(#272) Grit: What Keeps You Moving Toward Your Goals?

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

“If at first you don’t succeed try, try again. Then quit.
There’s no point being a damn fool about it.”
-W.C. Fields-

Resilience. Passion. Tenacity. Grit. Well-being. Balance. Mindset.

When these concepts are tossed around, they can apply to situations in which we examine our ability to either avoid or bounce back from adversity. They can indicate a persistence to reach a desired end as well.

In his book, GRIT, Paul G. Stoltz breaks GRIT into more than a defensive scheme.  He and his team see it as an offensive weapon we need to be intimately familiar with and aware of as we navigate our lives. And, we need to understand that not all grit is created equally.

GRIT = Growth. Resilience. Integrity. Tenacity.

Bad v. Good GRIT

When we use our “stick-to-it-iveness” to achieve a worthwhile and honorable goal (reach a healthy weight, earn a college degree, or work on a community initiative) that represents “good grit.” We achieve positive consequences for ourselves and/or others.  We act with inteGRITy.

markuso@FreeDigitalPhotos.net

markuso@FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“Bad grit,” according to Stoltz, comes into play when we tenaciously hold on to a thought, an action or a goal that creates negative consequences for us or others. Such as doggedly pursuing a mean-spirited course of action to belittle or demean someone with whom we may not agree.

Dumb v. Smart GRIT

For decades, I heard students say some variation of “I’ll study harder!”  Often they said that in response to a question like, “Terry, you have failed the first 3 math quizzes.  What do you think we need to do so you can pass your next quiz?” When Terry responded with “I’ll study harder” he generally meant he would use the same techniques that led to repeated failure—only this time he would use more of those failed strategies for longer periods of time.  I understood the thought—never the logic.  The persistence may be seen as “grit” or tenacity.  But in this scenario, Terry needs to understand when to give up on a failed strategy and follow a new course of action.

“If at first you don’t succeed try, try again. Then quit. There’s no point being a damn fool about it.”
-W.C. Fields-

Making wise adjustments to a goal or practice (and persisting) constitutes “smart GRIT” says Stoltz.

Weak v. Strong GRIT

I understand the importance and power of setting and visualizing our goals. And I have also come to the conclusion that, often, goal setting is way over-hyped.  Goal setting is the easy part. But if you set goals and then have difficulty staying focused on them and what you need to do to reach them (you quit, for instance, in the face of required consistent work) that is “weak GRIT.”

Goal achieving becomes the challenging part—and requires “strong GRIT.”

Video recommendation for the week:

In her TED talk, Angela Duckworth refers to grit as a characteristic needed for a goal-achieving marathon. It may take years to reach. Your goal requires stamina.

For the week ahead, examine one of your goals for good, smart, and strong grit. What adjustments do you need make? How do you plan on maintaining your stamina to persist?

Make it a wonderful week—H.T.R.B. as needed.

You can find my podcast series at Growth and Resilience (http://stevepiscitelli.com/video-media/podcasts). 

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

My books Choices for College Success (3rd edition) and Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?  (3rd edition) are published by Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in Grit, Integrity, mindset, resilience, tenacity | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

(#271) Comfort Zone

Posted on August 2, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
-Neale Donald Walsch-

Meet Roxie, a 14-week old rescue puppy, who arrived in our lives a few days ago. And like our previous companion, Buddy, she immediately began teaching us.

2015-07-30 14.17.36

As Roxie gets familiar with her new environment she continually retreats to two areas—two comfort zones.  Whether it’s her crate with chew toys or her comfy stuffed cushion by my desk, she feels solace in each area.  She ventures out to explore a room; tentatively looking this way and that. And then, returns to one of her comfort zones.  Outside she stakes claim to her new yard…and then back to the comfort zones to catch her breath.  With each venture outside the zone, she gains more confidence and a bounce in her step.

2015-08-01 09.11.49

She reminded me that we all have comfort zones. Those areas of refuge can provide shelter from life’s storms and give us pause to reflect on what we are doing and where we are going.  A comfort zone can help us gain awareness and begin to recognize and challenge assumptions as we make plans for future action.

