Is it Time for You to Realign?

Recently I had the opportunity to spend time with 75 next generation leaders. It was awesome to listen to their stories and hear about their dreams.
There were future teachers, artists, actors, engineers, politicians, ministers, athletes, lawyers, and even an aspiring sniper.
Purchase a copy of FYW
Through the FINDING YOUR WAY Process, hopefully each one left our time together more pointed and more determined.
As you look at your own life, are you leading in your sweet spot? If not, I'm guessing you are somewhat miserable. Life is too short to stay stuck.
Take some time this week and work on your alignment. Ask the following questions to give yourself a jumpstart:
1. Where is the fulfillment? Is there an activity that brings you energy? A place where you feel highly motivated and eager to show up? If so, it deserves a big portion of your schedule. Stop wasting time on things that suck the life out of you.
2. Where is the fruit? Is there a place in your life where you are highly successful? Often times, the things we are good at have a tendency to bring us joy. Pay attention to the places where you are highly competent.
3. Where is the affirmation? Is there something you do that causes others to constantly encourage you? Maybe you have not been willing to admit to yourself what others have been saying. The fact is, there is an area where you are great. It just needs to be discovered.
If you have been going through the motions, now is the time to realign.
Randy
If money, responsibility, expectations, and limitations were not factors, what would you want to do differently with your time?
To purchase your copy of FINDING YOUR WAY: Discovering the Truth About You, visit findingyourway.us

Are You Making the Competition Irrelevant?

In their book, Blue Ocean Strategy, Chan Kim and Renee Mauborne open with the story of Cirque du Soleil, basically a circus act on steroids, started in 1984 by an accordion player named Guy Laliberte.

Laliberte created more revenue in twenty years than Ringling Brothers was able to in over a century. And let’s face it, the circus was not exactly an industry everyone was gravitating toward when “Mr. Accordion” threw his hat in the “ring.”

How did he pull it off? According to Kim and Mauborne he appealed to a whole new, “uncontested market space that made the competition irrelevant.” 

As a leader, sometimes it is easier to focus on the competition than it is to stay focused on your product. However, doing so is very dangerous. Life becomes a never ending bloodbath to gain market share.

The alternative is better ... to simply be yourself. Shakespeare said it best - “To thine own self be true.”

Take a moment and consider the rest of your month. What is on your schedule that reflects uniqueness - something you are planning to do that no one else is capable of doing? Whatever you identify has the potential to make your competition irrelevant.

Perhaps a word of encouragement to an employee? Possibly further development of an idea you have put on the shelf? A blog or article on a subject of interest? Maybe even a bed time story for your son with a fresh level of engagement?

There are things that only you can do. They can’t be delegated or outsourced. Discover them and put them on your calendar.

Your world needs Y-O-U.

Leadership Begins at Home,

Randy

What is one thing you need to do this month in order to be “true” to yourself?

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YOLO

YOLO. Short for You Only Live Once.

It has become a buzzword. My kids filled me in on the lingo a couple of years ago on one of our beach trips. Cool Dad alert!

YOLO is a great reminder for those who find themselves in the wrong groove, aka ... a rut.

The tendency for those who are experiencing success is to become complacent. Complacency leads to playing it safe. Playing it safe is anti - YOLO.

YOLO understands that you are the only one who can show up and be you. One shot - regrets or fulfillment hanging in the balance.

Where do you need to go "YOLO" in the coming week? Is there a place where you are holding back? An area where you have lost your passion? A project you have been putting off?

If so, go find a mirror, look at the guy staring back at you, and scream out loud to him (or her), "You only live once. Stop holding back!"

YOLO is not as hard as we make it out to be. It just requires initiative and courage.

Want to spice up your life?

Remember - YOLO!

Leadership Begins at Home,

Randy

What is one "YOLO" action step you need to take in the coming week?

Comment Below ...

Get Back in There and Try it Again

During last year's commencement ceremony for the University of San Francisco’s College of Arts & Sciences, comedian, Bill Cosby served as the guest speaker.

In his address to the graduates, Cosby reminded the students to push through obstacles in order to reach their potential.

To illustrate his point, Cosby shared about his first real opportunity to make it big as a stand up comedian. It happened back in Chicago, where he was hired to headline at a popular club for $740 a week. Big money back in the day.

"I knew I could go there 'cause I was good!" he said.

After having the red carpet rolled out for him by the club, Cosby stepped out onto the stage and was horrible. He bombed!

He told the story"The room felt heavy. I felt heavy. I began to understand: I had no business in this nightclub."

Cosby offered the club-owners their money back after the show, and promised to quit comedy and become a teacher. The owners nodded, agreed that he'd stunk, and told him to get back on stage for the second show.

"I stayed, still feeling heavy," Cosby said.

This time, instead of announcing Cosby as "America's fastest rising new comic" as before, the announcer simply told the audience his name.

Cosby stepped onstage as the curtain rose and demanded, "Where was my intro?" The announcer replied, "Obviously, you didn't see the first show!" And the two began to banter.

