Saturday, May 30, 2009

"Jump Start" From IdeaChampions.com

Jump Start
Coming up with breakthrough ideas sometimes requires nothing more than a spark -- a catalytic "oomph" that gets you going. Like jumper cables for a car whose battery is low. That's what Jump Start is all about. It's a creative thinking technique that will take you less than five minutes.

How it Works

1) Define your challenge in the form of a "How can I?" question.
2) Click on "generate adjectives" to jump start your thinking. (Go to ideachampions.com, then click on the "Jump Start" link.)
3) Brainstorm your challenge, using our randomly generated adjectives as idea sparkers
Ready to begin?...

Saturday, May 23, 2009

The Dream Begins With . . .

"The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called "truth.""
~Dan Rather

Monday, May 18, 2009

From Jill Badonsky

Announcement
I am giddy to announce that The Awe-manac: A Daily Dose of Wonder won the best Inspirational and Self-Help Book at the San Diego Book Awards in this past Saturday.

Classes and Workshops

Awe-manac Ritual Maintenance
Has your Awe-manac daily ritual gone by the wayside?
Need a little extra oooommmffff to get back to it?
Need some Starter Fluid to set your creative embers into a flame?

The staff of The Awe-manac (that would be me) knows that Ritual-Neglect (RN) is common among the overwhelmed, the endearingly distractible and the creative mind and encourages you to NOT be hard on yourself.

Simply return to the ritual tomorrow by starting with the current day KNOWING that next year there will be pages you haven't even read yet that you get to discover when you go through it again.

You don't have to do ANY of the prompts as you go through it, just reading it activates your deepest creative goodness... but ifyou DO play with the prompts remember to:
1. Lower your expectations and just have fun.
2. Know that ideas often come during the process not before - so start something and know then you'll have material to sculpt, edit and inspire more.
3. Act as if... you have an idea and just go with the process.
4. Motivate yourself by sending me your favorite results... I'll post what I can on my blog.
5. Tune into my blog and I'll be doing prompts too.. we can do them together.
6. Befriend me on Facebook

Dispatching Muses Your Way,
Jill Badonsky
Creative Prompt:
Today is Betrand Russell's Birthday. Here's a quote from him:
"Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible,
thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid.
Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man." ~Bertrand Russell

Do your own Repeated Completion:
Begin with "Thought is..." and complete the sentence quickly and differently at least 7 times.
Or a variation could be "My mind is..."

The Awe-manac Blog

TQ says "Do More By Doing Less!"

"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor." ~ Henry David Thoreau

Your TQ Training Challenge for Monday, May 18, 2009:

Find New Ways To Do MORE By Doing LESS...

Whose Fault Is It, Anyway?

Don't confuse bad management with destiny.

You can't learn and improve from today's mistakes until you acknowledge them.

"Time = Life, Therefore, waste your time and waste of your life, or master your time and master your life."~ Alan Lakein

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Automatic Writing

Automatic Writing
Use it to channel your inner voice
by Martine Jeanne Craughley

In the spooky latter weeks of Fall, the spirit realms begin to gain force. The veil between the seen and unseen is tissue thin, and the spirit world is well, unusually spirited. It's the perfect time to try automatic writing (writing in a light trance) to connect either with your higher self, your inner wisdom, or a spirit guide.

This writing will be as varied as the spirits you connect with. You may find yourself able to draw things you've never imagined, write in a foreign tongue, set out lines of fantastic symbols. Or it may come as straightforward advice from your higher self on how to make your dreams come true. The main thing is to stay open to the experience and try not to control what you receive. Let it happen and then analyze it afterwards.

Walking the labyrinth Auto pilot
First and most importantly, find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed for 10 to 30 minutes. Then choose a pen and a notebook, preferably brand new, that you will use only for automatic writing. If you have a burning subject you want information on, be clear and focused on this question before you begin.

Next, light sage or incense to clear the air of unwanted influences and to sanctify the space. It's very important to take a moment to pray for protection, either from God, angels, your guardian spirit, or whatever beneficent force you are comfortable with. Take time to truly connect with this divine energy and to get a sense that you've been given permission to go ahead.

Then, take 10 very deep, slow breaths of air, drawing it in and letting it release without strain or effort. Repeat until you've reached a deep sense of relaxation (but don't slip away into sleep). Once in a relaxed, light trance, ask your guide (or inner wisdom, or whoever you'd like to call upon) to move the pen in your hand across the page.