Comfort zones, also, can stymie our growth. Consider what would happen to Roxie if she never left her crate or got off her comfy dog couch. She’d miss a whole world of adventure and growth opportunities.  She would never really stretch and strengthen her legs. She would never find her potential. Each time she steps out she increases her vulnerability and her chances for development and a fuller life. Roxie, like us, has to assess the risk of each move or non-move.

2015-08-01 09.47.36

Thanks to Roxie, two comfort zone lessons emerge.

  1. POSITIVE. Comfort zones provide shelter and opportunities to breathe. When the world has become too crazy to handle, we can retreat from the stresses that, at times, beat us down. They can rejuvenate us.
  2. NOT-SO-POSITIVE. A comfort zone, however, can become a crutch and excuse not to venture out, not to risk, and not to grow. As author Neale Donald Walsch has said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

Video recommendation for the week:

Carol Dweck makes a case for challenge over comfort.

As you approach the coming week consider your comfort zones. Be grateful you have these places where you can de-stress and catch your breath.  And consider what steps you can take to venture a bit further from their confines so you can embrace new adventures and growth opportunities.

Make it a wonderful week—H.T.R.B. as needed.

Click to find my podcast series on Growth and Resilience (http://stevepiscitelli.com/video-media/podcasts). 

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

My books Choices for College Success (3rd edition) and Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?  (3rd edition) are published by Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

 

Posted in Grit, growth, inspiration, intentional growht, Life lessons, lifelong learning, Mindfulness, risk-taking, vulnerability | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

(#270) Have You Spent Time With Ida Ownly?

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

A relationship with Ida Ownly has no future
other than one of contrition, remorse, disappointment, and heartbreak.

You know Ida Ownly, don’t you?  I’m sure you (like me) have spent some time with her. And when we do it generally leads to regret, second guessing, teeth-gnashing, angst and stress.

If you have been spending time with Ida I suggest you end your relationship immediately. Otherwise she will own you.

I know a lot of students and career folks who have spent time with her (Ida really gets around!).  Like the students who wasted a semester only to fail a course.  You might hear them say:

  • If Ida Ownly spent more time studying, I wouldn’t be on academic probation.

The employee who did not prepare adequately for her major presentation to the perspective client:

  • If Ida Ownly done my homework, I would have landed that account.

ida ownly

Perhaps you have heard people (or yourself) say:

  • If Ida Ownly saved more I could have retired now.
  • If Ida Ownly called a cab I wouldn’t have that DUI.
  • If Ida Ownly paid attention to my diet and exercise I wouldn’t be twenty pounds overweight.
  • If Ida Ownly only flossed I’d have all my teeth.
  • If Ida Ownly quit smoking I would have saved thousands of dollars (and lung capacity).
  • If Ida Ownly worked less and played more I would have a more contented life
  • If Ida Ownly played less and worked more I would have a more satisfying career.
  • If Ida Ownly paid more attention to my partner/kids/friends/community….
  • If Ida Ownly said….
  • If Ida Ownly done….
  • If Ida Ownly known ….

Ida Ownly, indeed.  A relationship with Ida Ownly (“I had only”) has no future—other than one of contrition, remorse, disappointment, and heartbreak.

Why not make this week the beginning of a new relationship with Ida’s sister, Imma?

Video recommendation of the week:

A musical version of the question “If I Had Only Known.”

Imma Ownly going to do what moves my life in healthy, ethical and courageous directions. Imma Ownly going to live a life of integrity and passion.

imma ownly

What’s your first step? Who will it be for you–Ida or Imma?

Make it a wonderful week—H.T.R.B. as needed.

I am venturing into the realm of podcasting.  Check out my first episode at “Powerful (Mindful) Preparation. Powerful Presentation.” Information on future podcasts can be found on my podcast page.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

My books Choices for College Success (3rd edition) and Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?  (3rd edition) are published by Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in action, Anxiety, awareness, Discipline, Excuses, Failure, fitness, focus, fortitude, growth, initiative, Integrity, Mindfulness, Motivation, organization, Personal growth, potential, priorities, Priority management, Words and Action | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

(#268) P.R.I.D.E for Student (Life) Success

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

Choose well, my friend.

