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30
Jul 2012
Posted by mitchamatthews
5 comments

What to do when something about your big dream scares the schiznitz out of you!

A few years ago… I had a dilemma.

We lived in Montana and I wanted to learn how to rock climb. BUT… at the same time… I was freakishly afraid of heights.

I had a decision to make.

I could either simply stick to the safe trails… OR I could learn to overcome this fear and enjoy all that the untamed Rockies had to offer.

So… I figured out a first step.

I signed up for a rock climbing class.Mitch Matthews - The BIG Dream Guy

I’ll never forget standing at the foot of the rock face with Melissa (my amazing wife), a friend and the rest of our small class… as our young but seasoned mountain guide began to walk us through the basics of knot tying and rope tension.

During one of the lulls of his teaching… I slowly raised my hand.

He called on me… and I asked my question.

“So… hypothetically… if you had someone who was really afraid of heights… hypothetically… what would you do to help them get over that… I mean… hypothetically?”

He got excited, and said… “Bro… that’s easy.  I’d rope ‘em up and hang them off the side of a cliff for about 45 minutes.”

I think I maintained a pretty good poker face… but inside I was thinking… “This guy is CRAZY!  I’ve signed up with a mad man!”  But then I looked at the rest of the group… and they were all nodding in agreement.

He continued, “See bro… the human body can’t maintain high levels of fear for more than about 45 minutes.  So if I rope someone up and hang them off the side of the cliff… eventually… usually at about minute 42 of 43… their fear starts to diminish and they start to really get into it.  By the 45-minute mark… they are usually in love with the view!”

Yeah… I was thinking… “CRAZY.”

But guess what…

It worked!

That’s right.

I can’t even begin to tell you how scary it was to step off that rock for the first time… and just hang there by the seemingly thin rope hooked to the harness around my waist.

BUT at about 38 minutes… I started to fall in love.

My heart stopped racing and I started to see things in a whole new way.

I can say that I’ve never experienced a “drug-induced high,” but I’m guessing that this mountain experience smoked (please excuse the pun) that.

At about that 38 to 39 minute mark… the green of the evergreens below grew richer.  The texture of the rock face in front of me was captivating!  The clouds in the “big sky” above were more dramatic than I’d ever seen.

From under that rock shelf I was hanging from… I started to yell… “I love this!  This is amazing!”  (Yeah… I definitely sounded like on was on a “Rocky Mountain High!”)

That 45 minutes changed everything.

After that…

I’m not going to tell you that all my fear of heights were erased.  BUT I will say that I went from freakish levels of fear to a “healthy respect” for the heights that come along with being in the mountains.

Mitch Matthews

Plus… by taking this first step… incredible opportunities to see the mountains in a whole new way started to open up!  I got to climb more remote mountains.  I got to meet new friends.  I got to push myself.  And I got to see things that most people will never be able to see.

Eventually, I was even asked to help lead a climb that would take a young man to the top of a mountain to help him work through the loss of his twin brother.  It was a life changing trip for many reasons… but one I would have never taken if I hadn’t broken through that fear of heights.

It would not have happened if I hadn’t had my “hang off the cliff” moment.

So… how about you?

What is something you’re wanting to do?

And… just as importantly… what’s a fear that’s getting in the way?

Here are a couple of examples from some of my coaching allies from this past week.  (I use the word “ally” instead of “client.”)

  1. A budding entrepreneur who wants a successful and sustainable business but feels stuck. She knows exactly what she wants the business to look like… but has been afraid of some of the technology that could help her get there.   Well… this week… her “hanging off the cliff” step is just setting up a auto-responder sequence through MailChimp.com.  (That may not seem like much to some… but it’s a HUGE step for her because she’s breaking through her fear!  AND… I just got an email from her celebrating her first successful step in the process!)
  2. A budding writer who has a crazy-busy schedule. His “hanging off the cliff” step is blocking out protected time (30 minutes a day) to write.  (That may not seem like much to some… but it’s a huge step when he’s having to take some risks to make that change in his daily schedule.)
  3. A successful leader in the throws of taking his team to the next level. His “hanging off the cliff” step is to have a crucial conversation with a team member.  Going in with intentionality, being focused, not taking things personally and wanting the best for the person.  (That may not seem like much… but you leaders know how tough these conversations can be.)