Happy medium
Unless you're a born medium, it often takes three sessions to get your hand in tune with the subtle energies of the spirit - and to keep your chattering conscious mind quiet. If your hand is making meaningless squiggles, let it. With any new activity, it takes time and practice to get it right. At some point, you'll feel as if an unseen hand has taken the pen - it will gain purposefulness and speed. And you'll know without a doubt that you've made contact.

Remember that you can set your intention to receive messages about your job or your relationship, but just like any conversation, the spirit will sometimes have its own agenda. Don't be disappointed if the conversation veers to a subject important to the spirit. Once it's spoken, he or she will focus on your questions.

Automatic writing is a fantastic way to develop your knowledge and abilities beyond the ordinary possibilities of daily life. You will have access to an extraordinary fountian of knowledge.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Be Bold, Make Your Dreams Come True!

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can - begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." - Goethe

Coach Sherrie says: I think I posted this quote before, but it certainly bares repeating.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

TQ says "Exercise Daily!"

"As life is action and passion, it is required of a man that he should share the passion and action of his time, at the peril of being not to have lived." ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

Your TQ Training Challenge for Tuesday, May 12, 2009:

Exercise Daily -- Yes Yet Today.

Are You Keeping Your Juices Flowing?

For an improved mental outlook, keep exercise in your schedule. Physical activity generates your body's natural "feel good" chemicals which boost confidence and feelings of well-being.

Regular exercise increases your energy level, your overall health, and the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your brain. It's a "no lose" proposition!

"The principle is competing against yourself. It's about self improvement, about being better than you were the day before."~ Steve Young

Robert Genn on Reaching the Masses

Like it or not, print media is in decline while online material and readership is on the increase. So is the amount of poorly written and uninformed junk. We have designed the Painter's Post to be a "broad-minded filter" that will quickly add genuine information and current interest to our creative lives. If we succeed, it will be in providing further tools for your growth and success. Who knows where it will take us?

We're hoping that our new venture will be so useful to people that they will make The Painter's Post their home page, bookmark it, and send it to their like-minded friends. It's my sincere wish that you'll get value from The Painter's Post. Please take a look.

Best regards,

Robert

PS: "They know enough who know how to learn." (Henry Brooks Adams) "Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it." (Samuel Johnson)

Esoterica: I'm sure lots of folks already know about the guy who makes art in the dust on car windows, another who puts dancing figures in the eye of a needle, and a third who does optical illusions in chalk on sidewalks. But we'll be open to novelty and humour as well. Fact is, we have a pretty good idea of our readership in 115 countries and we respect every one of them. How we might publicize outstanding workshops and seminars is yet to be figured out. The Painter's Post will be built on the sharp-eyed wisdom of our fellow artists and our treasured friends.

Coach Sherrie says: Sorry! I thought the links were working again, but they're not working here. Anyway, you can find Robert Genn on Facebook. (You can find me there too. ;->)

Monday, May 11, 2009

TQ says "Seize the Day!"

"The real contest is always between what you've done and what you're capable of doing. You measure yourself against yourself and nobody else."
~ Geoffrey Gaberino

Your TQ Training Challenge:

Seize the Day. Turn Each of Your Dreams Into Specific Actions -- Make Today an Action Adventure...

One Of These Days Is TODAY!

The attainment of any dream requires action. Only you have the power to transform your dream into reality by taking action now.

The power of previous planning and prioritizing is focused on you to take the right action, in the right way, for the right reason -- and it's time to do it right now!

"The history of the world is full of men who rose to leadership, by sheer force of self-confidence, bravery and tenacity."~ Mahatma Gandhi

TQ says "The 3 Ps Pay Off!"

"The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts." ~ Booker T. Washington

Your TQ Training Challenge for Monday, May 11, 2009:

Persist With Passion Until the Desired Results are Attained...

Do You Have Your Heels Dug In?

Determination and persistence are two of the greatest assets you can possess as you strive to achieve your goals.

Patience, persistence and perseverance always pay off. ALWAYS!

"Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it."~ Irving Berlin

Sunday, May 10, 2009

TQ says "Begin NOW!"

"The most distinguishing feature of winners is their intensity of purpose."
~ Alymer Letterman

Your TQ Training Challenge for Thursday, May 7, 2009:

Clearly Define the MOST
Desired Outcome Possible...

When Is The Best Time?

The best time to set a goal for yourself is NOW!

You can start small. You can start easy. But start by clearly defining one specific goal for each of your roles today!