QUESTION: What do you think would give first-year college students the best advantage for success when they arrive on campus?

QUESTION: What do you believe would give new employees the best advantage their first day on the job?

ANSWER: The environments (school v. office) are clearly different. But both the students and new employees need to focus on the same choices for success.  Five choices for success.

I had the opportunity to outline these principle choices for success this past week in Boston at the annual National Conference on Student Recruitment, Marketing, and Retention with my P.R.I.D.E. ™ Model.

DSC00804

Beyond content knowledge and basic skills, I have found when students and new faculty have faithfully practiced these choices, they found it easier to stay the course; to continue the journey; and enjoy growth and resilience.

Purpose.  Understand why you are doing what you are doing. The “what” is important—but know the “why” behind the what to help motivate you and keep you moving even in those tough days (students: mid-semester blues; employees: lack of tangible progress in the job itself).

  • Students. Your “whys” could include: Why am I in college? Why do I want to be a ______ [fill in your career interest]? If that is too broad, focus on the smaller picture. Why am in this particular class? Why am I here when I could be so many other places?
  • Employees. Your “whys” may examine: Why did I take this job—beyond the financial reward? Why this particular job and company? Why do I get up and come to work each morning?

Resources. We all struggle in our chosen callings.  The seasoned songwriter and author hits the wall and comes up dry from time-to-time. The prolific salesperson experiences a slump. The straight-A student runs into her toughest professor ever!  The successful ones don’t roll over, complain and quit.  They choose to look for resources that will help them move beyond the obstacle.

  • Students. Tutors, writing labs, professor office visits, classmate study groups, extra time in the books and/or a talk with a mentor can help move beyond the challenge.
  • Employees. A one-on-one with a colleague or mentor can help. Online research focused on your particular field could yield a breakthrough for you.  Connecting and networking with a professional group can give you fresh perspective.

Integrity. It’s obvious (isn’t it?) that we should treat one another with integrity (trust, honesty, and respect).  And it should be just as obvious that we need to treat ourselves with integrity.  Years ago, Parker Palmer (Courage to Teach) reminded us that when, “The work we do lacks integrity for us, then we, the work, and the people we do it with will suffer.”

  • Students. Einstein reportedly said that “Education is not the learning of facts. It’s rather the training of the mind to think.” Memorizing facts for your test might get you an “A”—but what’s the bigger issue here? You are more than your GPA. See PURPOSE above.  Are you building a transcript or a life?
  • Employees. You will be good at what you do if YOUR SELF is invested in what you do. The effective employees are more than technique.  The great teachers I had the opportunity to observe and learn with were more than a bag of techniques and strategies.  What they did connected with whom they were.  Think of the people who have served you well professionally.  More than likely they loved what they did because what they did feed them (with more than dollars to buy groceries).

Discipline. I have met a lot of people with ambition. I have worked with individuals who had potential.  But I have found that without initiative, the first two will not amount to much.  All three are needed: the desire (ambition), the ability (potential), and the drive (initiative). The sweet spot: the intersection of all three.  This takes discipline.

  • Students AND Employees. Don’t confuse the stories you tell yourself with the stories you are living. The stories you tell yourselves are those things you say are valuable on campus/in your company. The stories you are living can easily be found by looking at how you actually spend your time each day. How big is the gap between what you say you value and where you invest your time?

Equilibrium. Every one of us is multi-dimensional.  We are not “just a student” or “just a teacher” or “just a [you fill in the blank].”  While labels might differ, we essentially have six dimensions to our lives: social, occupational, spiritual, physical, intellectual, and emotional. We have to keep them in tune and balanced.

  • Students AND Employees. Pay attention to your energy levels.  Get your sleep (enough of it), exercise, and proper nutrition.  Tony Schwartz says it best with the title of his book, The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working.  You can find some ideas to consider here.

