Advancing Successfully

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I recently saw Malcolm Galdwell, author of The Tipping Point, Blink and his latest, Outliers-The story of Success.  Here’s what I gleaned from hearing him and reading his fascinating new book.

First a little context: The theme of Outliers is: What makes Successful people successful?  (Hint:  It’s not simply intelligence and ambition.) 

 Here’s what Malcolm said about his new book:

“My wish with Outliers is that it makes us understand how much of a group project success is. When outliers become outliers it is not just because of their own efforts. It’s because of the contributions of lots of different people and lots of different circumstances— and that means that we, as a society, have more control about who succeeds—and how many of us succeed—than we think. That’s an amazingly hopeful and uplifting idea.”

Here are three of the theme’s in Outliers that I found compelling:

1.  Meaningful work must have 3 elements:  autonomy, complexity and a connection between effort and reward.    In the end it’s not the amount of money we make that makes us happy.  Hard work is only a prison sentence if it doesn’t have meaning, which as a coach, I often refer to as fulfillment. 

2.  Extraordinary Achievement is less about talent than it is about opportunity.  For achievement to happen, it is beneficial to diagnose what opportunities are naturally occurring that we can take advantage of.  It’s not enough to have talent; it has to be matched to opportunity.  These opportunities are often random in that they relate to timing….like the year or month we were born.  They also are a product of our legacy..The culture from which we come from and how it shapes how we communicate, think or learn.

3.   Mastery:  10,000 hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert—in anything.  That boils down to practicing 4 hours a day for 10 years.  To master anything it better be something that you love and something you are willing to commit to practicing 10,000 hours.  To me this resonates with the idea of committing to focusing on strengths, niche and passion.  Zeroing in on those things we can spend enough time on to master….or the things we have been practicing long enough to achieve mastery.  Now that I’ve been a coach for 8 years, I resonate with this in that I notice the power of hours and hours of practice.

Ok, thanks for reading my book report.  Let me know your ideas and impressions.

Retreat to Advance Spring 2009

Advancing with Strength & Presence

Jeaneen Schmidt Chicks on Sticks 2009

We complete February 2009 celebrating the physical strength and presence it took for me to compete in my first Nordic Ski race.  We’re also celebrating the strength and presence exhibited by each of you who completed my annual beginning of the year Reflection and Intention process, An Opening to 2009!  You each took a courageous inventory of your current results and asked:  What are my thoughts and actions creating?  What is actually happening?  What gains and breakthroughs am I celebrating? What have I learned?  What do I choose to let go of? What do I want that is different from this?  I honor the 2009 client slogans below which are already building great waves of momentum!    May these slogans inspire all of us to continually refine our responses to these powerful questions:  What am I intending to create in 2009?   What are the strengths and qualities of presence I will bring to each and every moment of this year?

2009 THE YEAR OF:

• Fire in the Belly Qualities: Love, Forgiveness & Understanding.
• Health, Wealth & Bliss
• Really, truly, deeply, Moving Forward  Qualities: Creativity, Communication & Gratitude
• Sails full of Grace  Qualities:  Birth, Integrity & Clarity
• Being Present & Being me–Surrender to my life as it is now
• Breaking Through & Creating a Foundation
• POWER!
• BEING-Stepping into a Bigger ME Qualities: Strength, Adventure & Light
• Counting it all JOY  Qualities: Trust, Perfect Timing, & Patience
• Family & Career Growth
• Stepping OUT!!!
• The Next Level  Qualities: Joy, Love, Peace, Prosperity, Health & Service

 

Advancing into 2009

My morning commute from the house to the studio today

 

The first 2009 New Year’s slogan was born today.  It was delivered by an exuberant friend from her mobile as she drove over a snowy mountain pass.  She declared, with quite a bit of enthusiasm:  “I’m going to be Fit and Fine in 2009″  What’s your name for 2009?  What theme will inspire your entire year?  If you are intent on designing an amazing New Year…see An Opening to 2009 for my annual beginning of the year private coaching offer.  Ok..off to play in the snow.  Let me know your New Year’s slogan here.  We’ll build a list, bless each one twice and together we’ll unfold a most precious 2009.   We are going to be so-o-o-o-o fine in 2009 :-)

Advancing into the STOP sign

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Alas, our aquisition of the Inn and Refuge in the mountains of Washington State is NOT happening.  Today was our last day to cancel our purchase and sale agreement.  That is what we chose to do.  It was the right thing to do.  I am breathing deeply.  There is much written about the inspiring victories; the times when the dream comes together, the fortune is made or the summit is achieved.

