doug smith training

Do people interrupt your work on your own goals because they want you to work on theirs? How do you get back on track? How to you keep your focus on your own goals? People mean well. It's a good thing that their goals are important to them. And, in many cases we find the time to help them with their goals and sometimes they reciprocate. That's healthy. What's a problem is getting so pulled into someone else's situation that your own goals go untended. That does not lead to success or happiness. Here are some ways to keep your focus on your own goals: 1. Schedule time to work on them. Keep that time inviolate. When people interrupt, let them know when you will be available and not until then. 2. Post your goals so that others can see what you're working on. If you've written them skillfully enough, other people may interrupt so that they can work on YOUR goals. 3. Find an isolated placed to work on your goals (I'm doing that right now to avoid interruption!...

Do you like being followed up on your goals? I really think goals are important. Helping people achieve their goals is what I do. And yet -- and yet, when I get followed up on, it can irritate me. I didn't expect it. It feels rough. And yet it helps me get that goal achieved. This week I've been working with a nurse because my mom just got out of the hospital. Part of the deal was getting her medications in order, organizing them and helping her get them into one of those pill boxes for the week arrangements. Between doctor and physical therapy appointments, trips to the grocery store, and shuttling people around I just didn't quite get around to buying that pill container.  Until the nurse followed up with me. Then, guess what. I bristled just a little, and then I went out and bought it. Mom's pills are all nicely organized now, thank you very much. And thank you nurse Linda, for the follow-up. How do you react to follow-up? Are you getting all the follow-up you need...

How will you inspire yourself to work on your goals today? Today, out of nowhere, this little acronym occurred to me: GOALS Go strong Overcome obstacles Act relentlessly Learn constantly Serve the greater good What do you think? Maybe it's not a whole training program. Maybe it's not a teleclass. Time will tell. But, it makes sense for today, don't you think? Goals require us to go strong and act decisively. We must take action! When we do take action we are likely to experience resistance (from ourselves and from others) so it makes sense to work to overcome those obstacles. Don't let them stop us. Move forward. Which brings us to the need to act relentlessly. We'll get distracted. We'll be given new work to do. Relationships will bring up new needs. But even while all that and more is going on we much work our plan. We must act relentlessly on our plan. When we are assertively working on a plan we are likely to make some mistakes. New opportunities arise. Th...

How many root causes does your problem have? Much of our time as problem solvers is spent on finding the root cause. Where does our problem originate? What is the source of our trouble? Could that be a bit of a myth? Is it possible that one root cause has created the situation we now see as a problem?  Probably not. It is more likely a combination of connections. There are probably many sources of the problem. There are probably many contributing factors. Sure, there may be one origination point -- but by the time the problem has come to your attention there are connections in places you haven't even looked yet. Think of some of your gnarly problems: - teams that have trouble communicating - leaders who treat people unfairly - customers who dominate your time unprofitably - supplies that run out when you need them the most - an inaccurate or impossible to measure inventory - meetings that seem to last forever and go nowhere - products that sell without making margin - p...

Here is a fascinating animation on The Future of Learning.

How does it feel when you solve a problem? Do you get a great sense of satisfaction? Does it build your confidence? Whether or not you notice it, each time that you solve a problem your skills grow, your confidence fills, your ability to solve other problems improves. You grow. Each problem that we solve brings us closer to perfection. Doesn't that make you eager to solve the next problem? --  Doug Smith

Have you got dreams? Big hopes for what your perfect life would look like? That's great. Build on those dreams. Nurture those dreams. Hold onto your dreams -- but for goodness sakes, DO something about them. Get off of the balcony and down into the action. Make your goals matter -- set them into motion. Get busy today. -- Douglas Brent Smith

Have you ever been so angry that it forced you to do something about the situation? There's tremendous energy in emotion. It can force us into doing something positive and definitive. Or, it can create an urgency that leads to problems. The key is keeping control. The power is in staying centered and strong. The opportunity is in maintaining your compassion as well as your courage, your clarity as well as your creativity. Once your emotion propels you into action, can you safely let it go? If you can, it will avoid much trouble. If you can't, trouble will catch you. -- Douglas Brent Smith