Choose well, my friend.

Video recommendation for the week:

This clip comes from a keynote I delivered at Northern Virginia Community College.

Make it a wonderful week—H.T.R.B. as needed.

I am venturing into the realm of podcasting.  Check out my first one “Powerful (Mindful) Preparation. Powerful Presentation.”

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

My books Choices for College Success (3rd edition) and Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?  (3rd edition) are published by Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in Balance, Choice, Excellence, focus, fortitude, habits, Integrity, Life's purpose, Passion, Purpose, Reflective practice, resilience, Student success | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

(#267) You Get to Create the Path

Posted on July 5, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

We are all artists painting our own lives.

While facilitating a Texas faculty resilience workshop, I presented the following R.D. Laing quote to the audience:

The range of what we think and do
Is limited by what we fail to notice
And because we fail to notice
That we fail to notice
There is little we can do
To change
Until we notice
How failing to notice
Shapes our thoughts and deeds.

Photo by Steve Piscitelli

Photo by Steve Piscitelli

The group reflected for a few minutes and then shared their thoughts about what the words meant to them. One audience member shared the following:

Three words came to my mind: blind spots, blinders, and blinking.
We just chose not to see, or we are just incapable of seeing what is right in front of us.
We work around the edges, on purpose, or … we don’t know what to look for…
And then what I have experienced with my students, as well as faculty, is the speed of change.
If you blink it’s gone! …With such a rapid avalanche of information it is really hard to notice anything ….”

 Author and psychologist Dan Gilbert conducted a study that found people tend to have an “ease for remembering and a difficulty for imagining.”

Failing to notice. Blind spots, blinders, and blinking. Difficulty imagining.

We need to remind ourselves that our path forward is not necessarily the same path we have taken before or the one the latest book-of-the-month suggests we follow.

Image by moggara12 @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image by moggara12 @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

No, our way has to be discovered and lived our way.  We get to create the path.  We must take the steps.

Poet Antonio Machado poignantly observed, “Travelers, there is no path, paths are made by walking.”

Mentors and coaches can help us sort things out. They can help provide or sharpen needed tools for the road. You and I, though, will need to take the steps and use the tools—or invent or re-purpose our own implements to help us move forward. The trainer in the gym can point out the equipment and show us proper form but we have to do the work. We have to take the steps.

Author Steven Pressfield muses that “The artist enters the Void and comes back with something.”

We are all artists painting our own lives. Perhaps in the Void that frustrates and scares us there already exists the path for us to travel. But to find it we need to recognize—by stripping away our blinders and blind spots—what holds us back.

Again, from Machado,

Mankind owns four things
That are no good at sea:
Rudder, anchor, oars,
And the fear of going down.

Video recommendation for the week:

 What is your dream? What is inside you?

What have you been failing to notice? What one thing can you do this week—no matter how small—that will help you create your path?

Make it a wonderful week—H.T.R.B. as needed.

I am venturing into the realm of podcasting. Check out my first one “Powerful (Mindful) Preparation. Powerful Presentation.”

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

My books Choices for College Success (3rd edition) and Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff? (3rd edition) are published by Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in Being REMARKABLE, confidence, courage, Dreams, growth, Integrity, Life's purpose, Mindfulness, Reflection, vulnerability | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

(#266) Challenging the Status Quo

Posted on June 28, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

We have to remember what we learned in our formative years:
“Know what battles to pick.”
Great advice unless you never seem to choose a battle.

I was recently asked what kind of advice I would give to the new generation of educators and students. My advice was (and still is) simple and straightforward,

Pay attention to the difference you can make.
Challenge the status quo (that includes your own status quo).
Don’t settle for the easy way.
Either you create your story—or you let someone else create it for you.

This past week I had the opportunity to catch up with a student I taught nearly 30 years ago. She related a story about how a boss of hers, while conducting a staff meeting, was less than civil to say the least. While all of her compatriots quietly sat and squirmed a bit, my former student stood up and calmly challenged the boorish behavior. As she told the story, I beamed. She did not need my approval—but I could not have been prouder.

