7 Habits to Change

Or how to turn the demands of change into powerful growth.

In this tough economy and ever more complex global experience, many of us feel extreme pressure. Here are 7 habits that can help you swing through change and land on a new situation.

Listen to the new reality. 

Your memory of the old status quo can have a powerful effect on your imagination for the future. When you listen to and really hear the new situation you can begin to spot the new opportunities. Give your new reality and new future a chance.

Expand your network, your skills, and your self-concept.
Old relationships emphasize an old and perhaps now outdated concept of you. Keep your supporters close-by while you make relationships that are appropriate to the changing set of circumstances. Develop new skills that can help you flourish. Get excited about the new you.

Test Drive different scenarios.

Experiment just a little. Try something else – maybe even a bit provocative. Whether you try on a new outfit, let go of your old authority, or just work in an unusual location you will experience a sensation of uncertainty. Practice this until you are no longer bothered by the sensation.

Imagine.

Direct your daydreams.  Let yourself fantasize how successful you are in this new scenario. Imagine what your surroundings, friends, clothes and your skills look like. Create multiple options. And don’t worry if you imagine an argument, it tells you where you might find the next challenge.

Take care.
Real transformation is incredibly hard work. You are changing your relationships, your status, and your self-concept – the entire story. Whether it’s a beer with a friend or a back massage, get the rejuvenation you need to carry on.

Go for the goal.
Remember, you are not merely responding to change. You are also growing for your own purpose. You can pick and choose your direction. Consider what inspires and motivates you. You’re going to send your energies there anyway so connect your vision to your inspiration and get juiced by it.

Open up.
It doesn’t have to be dramatic, or maybe for you it does. Just be open to the new. Try a new food, take a chance on a new acquaintance, or get a new haircut. You might like it or you might not. What’s important is that you give it a go.

It’s the only way to grow.

7 Ways to Give and Grow Business this Holiday Season

The economy is in a train wreck and it's Christmas, Hanukkah and Winter Solstice. Ugh.  If this isn't a time for some positive Yellow Hat thinking, I don't know what is. For the uninitiated in 6 Hat Thinking, the Yellow Hat focuses on values and benefits. Why something may work.

So in the spirit of holiday giving, here are 7 ways to give positive energy to co-workers, displaced workers and business in general. And it won't cost you one red cent. 

7 Ways to Make it Work.

1. Write a real referral. Whether it's on linkedin.com, Google maps, or just an email, take 15 minutes to write a brief, succinct and honest referral for a co-worker or a business you like. Who wouldn't want to receive that?
2. Send along a job idea. If you're trolling through Monster.com or happen to hear of an opportunity that reminds you of someone else, pass it along. It doesn't matter if it's perfect, it matters that you are connecting dots.
3. Get really social. Jump on Twitter, Facebook, linkedin and any other social network that makes sense. It costs nothing, expands your network and is also entertaining, which is nice to get for free, especially this year.
4. Ask Questions and write Answers on linkedin. Stimulate the conversation. Join the party. Toot your horn and someone else's too. Be spirited. Lively.
5. Volunteer your time on a charity board. It's another way to make connections, keep your skills sharp and do good in your community. And it beats staring into the abyss with the Grinch.
6. Give some of your talent. Whether you critique a resume, help someone network or donate your time to their business development it can help keep the business engines humming. 
7. Build ideas up. It's easy to Black Hat any idea but in this economy we need builders so when the next person suggests an idea, whether for a job or a new business, deliberately scour your brain for the positive outcomes. Light it up for the holiday season. 

Seeking out the positive possibilities is honest work. Donating your time and talent is a real gift. Finding the benefits of a new situation or new idea is not always spotting the obvious. But if you can do it, it pays.

Happy Holidays