Now… none of these examples involve anyone actually hanging off the side of a rock face… but they do involve risk.  And risk can be hard.  But… those who are willing to take risks from time to time… are also the people who achieve their dreams and goals.

What might it be for you… this week?

Seriously… what’s something you’d love to do?

What could your “Hang off the cliff” step be… this week?

What small but significant step could you take to break through the fear… this week… and move forward?

What if you wrote it down?

What if you took that step?

Join in the conversation and let us know.

Also… I’d love to hear from you on what some of your “hang off the cliff” moments have been.

What have been some of the experiences you’ve had that scared the schiznitz out of you… but also opened the doors to the very things you wanted to do?  Maybe they taught you something about yourself.  Maybe they helped you to test your metal.  Maybe they just allowed you to see what you were capable of.

Click on comments and share one of your own “hang off the cliff” moments.  I’d love to hear it!

Thanks gang!

Keep dreaming big and helping others to do the same,

Mitch

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23
May 2012
Posted by mitchamatthews
0 comments

If your life was boiled down to a sentence…

What is YOUR sentence?

Recently Dan Pink… author of the best selling books “A Whole New Mind” and “Drive” told the story of Clare Boothe Luce.  She was someone who challenged her generation to live out big dreams and to achieve more than what was expected.

For example, she was one of the first female ambassadors for the United States… and one of the first female members of Congress.  She was also an accomplished author, playwright and philanthropist.

Well, Dan Pink tells the story of how Mrs. Luce was invited to meet with President John F. Kennedy and as she did… she challenged him with a concept.

The idea was…

“A great man is a sentence.”

For example…

President Abraham Lincoln‘s sentence might have been “He preserved the union and freed the slaves.”  Or… Nelson Mandella‘s sentence might be “He persevered and opened the doors to hope and connection.”

Apparently, Mrs. Luce was concerned that John F. Kennedy was trying to do too much… in too many different areas.  And as a result… she challenged him that his “sentence” might become more of a muddled paragraph or chapter.

So… she left him to think about the “sentence” he wanted to live.

The “Sentence”

How about you?  Can you identify?

Is your “sentence” feeling muddled?

I know mine sure does some times.

There are days where I feel unclear with my direction… and my “adult-onset ADHD” kicks in.  That’s when I start to chase new shiny objects… or start new unrelated (but exciting) projects.

As a result, when Mr. Pink reminded me of this story… and thinking about the “sentence” you want to live… it really challenged me.

I started to ask…

“What is MY sentence?”

Then I started to ask…

“What if I got really clear on this sentence?  What could happen?”

Maybe it could help me to filter new ideas.  Maybe that sentence could help me make decisions about next steps.  Maybe that sentence could guide me.  Maybe that sentence could even help me to start thinking longer term.

Heck… internally… I started to even think that getting clear on my “sentence” might in fact help me to think about the legacy I want to leave behind.

(Branding gurus like Drew McLellan and John Morgan might even say that your “sentence” would equal your “personal brand.”)

So… I started the process of getting clear on my sentence:

STEP 1: GETTING CLEAR ON THE THINGS I DO WELL… naturally.

What are those things that just flow out of you?  What are those things that you just picked up easily at school?  What are those things that you just seem to grasp more quickly than others?

  • Was it math in elementary school… and accounting in college?
  • Was it crayons in preschool… and a paint brush in high school?
  • Was it working with kids?
  • Was it encouraging others?
  • Was it creating a compelling vision a group of people could aspire to achieve together?