Stuart Miles @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Stuart Miles @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Far too many times I have witnessed otherwise smart and insightful adults sit on their hands rather than challenge a wrong-headed workplace/career-related situation. Why do people fail to take action in situations clearly calling for action? Here is what I have seen and heard for years.

  • “I won’t be here long. This job is just a placeholder until I get my big break and move on.”
    • Did you ever consider you may never get that big break? The job you planned on keeping for no more than a year or two ends up being yours for five years or more. I’ve seen people like this wake up one morning, ten years later, with kids in school and a mortgage. Guess what? They are not going any place. And, like it or not, they have created a less than savory workplace environment for themselves and their co-workers by their inaction over the years. The story they are living is the story they have created.
  • “Did you see what they did to Suzy down the hall? I’ll fly under the radar, thank you.”
    • Poor managers use fear to control and (they think) motivate their workers. How long do you plan to fly low? See #1 above.
  • “If I don’t rock the boat, I’ll be safe.”
    • Hmm, again. A few waves just might make the boat a bit safer for everyone. Like my former student above, a well-directed and civil challenge might catch attention and, if not change things for the better right away, might at least put the perpetrator on notice.
  • “I will do anything to make sure I am seen as a team player so that I can continue to move up the organization’sladder. At the very least, I’ll be able to keep my job.”
    • Really? I’ve seen people sell their souls for the job. Then once they have been used up by the transactional leadership, they are downsized or otherwise unceremoniously dismissed. One day they wake up without a job, and without a soul.

Speaking up is not always easy. It takes courage and articulation skills. Some of you are born leaders, ready to take the lead. Many others, not so much. I get that. Even the quiet ones amongst us, however, can quietly support those who are out front pushing for change. If, for reasons that apply to your situation in life, you choose to remain silent, then at least recognize the potential consequences of that choice.

Yes, we have to remember what we learned in our formative years: “Know what battles to pick.” Great advice unless you never seem to choose a battle. As Edmund Burke reportedly admonished, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men [and women] to do nothing.”

What can you challenge this week? Nothing large. Nothing outlandish. Nothing dangerous. Nothing stupid. Nothing boorish. Just a well-calculated step to find a more humane and thoughtful way to make a meaningful change for yourself, your family, your workplace, and/or your community. Consider a mentor, coach, adviser or counselor to help you sort things out and move along the best path.

Little steps create the journey. No steps create a journey of another kind.

Video recommendation for the week:

Sara Bareilles wonders what would happen if we say what we want to say.

Make it a wonderful week—H.T.R.B. as needed.

I am venturing into the realm of podcasting. Check out my first one “Powerful (Mindful) Preparation. Powerful Presentation.”

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

My books Choices for College Success and Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff? (both in their third edition) are published by Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in Being REMARKABLE, boundaries and limits, change, Choice, Civility, confidence, courage, creating your future, fortitude, influence, inspiration, Integrity, leadership, Mindfulness, Personal growth, Personal Wellbeing, wisdom, Words and Action | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

(#265) That’s Not Teaching. That’s Talking!

Posted on June 21, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

Teaching and learning need to remain inextricably connected.

A few weeks ago I had the honor of being placed in the songwriter’s spotlight at the Atlantic Beach (FL) Songwriters’ Night.  I was humbled to get the invitation and once I was sitting on stage that feeling magnified.  I didn’t have stage fright or anything such as that.  From my vantage point that evening I was able to see some very accomplished local songwriters in the audience.  As I told them that night, “I am honored but I am not a songwriter. I do write songs but that does not make me a songwriter. I play guitar. That does not make me a guitar player.”

As I’ve written on this blog before, just because I use the bathroom a number of times each day that does not make me a plumber.

Someone who writes is not necessarily a writer.  Truman Capote’s words ring in my ears: “That’s not writing. That’s typing.”

Image by Master Isolated Images @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image by Master Isolated Images @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You can apply the sentiment to (just about) any calling.

Take teaching for instance.