There is far less to fall into at these moments when we humans move forward with firm faith and conviction with every ounce of strength we can muster…to fall short.  The moment of loss, the moment of ending is fiercely potent. I know that every successful life has many, many times like these.  They are mysterious when we view them up close.  These Grace filled abrupt turns away from the direction we had expected to be moving are indeed confusing to the mind.  Only after years have progressed may we look back to see their intricate perfection.

I know that my compassion and humble surrender has increased exponentially.  I feel the quietness of looking ahead and seeing the empty space that has not yet taken shape into something new.  My gratitude has swelled for all the expert friends who were willing to listen, to nod and question time and again as I continue to expand and refine what I am here to offer.  There will be a day of joyous celebration and it is not this day.  The time has not yet come for us to say grace and toast each other at the New Year’s dinner overlooking the snow covered mountains. 

After Thanksgiving, we are taking a few days to go away to reflect, rejuvenate and assimilate all that has happened.  Retreat to Advance.  As I search for a place to do this, I realize how precious beautiful retreat sites are and how few of them fit my current purpose.  I guess the dream lives on.

Advancing to Freedom

 

I just returned from gathering the first batch of bright orange fall leaves from the smallest maple tree back by the big cedars.   Fall always feels like a new beginning to me. Maybe it’s the golden light and the fresh sea breeze?  Maybe it’s the falling leaves that remind me to boldly let go of everything that no longer serves?

I spent August offering service at an international retreat center.  The theme I chose for this month of retreat was strengthening my inner courage and clarity.  I can’t say I am even close to unpacking what was transformed within me.  What did I let go of?  What did I grasp on to?  How did I choose? All I know is there is a new person looking through my eyes.  Or perhaps, for the first time I am keenly aware of who is really looking through my eyes.  

All is vivid and clear and yes, I do feel great courage and confidence.  I’m back on Bainbridge Island coaching and silently integrating. I find myself speaking what is true and offering to others with great gratitude, all I have received. 

To be free you must learn what to let go of and what to grasp on to and when.

Retreat to Surrender & Practicing Losing

I’m practicing the art of surrender.  Right before the United States Independence Day holiday, I realized that I had once again slipped into things being hard, endless trying, stress, overwhelm and a generally lousy place of disappointment.  I’ve been grieving losses and unmet expectations.  Face down in the mud of my life,  I pleaded, if I surrender may I please have things be easier?   A voice replied.  “What do you give up when you say you surrender?”  Well it’s a long list the surrender list.  

I surrender my suffering, pain, fear, my trying to achieve a particular outcome and my expectations.   I was reading that true surrender is not done from a place of HAVING to surrender.  Surrender is something we choose because we WANT to surrender.  I’ve been leading personal retreats this month and reading When Fear Falls Away-the story of a sudden awakening by Jan Fraizer  It strikes me that how she became fearless is she did indeed surrender to the natural flow of the river of her inner Divine Power.   And here’s the thing…rather abruptly joy and bliss took hold of her and never again let go.

Here is a poem that articulates this process so beautifully.  The author is a radiant, beautiful, courageous inspiring female executive, who is, as I am…and all my clients are, up to great things in our world.  Her vision is huge, her leadership is potent and yes, she has gotten good at losing.  I’ll let her say it herself:

Practicing Losing-For Advanced Beginners

I practice losing now. Losing my expectations held on so tightly  Losing my expectations of myself, my future, my perfectly stacked ice cream cone.  All floating up like pieces of burnt paper from a fire, or the way snowflakes disappear when they hit a warm surface.

I practice losing now, losing an identity I thought I was supposed to have.  Losing a mask I was supposed to wear.  Losing a practicality that once served in some way and only now seems awkward and uncomfortable. 

I’m practicing losing now and seeing, discovering what’s still there.

