Perspectives

November 4, 2009 Perspectives - Creative thinking tip

Creative thinking tip

Give yourself alternatives.  Before picking the first thing that comes to mind, come up with a number of alternative solutions.  Whatever the situation or challenge you're facing, there are always alternatives.  Don't settle for the first answer.  Ask what else is possible.  It's always nice to know that you have choices, and the more possibilities that you have to choose from, the more likely it is that you can find one that works really well.

Whatever you're trying to do - for example, deciding where or what to eat, trying to reach a busy person,  looking for a topic for a speech, finding a place to hold a wedding, or improving your marriage - brainstorm some alternatives, and then when you have a number of choices, pick the best one.

November 4, 2009 Perspectives - Quote of the week

Quote of the week

"Remember, there are no mistakes, only lessons. Love yourself, trust your choices, and everything is possible." - Cherie Carter-Scott

What this quote tells me is that trusting one's choices is much like loving oneself.  We're always making choices, and when we do so with confidence and trust that we're doing what's best for ourselves, then we feel free and able to achieve whatever we wish.  Loving oneself provides the confidence and security that all is well, no matter what happens.

October 28, 2009 Perspectives - Small town trauma

Small town trauma

Last week an unfortunate event occurred right in Chatham where I live, walking distance from my house.  A Catholic priest was murdered in his rectory.  Later the police arrested the janitor of the church.  In this small town of under 10,000 people, nothing like that has happened for almost 20 years.  At first I had disbelief, then shock, sadness, and bewilderment at what happened.  But then a few other thoughts came to me.
 
Why did the man commit that crime?  There must have been something that was disturbed inside him.  Perhaps some anger, a grudge, desperation, or other pain.  Then it was triggered and came out as a destructive action.  Are people who commit crimes "bad guys", while the rest of us are "good guys"?  I don't think it's that simple.  Rather, I look at it this way.  All of us have sore spots inside, and some have more than others, no doubt.  Sometimes they can come out in violent ways.  Most of us are able to control our negative impulses.  But some cannot control them or find it difficult.  Or maybe the majority of us have never been pushed that far.
 
The point is that there are "seeds of violence" inside normal people as well as those who do commit a crime.  They're really just areas that need healing, and they only become outwardly violent if left to grow unchecked.  A murderer and a priest could equally well have had a trauma in childhood, or a major disappointment in life.  The potentiality exists in all of us for either constructive or destructive behavior.
 
We often tend to pay attention to outward manifestations, like violent crimes, since these are more obvious and more dramatic.  But I believe that it's even more important to be aware of the disturbed feelings and pain inside, both in ourselves and in others.  Then we can defuse and heal them.  How can they be healed?  With acknowledgement, understanding, concern and love.  In this way we begin to heal society as a whole.
 
Another thought that came to me is that every action has consequences.  We don't usually think about all the consequences at the moment committing the act.  The slaying of the priest ended the life of a well-loved man of the community.  It also ended the normal lifestyle of the slayer.  But that's just the beginning.  What are the effects on the priest's family?  On the janitor's family?  On the congregation of the church?  On the community?  What about the Catholic Church as a whole?  What is the full extent of the loss and suffering?  If this were a terrorist act, it could cause widespread fear, heightened security and therefore inconvenience to many people.
 
Both catabolic (destructive) and anabolic (constructive) actions have effects which tend to be of like energy.  That is, when you do something constructive, the ripple effect tends to be constructive, and vice versa.  If we knew all the consequences of our catabolic actions, we probably wouldn't do them nearly as much.  Likewise, if we knew the full extent of anabolic actions, we would probably choose to do those things much more often.
 
The final thought that came to me is - how safe are we? Are there places that are really safe?  What about being in a Church, which is supposed to be a holy place?  It doesn't seem so safe anymore after that incident.  Having locks and security systems in our homes, ensures our safety, right?  I'm not so sure.
 
What is safety anyway?  Safety is protection from harm, which allows us to feel at ease.  Can we get that from external protection?  Maybe.  But I find that a feeling of ease and well-being comes mostly from inside.  It's related to having trust and faith.  I believe that whatever is truly yours cannot be taken away.  I also know that having a presence of self can give one a deeper sense of security.
 
Yes, it's important to practice reasonable safety measures.  But I feel that there are other values which are also important, and we don't want to lose sight of them by being concerned only with safety.
 
By the way, the Chatham police called each home the next day, informing us that they made an arrest and that our safety was their primary concern.  I do appreciate their thoughtfulness!
 
In summary, I believe it's important to look beneath the surface and see the pain before it erupts.  It's also useful to remember that both constructive and destructive actions have consequences, usually far more than we realize.  And it's good to ask what safety and security really mean to us.  If these questions interest you, then I would love to work with you as a coach, to help you get to know yourself better and to find what's really important to you!  Please contact me at joel@coachjoel.com or 973-701-1007.

October 28, 2009 Perspectives - Creative thinking tip

Creative thinking tip

There is always another way to look at tragedy.  Creative thinking is about finding new ways to view whatever happens, even tragedies.  Yes, we need time to grieve and come to grips with loss, but then it is useful to ask what other meanings or opportunities might be found.  You can look for different points of view or see what could be done to prevent future loss.