When I first started teaching at the college level, a veteran professor decided to give me some unsolicited advice on what (he thought) makes a good teacher.  He told me with a very straight face, “Steve, my job is to profess!  The students’ job is to write, or not, what I say.”

Oh boy!

A colleague in Texas shared a spot-on article with me this week about the need to make sure our teaching and learning remain inextricably connected.  Just because I have tossed it does not mean my students have caught it. Telling does not equate to learning.

My veteran colleague whose job it was “to profess” was knowledgeable but did he teach? As in, did he assist in learning? Perhaps. But more is needed than fact dispensing.  The author of the above article presented the case as such:

Learning can occur without a teacher,
but teaching in the absence of learners is an
activity without justification….

Above all, a teacher connects with students in more ways than an academic manner such as providing personal validation, a sense of relevance, and nurturing of self-efficacy. That requires a talented and skillful teacher.

For the poor instructors, I say, “That’s not teaching. That’s talking.”

But hope springs eternal in the breast of this veteran teacher. No matter what calling you find yourself in (health care, hospitality, sales, writing, handyman, nanny or ….) an effective mentoring program can help move the talkers and posers to guides and connectors. Apprentices need the guidance of the experienced.

They deserve it and so do those you serve.

Video recommendation for the week:

I will leave you with this video that speaks to teaching the child. It holds for adults as they, too, need encouragement. They, too, come in assorted sizes, shapes and skill-sets.  Yes, the subject matter matters but the nurturing and the connecting matter as well.

Make it a wonderful week—H.T.R.B. as needed.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

My books Choices for College Success and Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff?  (both in their third edition) are published by Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in effective teaching, faculty development, leadership, Mindfulness, professional development, Teaching, teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

(#264) Manage Your Energy. Maximize Your Productivity

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

What small step can you take this week to set your agenda,
manage your energy, and accomplish the most important thing on your radar?

In last week’s post I briefly noted the concept of ultradian rhythms. These 90-minute full-on work cycles have the potential to help you manage your energy and perform at your highest and most effective level.  I was reminded of the research behind this practice when I read The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working by Tony Schwartz.

Getting into the rhythm requires a bit of a mind shift and, if you believe Schwartz’s findings, a major behavioral adjustment for many of us. This week, let’s drill down a bit further on this intriguing concept.

Remember the old tale of the tortoise and the hare? Well, it seems that maybe the hare was onto something.  Sprinting has its benefits over endless plodding.

Image courtesy of Boians Cho Joo Young @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of Boians Cho Joo Young @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When it came to a teaching schedule, my favorite teaching session was, hands down, a 75-minute session. If you added the 10 minutes I arrived early and the (usually) 5 minutes it took me to pack up and speak with a student or two on the way to my office, you’d find I was right in this ultradian rhythm.

When it comes to a workshop on the road, guess what my favorite session length is. 60-75 minutes.  Add in Q & A and I’m right at the 90-minute cycle.

And for the past decade or so as I have gotten deeper into my presentation rehearsals, guess how much time I typically spend rehearsing in any given practice session. 90 minutes!

Keep in mind, I had been doing the above long before I read about ultradian rhythms. The timing just felt right. My energy levels remained high. And I got (and continue to get) things accomplished.

Over the last month, I have made a point to consciously carve into each day three or four of these ultradian cycles. I am more intentional about my schedule. Truth be told, some days I am much more successful than others. I do find, however, when I actually schedule and block the time on my calendar I am more apt to honor the commitment to myself.

Video recommendation for the week:

Schwartz provides a few tips to consider as you build your cycles:

  1. Identify the number one item you need to accomplish Understand it. Focus on it. Put it on your daily agenda.
  2. Identify the time of the day when you will have the most energy and fewest distractions. For me, that is the first part of the day. I’m up early. Typically, my first 90-minute cycle is my morning workout. Followed by breakfast and a review of what the day ahead looks like. Then I go headlong into my first ultradian work/professional session for the day.
  3. Before you actually start the work minimize (better yet, eliminate) your distractions, says Schwartz. I shut off my email screen and silence my phone (and put it out of sight). If you are a supervisor, this might be your “closed door time.”  Even for supervisors (especially for supervisors) it is critical that your supervisor understands and respects your time.
  4. Sprint for 90 minutes. When you get to the end of the time, stop. Take your break.  Honor your start and stop time.

