Never tell people how to do Things, Tell them what to Do.

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Rod's World

This list is from John C. Maxwell’s excellent book: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Get It Here.

What would happen if a top expert with more than thirty years of leadership experience was willing to distil everything he had learned about leadership into a handful of life-changing principles just for you? It would change your life! John C. Maxwell has done exactly that in “21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”. He has combined insights learned from his thirty-plus years of leadership successes and occasional mistakes with observations from the worlds of business, politics, sports, religion, and military conflict. The result is a revealing study of leadership delivered as only a communicator like Maxwell can. Here is the list:

THE 21 LAWS OF LEADERSHIP

1. The Law of the Lid. There’s a lid to your potential; it’s determined by your leadership ability. Therefore, expand your leadership capacity and expand your ability to impact the world.

2. The Law of Influence. As Maxwell says a number of times throughout the book, “The true measure of leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less.”

3. The Law of Process. We can’t snap our fingers and become great leaders overnight. Maxwell tells us: “Leadership develops daily, not in a day.”

4. The Law of Navigation. Steering the ship is relatively easy. Leaders chart the course—seeing where they want to go and charting the most effective course to get there.

5. The Law of Addition. Leaders serve. They focus on creating value for others. It’s not so much “What’s in it for me?” but “How can I serve?” That’s the law of addition.

6. The Law of Solid Ground. Maxwell tells us that trust is the foundation of leadership. We must stand on the solid ground of solid character—living with integrity, being trustworthy.

7. The Law of Respect. People “naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves.” We must cultivate our strength if we want people to respect us and be willing to follow our lead.

8. The Law of Intuition. As Emerson says, we must trust ourselves—“every heart vibrates to that iron string.” As a mentor of mine once said, “Trust yourself. Always.”

9. The Law of Magnetism. Who you ARE is who you will attract. Want to attract great people? BE GREAT. That’s the law of magnetism.

10. The Law of Connection. We must connect with others. Maxwell tells us, “Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand.”

11. The Law of Inner Circle. Our potential as leaders is determined by those closest to us. Whose in your inner circle?

12. The Law of Empowerment. You need to be confident enough to give power to others. Trust yourself and trust your team to crush it.

13. The Law of the Picture. People will do what they see. We need to create a “picture” of what awesome looks like which inspires people to follow our lead. Embody your ideals.

14. The Law of Buy-In. You have a great vision. Fantastic. (And essential.) But know this: People buy into YOU, the leader before they buy into the vision.

15. The Law of Victory. Victory. Leaders are FIERCELY committed to winning. Period. That relentless pursuit of victory is essential. (We’ll chat about this more as well.)

16. The Law of Big Mo. Mr Momentum. Is a very close friend of effective leaders. We need to create (and celebrate!) little wins—always remembering that progress is uber-powerful.

17. The Law of Priorities. It’s not enough to be busy. We need to be effective. Leaders take the time to properly line up their dominoes and focus on what’s most important.

18. The Law of Sacrifice. The higher you go, the more you need to be willing to give up. Leaders trade-off freedom with responsibility.

19. The Law of Timing. As Jim Collins says in Great By Choice, not all moments are created equal. Leaders know when to lean in and seize the moment.

20. The Law of Explosive Growth. Maxwell tells us about “leader’s math”—if you want to multiply your growth, create more LEADERS not followers.

21. The Law of Legacy. What do you want people to say at your funeral? Leaders keep this vision firmly in mind and dedicate their lives to its fulfilment. A quick inventory: Favourites? Strengths? Weaknesses?

“In a study of ninety leaders from a variety of fields, leadership experts Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus made a discovery about the relationship between growth and leadership: ‘It is the capacity to develop and improve their skills that distinguish leaders from their followers.’ Successful leaders are learners. And the learning process is ongoing, a result of self-discipline and perseverance. The goal each day must be to get a little better, to build on the previous day’s progress.

So how many of the Laws do you work on daily, here’s what the world says about Leadership:

1. You can’t do it on your own, Go that way and it will work out is what the leader is there for.

2. Master, Miss, Ms, Dr, Mrs, Mister, they are titles, being a leader is not: If You’re Out There.

3. Actions not words, Leadership 101.

4. Obviously, they are speaking about Donald Trumps leadership style, aren’t they: When I’m Gone.

5. I don’t take up the Challenge every day, do you?

6. Presence, Presence, Presence, Leadership: My Immortal.

7. Mark Yarnell died in 2015, lauded as the Worlds greatest network Marketer, he was truly inspiring — “I’ve lived a “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” life he said. “I’ve squeezed every ounce of joy out of every single day. It’s been an absolute blast!” And, he encouraged each of us to become the best possible version of ourselves while living a life of freedom.