What are some of those things for you?

Ask yourself questions like…

  • What are some of the things I do well?
  • What do I do naturally?
  • What do I love to do?
  • When I’m my best self… what naturally pours out of me?

Look for the words you use to describe those things… they may help you to build your sentence.

STEP 2: THINK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS… BIG and small.

Seriously… don’t start by comparing yourself to Ab Lincoln (vampire hunter or president)… let alone your neighbor or co-worker.  The size of your accomplishments are not in comparison to someone else.Dream big. Achieve more.

Nope… the size of your accomplishments relate to who they impact.

If you had an accomplishment that only impacted one child… that’s still important.  Or if your accomplishment only helped your department… it matters.  If your accomplishment was something you did for yourself… it’s still critical.

So think about some of your key accomplishments and who they impacted.

Then list them out.

These might just help you to get clearer on your sentence.

STEP 3: THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU WANT TO GO NEXT…

Listen… unless you die today… which I hope you won’t… your sentence is still being written.

So… give some thought to what your sentence would be if it was written today.

But also give some significant thought to what you’d love your sentence to be… if it was written in 5 years.

Then… start to live in way that would help you to write that sentence with your life.

Join in the conversation…

What might your sentence be?  What would you love for your sentence to be?  What’s one of your hero’s sentences?  Leave a comment and let us know!  We’d love to hear from you!

Keep dreaming BIG and helping others to do the same,

Mitch Matthews

PS – At risk of going too long with this post…

I wanted to let you know about my “sentence” as it stands right now.

I’d love for my sentence to be… “He inspires people to dream big and achieve more.”

That may or may not surprise you… but I really dug into this.  I looked into the definition of each word and challenged myself on whether this was what I wanted it to be.

For example… with this little exercise… I realized that most definitions for “dream” and “dreaming” have to do more with what we do when we sleep… as opposed to how I define dreaming.

So, in this case… I realized that I would need to better define “dream” for myself… and maybe my generation.  Because I believe “dreaming” is where creative thought and innovation start.  “Dreaming” is the bigger thinking that happens before the critical thinking and the limitations creep in.  Now, do we need to address those critical thoughts and limitations… yes… eventually.  But it’s important to start from a place of dreaming first.

Also, through this process I fell in love the word “achieve” again… because the definitions for this include:

  • to carry out successfully : accomplish <achieve a gradual increase in production>
  • to get or attain as the result of exertion : reach <achieved a high degree of skill> <achieved greatness>
  • to attain a desired end or aim : become successful

Yeah… I just like that word.

So call me a geek.  But I really like digging into this stuff.  Plus, I can also say that I’m starting to filter some of my potential projects and next steps through this sentence this morning… and it’s helping.  This sentence is actually helping me to think about where I want to go next and what I need to do… again… to help me move more and more towards living this “sentence.”

So thanks for letting me think… or should I say… dream… out loud!

You’re awesome!

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07
May 2012
Posted by mitchamatthews
2 comments

Project: Dream Job – Learning new stuff

As I talk with people about Project: Dream Job and what it would look like for them to have a… “dream job,” I often hear about the obstacles (real or imagined) that get in the way.

Photo kudos to: rachel sian

One of the biggest challenges that people bring up is…

“I don’t feel like I know enough to make a change.”

Plus… it’s almost like this feeling has an annoying and ever-present little side kick.

It’s…

“I don’t have time to do anything about it.”

Can you relate?

Do you struggle with the feeling that you’d love to try something different… or pursue something new… but at the same time… wrestle with the fact that you don’t seem to have an extra 5 minutes to spare to think about it… let alone 5 days to take a class on the subject?

Take some small but significant steps…

Well… as you may already know… we’re all about equipping you with strategies that you can apply right now… no matter how busy you are… so you can pursue that big dream or goal.

We often call these… “small but significant steps.”