As I consider and (more and more) live this strategy, I cannot help but think about the traditional school days our students (especially middle school and high school) and teachers are on. Or the constant push by the boss to do more with less—and at double the pace and without break. And then there is the night after night of less and less quality sleep time so that we can work on work-related tasks.

As Schwartz states, the way we’re working isn’t working.  What small step can you take this week to set your agenda, manage your energy, and accomplish the most important thing on your radar?  If you can’t do 90-minutes sessions, start with 15, 30 or 45 minutes.  And then build from there. Make it a habit and grab control of your day and the stories you create.

Either you create your story—or you let someone else create it for you.

P.S. This week’s blog post…took me 90 minutes to compose the first draft.

Make it a wonderful week—H.T.R.B. as needed.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my newest book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in awareness, boundaries and limits, Discipline, Personal Wellbeing, productivity, resilience, ultradian rhythms | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

(#263) Retreat or Stay-Treat? Treat Yourself!

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

What can you do if you want a retreat but can’t quite swing
getting away from your daily routines for three or four days? 

I’ve often read about personal growth retreats. You know, those that offer a chance to reconnect with or discover one’s soul and life-purpose.  Purposes of such mind-body retreats generally include strategies to empty the mind, detox the body, stimulate mindfulness, establish an exercise regimen, practice meditation, and/or to simply rest.

I have participated in professional retreats. These are the kinds that typically have a goal such as team building, creativity, strategic planning or problem solving.

As I write this week’s blog post, I am sitting in Cedar Key, Florida conducting my own personal/solo retreat.  This trip developed not so much for me to find myself as it was to devote uninterrupted time to a special and long-delayed project.

View from my Cedar Key "office."

Cedar Key, FL. (Photo by Steve Piscitelli)

Short back story: Fourteen years ago I completed a draft for what would have been my first novel.  I had sent it to a professional critique service.  And then I got distracted by other professional obligations. The draft has been on the shelf since then.  Until this week.

My wife and I mapped out a time when I could steal away by myself and dig back into the manuscript.  The result was four days in this sleeping little fishing village on the Gulf of Mexico. A quiet room hanging out over the water was the perfect place to create my retreat.

It turned out to be a wonderfully exciting, energizing and productive experience. If you ever consider such an investment in yourself, consider these thoughts/strategies/lessons.  A retreat can allow you to:

  1. Detox from the daily distractions of social media, email and household chores/routine. It can be really easy to let something around the house (the lawn, a project in the garage, a household chore, other people, a walk to the beach) to distract attention. While I worked on the manuscript, I turned off the email, phone, and news.  I took control of my environment.
  2. Empty your mind and move to a single-minded focus on whatever project (in this case, my writing) you choose to embrace.
  3. Stay mindful about what you want to accomplish with your days away.
  4. Establish a new routine of working. Prior to the retreat (in a few books) I had been reading about “ultradian rhythms” and playing with the concept at home. The retreat allowed me to further experiment with it. Think of a 90-minute work sprint followed by anywhere from a 30 to 60-minute break. Followed by another work session sprint; and another break; followed by one or two more (at most) sessions. I accomplished a great deal in about 4.5 to 6 hours per day of work. It was not a grind of 24/7 exhaustion.

Video recommendation for the week:

I am fully aware that not everyone has this opportunity to go away for a few days.  So what can you do if you want a retreat but can’t quite swing getting away from your daily routines for three or four days?

Well, I’m reminded of people who take “stay-cations”. My wife and I have done these.  Even though you are not “officially” away from home, you still create the atmosphere of being away.