"I was back!" Cosby told the graduates. "I was brilliant! 

I cannot imagine a world without the comedy of Bill Cosby. No Cosby Show. No Fat Albert. Yet it almost happened.

Had it not been for the words of some club owner in Chicago who said, “Get back in there and try it again,” the world would have lost a brilliant comic.

As a leader, might there be someone in your circle of influence who needs to hear you say, “Get back in there and try it again?”

Is there an area where you, yourself, need to have a do-over? If so, dust yourself off and get back in there and give it another shot. And of course, encourage someone else toward their dream too.

We all bomb from time to time, but we must not quit. For we never arrive at greatness without picking up a few scars along the way.

Stay the course, and soon someone might be saying of you, “She’s back, and she was brilliant.”

i2i,

Randy

Is there a place in your life where you have given up and need to reconsider?

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Will You Help Someone Find Their Way?

Almost every day I find myself talking to a next generation leader. There are very few things that fire me up as much as a young person who has the leadership gift.

I am finding that most of tomorrow’s leaders have one thing in common - they have no compass for helping them discover what they are born to do.

Over the last few months I have had countless conversations with high schoolers, college students, and early professionals who are searching for their sweet spot. Sadly, schools and universities are doing very little to help them “find their way.”

As many of you know, my friend, Dan Webster and I have written a tool to help in this dilemma. It is a book titled, FINDING YOUR WAY: Discovering the Truth About You.

Purchase a copy of FYW

Bestselling author, Jon Gordon says of FINDING YOUR WAY, “Finding your Way is not just an engaging story, it is a brilliant process that will help you find the work you were born to do . . . at any age. I’m not only giving this book to college graduates, I’m also giving it to a few fifty year old friends searching for their passion and purpose.”

My dream is that every young person could have a tool like FINDING YOUR WAY to help them discover their purpose.

With graduation only a few weeks away, I challenge you to identify a few upcoming high school or college graduates and purchase them a gift copy. You might even consider purchasing a copy for an entire graduating class. As an incentive, Dan and I are offering free shipping for the remainder of April.

The next generation needs leaders who will encourage them to wrestle with the process of discovery. My prayer is that FINDING YOUR WAY will become a catalyst to help you identify some young people and make an investment in their future.

You can purchase copies here.

Another way you can make a difference is to forward  this post to your friends or by tweeting the link.

Thank you so much for your support, encouragement, and all the great comments you share. I love the i2i community and I can’t wait to hear the stories that will grow out of your generosity.

To learn more about FINDING YOUR WAY, visit findingyourway.us

i2i,

Randy

Was there someone who made an investment in your leadership when you were starting out?

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Know Anyone Who is Stuck?

This week, I have been overwhelmed with the excitement surrounding our new book, FINDING YOUR WAY.

It seems that everyone I talk to has a story of someone who is drifting through life, longing to make a difference, but feeling stuck. FINDING YOUR WAY is designed to help such a person.

As I move forward with the i2i blog, I promise not to become a commercial for FYW. I will simply put a link for it on the side of the i2i pages, and provide you

an occasional update.

If you want to know more, you can visit the site to get info on how FINDING YOUR WAY can benefit you and your community. From hosting a FYW Workshop, to providing resources for the next generation of leaders, there are countless ways you can leverage the FYW Process to benefit those you have the opportunity to influence.

Just as many of you have done for i2i, I hope you will help spread the word for findingyourway.us. FYW is also now on twitter @fywus where we will be posting thoughts on self-leadership, and vocational alignment. We would love for you to join the FYW conversation through your tweets.

We chose findingyourway.US for our domain name for a reason. Namely, we wanted our project to be about a community. Not an organization (.org) or a commerce (.com) site, but a group of “us” working together to foster environments of encouragement and trust for people to be themselves.

Again, I appreciate all of you who have purchased a copy of the book this week. I am convinced that your investment will lead to integrity & influence in the lives of those you care about, which is what being an i2i leader is all about.

“Beware! Once you start reading this book you won’t be able to put it down. I finished in one sitting – so clear your calendar. When it comes to discovering your purpose, Dan and Randy nail it! Finding Your Way is a powerful resource that is a MUST read.”

- Dan Britton – Executive Vice Pres, Fellowship of Christian Athletes

If you still need to pick up your copy of FINDING YOUR WAY, you can do so by clicking here.

Have a blessed weekend and keep being who you were created to be!

i2i,

Randy

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FINDING YOUR WAY in Your Community

Yesterday I introduced you to my new book, FINDING YOUR WAY. Let me begin today by saying thank you to all of you who bought a copy, tweeted the link, or forwarded the blog. For those of you who would like to be one of the first to read it, you can purchase it by clicking here.

Today, I want to share a little more of the vision for the book and ask you to make an investment in your local community.