8. Even for your mistakes, that’s what real leadership is: Responsibility.

9. Are you the former or the latter, Your Choice.

10. Trying leadership on: Try.

11. Word origin of ‘courage’: Middle Eastern & Old French – corage, heart, spirit Latin cor, heart. Where we find our passion, In the heart.

12. I recently came back in contact with Fiona, the woman who showed the leadership to get 13 disparate individuals to travel from Australia to Moscow to run a marathon in the name of ending world hunger, her leadership was inspirational at the time. It was the year before the Berlin Wall came down and communism ended in Russia: Fight Song.

13. Remember, it’s your actions that create the opportunities for others to become leaders too.

14. I would change the middle quotes to Goes there own Way: Go Your Own Way.

15. It’s OK to take walks, but it’s leadership that makes the difference after all.

As author Hans Finzel observed, ‘Leaders are paid to be dreamers. The higher you go in leadership, the more your work is about the future. At the same time, leaders are practical enough to know that vision without action achieves nothing. They make themselves responsible for helping their followers take action.” Great leaders are BOTH visionary *and* practical.

Today’s songs begin with John Legend, then we travel to the rap of Eminem. Rock takes over for the next three tracks with Evanescence, MxPx and Janis Joplin. It closes out with a very cute video of Rachell Platten and a whole lot of kids and finishes with a classic Fleetwood Mac number: Never tell people how to do Things, tell them what to Do

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

I Saw That – Karma!!

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Rod's World

Exceptionalism = Unusual ; not typical. Reading the Philosophers Notes for Dr Bob Rotella’s great book How Champions Think I was struck by the following statement:

“One of the concepts I struggle with when I work with people both inside and outside of sport is reality. … My job with such people is to get them to understand and believe that exceptional people create their own reality. The average person won’t set a goal unless he thinks, and people close to him think, that he has at least a fifty-fifty chance of reaching it. That’s what the average person considers a realistic goal. The average person takes account of all the information that’s out there saying he can’t do something. If let’s say, he thinks about committing himself to become the best basketball player he can be and getting a college scholarship, he’ll be aware of the fact that maybe one high school player in thirty gets a college scholarship. Since that seems to make the odds a lot worse than fifty-fifty, the average person is likely to give up on that goal before he even commits to trying to reach it, settling for mediocrity in high school and giving up the game thereafter.

The exceptional person, the person who does great things, doesn’t see things that way. The exceptional person has a vision—of great performances, of a great career, of a great something— and doesn’t care about what others might say or think. He ignores information that suggests his dream is unrealistic. He just sets about making that vision a reality. He sees things before others see them. He creates his own reality. Afterwards, other people may say to him, ‘We knew you could do it. We always sensed you were going to be one of the great ones.’ But that’s probably not what he heard in the beginning. In the beginning, he probably heard, ‘You have to be crazy to think you can do that.’”

Rotella says: Average people are “realistic.” Exceptional people CREATE their reality.

So how does society relate to exceptionalism, here are some of the things they say:

1. As part of exceptionalism, you must relate to the above koan, because you will not always win.

2. Aren’t we always looking for a sign from God to confirm what we already know, here it is: Gods Plan.

3. From The Monk who sold his Ferrari, luck has nothing to do with being exceptional, you need to put in the hard yards.

4. When you ran those ten extra laps when you were a kid, I can still hear my friends calling me crazy, I later became a marathoner: Crazy, Sexy, Wild.

5. More Ferrari moments.

6. We create a box early on in our life so people can recognise us, how do you expand it to fit in your amazing: Lose Yourself.

7. A new standard of imagination, they don’t teach that to you in schools.

8. Nothing to get in your way as you approach your greatness, they are all left behind: Go The Extra Mile.

9. Back to the 14th Century and the founder of the Jesuits for a quote that is still relevant today, the former deeds are what makes the difference.

10. Actress, model, dancer and humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn lived and walked the talk of the second interpretation of the above letters: La Vie En Rose.

11. Find the others who will say it about you, they are your keepers.

12. Because its Maya, and she was exceptional: Love Liberates.

13. Another word for Exceptionalism.

14. Nine to Five is not it: Nine to Five.

15. There is no right way for exceptionalism, you have to do what it takes.

Life is a precious (!!!) gift. We’re blessed with an opportunity to see just how good we can be at something we love doing. We get to have a ball for many years seeing how many beautiful things we can do with our lives. For each of us, this is unique. Get out there on the journey to what is your exceptional gift to give to humanity.

Today’s playlist wanders over the generations, something for the millennials and the grandparents. We begin with Drake and Inna for the younger at heart. Back to the beginning of rap with Eminem. Spoken word from Motivation 2016 comes next then from Grannies time Audrey Hepburn, is that French? We finish with two iconic women, Maya Angelou and Dolly Parton. Here’s the link: I saw that – Karma.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends:

namasteflower

Expect Problems and Eat Them For Breakfast!!

Posted on June 4, 2018 by Rod's World

I got banned from Facebook for four days recently. I posted a picture of a pregnant woman just above one of the alt-right demonstrators belching out hate speech, guess which one I got banned for and did not meet community standards. I am motivated by the premise you can use Facebook for possibility and love the expression my friend Jo Jo uses, Booker Lookers, it delights me, and that’s what today’s blog is about, what motivates you in life.

Back to Marc and Angel Chernoff for their empowering description of What is Motivation: At its most basic level. motivation is what spurs you to act on a desire; it’s the determination and drive to make that desire a reality. Motivation moves you to show up to the project and get the right things done. It’s the force that moves an idea from point A – where it lives only in your head – to point B – where you make the idea a reality. Here’s the link to their webpage, I cannot recommend their work highly enough, and they have a new book, it’s marvellous: The Portal.

How does the world say things so we stay motivated, let’s have a look:

1. Who remembers what clock cards where. My employment history goes back to these archaic days where you had to clock on and off at your work. The practice of clocking your workmates in and out was rampant.

2. I used to live outside the city, the power of looking at the Milky Way in the night sky, there are probably not words that fulfil the magical desires it conquers up: Starman.

3. We go all the way back to the Third Century to discover who St. Jerome was. Venerated in the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran Churches. He is best known for his translation of most of the Bible into Latin (the translation that became known as the Vulgate).

4. Remember when you were wooing your beloved? We did all that had to be done because we knew there was no other alternative: Don’t Stop.

5. I did a training program on the weekend, I am a Warrior of Love. We created the resonance of your seed essence that embodies why you exist. At eight out of ten was challenge.

6. And Arthur Ashe did a lot. The first African American to break through on the professional Tennis Circuit, he used his skill to change a conversation about who could play the game.: Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen.

7. Could I do a blog on motivation without including the big Tone.No, not really?

8. What are the sounds of silence? only one song: Sounds of Silence.

9. Who remembers The Hour of Power being on the telly on a Sunday morning. Robert Schuller was the host of the show. Strangely, World Wrestling was on soon after.

10. Is your comfort zone Netflix: The Comfort Zone.

11. Your Why, Simon Senik’s TED talk, what else do you think of?

12. May your dreams all come true: A Million Dreams.

13. I think the first film I saw Bill Murray in was Ghostbusters. A second viewing years later dated the film.

14. Just had to use this for the image: Never Give Up.

15. It’s all in the languaging, use negative words and the world will be a dark place, change them to be more positive and you will get what you reap.

More Marc and Angel, There are two big pieces to motivation: the motivation to just get started and the motivation ot keep going. In the best of both worlds, one leads to the other: once you find the motivation to get started, your progress keeps you going as you build and sustain momentum.

The playlist this week begins with two classics from David Bowie and Michael Jackson. Then a quirky offering from Baz Luhrmann followed by another classic from Simon and Garfunkel. It becomes more modern with Vanessa Williams followed by the Greatest Showman soundtrack and ends with Sia.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Excuses will always be There!!!

Posted on May 21, 2018 by Rod's World

Kate Swoboda writes in her excellent book, The Courage Habit: Here’s the link., What are Stories? Stories are internal narratives and assumptions that we make about how the world operates. But, here’s the important part: stories might not be objectively true. They are your lens on life and, like a pair of sunglasses can change how you see the world. The story you put on your experience has everything to do with whether you see yourself as a victim or a survivor, whether an experience is dangerous or an opportunity, and whether you have the capacity to develop more courage if you are just not very courageous.