Instead of RE-treat, why not think “STAY-Treat”?  How might you be able to restructure a retreat within your home environment? Start small and build.  For instance:

  1. Clearly establish a goal. Whether away or at home you can still do this. What do you want to accomplish by the end of your Stay-Treat? Write it down.
  2. Adjust your usual routine. Consider the ultradian rhythm mentioned above. If you can’t do four “sprints” in one day, start with one.
  3. Turn off the phone, TV and emails. Focus on your one task. The Facebook posts will still be there waiting for you.
  4. Do something different when it comes to meals. Nothing big; nothing expensive. But consider something out of your usual routine.
  5. Where will you conduct the Stay-Treat? Your home office? The back patio? Choose an area and make it your “office.”
My Cedar Key "office" for four days.

My Cedar Key “office” for four days.

It will take planning. You and your project/goal deserve it.

Make it a wonderful week—H.T.R.B. as needed.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my newest book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in Choice, Creativity, inspiration, Mindfulness, Motivation, Passion | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

(#262) Resilience: What’s Your Story?

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

What autobiography  have you created?
Time for a revision?

This month’s Time magazine (June 1, 2015) hit harmonious chords about actions that can create disharmonious life situations.  In “The Science of Bouncing Back” Mandy Oaklander explores strategies for resilience.

Citing resilience researchers, Oaklander writes that while traumatic stressors (read: the big ones) can have a devastating impact on our health, it’s “the countless smaller stresses that take a toll” on our bodies. Resilience—“the capacity to successfully adapt to challenges”—is not something that relates solely to the larger issues of life. The small things can bring us down just as well. One resilience researcher said that “the way we cope with little stressors strongly predicts how we’ll do once the big stuff hits. Personality is not as big a factor as one might think.” Coping comes to the little choices we make.

Image: Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: Stuart Miles/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Jack Dickey presented evidence in “Save the American Vacation” that clearly shows American workers do not use—and many loose—the vacation time they earn each year. Due to overwork or fear or an inability to disconnect (from all the “labor-saving” devices we have!) more and more American workers are not taking “their time” to rejuvenate. And many that do take vacation, still work during their so-called time away. From emailing to texting, to working on documents to phone calls, 61% of employed vacationers do some type of work during vacation (when they take it). Of course, you may hear (and maybe even made yourself) the argument that when you love your job, well, it’s not really work. You’re just enhancing your vacation and better able to focus on your job.

Hmm. Maybe.

When Dickey looked at the nearly 9 million souls who lost jobs during the Great Recession he found that “many have set about cobbling together a living in the so-called gig economy…where time off equates to time unpaid.” So, sacrifice vacation.

If vacation simply becomes an alternative location to conduct work, at best, how restorative is that?  If vacation becomes negotiable, then what is the impact on resilience?  At least, we need to be aware of our answers (or rationalizations).

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.  
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Video recommendation of the week:

So, how do we raise our resilience game? How do we train our brains and bodies to cope and bounce back in a healthy manner?  Oaklander presented the following “Expert Tips for Resilience” as 10 places to start (p. 42):

  1. Tap into your core (unshakable) beliefs.
  2. Use each stressor as an opportunity to learn.
  3. As tough as it might be (and as trite and cliché as it might sound) do what you can to remain positive.
  4. Learn from a resilient mentor or coach.
  5. Don’t run away—confront those things that scare you. (#4 above may be helpful here as is #6 below.)
  6. Look for and reach out to your support network in difficult times.
  7. Keep your brain active and learning new things as often as you can.
  8. Exercise regularly.
  9. Live in the present—don’t ruminate on the past.
  10. What trait, characteristic, skill or talent makes you the strong person you are? Own it and give yourself credit for this strength.

Which point above is one of your strengths? Which is a challenge for you? What resilience plan do you have for the coming week?

What is the autobiography you have created for yourself?

Maybe it’s time for a revised edition of that story!

Make it a wonderful week—H.T.R.B. as needed.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my newest book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in Choice, habits, happiness, hope, Life lessons, life success, Life's purpose, Mindfulness, Personal Wellbeing, Physcial health, resilience, self-efficacy, self-regulatory behavior | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments