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Friday TED video – February 19

February 19th, 2010 leave a comment; 0

This week’s TED video had a big impact on my own creative thinking as I work through my idea of personal geography. Check out the intriguing art of Tom Shannon then continue reading below.

In the video Tom Shannon discusses the unseen fields interacting in the universe and how these invisible forces help him to craft his art. This is how I see the concept of personal geography: all of the different seen and unseen spaces and forces that are helping you to craft your life.

You can simply allow these forces to guide your life or, and for me this is a more empowering view, you can take control of designing the spaces and forces in your life so that your personal geography is not simply a response to circumstances, but is intelligently crafted.

Tom Shannon’s art provides an excellent image of this concept. He uses the natural forces of the universe to create his art, but he also adds his own control over the designs through the creation of his pendulum. He is using the natural spaces and forces to his advantage by designing how they interact with his art.

How can you design the spaces and forces of your personal geography to positively interact with your life?

Read more posts about environmental design and personal geography.

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Personal Geography Newsletter #1 Conversation

February 18th, 2010 leave a comment; 4

I am still in the process of figuring out how I want to create the conversation around the personal geography newsletter. So, for issue number one, and maybe more after that if this seems to work, I have created this post to share your ideas about what you read in the newsletter.

Please, share your thoughts on the first newsletter below so we can get the conversation started.

If you have no idea what this post is talking about, but would like to know more sign up for the Sunday Night Success Personal Geography newsletter here:




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(Too) Comfortable with success

February 17th, 2010 leave a comment; 1

I have had a fabulous start to 2010:

  • I have picked up work with two different coaching organizations providing coaching and writing services.
  • I have maintained a small number of clients in my private coaching practice.
  • I am now supplying the majority of my family’s income through my new adventure as a coach.
  • I have grown and continue to grow the reader base of Sunday Night Success.

    • Everything has been going better than “according to plan”.

    Funny how that is such a precarious place to be.

    Positive results and silly thoughts

    With all of these positive results I made a decision a couple of weeks ago that I would put building my private practice on hold and focus on my contract work. At the time it made perfect sense: the contract work is paying my bills and a little bit more, it is most important, full steam ahead.

    Which was followed by an even sillier thought: I can start building my private practice again if the contract work slows down or comes to an end.

    All the cogs in the machine

    Most of you have already seen the complete gap in my thinking process, funny how it took me a few weeks, and some prodding from my SNS group and my own coach, to catch on.

    Why stop helping people just because things are going well?

    Why wait for something to go wrong before building up another income stream for my business and my family?

    The contract work is great, but it is only a piece of the overall vision for success. I am having a lot of fun with the work and learning a lot. The opportunities just keep opening up and it is fabulous. However, that does not mean I don’t need the other piece of the vision, my private practice, spinning inside the machine.

    If I am having great success with one aspect of the plan, why not work on having even more success by continuing to work on all the parts?

    Gratitude for my support network

    The thanks for this realization goes to those relationships that provide me with the support that has helped me with my recent success. Without their questions and gentle (and sometimes not so gentle) prodding I would be moving forward but leaving some important pieces behind.

    Now it is time to refocus and get back on track.

    What is one area of your own life that you may be feeling too comfortable with? How would things look different if you shook things up and put some energy back into this area?

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    Weekly Environment – my son Fionn

    February 16th, 2010 leave a comment; 0

    This week I wanted to move the focus away from my physical space and give an example of a supportive environment in my relationship space. As much as I believe people forget to pay attention to the effect their different physical spaces have on their success, I think people spend even less time thinking of how the people in their lives are helping or hindering how effectively they move forward.


    Fionn (the “o” is silent)

    My son is by far one of my most supportive environments even though, at times, he tends to completely exhaust me on a physical level, he does nothing but provide me with energy to work on all of my projects and move towards my dreams. The birth of my son completely changed my perspective on all of my different spaces. My previous goals, ambitions, and dreams all took a 180 or at least 90 degree turn when Fionn came into my life.

    How does my son act like a supportive environment?

    - Whenever I forget why I am doing something, a few minutes with him reminds me of my purpose.
    - Whenever I spend too much time on work, time with him reminds me of what is important.
    - When I am having a bad day, stopping what I am doing and hanging out with my son is a sure-fire cure for the blues.

    Fionn is a perfect example of how just spending time with the right people in your life can provide endless energy to keep you working towards your dreams.

    Think of somebody in your own life who is a positive energy source. What could you do to spend more time with this person receiving that positive energy?

    Want to learn more about environments? Read about my new newsletter then sign up for the newsletter in the top right corner of my homepage.

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    Friday TED video

    February 12th, 2010 leave a comment; 0

    I have been spending some time lately moving and reorganizing my office. Not surprisingly, I have also been spending a lot of time thinking about how I can use space to my advantage instead of “fitting” myself into space.

    Joshua Prince-Ramus has taken this idea of using space versus fitting into space to the extreme with his architecture project turning a regular theater into a theatrical machine:

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    I Like Golf

    February 11th, 2010 leave a comment; 3

    I like golf.

    I like the anticipation of the game.  I like setting it up with my friends.  I like getting my gear ready.  I like driving into the parking lot.  I like carrying my gear to the first tee.  I even like paying for the privilege of playing.

    There is something about the game that has an allure to me.

    Turning my cell phone off and having some “me” time.  Joking around with my friends at the tees.  Watching my friends succeed on the green.  Walking through lovingly manicured courses.  The anticipation that the shot that I am about to take may go where I want it to go.

    My problem lies in the fact that I am not good at hitting the ball.  As a lefty golfer I have developed a habit of hitting every drive that I make left instead of straight.  Left into the rough.  Left into the water.  Left into the sand.  And not just a little left – I am shooting left by 45 degrees or more.  :S

    What happens after I shoot left?  The first 5 or 6 shots I can usually suppress my frustration but eventually it bubbles to the surface and my day is ruined.  Friends cannot console me.  The joy is gone but I play on like a man walking through a rain storm who is soaked to the bone.

    So for a long time I did what any man would do.  I would try harder.  I would try to force my body to HIT THE BALL STRAIGHT!!  I would practice harder and more often.  I would contort my body in ways to make the ball do what I want it to do.  I would turn my body so when I hit it left then at least it would be straight (this made it worse). All to no avail.

    I just figured out my problem.

    My problem is that I care where the ball goes more than I care about the process for getting the ball there.

    Now I have a new plan – focus on the joy of the movement within the shot and stop caring about where the ball goes.  My shot may not improve at all but by changing what I consider success to be I will find peace on the course.  And this is my real success – peace.

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    Sunday Night Success – Newsletter

    February 10th, 2010 leave a comment; 2

    If you take a look in the upper right corner of the SNS homepage you will see a brand new sign up form for the Sunday Night Success newsletter. Like the new “Weekly Environment” posts on Tuesdays this newsletter is another experiment to see what happens.

    At the moment the sign up form breaks one of the most common internet newsletter rules: I am not offering anything free with the newsletter….yet. At the moment it was most important that I get the sign up form live on the blog. I have what I think is an important and valuable freebie that will come with the newsletter I just haven’t quite figured out the technicalities of setting up the distribution of that freebie.

    Freebie or not I hope you will sign up for the SNS newsletter and join me on this new experimental journey. Then, when the freebie is actually available you will be twice as happy!

    What to expect from the newsletter

    The newsletter is set up to provide a brand new environment for my, and hopefully your creative environment. I am working on writing a book that brings together some of my new ideas about success that I have learned over the past year through my own self-improvement work and my work with coaching clients.

    These ideas are raw at the moment, and need to be developed. You can check out the very start of one of the ideas in my post on personal geography. My hope is that you will work with me, by sharing your comments and ideas about the newsletter, and help me write the book one idea at a time.

    What other benefits?

    Even if you are not interesting in helping develop and clarify the ideas everything I write in the newsletter is helpful in how you operate in your daily life. These are the ideas that I use with my clients and in my own life to be successful. Not all of these ideas will end up on the SNS blog so the newsletter gives you a unique look at some really interesting ways to help yourself move forward and be successful with whatever you are working on right now.

    Or, you read a few issues and decide I am a lunatic and it is all pointless. Really, no harm done, and you would get the chance to peek inside the head of a madman.

    Will you be selling stuff?

    The answer is yes, but only at the very bottom of the newsletter after all of the non-selling information has been provided. If reading offers in a newsletter bothers you, it won’t be a huge problem, you can just stop reading before you get to the bottom. If I ever decide to change this policy (and this is an experiment, it may evolve) I will give warning so you can jump ship.

    My number one purpose is to develop my ideas and provide value to you with my thoughts and writing. I would also love to have some of you join me in coaching relationships so we can start moving your ideas out of your head and into reality. For those of you who decide to take me up on the offers I look forward to working with you.

    So, I hope you will enter your information below. It should be an interesting time that we spend together.




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    Weekly Environment – 22″ Monitor

    February 9th, 2010 leave a comment; 0

    Welcome to a new experiment at Sunday Night Success.

    I have recently spent a lot of time writing about the idea of shifting perspectives and looking at everything around you as being an environment that has the potential to support or block your success. To help with this perspective shift I thought it would be a good idea to provide a weekly example of something that I consider to be one of my environments, and briefly comment on why I see this environment as being a support or a block.

    Let the experiment begin…..


    Weekly Environment – 22″ Monitor

    Until recently I have been doing all of my writing on my 13″ Macbook, which, for the most part has been a wonderful experience. However, with my recent increase in writing tasks (both my own and my new contract writing work) sitting at my desk and peering down at the 13″ screen was starting to put a strain on both my neck and my eyes.

    A quick purchase of a video adapter and a video cable and I attached my Macbook to an old 22″ monitor I had in my office. The positive change to my environment was instant, and my effectiveness as a writer was affected immediately.

    No more strained neck or eyes means I can sit and write for longer periods of time, and I now spend more time in the peace and quiet of my office writing instead of sitting on the couch amidst the chaos that only a two year old son can cause.

    As an environment my 22″ monitor definitely supports me in being successful.

    What is a piece of technology in one of your spaces that is acting as a supportive environment?

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    This week’s TED video

    February 5th, 2010 leave a comment; 0

    Welcome to a new idea here at Sunday Night Success: the weekly TED video.

    Ted “is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading” that puts on conferences where thought leaders give talks about “the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world.” Attendance at TED conferences requires an application, not only to speak, but to sit in the audience.

    One day I will sit in that audience and listen to these thought leaders live, but until that day (not to mention the day when I give my own TED talk) I have TED.com to fill my mind with amazing ideas and inspiration. I start every weekday with a TED video for inspiration, it is a source of creative energy for me. I would love to share this inspiration and energy with the readers of SNS.

    Starting today, and every Friday, you can visit SNS to watch my weekly favourite TED video and see what helps me tick.

    Sit back and enjoy this week’s TED video:

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    Closet cleaning = success!

    February 3rd, 2010 leave a comment; 4

    “If cleaning out your closet everyday helps you achieve your dreams then why not clean out your closet everyday?”

    The small things matter

    This idea has popped up twice in the last two weeks during my coaching sessions: clients brushing off the silly little things they do as if these things have no effect on why they are having success.

    “I always run if I write my runs out on a calendar and make sure I have my iPod with me. Silly things like that.”

    And,

    “I cleaned out my closet and got this burst of energy. If only I could clean out my closet before every challenging task I have to do.”

    If scheduling and listening to music help you run then are they silly little things?
    If it works then why not clean out your closet every time you have a challenging task?

    Pay attention to what works then do it over and over again

    It seems like people like to focus on the big things that help them to succeed: training and education, business systems, mastermind groups, coaches, meetings, etc.; while ignoring the little things that could be just as important.

    I start everyday of working from home with two cups of coffee. Cup of coffee number one signals: time to hang out with my son and enjoy the morning. Then I get ready for work and grab cup of coffee number two which signals: time to go to the office and get the day started.

    Two cups of coffee. Every morning. In the exact same pattern.

    Silly? Perhaps. Does it work for me? Definitely.

    What parts of your day do you currently consider silly or unimportant that could actually be one of the small keys to your success?

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