One example that comes to mind is the formation of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) by Candy Lightner.  When her daughter was killed by a drunk driver, she became creative and started the well-known organization to change attitudes toward drunk driving.  I'm sure that many lives were saved as a result.

By using creative thinking in the face of tragic losses, we may be able to find a greater good in end.  Then the tragedy won't have been totally in vain.

October 28, 2009 Perspectives - Visioning Lab

Visioning Lab
What's your vision for your most important goal?  Having a clear vision can make a significant difference in your success.  In Visioning Lab we help you get clear on your vision and make it work for you. 

Please go to VisioningLab.com to find out more or to register.  The cost is minimal for what you will get from participating.  I look forward to working with you and helping you to make your vision become real!

If you have any questions about Visioning Lab, please contact me, joel@coachjoel.com, or 973-701-1007.

October 21, 2009 Perspectives - Dear reader

Dear Reader,
I hope you find value in this issue. To write a comment, you can go to the blog version, or you can contact me directly.  Thanks! - Joel

October 21, 2009 Perspectives - Buildings and values

Buildings and values

I was reading in the news recently about the new Burj Dubai building in Dubai, UAE, which is not only the tallest building in the world at 2,684 feet, but also the tallest man-made structure (which includes radio and TV towers).
 
Why did they build such a tall building, and what does it mean?  I believe that you can tell a lot about a culture by its tallest buildings.  They say something about the culture's values.  Centuries ago the tallest buildings in Europe were the great cathedrals, which to me indicates that the Church was the most important element of the culture back then.  Even today in many small towns the local churches are the tallest buildings.  Living near New York City, I find it interesting that churches in the big city are surrounded by giant office buildings which overtower them.  So this must mean that business and commerce are now more significant to society.  We also find that the tallest buildings usually have a TV transmitter at the very top.  And the tallest structure before Burj Dubai was built, was a TV tower in North Dakota.  I take this as an indication of how significant television is in our lives.  And if you consider the next tallest buildings (after Dubai), which are the financial center towers in Taiwan and Shanghai, this suggests how important finances are in the world.
 
The new Burj Dubai building (scheduled to open in December) surpasses them all by far.  What does this giant tell us?  Some suggest it's a modern Tower of Babel.  Perhaps.  I believe it's a city trying to be noticed and be recognized by the world.  It's a way of saying, we're now bigger and better than you are.  I think big buildings are one way that a culture's ego gets expressed.
 
By the way there are proposals for even taller buildings that would be powered completely by solar energy.  If built, this may mean that the green movement has become a significant value in society.
 
Of course there are other indications of a culture's values, but the height of buildings is one that I find particularly interesting.  This leads the question of our own individual values.  What's important to you personally?  Health?  Security?  Beauty?  Fun?  While we may claim to hold noble or lofty values, I believe that external clues are a good measure of what is actually important to us, just as buildings tell us something about a society's values.
 
So what kinds of things show us what we value?  Here are some possible clues:  What do we spend our money on?  What do we do in our free time?  Who do we hang out with?  What kinds of books (or magazines, etc.) do we read?  What do we watch on TV?  Perhaps you can come up with some other kinds of indicators.
 
It can be interesting and illuminating to see what shows up as your values, based on these kinds of clues.  For example, if you spend money on health foods, then health is probably a major value for you.  If you spend money on snacks or junk food, then immediate gratification is probably more important.  This is not to say that we should be judgmental, but rather to simply notice what choices we are making and what they show us about ourselves.
 
Want to learn more about your values and how they can give you more fulfillment in life?  A coach will work with you to discover your values and determine whether there's a discrepancy between what you believe you want and what you are actually choosing.  Please contact Joel at joel@coachjoel.com or 973-701-1007 to learn more or to receive a complimentary 30-minute consultation.

October 21, 2009 Perspectives - Creative thinking tip

Creative thinking tip

Let your values lead to opportunities.  There are opportunities for creative thinking all around us.  But most of the time we don't notice them or we are too preoccupied with urgent matters.  A good way to spot opportunities is to come back to your values and use them as a guide.  Then you'll recognize the opportunities more easily, because they're related to something that's important to you.

For example, suppose one of your values is "going green" or being environmentally friendly.  Then you can be on the lookout for opportunities to do things in a less wasteful way.  You might be able to do some creative thinking to find ways that no one has thought of before.

It's best if you take some time to think about your values and the kinds of situations that you would most like to apply creative thinking to.  You can even write a list.  Then you'll not only recognize the opportunities when they show up, but you'll also be more motivated to pursue them!

October 21, 2009 Perspectives - Visioning Lab

Visioning Lab
What's your vision for your most important goal?  Having a clear vision can make a significant difference in your success.  In Visioning Lab we help you get clear on your vision and make it work for you. 

Please go to VisioningLab.com to find out more or to register.  The cost is minimal for what you will get from participating.  I look forward to working with you and helping you to make your vision become real!

If you have any questions about Visioning Lab, please contact me, joel@coachjoel.com, or 973-701-1007.

October 21, 2009 Perspectives - Quote of the week

Quote of the week

"If we aren't willing to pay a price for our values, then we should ask ourselves whether we truly believe in them at all." - Barack Obama

I think this is a good point.  If values are important to us, they must be worth some price.  How much we are willing to pay determines how important they are.  Perhaps the price we're willing to pay is an indicator of what our real values are, more so than simply what we think they are.