Today’s small but significant steps will help you to learn new stuff… even if you don’t feel like you have 5 minutes to spare!

These strategies will help you…

  • dig into some of those concepts you’ve been wanting to explore
  • read that book you know would help to equip you for that new position
  • research that idea that has been at the back of your brain (0r heart) for years

STEP 1: Find your “commercial breaks”

We all have them.  They are those 5 to 10 minute blocks in our day that are lost time.

They are a little like “commercial breaks” during your favorite tv show.

Waiting for a meeting that never happened

Photo kudos to: Bazzastrabe

You know… those time blocks that exist… but kind of just melt away.

  • Maybe it’s that 8 minutes while you’re waiting for everyone else to come into the room or hop on the line for that meeting?
  • Maybe it’s the 10 minutes while you’re waiting for your friend to show up for coffee?
  • Maybe it’s when you’re in the lobby waiting for a doctor or dentist?
  • Maybe it’s that 10 minutes waiting for your kids after school or after soccer practice?
  • Maybe it’s that… well let’s just say… that “private time” when you’re in the restroom.  (Yeah… I’m going there too!)

Find those commercial breaks.  Find those minutes.

They are there.

But often times… they just get lost… don’t they?

What do we typically do with them?  Well, if you’re like me… (when I don’t have a plan)… you fill those minutes with hopping on facebook, by reading a 2-year old magazine on the coffee table or by listening to the radio.

Well… what if you used some of those “commercial breaks” more intentionally?

What if you had a plan for some of your “commercial breaks?”

Think about it.  If you just found 10 minutes a day… over a week’s time… that’s a full hour!  I know that doesn’t seem like a lot.  But if you add that up… over a year’s time… that’s would make for over one full 40 hour week devoted to that big dream or goal!

Pretty sweet… right?

So let’s move on to step two…

Step 2: Use “Minute Maximizers.”

I know… I know… there might be a part of you saying, “Oh great… here comes the rainbows and little pony strategies.  Like… think positive thoughts and you’ll learn ALLLL that you need to know.”

Nope.  You won’t get any of that here… although I will admit that like rainbows AND little ponies!

MINUTE MAXIMIZERS are specific strategies that help you to use those COMMERCIAL BREAKS more intentionally.

When it comes to learning new things… here are some examples of MINUTE MAXIMIZERS:

“A READ IT” File:

This is a simple strategy that a number of time management gurus have talked about.  The basic idea is that you use a folder (or series of folders) and you keep them close at hand.

Then… when something comes across your radar that you want to read… instead of taking time to stop and read it right then and there (because you don’t usually find this stuff when you actually have the time to read it)… you print it off… rip it out… or photo copy it… and put it in your “READ IT” file.Read it file

Then… you keep your “READ IT” file with you.

So you can pull it out… while you’re waiting for that meeting… or that appointment… or for your plane.

Simple… I know.

But… just think how having the things that you actually WANT to read… close at hand… could help you maximize your commercial breaks?

A BATHROOM LIBRARY

Okay… I’ll admit it.  My mom was not a big fan of what she called “potty jokes.”  And trust me… I’m a guy… so my list of jokes involving bodily functions seems to have NO END!

But… I wont go there today.

I’ll just say that everyone has time in the bathroom… and sometimes… especially for moms… this can be the only truly protected 10 minutes of the day!!!Bathroom Library... be intentional!

So… what do you have close at hand for reading… in your bathroom library?

Seriously… think about it.  What’s close to your toilet?

Old magazines?  A book that’s been there for years?  Something that looks nice… but won’t help you to go after that dream job or big goal?

Okay… well… I’m going to suggest something weird.  Maybe it’s even gross.  BUT… we’re talking about equipping you to go after your BIG dreams and BIG goals… and we’re all short on time… so… yeah… I’m going there!

GET INTENTIONAL ABOUT YOUR BATHROOM READING!

