors of the uniforms moving on dark green grass.

I drifted for a moment and wondered about the emotion and noises that must have been occurring on the ground. I imagined that a great competition was occurring. I knew that there was a different feeling down there than what was being evoked from my vantage point.

Life At The Top

I suddenly realized that the view I was experiencing was very similar to what the senior leaders of large organizations see when they consider their business operations. They can see the big picture, but they are so far removed from it, that when they look at those who work so hard to make it all happen they generally only see a bunch of dots on a screen.

I do not wish to suggest that they are bad people. My clients work at the upper levels, and I know they are good people, but they are often so far removed from what happens on the front line that they do not see the energy and the daily struggles that are required to make it all happen. They just see the reports and declare that “people are their most valuable asset” without ever realizing that what their actions are really saying is that “people are their most important tool”.

Seeing Things As They Really Are

My job is to help them see what is really going on down there. I want them to realize the impact of the organization on the individual. I need them to begin seeing everybody involved as a person, and not just a tool. This objective drives the results that are seen from the work that I do.

The systems I facilitate become energized from the many opportunities we create to raise people up to their full potential. That is why I often refer to the work that I do as “raising human capital”. The work we do together is focused on helping the senior leaders see that they are capable of offering so much more. It doesn’t take long for them to see that their people are just as interested in creating a thriving organization as they are.

Their people don’t want to be used and then disposed of when they are no longer needed. Instead, they are seeking opportunities to contribute and to be valued for their contributions.

Elevator, Going Up!

The work on the ground is just as important as the work at the top. Thriving organizations understand this and constantly look for ways to create opportunities for every individual to do what they do best every single day. Empowerment is not just a buzz word for them. Instead, they delegate both responsibility and power, which encourages and fosters independence of thought and action. They create cultures of accountability by constantly raising the bar on the way they value each individual. They encourage maximum communication.

Consider your organization:

What are you doing to help things get better?

Do you see and value the contributions from every level?

Are you modeling the way?

It all starts with you. No one else can do it for you. The choices you make will determine the direction of your organization. You may feel alone at times, but it only really takes one serious voice to create the conditions we need to thrive. Step into your potential.

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn

andrew@andrewthorn.com – 760-559-3548

The Champion

This week, we witnessed a remarkable story in the world of Snow Boarding. America’s Shaun White successfully defended his crown as the reigning Gold Medalist. The fact that he is a double Gold Medal winner, in and of itself, is a significant accomplishment, but Shaun showed us the difference between a winner and a champion.

Snow boarders are allowed two attempts on the course. The competition allows them to throw out the lower of the two scores. At the end of the first round, Shaun was comfortably leading the pack. He was the last to compete at the end of the second round. When his turn came around, he was still in first place. This meant, that he could literally forfeit his final turn and be the winner of the Gold Medal.

But that is not how Champions do it. Not only did Shaun take his turn, but he chose to board even more aggressively than he did in his first round and introduced us to the future of his sport. He made massive meaning out of a meaningless second round. He chose to stretch himself to a new level, when all he had to do was slowly slide down the hill. For him, it was not enough to win, he wanted to show the world why he is a champion.

The Champion In Me

I must admit that I felt a lot of emotion as I watched this reach for greatness. I would have understood if he chose to avoid the risk of injuring himself. As he soared high above the half-pipe I look inside myself and saw myself soaring in my own pursuits.

I knew as I watched, that if I want to be a champion, I must be willing to raise it up a notch, even after I have realized the victory. Winning, is simply a mark of previous accomplishments. The challenge to become demands that we set new marks every single day.

Are you a winner or a champion?

Are you resting on a success plateau or climbing a new peak?

Do your efforts inspire those around you to raise their own bar?

It is easy to be satisfied with the victories we achieve. Successful people understand that the successes of today are merely the benchmarks for the successes of tomorrow. They are willing to reach for more, even when the rest of the world is so far behind. Shaun White actually won the Gold and the Silver medal. Thank you Shaun for showing us what a champion snow boarder looks like.

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn

760-559-3548

Instead of sharing the normal statistics of our company, i.e., number of employees, gross and net revenues, years in business and our plan to achieve global domination in our marketplace, I decided to relate the defining moments of my professional life and how they molded and shaped my career. I wanted my cohorts to see me as a person, so I shared the highs and lows that contributed to my successes and failures.

MBA classrooms are not known for their warm and fuzzy experiences. They are generally associated with hard facts, controlled emotions and crisp conversations. My presentation was shaping up to be an emotionally intelligent, but soft skilled approach. I felt exposed and vulnerable as I began my talk. Despite my hesitation, I shared my story, hoping it would some how resonate with my classmates.