"When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life."~ Greg Anderson

TQ says "Fear Can Be Your Friend"

"If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just to finish the race -- it's up to you." ~ Dave Scott

Your TQ Training Challenge for Friday, May 8, 2009:

Use FEAR as a Call to Immediate ACTION...
Conquer that Fear by Expanding Your Comfort Zone...

Is Your Fear Dark And Fuzzy?

When you feel fear, identify it precisely. That's half the battle. When you bring fear into the light of day, you move it from some vague dark force to something specific and concrete which can be acted on.

You often fear that which is undefined. First name it, then confront it.

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right!"~ Henry Ford

Make Your Own Opening

"A man never sees all that his mother has been to him until it's too late to let her know he sees it. " ~ William Dean Howells

Your TQ Training Challenge for Sunday, May 10, 2009:

Do What's Important Next --
Regardless of Difficulty...
Where's All This
Fun Getting You?

Low priority jobs may be more fun to do, but, by definition, they seldom contribute much to your long-range goals.

Before you take up the next task, pause to review. Make sure it's the next highest one remaining on your priority list.

"Take a lesson from the mosquito. She never waits for an opening -- she makes one."~ Kirk Kirkpatrick

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Whatever You Think, You're Right!

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right!"
~ Henry Ford

Your TQ Training Challenge for Monday, May 4, 2009:

Focus on just ONE Prime Role at a Time...

What's Your #1
Role Right Now?

Your #1 Role at this time in your life is the role that you believe to be most beneficial to your values, interests and needs. Focus on this role first whenever you can while remaining responsible for all your other roles as well.

Play the part that means the most to you, most often.

"It's how we spend our time here and now, that really matters. If you are fed up with the way you have come to interact with time, change it."~ Wieder Marcia

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Lisa Dieken's 15 Reasons to Hire A Creativity Coach

15 Reasons to Hire a Creativity Coach

Break through blocks like overwhelm, procrastination, perfectionism, low self-confidence, fear of success (responsibilities, pressure, and expectations associated with success)

Talk with someone who has knowledge of and experience with the creative process and can offer solutions and insight into your process. Learn when difficulties are the creative process itself and not you.

Learn the power of small steps

Reacquaint yourself with your creative mind and child-like spirit

Create a habit to spend more time at creative pursuits

Increase the fun and joy in your life

Find ease in pursuing your dreams

Take steps to make some changes or recreate your life

Cultivate your intuition, inner wisdom and imagination

Learn effective ways to process emotions

Share your ideas

Have compassionate support

Increase self-awareness

Adapt to creativity as a way of living - live creatively

Learn tools and and develop habits that can be used to increase success in all areas of your life!

Have You Experienced 'Sterilty?'

Janice Robinson-Delaney of Ellenwood, GA, asked, "Have you ever experienced what Picasso called 'sterility'? If so, where does it come from and how do you prevent it?"

Thanks, Janice. On the surface, it might seem that Picasso would be the last to worry about this particular problem--he of many periods, prodigious output and overlapping media. Fact is, he was the poster boy of fertility.

Sterility is where you find yourself running on empty. It's not to be confused with "artistic senility"--another condition where the brain, often in old age, begins to run on memory rather than experiencing each work as a new event. We actually learn sterility during our teen years, as societal demands and peer pressure begin to stifle the audacity of the natural child. The sterile adult has feelings of barrenness and loss that can bring on a state of panic.

Fertility, the opposite of sterility, is learned. Curiosity and experimentation are adopted attitudes, and while they fluctuate and at times appear loony, they're largely voluntary.

Picasso was one who understood the private search for "new" because he felt the weight of the public "old." This view may not sit well with artists who honour traditions and time-worn subjects, but even in these there is room for new excitements and subtle evolutions. While we may recognize that a quick antidote is not always going to work, there are ploys that, taken individually or in combination, can do the job. Here are seven:

Change your media.
Mix your media.
Change your working environment.
Change your tools.
Exercise your body.
Study your favourite artists.
Jump around a lot.

If you are a slow worker, speed up. If you are a speedy one, slow down. Above all, grab something and get started. The learned ability of renewal is as necessary to the creative mind as holding a brush. And as brushes are often replaced, there can always be another love.

Best regards,

Robert

PS: "Love what you do. Believe in your instincts. And you'd better be able to pick yourself up and brush yourself off every day. While life is not always fair, it is manageable. It's a matter of attitude and confidence." Mario Andretti)

Esoterica: You might also try a nightly affirmation such as "Just for tomorrow I will hone in on what I really want to do." Repeat ten times and run backwards around a moonlit tree at midnight--anything that shakes you up and shines lunar light on your true passions. "People are not lazy," says motivational guru Anthony Robbins. "They simply have impotent goals--that is, goals that do not inspire them."

Stepping Into Integrity

Stepping Into Integrity
by Will Craig
Have you ever found yourself admiring someone for what they believed in even though you may not have agreed with them? Right or wrong you have to respect someone who takes a position and stands by it.

Innately, this is what we all want from others. How often have we said to ourselves, "You know, I'm not crazy about so-and-so but, at least, I know where I stand with them." The tough thing about taking a stand is that we're not going to please everyone and we'll probably alienate a few others in the process.

News flash... Isn't that what happens in our lives anyway?

Often times we're so focused on doing and saying the right thing we become bland and uninteresting. Ask a newspaper editor, book publisher, talk radio host or television show producer what they're looking for and they will ALL say, "Someone with a point of view." That's what's interesting. That's what sells. And, bottom line, that's what we all want from the people in our lives.

There is more than one way to take a stand.

1. Stand up for what you believe in.
2. Stand down from a position where you feel compromised.
3. Stand back from a situation that doesn't feel right.

Take a stand today and, without moving a muscle, you'll also be stepping into integrity. You'll be more interesting, more respected, and maybe even admired.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

TQ says "Write Down Your Goals!"

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together." ~ Vincent Van Gogh

Your TQ Training Challenge for Sunday, May 3, 2009:

Pick up Your Pen -- Write Out the Details of Every Goal...

Are Your Goals Indelible?

Deepen your commitment to your goals by putting them in writing. The act of writing them down helps define them in your mind and gives you a visual reminder of your target.

When you write down your goals, be as explicit as possible and include due dates.

"Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend."~ Laertius Diogenes

Saturday, May 2, 2009

TQ says "Take the Reins!"

Take Full Responsibility for How
Your Day Works Out...
--
Take The Reins In Your Parade.

Being responsible means knowing what you want, getting up, going out and doing it yourself. Getting what you want transforms the potential of your desire into the sheer power that comes from taking action.

Take charge. Make this day be your day!

"The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them."~ George Bernard Shaw

Friday, May 1, 2009

Robert Genn on Perfectionism

"It is from the regret left by the imperfect work that the next one can be born." ~Odilon Redon
"Where you stumble, there lies your treasure." ~Joseph Campbell
"Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without." ~Confucius
"Regularity, order and the desire for perfection destroy art. Irregularity is the basis of all art." ~Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Esoterica: If you're a perfectionist, you're actually in good company. Leonardo da Vinci was never happy with anything. Haunted by feelings of parental abandonment, he became the Patron Saint of Procrastinators. His was a condition I call "idealistic perfectionism." Just knowing he could do it was enough. Thinking he could make it better kept him fiddling. I still don't feel he got Mona Lisa's smile exactly right, do you? Maybe it was better before.

Why Reasons Don't Matter

Mitch Ditkoff sent a message to the members of Create! Innovate! Get Out of the
Cave!
--------------------
Subject: THE TEN TOP REASON WHY THE TEN TOP REASONS DON'T MATTER

10. Reason is highly over-rated.
9. Analysis paralysis.
8. If you need more data to prove your point, you'll never have enough data to
prove your point.
7. You already know what to do.
6. You're going to follow your gut, anyway.
5. "Not everything that counts can be counted; and not everything that can be
counted counts." (Einstein)
4. By the time you put your business case together, the market has passed you
by.
3. "Conclusions arrived at through reasoning have very little or no influence
in altering the course of our lives." (Carlos Casteneda)
2. The scientific method came to Rene Descartes in a dream!
1. "Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." (Groucho)


(Excerpted from www.ideachampions.com/weblogs)

TQ asks "Are you Up for Some Down Time?"

"The principle is competing against yourself. It's about self improvement, about being better than you were the day before." ~ Steve Young

Your TQ Training Challenge for Friday, May 1, 2009:

Schedule Time Off for Play and R & R...

Are You Up For Some Down Time?

Manage stress and increase productivity by giving yourself some down time. Take time to relax in neutral instead of always running in high gear.

Do yourself and your productivity a big favor! Take time out to relax, recharge and renew yourself.

"It's how you deal with failure that determines how you achieve success."~ David Feherty

Coach Sherrie says: How many of you plow through the day, not taking breaks? Not eating well? Not enjoying life? You are only cheating yourself out of a life that you love. Do what makes you happy several times a day. Then, everything else will fall into place. I promise.