Now… it doesn’t have to be out in plain site if you like to keep your bathroom orderly.  But… again… be intentional.  Have something close by… so you can use “that time” wisely.

So… take the challenge and go home tonight and take a good look at your “BATHROOM LIBRARY.”  Choose to have something close by that you WANT to read.  Something that might just help you go after that BIG dream or BIG goal… 10 minutes a day.

And hey… if your family pushes back on the amount of time you’re taking in the bathroom… you can blame me!  Tell them…

“Mitch told me I needed to read in here at least 10 minutes a day!”

I’m sure that will help!

STEP 3: OWN IT!

Now, you’ve heard me talk about the INTELLECTUAL IMMUNE SYSTEM before.

It’s my concept that says our intellect has a similar immune system to our body’s… not… medically… but metaphorically.

As a result, if we get hit with a new idea… even it’s one we like… we will tend to reject it over time because it came from outside us.  (Think about the last time you committed to a diet… a self-help based 5 principles book… or some advice from a friend… and it bombed.  Yeah… there’s a very good chance that was your Intellectual Immune System that got in the way!)

Mitch Matthews speaking at TEDx about the IIS

So… the only way to beat the IIS… and really take in the new information you are learning as you use MINUTE MAXIMIZERS during your COMMERCIAL BREAKS… is to ask yourself a set of questions so you can own the new information.

That’s right.  Because if you own it… then it comes from you.  And if it comes from you… your Intellectual Immune System won’t kick in… and you’ll have a much better chance of retaining and using the information you are gathering!

Here are some “OWN IT” questions:

  • How could these ideas apply to me?
  • How could I modify this approach to better fit my situation?
  • How could I experiment with these ideas… and move towards my goal or dream?

That’s it.

A simple 3 step process to help you to learn more… so you can better equip yourself to go after your own Project: Dream Job… and those big dreams and goals.

More importantly… you can find those COMMERCIAL BREAKS and use your MINUTE MAXIMIZERS to OWN the information you need… to go after your very own… PROJECT: DREAM JOB!

Who’s with me?  Let me know.  I’d love to hear from you.  Join in the convo… and click comments!  Also, I’d LOVE to hear from you on the best ways you make time to learn about the things you want/need to dig into.  So leave your suggestions for everyone!  I’m sure you’ve got some great ideas and we’d love to hear from you!

Oh… and hey… to you people with interior design big dreams… shoot us some ideas on how to organize our bathroom so we can have stuff in there that we want to read… but so it looks nice!  Seriously… help us out with a comment or a suggestion!

Keep dreaming big and helping others to do the same,

Mitch Matthews

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16
Mar 2012
Posted by mitchamatthews
2 comments

Intellectual Immune System featured!

I was excited to see the newest edition of the ITA Group’s most recent “DRIVEN” magazine.

Click here to check out the full magazine

DRIVEN is an amazing quarterly publication… and this latest edition included an article I wrote about the “Intellectual Immune System.”

You can check out the full magazine by clicking here.

The ITA Group is an organization that helps companies to tap into the immense power that comes from fully-engaged employees, motivated sales people and channel partners, and ignited customers.

So it was an honor to get to work with them on this project!

OVERCOMING THE INTELLECTUAL IMMUNE SYSTEM

In the article, I talk about ways that individuals and organizations can overcome the Intellectual Immune System to make for greater impact and longer lasting change.

Click here to download the PDF

So… are you needing to implement a new idea?

  • Are you a leader who is trying to bring change to your organization?
  • Are you a manager who is wanting to inspire bigger thinking (and bigger doing) in your team?
  • Are you an individual who knows you need to try something new (a budget… a diet… time management… a new strategy at work) but you’re getting stuck?

This might just help!

Click here to download a FREE copy of the article featured in Driven Magazine!

Keep dreaming BIG and helping others to do the same,

Mitch Matthews

Mitch Matthews speaking at TEDx

Click here to see Mitch at TEDx

See it on VIDEO

PS – I recently spoke at a TEDx event about the Intellectual Immune System.  If you’d like to check that out… you can click here!