Authentic Validation

The experience frightened me. I wanted to open up, but I was afraid that “the authentic me”, might be rejected. I didn’t know if I could handle that. As I launched in to my presentation, I began to wonder if it would have been better to wear one of the “masks of command” that are so easy to don when discussing the principles and politics of business. I pushed through it and as I looked at the faces of my friends I could see that my message was favorably received.

When I finished, they gave me an ovation. As we lunched together, many of them commented on how much they enjoyed my remarks. Several stated that they had never seen me look so alive. They could feel the passion in my voice. Some even said that my thoughts inspired them to look at their career differently.

Later in the day, I reflected on what happened. In my presentation, I allowed my true self shine without fear. I behaved in a way that was consistent with my “signature strengths”, instead of pretending to fit the text book mold of an MBA candidate. My preparation required me to really know myself and to courageously expose myself without fear of the consequences. I took a risk, and I felt validated by my results. I presented the real me and it felt good. My classmates knew nothing more about my business. Instead, they now had a bright picture of Andrew and they saw me as person. The fact that I was the president of a successful financial entity was of little importance to them. They were content to know the real me.

Why Not?

The success I felt in this experience continues to encourage me to dig deeper into finding “the authentic me”. At times, it still feels a bit scary, but I accept the fear as the price of passage to discovering the real me. Authenticity is the antidote for self-deceptive behavior. In order to see things as they really are, we must connect with the real self. This requires at first to see all of the masks, shields and cloaks that we sometimes wear to protect ourselves and then evaluate whether or not they are really serving us the way we think they are. It is difficult to get there when our eyes are blinded by the unreal.

My success with knowing myself prompts me to think about others and how they might apply this in their own lives. There are several questions that frequently run through my mind. “Why not be authentic?” “What do we really risk when we open up?” “Do the benefits of being authentic outweigh the potential pitfalls?” “How can a person who has never behaved in this way before, begin to open their true self to the world?” and “Does authentic behavior work for everyone or are there some instances when leaders must wear a mask in order to protect themselves and their organizations?“

I invite you to join me in my consideration of these questions. As more of us learn to speak and behave authentically, many more will feel empowered to do so. The journey to authenticity begins with you. Are you ready to grow whole?

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn
760-559-3548

Few people ever knew how much time she invested in preparing for those events. Many, just thought she was naturally talented, but she was always rehearsing and refining her skill. I will never forget her intense desire to prepare. It was something she did all day long. She rehearsed in the kitchen while she was preparing the family meals. She rehearsed while she was caring for our home. We even heard her in the bathroom polishing her routine. It was non-stop, and we usually knew it as well as she did by the time she gave the actual presentation.

Relentless Pursuit

My mother’s example taught me how to persistently prepare to be professional. She taught us that we are responsible for delivering value. She taught us that it is not OK to leave things to chance. If we want to deliver a good performance, than we had better be willing to pay the price.

The other day, I rediscovered how important it is to rehearse. It is the number one way to overcome fear. The more we rehearse, the more confidence we develop. A recent study on success documented that successful people practice twice as much as their counterparts.

Despite this evidence, only a few people actually practice for the work that they do. I don’t understand this philosophy, but some just say they want to be fresh and in the moment, so they write their presentations and then deliver it for the first time in front of the client.

Can you imagine people only slightly reviewing a script before they opened a broadway show, or an NBA team just showing up for the games without ever practicing. While, their natural talents may shine through, they will never reach their potential without practicing.

The Power of Practice

My recent involvement in the theater, taught me another lesson about rehearsing. The more I rehearse, the more comfortable I become with the movement and verse. As a result, the content becomes my own. It actually becomes a part of me, and I am no longer acting a part or reciting lines. The more I rehearse, the more I am able to naturally and  authentically present my part with power.

How much time do you spend rehearsing?

What impact would increasing your rehearsal time have on the amount of value you deliver?

Are you encouraging your team to rehearse individually and collectively?

The voice of authenticity comes from creating the space to practice. If you really want to get better at something, you must be willing to increase the frequency in which you do it. Rehearsal provides the opportunity to do it without an audience. That gives us the opportunity to make corrections without penalty. It also makes your audience think you are a natural talent. Anybody got a problem with that?

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn
760-559-3548

Because I travel regularly, my routines need to be something I can take with me. For this reason, I became an avid runner. I can run anywhere and in every climate. Most hotels I stay in have treadmills, so in the times when safety is an issue, I can run indoors. All I need is my running shoes and I am set.

P90X and Me

About three years ago, I decided that I wanted to become stronger. I wanted to build core and upper body strength and I knew running was not going to do that for me. I was watching TV one Saturday afternoon with my children and we came across an informercial selling P90X an exercise routine touted as the most extreme home fitness training system ever developed.

I am always up for a good challenge, so I purchased the whole system right on the spot. It looked like I could find everything I would need in the standard hotel gym, which made it even more desirable. I ordered every thing they had to offer and committed myself to getting ripped.

By the time the materials arrived, just a week later, I had lost my enthusiasm and excitement. The box sat unopened for a month or so. Every time I saw it, “I said, I am going to do that someday”.

I Can Do Anything For 30 Seconds

The package arrived two or three months ahead of the new year and when I got serious about setting my goals, I decided again that I was going to do P90X.

I will never forget January 2007. The magnitude of my sore muscles is very difficult to describe. I had trouble combing my hair, putting on my clothes and simply walking up and down the stairs. I couldn’t do the routines. For some I was not coordinated enough, but for others I was simply not strong enough. i wanted to give up and declare defeat, but that crazy Tony Horton told me to just keep pushing the play button, so I did.

One of the routines commonly known as “the mother of all workouts” is a difficult series of jumping, leaping, squatting and lunging. Most movements are practiced for 30 seconds. At the beginning of the workout Tony welcomes you and loudly states that he can do anything for 30 seconds.

That didn’t sound too hard, so I followed the routine. I quickly discovered that 30 seconds is much longer than I previously believed. I stuck with it though, and I soon I was able to finish it with no problem. About a month into the 90 day program, I realized that I was actually stringing several 30 second blasts together and turning them into a very intense one hour workout.

How Are You Spending Your Time?

That is when it hit me. It all started with a commitment to exert myself for just 30 seconds. That 30 seconds turned into an hour. That hour turned into a week, and then into 90 days. Those 90 days turned into 3 years. Now I am fit, and I am strong. Rome wasn’t built overnight, and neither was my body. I worked hard to get it this way and I realize that I need to continue to work hard to keep it this way. I can decide every day to use my 30 seconds any way I want to use them. When I engage I grow, when I vegetate I atrophy.

This doesn’t just work for physical fitness, it works for everything we want to do. With growth comes a nominal amount of pain. Sometimes more than others. That is why we have what we call growing pains. It is OK to start slow. The pain does not need to injure us. It just needs to awaken our senses, helping us to see that we need to work to get back into shape. It all comes down on what we value and how we spend our time. When those two factors are aligned we feel less pain overall.

How are you spending your time?

What is the smallest change you can make that will produce the greatest impact?

Are you willing to start with 30 seconds and then build on it?

Are you ready to grow?

30 seconds. That is all it takes to begin. What are you waiting for?

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn
760-559-3548

In one group, the people embraced a very similar philosophy and mindset on the proposed topic. The other group was filled with people who represented very different perspectives, viewpoints and backgrounds.

I gained a lot from both experiences, but after a while, I became very bored with the similar group. They definitely had every viewpoint from A to B well represented, but beyond that, it was hard to find any value. Unfortunately, we didn’t make much progress in accomplishing our purpose.

The diverse group challenged my thinking. There were view points represented that were difficult for me to comprehend because they were so different than my own. The meeting participants were energetic and courteous. They were not afraid to have their views questioned or examined by the others. They were very open to learning from the other group members.

Understanding Others

I thoroughly enjoyed the meeting with this diverse group and I left with a healthy appreciation and affection for each member. I never felt challenged to change my values, and as a result, I felt safe to open my mind to new ideas. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to examine the beliefs of others. Instead of judging them, I suspended my previous assumptions and allowed myself to see what they see. Because I was willing to extend this courtesy to them, they returned the favor to me.

I discovered that even though my values and opinions remained basically the same, my influence with these new friends increased. This dramatically affected our ability to work together. As a result, we made significant progress on our common interests.

Authentic Leadership

My experiences with these two groups reminded me a of something my brother Larry taught me. Whenever we disagreed, he would say, “if we were all the same, there would be no need for all of us”.

This statement continues to guide my work. I understand that I am most effective when I surround myself with people who think and act much differently than I do. My association with friends of different opinions creates many opportunities to stretch my way of thinking.

Great leaders do not fear the fringes or the edges. They recognize that by creating space for all voices to be heard, they become an authentic agent of chang. Because their influence is felt, their leadership is more highly regarded. When the point of decision arrives, they are seen as credible and trustworthy.

The Big Picture

Just because we learn to view things from a larger perspective, does not mean that we must abandon our values, it simply means that we learn to see what is going on in the complete system. When we do this, we create solutions that accelerate growth and development.

I realize that it is difficult to suspend our beloved biases and judgments, but it can be done without losing our individual identity. I invite you to consider the following questions:

How willing are you to consider view points that are different from your own?

What benefits come from stretching to see the perspectives of others?

How do you feel when someone takes the time to see things as you see them?

Remember, the real point of leadership is not to change others, but to enroll them in a collaborative effort to achieve a common goal. You are free to draw the line in your personal values, most of us even expect you to do so and respect you when you do. When we become secure in who we are, we become more free opening ourselves up to others, and that is when your effectiveness really soars.

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn
760-559-3548

I know exactly how he feels, because he is expecting me to help him. I am feeling the same types of thoughts and emotions and the pressure of living up to his expectations. Fortunately, I understand that when it is time to grow, it is normal to feel nervous about what we must do and who we must become to make it happen.

Making It Happen

I believe that one of the most challenging things is to walk into a room with the responsibility of leading. It is truly a sobering and humbling feeling. The pressure, when perhaps half of the team is secretly hoping for your failure, and the other half is hoping for something better than they have ever had before is intense.

For me, it is difficult to maintain a belief that I can actually train a “President” or another “Senior Leader”, to become better than they already are, or than they have every been before. I can’t tell you how many times the thought, “what makes you think you can do this?” has gone through my mind.

Fortunately, I am a firm believer that we invent reality and that we have the power to perceive things and way we want. It takes a good imagination, and a view of what “may be” to move toward something bigger than who we really are. I could spend my time believing that I will never be qualified to train presidents of organizations and that would most likely become my reality. Instead, I believe I can and that gives me the courage to show up and act accordingly.

Stepping Into Certainty

The big question is, “How do we do that on a consistent basis?”, and the answer is to press forward. The only thing that can really stop our forward progress is fear. It is natural to feel that fear, but we must overcome it. The only thing we can do to overcome it is to step forward. The first few steps may feel like steps into insanity, but little by little, we will begin to feel certain.

A funny thing is that the fear will always be there, no matter how many steps we take. Before each major step, we will doubt, for just a brief moment, whether or not we can take the next one. That is the interesting thing about our successes. They don’t take the fear away from us, we just learn how to push through it. This is what gives us certainty. It is not that our fear disappears, we just know what waits for us on the other side of it.

Moving Your Dream Forward

I am imagining that you are a lot like me and my new client, and that you are also staring in the face of a new opportunity. It is probably very different than the one I am describing in this article, but I am pretty sure one exists. The very thought of it makes you nervous. You want to move forward, but you are not yet sure how you will.

What are the obstacles that you see? What do you need to make them irrelevant?

Who do you need to become to embrace this new opportunity? What experiences from your past can you draw upon to you the courage to move forward?

One of the most exciting times in life is when we ind ourselves standing on the edge of opportunity. It’s kind of like standing on a rock and getting ready to jump in a lake. When we stand on the edge and jump, we feel the energy and the joy of the experience, but if we stand on the edge and wait, the knots and tension in our stomach may become more than we can bear. Have no fear, the water’s fine!

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn
760-559-3548

What Makes The Difference

As you might suspect, the variances from location to location are mostly related to the people that work at each site. The behaviors of the leadership teams and the engagement of the employee bases are where the real differences are manifested.

This simple observation makes it easy to propose the theory that if we want to have a thriving organization, we better spend some time making sure we have thriving people. I am sure this is not the first time you have heard this theory, but what are the characteristics of a thriving person?

The Thriving Person

Most people I know, expect that the organization will create an environment where they can grow and thrive. Sadly, no matter what the organization does, it is never enough. That is because we are all individuals and we each need different conditions in order to flourish. As a result, it is difficult for any organization to create a “one-size-fits-all” program for personal development. The thriving person understands this and becomes accountable for their own plan.

Organizations that recognize this concept create cultures that foster the development of thriving individuals. This means that they value initiative taking, proactiveness, decisiveness and the encourage their people to take risks, even when some of those risks result in failures or setbacks.

Still, creating a healthy environment does not move the responsibility from the individual. He or she, must be willing to set meaningful goals, make decisions, walk with purpose, and demonstrate a willingness to move initiatives forward in the face of obstacles that threaten success. Most organizations value these behaviors, even when their cultures do not foster their development.

Permission To Grow

Do you get what I am saying? You are responsible for creating the thriving you. Nobody else can, and nobody else will. Do you understand that if you don’t like your current circumstances, you are free to change them?

I imagine that you do understand this concept, so I am inviting you to examine where you are. Consider your current circumstances:

What are you doing that is good? How can you do that better? What will it take for you to become your best?

Who can help you become your best? When will you ask then to help?

This is a great time of year to review your personal progress. The more time you spend undestanding your own needs, the more likely you are to be seen as a valued employee. Just consider the things you can do right now that will help you thrive and become your best. Then get busy. I love forward to seeing you thrive.

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn
760-559-3548