Almost every leader has ties to an educator. If you fall into that category, then FINDING YOUR WAY would make a great gift for your favorite teacher. Honestly, I believe everyone, ages 18-30, should use the Finding Your Way Process to align their lives. Those who are entrusted with influencing the next generation need this tool. Every high school principle, college administrator, guidance or career counselor, and parent needs to read it.

So who do you know who is wandering around in the wilderness of career frustration? Or, who

do you know that is trying to help the wanderers navigate their next steps?

Upon reading FINDING YOUR WAY, one principal recently decided to make arrangements to take his entire senior class of over 500 students through the book and journal. Could you be the catalyst to start such an initiative in your community? I hope so.

I once heard leadership defined as . . . Influence. My desire is to leverage my influence to raise up a generation of leaders who are living in the center of their sweet spots. Without the help of others, I have no shot at pulling this off.

Will you join me?

It starts with a decision. A decision to be a part of creating the FINDING YOUR WAY movement . . . one community at a time.

“What do I want to do with my life?” is a question we’ve all pondered at one time or another. If you need help coming up with the answer, you ought to read Finding Your Way. In this engaging parable, you’ll discover four steps that will help you work through this major life decision. No matter what your age, Dan Webster and Randy Gravitt have the know- how—and the heart—to get you moving in the right direction.”

- Ken Blanchard – coauthor of The One Minute Manager®

To get your copy of FINDING YOUR WAY, visit findingyourway.us, or go directly to the FINDING YOUR WAY resource link @ http://findingyourway.us/resources/

i2i,

Randy

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Swing for More than a Gold Watch

A couple of days ago, the baseball career of third baseman Chipper Jones came to a screeching halt as the Atlanta Braves were bounced from the MLB playoffs by the St. Louis Cardinals.

After two decades of stellar play, Jones is now retired. Time for the proverbial retirement party. Drop the balloons, strike up the band, and wrap up the gold watch.

When you consider your own career as a leader, is the gold watch all there is to swing for? It seems to me nobody even wears a watch anymore. There has to be something more.

What if the process is more important than the product?

If the result is all that matters, then good luck on staying motivated. But if you will fall in love with the work, then every day can be an adventure and an opportunity for influence.

You CAN make a difference today . . . but only if you swing for more than a gold watch.

i2i,

Randy

Which is easier for you - to focus on the process or the product?

Comments?

 

 

 

 

Stop Trying to be Miguel Cabrera

Wednesday night, history was made when Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers became the first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski achieved the feat in 1967. The MLB Triple Crown is awarded to any player who leads his league in home runs, RBIs, and batting average.
There is a reason it hasn’t happened in 45 years. It is literally impossible to accomplish. At least it was until two days ago. While there have been players that have led the league in a couple of categories, few have even sniffed the Triple Crown. Why? Because nobody can do it all.
When it comes to your leadership venue, the best piece of advice I could give you is to stop trying to be Miguel Cabrera. Your team does not need you to be great at everything. They do, however, need you to be great at what you were born to do great. In other words, play to your strengths and surround yourself with great people to cover your weaknesses.
Trying to be a superstar in all areas will only lead to frustration, and ultimately failure. Playing to your strengths, on the other hand, will make you feel strong. That’s why they’re called strengths. Discovering the places where your talents lie will also bring great fulfillment to you as a leader.
It takes all kinds of people to build a great team. Some of you are great with numbers, while others can barely count. Lots of you have monster people skills,

while others find relationships very challenging. There are technology geeks, and then there are those of us that take a year to figure out how to put a subscription tab on their blog. Thanks for the help Becky!
Whether you are a communicator or a strategist, a number cruncher or a motivating manager, matters very little. What matters is that you be you.
Let’s face it, if they were giving out a Triple Crown for leadership none of us would win it. The good news is, there are no leadership Triple Crowns. There is just an area of strength that each of us possesses. It is unique, very special, and meant to be discovered.
While I am in awe of Cabrera, I feel no need to be something I am not. In fact, the more things I try to be great at, the less I am great at my area of strength. I believe the word for that is mediocre, and the last time I checked there are no awards for being average.
Even Mr. Triple Crown himself would tell you the reason he has hit the ball so well this season, is because he has made contact on the sweet spot of his bat. If you want to increase your contact and raise the level of your effectiveness, discover the sweet spot of your life and start swinging.
In the meantime, stop trying to be Miguel Cabrera.
i2i,
Randy
Is there an area of strength in your life that you have been neglecting?
Comments?
 
 
 

What if?

What if you could have any one thing you wanted? What would it be? My hunch is your answer might have something to do with security.

If so, consider the following quote from author, John Steinbeck. "We spend our time searching for security and hate it when we get it."

Profound words, but what if?

What if you refused to play it safe? What if you stopped going through the motions and started chasing your dream? What if making a difference took the place of making a living?

A man much wiser than Steinbeck once said, What does it profit a man if he gains the whole and forfeits his soul?”

If today finds your life leaking out of you, it might be time to forget about security and set your sights on significance.

Just a thought.

 

i2i,

Randy

 

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