It's all mental

Last year, I was running in my first 10K - the Calgary Women's Run.

I was thrilled to find that, on this particular day, I was running harder & faster than I had in some time.  Part of it was that I was running with a friend who runs faster than me, and I just focused on keeping pace with her - didn't have to think about anything but keeping up.  As well, I was prepared - ate a good breakfast, rested the day before, and had trained and prepped to go the distance.

Somewhere around the 6K mark, it occurred to me that so much of running is mental.  Your body can handle a lot, but so often the brain makes you slow down.

How many situations is this true in?  How much of what we experience and are challenged with can be won or lost mentally?  And in those situations, how much stronger would we be if we simply recognized this truth and used it to our advantage?

The truth is that your body, physically, can handle a lot.  You can run as fast and jump as high as you can possibly imagine.  Similarly, your brain can do more than you know.  You can think through more complexities and solve greater problems than you ever have before.  Yet, you have to believe you can.  You have to allow yourself to do it, push yourself to do it, and trust and know that it is possible.

So often, we stop before a goal is reached, or before we've accomplished all we could.  In most cases, this isn't because the dreamed-of goal is un-reachable; it's because our negative self-talk and debilitating perception drags us down, stalling progress and eliminating any chance of achievement or success.

This isn't to say that you can achieve anything if you simply believe - if that were true, I'd be able to fly.  But, perhaps if you believe, and talk to yourself as if you do, you can achieve more than you ever thought possible.

JCI Conference

Why should you consider going to a JCI Conference?  Why spend your time, energy and money going to training sessions you've never heard of with people you may not know well?

No matter which JCI Conference you choose to attend, days of valuable information and training and evenings of fun and networking are nearly guarunteed.  From training sessions on positive attitude to practicing speaking skills, you will likely find a number of opportunities to learn something new.  And, evenings will be full too; from receptions to suites hosted by various JCI Chapters, there will be many opportunities to kick back, get to know some people and have fun.

Take, for instance, the recent regional convention hosted by the JCI BC/Yukon Region.  Seven members of JCI Calgary were fortunate enough to attend this weekend event in Richmond, BC.  This event featured three training sessions.

Patrick von Pander opened the weekend with a session on credibility and leadership, reminding everyone of responding to our audience and speaking from experiences.  This was followed by a scavenger hunt throughout the casino (complete with being yelled at by security) and a number of fun challenges that helped everyone get to know each other.

The next morning, Wilf Mulder and Kathleen Dubois led an engaging morning session about Roberts Rules (yes, engaging - even at 8am!).  Roberts Rules is a structure for operating orderly, fair and focused meetings and making decisions.  The great information in this session was helpful, particularly for those who don't currently use this structure, providing some great ideas for keeping meetings on track and discussion flowing.

The next morning session was led by Patrick Knight, an inspiring and engaging speaker who is certified as an International Trainer by JCI.  Patrick's session focused on the Power of Positive Seduction, and was full of ideas that anyone can implement to move their own lives in a positive direction and have a positive influence on others.  Patrick's session was inspiring, relevant, motivational and I'm certain each person left with a strategy they can implement right away to point their own lives in a positive direction.

An afternoon Effective Speaking competition gave a number of participants a chance to present their ideas on this year's topic, "The Power of One".  Within this topic, each speaker presented their own prepared speech, all very passionate and compelling.  Then, each participant had a chance to present an impromptu speech, on a topic that was given only moments before they spoke.  All the speakers performed well, and it's always exciting to see people take on the sometimes intimidating task of speaking in public.

A High Roller gala topped off the evening, with some deserving award presentations and a live DJ and dance.

So, why attend a JCI Conference?  Great people, excellent training sessions, a chance to visit a new city... why not?  There are lots of conferences coming up - check them out here.


As an added incentive, if you're a member of JCI Calgary, you have an opportunity to apply for travel funding for eligible conferences.

Making Change

Everyone can make change.  What kind of change are you making?

If you don't think you can - and there are lots of excuses and things that seem to get in your way - check out this TED.com talk with Jeff Skoll for some inspiration.

Stop Talking. Just Do It.

You know that thing you've been thinking about for weeks?  Talking to friends about, reading up on.  Asking for advice, and turning it over in your head.  The thing - idea, challenge, decision - that just keeps coming up.

So, what are you waiting for?

Perhaps you're scared.  Things might change, or the result might be bad.  Perhaps you just don't want to - waiting is more comfortable, or taking action seems like too much.  Or, maybe you aren't sure what the first steps are.

Whatever it is, make a decision.  This is the first step - just because you've been thinking of doing something doesn't mean you should.  So sit down, think it through and decide.

And then, follow through.  Either do it - take a step, begin, make progress; or do not - put it out of your mind and move on.

Stop talking.  Just do it.

Women On Top

We've all heard the stats... less women then men in the workforce, in management.  Women work more in the home, even when they work full time jobs.

In this video from TED, Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, looks at some of the reasons why - and suggests what can be done about it.

Good stuff, though I am inclined to wonder about the story beyond the numbers of women in a particular role.  For instance, how many women want to work in management, and aren't?  How many women are qualified to hold a particular position, and don't?  Are there things we can be doing - beyond encouraging women to stick it out, focus on their jobs, become invaluable - that would increase the balance of genders and perspectives in our businesses and workplaces?

What do you think?

I'm watching you...

If you choose to tell me, even without really trying, I can know everything about you.  If you choose to tell, we can all know what you had for dinner, what time you go to bed, what colour your hair was 3 years ago and the real reason you were late for work yesterday.

If you choose to put this information on Facebook, Twitter, your blog or out there some other way, a simple Google search will find it - or may not even be required, if we are connected in these spaces so that I get notified every time you post.

Yes, there are also ways this information is posted with less action on your part - newspaper articles, other people's blog posts - but for most of us, sharing about ourselves is a choice.  The difficulty this leads to, as I see it, is not privacy necessarily (though this is important - guard your information and don't share more than you would want a stranger to know).  Rather, one large challenge is to ensure that the person you portray yourself to be - kind, professional, jealous, hard-core partier, etc - must be congruent across each of these channels.  And more than that, must be congruent with the person you are in real life.

Email your office to say you're sick and staying in bed today?  Well then you'd not only better watch that you don't see any colleagues at the grocery store, but also ensure that you're not posting about a hard workout or great lunch with a friend on any social media.

Or, just had a major fight with a friend?  Best not to air out your frustration in Facebook statuses and tweets... not only might that friend see your posts, but other friends will begin to wonder what you might post about them.

Social media need not be scary, or invasive.  But just like any other communication, be careful with.  One rule of thumb to consider: if you wouldn't say it to friends in a coffee shop loud enough for strangers to hear, then don't post it online, anywhere.

You Are Valuable

At what point do we forget how inherently valuable and important we are?  When is it that we lose that initial sense that we are special, powerful and can change the world?


I have the great pleasure and fortune to spend time with many wonderful and inspiring people who speak in to my own life in many ways.  In recent months, I've noticed one of the recurring themes in many conversations has been around recognizing self-worth and importance.  Though it's been brought up through these particular conversations, I am beginning to see these topics thread through many areas of my life (perhaps the way owning a new red car makes red cars seem to appear everywhere).


The thing is that the people who often seem to struggle with feelings of low self-worth the most are those who are so beautiful, so unique and so special.  But they simply can't see that - and no amount of outside reinforcement of the truth is sufficiently convincing.  No, what is required is to realize that it is within each of our own power to realize and know our value.


There are lots of ways to build your own self-esteem, and lots of people trying to tell you how to do it.  I couldn't find Canadian statistics, but apparently the self-help industry in the United States in 2008 was worth $11 billion - no small amount of people willing to spend good money to improve their self-image.


I would suggest that the answer is both easier and more difficult than something that can be bought, and it's not going to come from a book or talk show.  Perhaps the only way we can come to believe our value and worth is the same way we come to believe in our worthlessness.  It is not from an outside source, from the praise of friends or co-workers or even the love of family - for all of these things can be lost.  We must believe, inherently, that we are valuable just because we are.


It's not easy, and I would never suggest that it is.  But it is possible.  People can do this.  And if you want to, you can too.


I leave you with one of my favourite quotes...


Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.  ~Eleanor Roosevelt


What are you giving your consent to?