What stories have you made up and accepted that stop you from doing those deepest wishes you have had all your life. The world has had a lot to say about limiting beliefs, so let’s begin that journey:

1. I first heard this expression in my Anam Cara, Emeli Paulo’s RAW workshop, always remember you are Enough.

2. Remember when you used to believe in dragons and unicorns, what happened: Changing your Limits.

3. When is that possible while I have all these things to do today, it’s a Nike situation, do it now!!

4. There is that saying, whispering sweet nothings, Isn’t it time we changed nothing to something: Careless Whispers.

5. You have to guess what some of these empowering beliefs are as you can not quite make them out, what do you think they are?

6. While sitting alone on his cushion, Adyashanti had a classic kensho, or awakening experience, in which he “penetrated to the emptiness of all things and realized that the Buddha I had been chasing was what I was: Love No Limit.

Where do you come on the scale, perhaps you discuss the non-real people our TV screens toss at us via reality TV every day.

8. Didn’t all quite fit in, my vote is for Is no box: Little Boxes.

9. I have many positive signs on my walls, hadn’t thought of using my clothesline.

10. Bring on the Gorgeous for me, love the Gorgeous: Gorgeous.

11. One step forward or one step back, just don’t stay stuck where you are for a very long period.

12. Of course, Guatama had something to say about limiting Beliefs: An Unguarded Moment.

13. And here are limited beliefs playmates that quell your happiness.

14. I often dream of the South African plains and being a Lion: The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

15. What would or could you do if you didn’t know it was impossible? I would make the world paradigm, Love and Respect for All, Everyone Included.

These quotes show exactly why it’s important to examine the Stories that we inherently assume to be true. You could ask if it’s possible to cjange your stories? The answer. I have known many people who have shown me it is possible to consciously choose another story. Consciously choosing your stories is a matter of where you put your attention and what you decide to make things mean.

Music and words for today starts with some Wayne J. Dyer wisdom, followed by a fantastic George Michael anthem. Then a love song from Mary J. Blige and back in time to Pete Seeger. Then my favourite pop diva Taylor Swift, an iconic Aussie band, The Church many of you willl not have heard of and finishing with a street Acapella ensemble, Alcapella Soul.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

Be a Hero for a Better World.

Posted on December 25, 2017 by Rod's World

It’s Christmas day here in Melbourne, Australia where I live, a day for spending with your familes and friends, and partaking in too much food and drink if you are lucky. But what if you are not, what gives you hope on days like this? For years I have preferred relating to hope as an acronym – H.O.P.E. = Helping Other People Evolve.

If you relate to hope in this manner it dramatically changes how you see the world on a daily basis: it changes from whats in it for me to what can I contribute to make the world a better place. So what has been written about this subject over time, let’s have a look on this festive day:

1. Thinking about what we still utilise from the years of data we learnt at school supports this statement when we deal with our friends and family on a day to day basis.

2. Don’t put off helping others via the excuse they are not the right person, if they are in your field of view they are definitely the one: You’re the One that I Want.

3. Sometimes when life becomes frantic in our technology driven world, we forget this koan from Mahatma – to look outside ourselves and our petty problems.

4. Audrey Hepburn, was a British actress, model, dancer and humanitarian. Recognised as a film and fashion icon, Hepburn was active during Hollywood’s Golden Age. She was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen legend in Golden Age Hollywood and was inducted into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame appeared in fewer films as her life went on, devoting much of her later life to UNICEF. She had contributed to the organisation since 1954, then worked in some of the poorest communities of Africa, South America and Asia between 1988 and 1992. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in December 1992. A month later, Hepburn died of appendiceal cancer at her home in Switzerland at the age of 63: Moon River.

5. Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness, The Prince of Peace, The 14th Dalai Lama is known by many names but in each if his incarnations he is loved by all for how he is helping humankind evolve into a better place.

6. Imagine standing at the edge of a shimmering lake. You pick up a stone and skim it across the water. As soon as the stone touches the surface of the water, a ripple forms that becomes larger and larger. The ripple effect is so much greater than the original impact formed by the single stone. The water ripples that surround your stone demonstrate the effects or impacts of your effort: Ripple Effect.

7. Helping other people evolve has nothing to do with changing them as Steve Maraboli point out in this lovely quote.

8. Putting it all in perspective, really: Dear Future Husband.

9. Christ wasn’t a christian , really we made it all up, he was a prince of love. Don’t go to church , do this instead.

10. How do we help others evolve, Gloria has a great suggestion: Wrong Song.

11. And from the world’s most prodigious philosopher, Ms. Unknown something to definitely not do to help someone evolve.

12. I don’t know what would happen if you said this to someone to help them evolve, it would heavily depend on your relationship I think: Spending My Time.

13. It may be as detailed as a one day workshop or as simple as a hug.

14. Emotions and Feelings impress me much more than your bank balance: Humble Me.

15. This is why Nelson Mandela forgave his guards before he left Robin Island prison.

Helping a person will not necessarily change the world , but it will change the world for that person. Remember from little things, big things grow.

Namaste until next time my dear friends, Seasons greetings.

A Happy Heart makes the face Free!!

Posted on October 6, 2017 by Rod's World

Danielle LaPorte says that when you are living from your joy and working for meaningfulness, you are:

A. WAY more healthy and effective

B. SO much more fun to be around (Hello love and magnetism)

C. MUCH more able to make a contribution to the world around you.

You can look at it this way, in epic proportions: The planet needs you to be working from your joy, Humanity depends on you doing what’s meaningful to you. The future of civilization is counting on your fulfilling. No pressure. Here’s the micro perspective: You deserve to be lit up by what you do in the world. it’s your life.

There has been much said about being free and clear in our lives, here’s my selection:

1. Pharrell Williams sings of the right to be happy in our lives, here is his suggestion how to achieve that state.

2. Which definition of free calls to you: Hello.

3. I am designing a workshop called Sacred Love Stories that increases peoples abilities to tell those stories that we think of people knew about us they would never talk to us again.

4. Ah, The French, they do great quotes and philosophy as well as movies in my humble opinion: Clear Conscience.

5. Show the world what lives in your heart, you are worth it!!

6. From the great bard Anonymous another beautiful ode to being free and clear: Temporary Life.

7. Another favourite depiction of what Danielle is talking about!!

8. Loved that film it’s a Beautiful Life: Beautiful Life.

9. Do not get caught up in their maze of madness. Live in your own story – Beautiful Words.

10. I am excited about Today, Yay: Friday.

11. If you make no mistakes, are you officially alive?

12. Try a little ….., not why me: Try Me.

13. What is calling you, for me it is Love and Respect for All: Everyone Included.

14. Uncle Jim gets to the point immediately, how do you get lit up in the world and is it a happening thing at the moment: Riptide.

15. Not sure why I chose this one. We are all students and teachers, get out there and fulfill life.

So Danielle finishes with the idea here is to see what lights you up, so that you can plan to fell-have-do and experience more of that in your life, Ready, Steady, Go.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends around the world from Melbourne, Australia

Find Your Passion!!!!

Posted on August 10, 2017 by Rod's World

Both of my English students have pulled the plug today so I get to write this blog a few hours earlier, I have decided to write an ode to my friend and anam cara Emeli Paulo. I met Emeli setting out chairs at a yoga and meditation event some years ago. Both Emeli and I are the sort of people who if they see something needs to be done we get in and do it. We introduced ourselves and I asked why she had come. Emeli said she was running a workshop that would address what stops you in your life from having what you want happen. I still have her card with Stop Running Away written on it. As always she delivered her promise.

I am reading Simon Sinek’s second book Leaders eat Last. If you don’t know who Simon is he’s the start with Why guy, here’s a link to his TED talk, the second most watched one in the history of TED ;How great Leaders inspire Action. Emeli had me stick to my Why, which I had been resisting for two and a half years: Love and Respect for All – Everyone Included.

Why, How, What, how has the world written about it over time, let’s have a look:

1. Finding it difficult to get out of bed? Have you why written on your dresser window and it will go away.

2. I’d lose that extra weight if I was motivated. Your only limit is You, Do it Now, If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you. Sounds like a Tony Robbins seminar in full flight. But if underneath it all, if you have not answered Why?, words spoken and written on parchment that will make no difference: No Excuses.

3. Google has let me down, when I put in Coach Hite it brought up coach hire in Melbourne, Australia where I live, so he must remain anonymous, but it’s such a beautiful quote it deserves more.

4. I always thought David Bowie was singing: Passion , turn to the left ilo Fashion, so here it is: Fashion.

5. As kids we run around all day like this, then something happens. Time to take it back.

6. In my youth I would boast I read Nietzsche to look cool, now he writes leadership and motivational quotes. His books are not quite so accessible: Roar.

7. My birthday, is 17th July, must admit can’t remember the other. I do know where, at the Darebin Intercultural Centre one, windy, rainy day during a Melbourne winter.

8. But Mummy, The unicorn was that big. Never forget your childhood unicorns: Dark Horse.

9. In the mirror. It’s You, Yay!! Out on the streets to kick some ass.

10. Here is the man himself, Simon Sinek, something we love called passion: beautiful words and ethos: Love is Action.

11. This is what finding your Why allows you in life. Get on board, the bus is leaving now.

12. My mentor Arion always says to have a vision and essence for any project you wish to fulfill in your life. It will be there to remind you when the going gets tough. Thanks brother , for that: You and Me.

13. This is why we spend our lives finding our Why, because of the things that never were that we are meant to create, little or large,

14. I’d add one, Know your Why on a daily basis: Believe in Yourself.

15. One smile at a total stranger is enough to do this. Don’t be withholding.

I just realised you may not know what an Anam cara is? Anam Cara is the old gaelic term for “soul friend.” anam meaning soul and cara meaning friend. Anam Ċara is the title of a 1997 bestseller on “Celtic spirituality”, the first publication by Irish author and then-priest John O’Donohue. According to O’Donohue, the Irish term anam cara (lit. “soul-friend”) originates in Irish monasticism, where it was applied to a monk’s spiritual advisor.

The book was an international bestseller and catapulted the author to public notability as an author and much sought-after speaker and teacher particularly in the United States. O’Donohue left the priesthood in 2000. As O’Donohue puts it: The term is greatly misconstrued to mean “soul mate”, anam meaning soul and cara meaning friend.

What is Emeli’s Why. here is the link: Collective Potential.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

The Life you’ve always Wanted!!

Posted on July 31, 2017 by Rod's World

I picked up Marc and Angel Chernoff’s majestic book 1000+ Little Things Happy Successful People Do Differently this morning and flipped it open to a page, this is how I read ot and it gave my the Passion section. indeed it was a list of Passion questions to make you think: Here they are :

What will you never give up On?
Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
What activities make you lose track of time
What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
What fascinates you?
What is something you would hate to go without for a day?
What’s something you would do every day if you could?
Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
What would you do differently if you know nobody would judge you?

Great questions to bring your passion alive, methinks. But now its time to take a passionate journey:

1. What is your lightworker career. Don’t give up on finding it, the world is waiting for you.

2. Now you’re looking in the mirror, say the things that get you in action, here’s one: Love is Action.

3. What would a blog on Passion be without an Oprah quote, one of my top ten passion guru’s.

4. This one is self explanatory, words are unnecessary: All of the Lights.

5. Time to throw the dirt out of the grave you have buried your passion under.

6. Stress or Passion, easy choice: All of Me.

7. Another great tool in finding out your passionate why is Simon Sinek’s legendary TED talk How Great Leaders Inspire Action.

8. Which intersection do you live on. I live on Love and Respect for All – Everyone Included drive and sacred Love Avenue: Unwritten.

9. Career counsellors tended to get this wrong at school, their suggestions lay between accounting and teaching.

10. They say knowledge gives us a sense of who we are. Don’t give up your quest before you get to this point in your journey: Living Your Dreams.

11. And the POTUS’s take on it, not sure I agree.

12. Become an explorer and search your world for it, then run with it as fast as you can: Try Everything.

13. Have you entered your shadowlands to find your passions, that is where they live sometimes.

14. When I’m calling you oo oo oo oo, your passion is singing this song to you if you would just listen: Indian Love Call.

15. How did it get to be 1:20pm. You can guess what I love doing.

There’s a fantastic parable in the book called the Art of being Naked, it displays passion at its most excellent, here is the link to the book, grab yourself a copy if you desire passion in your life: the link.

Namaste until next time my dear friends.

Like Water in the Desert!!

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Rod's World

I took part in an eldership ceremony yesterday, my friend Gabriella requested to be admitted into the tribe of elders in our community. We sang her into the room with the first verse of Amazing Grace, it was the only one we all knew. Then we gave her our own personal blessing and welcomed her into her new role.

It was extremely moving and I thought I would write about Eldership today as I am 63 since last Monday I have the right to do this as I hold myself as an elder too. I looked up Eldership quotes and it seems you have to be a Christian to become one out there in the big, wide , world. This was not how Gabby or I hold Eldership so the quotes for today come from a different space, leadership in one’s community.

Lets us journey down the Eldership path:

1. John Quincy Adams – July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American statesman who served as a diplomat, United States Senator, member of the House of Representatives, and was the sixth President of the United States from 1825 to 1829. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later the Anti-Masonic and Whig parties, thats a lot of parties.. He was the son of President John Adams and Abigail Adams and thus contributed to the formation of the Adams political family. He served as a leader for his whole life.

2. To me eldership does not get handed to you just because of your age. This statement from Gandhi is more to the point of why you do: Be the Change.

3. These are the wise things I hope that I pass on as an elder in my community.

4. As elders you will have made many mistakes in your life, the wisdom bit is how you tell the people you are advising to deal with them: Learning from your Mistakes.

5. And remember red stands out more than white, no drab fare for the elders of the world.

6. Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Albert lived to the ripe old age of 90. He was 77 when he won his Nobel Prize, an elder leading by example: Lead by Example.

7. They say hate will never solve anything. To me negativity is a form of hate. People do not come to their elders for negativity.

8. This reminds me of the two wolves story for some reason, that it depends on which story you are telling yourself that counts: Making Progress.

9. By the time we reach Eldership I’m sure we have covered all of these.

10. The cute quote of the day, fairy penguins, Aaw: The Penguin Song.

11. Essence is on there, The essence that you live through your life may grant you Eldership, and then again maybe not.

12. There are often times during our lives that our abilities seem to slip to a level that we later regret, they can become wise stories to tell as elders so others don’t make the same mistakes: Talking to Strangers.

13. Eldership is in pointing out that it’s hard to be somewhere else than where you are.

14. Sometimes Eldership is not words, it is just holding the space with silence allowing the others to work out what they need too: Some Eldership words from Alan.

15. Yes, even Elders are novices at that exact point of time, the new age they are.

Enjoy the little things in life because one day you will look back and realise they were the big things. I love the song from little things big things grow, such as Eldership.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.

I wear my letters on my front!!

Posted on July 3, 2017 by Rod's World

Just got back from a weekend retreat with my mentor Arion Light: The Activation School. We never know what new surprising empowerment will be served up. This weekend it was an initiation. So what does society define an initiation as, here’s the Google definition:

initiation

noun

1.

the action of admitting someone into a society or group, typically with a ritual.

“rituals of initiation”

synonyms: beginning, starting, commencement
2.

the action of beginning something.

“the initiation of legal proceedings”

synonyms: introduce, admit, let, induct, install, instate, incorporate, ordain, invest, enlist, enrol, recruit, sign up, swear in;

convert

I think ordain is the closest to what I felt on the weekend because it felt like being introduced to a whole new cut at life. So how has society commented on the noble art of initiation over the years, let’s have a look:

1. It is, or it isn’t: why would you choose the latter, yet I know I do. Inition helped me greatly with hanging around with it is.

2. My friend says she became another person when this happened for her at a very late stage in her life, from the mothers I know there seems to be a lot of truth in it: I Got You.

3. I’m not sure if we all felt this at the end of the ceremony, but the sense of love within the room was palpable.

4. They say a life that is spent in reacting and responding to day to day situations and circumstances is stressful, let’s initiate life from today: Shape of You.

5. It’s a lifetime journey, my dear friends.

6. That’s why I and the participants are in the Activators program, the love of learning how to live a better life: Good Life.

7. One of the first spiritual books I read,The Way of the peaceful Warrior. Dan Millman was a world class gymnast when he had a horrific motorcycle accident. The book is about his journey to recovery with his teacher.

8. We were just waking up who we already were: The Crazy Ones.

9. Within first, then the without joins in happily.

10. I wonder what I and you have written on your internal sticky notes: Song for the Inner Child.

11. We weren’t learning how to initiate this, ours was about love.

12. This was part of my initiation, I spent a lot of time having the thought, WTF is going on: Full of Shit.

13. The initiation for me was to release the last two statements.

14. You can’t know it all, yes, he and I are talking to you: In case you didn’t know everything.

15. Finally from one of the greatest philosophers to walk the planet, something that must be included in any effective initiation: Gratitude or celebration as we practice it in the Activators Program.

We were asked to make a final statement at the end of the weekend, mine were rapturous contentment

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.