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11
Oct 2011
Posted by mitchamatthews
3 comments

Dream BIG Achieve More: A million bucks 15 minutes at a time.

Let’s face it… most of the multimillion dollar products and services that exist today were created by regular people… just like you and me.

The difference is that they… somehow… worked to make their big idea happen.

Or… maybe for you… it’s not about coming up with a million dollar product.  For you… it’s more about feeling like a million bucks because you can get the stuff done you need to get done.  So a big dream for you is to be able to fully engage at home because you’re able to leave work at work.

Either way… a key to dreaming big and achieving more… is being able to take those big dreams from ideation… to fruition.

From… “I wish I could” to… “Wow… look what I did!”

But how do you do that… amid busy schedules… car pools… demanding customers… and in-boxes that are busting at the seams?mitch matthews, dream big, achieve more

Well… today… we’re going to talk about doing it… 15 minutes at a time.

That’s right… 15 minutes at a time.

I’ll admit it.  I’m a “to-do” list guy.

How about you?

(Okay, I’ll also admit that I’m actually so “extreme” that if I do something that isn’t on my to-do list… then I’ll write it down so I have the thrill of checking it off! Can I get an amen?)

But… although the whole to-do list thing is a solid strategy… the challenge is that my page of to-do’s starts to look like Santa’s Naughty and Nice list.  And this time management strategy starts to become over whelming and it gets counter productive.

So… today… we’re going to dig into a strategy that I’ve been experimenting with.  And I’m loving it!

Let me tell a quick story that might help to set this up.

Last week… I was working on a new project that involved making a number of 15 minute calls over a two day period.  I was excited about these quick conversations but… as you can imagine… all of these calls really broke up my day.  So, I didn’t have any extended blocks of time (an hour or more) to devote to any one task.

So, I had to come up with a new strategy for getting things done.

As a result, I started to break the items on my to-do list down into things I could get done in 15 minute blocks of time.  That way… when I wrapped up one of my phone calls, I could grab one of my 15 minute tasks and do it before my next call.

So for example… if it typically took me an hour to write a blog post.  I’d figure out a way to break it up into 15 minute chunks.  So… instead of “blog post” on my to-do list, I’d have:

  • 15 minutes to outline what I want to say.
  • 15 minutes to find images.
  • 15 minutes to write.
  • 15 minutes to build in links and broadcast it through social media.

Or… if I was trying to tame my wild email box… instead of just having “email” on my to-do list,  I would break it down into 15 minute segments.

  • 15 minutes to write an important follow up email to that prospective client.
  • 15 minutes to write an email to my group coaching clients.
  • 15 minutes to clear out misc. emails from yesterday.
  • 15 minutes to write 3 quick emails to new coaching clients.

It was amazing… because even though my schedule was a little wacky and pretty full because of all of these extra phone calls… I was also able to get a lot done… because when I had 15 minutes… I’d just go to my list… grab a t0-do and get ‘er done.

And if you’re wondering… I had a clock on my desk… to keep me to my 15 minutes.

Now… even though I don’t have those 15 minute calls this week… I’ve continued on with this strategy for a majority of my to-do items.

Why?

Well… the more I thought about it… it just makes sense… doesn’t it?

I mean… marketers tap into this 15 minute window too.  That’s how long most tv shows run before we get hit with a barrage of commercials.  Why?  Because the average adult’s attention span is about 15 minutes.

But it’s not even just about watching The Office or The Biggest Loser.  This applies to our own office life too doesn’t it?

I mean… how long can you go in your office before you’re interrupted by a co-worker… a friend… a child… you pick.

15 minutes… right?

So… why not plan for it?

Here are some specific steps to help you do it.

Step 1: BREAK YOUR To-Do’s UP INTO 15 MINUTE TASKS

That’s right.  Take a look at your to-do items and think about how much time they will take.  If it’s more than 15 minutes, ask yourself…

  • How could break this up into 15 minute chunks?
  • As I break these down into 15 minute tasks… what order would I need to do them in?

It’s that simple.  Then write them down accordingly.

Step 2: KEEP AN EYE ON THE CLOCK

Keep a clock where you can see it.  (Or heck… invest in a kitchen timer or use your iphone or droid)  Start the task and roll with it for 15 minutes.  Trust me the little added pressure of getting it done in 15 minutes will help you to stay focused.  AND it will help you to fend off distractions because you can say to yourself or others… “I’m focusing on this for 15 minutes… and then I can get to that _________.”

Step 3: SCHEDULE THEM

Now… this is for a gold star bonus… but it will also exponentially increase the chances of getting the task(s) done.

So, as you are thinking through your 15 minute tasks… take a look at your calendar and see where you might be able to place them.  It might be today… it might be tomorrow… it might be later this week.  But by scheduling them, you both help to set realistic goals about what can be accomplished today and you help yourself to prioritize what’s most important.

Lastly… you might be thinking… “Scheduling my tasks into 15 minute chunks will take hours!”  Which… of course… would defeat the purpose.

I’ll admit that the first few days may take a little longer.  But once it starts to become a habit… this process will get easier AND quicker.

Plus, you’ll start to figure out when the best time of day for you to do this.  For me… it’s ideal if I think through my to-do list at around 4 pm today… as I’m planning for tomorrow.  But for you… you may prefer to start you day this way.

You pick.

But give it a try.  See how it works for you.

Own it.  Improve it.

Customize it for you.  See where it takes you.

And hey… since we’re on the topic of dreaming big and achieving more… comment and leave one of your favorite time management strategies too.  We’d love to hear from you and we’d love to hear what works best for you!

And whether your big dream is to launch a new million dollar product… or just to get home tonight to fully engage with your family and friends… I’m hoping this little strategy will help you to get ‘er done!

Keep dreaming big and helping others to do the same,

Mitch

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21
Jul 2010
Posted by mitchamatthews
1 comment

A To-Do List for Creatives!

To-do list book.
Image by koalazymonkey via Flickr

Okay… so we’re continuing on with our busting through the “bright and shiny object syndrome” and getting ‘er done week!

We’ve talked about starting the day with a plan and giving ourselves some grace when those plans go awry.

Now… let’s talk “to-do” lists.

I’ll admit it.  I’m a to-do list kind of guy.

So much so that when I do something that’s not on my list… there’s a very good chance that I’ll write it down… just so I can check it off.

(Anybody care to admit that they do the same thing?)

Sad? Maybe.

But… it helps me to stay on track during some crazy days!

Now, A LOT of people have talked about the best ways to do a to-do list and there are a whole LOT of great ideas.

So, I’m simply going to submit the way that I do my to-do list… in this season.

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Posted in: Mitch's Blog, Organization to help you think BIGGER!

13
Jul 2010
Posted by mitchamatthews
0 comments

What LEGO taught me about dreaming and thinking BIG!

A pile of Lego blocks, of assorted colours and...
Image via Wikipedia

Our youngest son is set to receive a boatload of Legos for his upcoming birthday. He’s excited about it.  And I have to admit… I’m excited too.

Over the past few years, our boys have amassed an impressive stock pile of legos and I have loved to dig in and help them to build some pretty incredible feats of engineering!

And… during that time… I’ve been noticing that LEGO has been teaching me some things about going after BIG dreams.

Lesson One: Start with a plan.

Have you put any Legos together lately?

WOW!

Some of the kits that our boys received this year came with… not one… but TWO instruction manuals.  That’s right!  In fact, the one my youngest son and I were working on most recently had over 150 steps needed to complete the model.

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Posted in: Ideas to help you think and dream BIGGER!, Mitch's Blog