 

 

Retreat to Summer Solstice Celebration

I am watching the Orcas Island Solstice Celebration dancers wrapping up their sweaty post parade performance, clinging to the last precious moments of the amazing beat the drummers are laying down…and have been laying down for the past hour or so.  What has me in tears?  Not just moved tears…SOBBING tears? Is it my deep love for the earth and being present to her honoring, knowing full well in my deepest core what she is up against at the moment?  Yes, AND…THIS dancing is a celebration of being HUMAN on our earth.  A celebration of our spirit…our elemental physicality.  It’s not all tidy and wrapped up.  No one here is wearing their Valentino pumps or has cell phone coverage (although I’m a great lover of these items).  This moment encapsulates our pure human sensuality.  It’s beautifully awe inspiring how we humans can embody celebration on this the longest day of the year.  We get to dance with wild abandon. We get to swim naked on warm moonlit nights.  We get to warm ourselves by fires, walk by pristine rivers and climb mountains by rushing waterfalls.   This in turn, strengthens and opens us to do the work that is before us.  As I look at the giant hand crafted ”planet earth” that sits next to the stage, just beyond the stands brimming with farm fresh alive foods, amidst the wandering children dressed as fairies, I remember that indeed there is much before us.   There is much that has been shattered that must be recreated somehow.  Perhaps we celebrate, as we always have, to gain strength for the journey ahead? 

Farewell to Home by the Sea: Spring 2008 Whidbey Island Retreats

   Thank you to all who attended and contributed your mighty talents to the spring retreats.   Together, we launched sparkling new projects.  We smiled in recognition as we recounted our leadership stories of victory, defeat and yes, surrender.  We created new visions while we sipped fine wine and savored dark chocolate.  We cried, sighed, grieved, laughed and celebrated, A LOT.  We drank muscular coffee and walked, piecing together what was trying to unfold.  We embraced the chaos of change and courageously planned the next steps.  We watched Tucker, the wonder dog, romp down the beach on moonlit nights breathing deeply the salty sea air. We did yoga together in the living room on sun drenched mornings after deep silent meditation. We watched the golden sun set as the eagles soared.  As the tides ebbed and flowed, we found our Truth over and over again.  When all was said and done, we did indeed shout YES… and then we crawled back into our soft feather beds and slept very, very well.

  

Advancing into a Bold YES!

 

I just now committed to a bold Yes.  One of those Yes’s that all your friends say in their best London English, Why of Course!  You must do this!  For me it’s been 3 days of feeling the intensity of the fear of making the WRONG decision.  I’ve spent hours contemplating all the possible choices and calculating all the possible impacts.  I’ve reviewed my values, my purpose and the vision of my business. I’ve looked carefully at the risks and possible rewards of this innovative YES.   Vividly, underneath all this valuable analysis, I’ve been experiencing intense fear.  Primal fear of the change that this bold Yes will bring to the status quo of my life and business.    I deeply resist the chaos that this change will usher in before I get to truly inhabit the next more resonant land that I have been envisioning all along.  

Isn’t this how it goes?  The call comes and we know we have to answer YES…and yet there is always “Trouble at the Border”.   I’ve noticed this theme of “hesitation before the leap” in many of my client conversations this week.  Does it come from the business culture that wanted us to be innovative YET taught us be cautious as mistakes can indeed jeopardize our careers?  Does our success get in the way of our growth as there is so much more at risk with each yes?  Do we unconciously know that there is so much more to lose if we are wrong????  Yet all of us, deep down yearn to say yes and silently regret those times when we back away.

Whatever we posess, we fear we might lose it if we step forward.  Whenever we are thinking about me or mine, we are in the realm of the wounded ego.  The ego which is desperately trying to control things, to keep us safe and protected and WAY smaller than what we are capable of being.  In order to step forward into leading our lives and those we serve, we must get comfortable with the terrifying AND exhilarating process of moving through the fear and uncertainty that the ego throws up, toward what is truly calling.

When it comes to saying yes to our personal destiny, I love this line from the new movie, The Moses Code.  ”God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.”  However you hold the presence of the divine, remember that this presence within us, is always calling us to expand into our greatest potential.  It is calling us to change, create and innovate BOLDLY.  When we say yes, it’s vital to remember that we are not yet the person or organization that will fulfill the call.  We grow into it.  Ahh, this is where the surrender and leap of faith must take place.  This is why coaching support is essential.  Left to our own devices it’s way too easy to stay small and protected.  Then of course, the outcome, although we are protected, is often; poor, lonely and sad.  The outcome of the YES…Exhilaration, change, abundance and growth. 

Therefore, we retreat into the silence.  We retreat into supportive coaching conversations.  We discern the strong voice of the call to which, despite our full body fears…we must in the end answer boldly…YES! 

 

 

Retreat to Forgiveness & Compassion

I love this stamp.  It reminds me of my years of competitive sailboat racing.  I loved the physical challenge, the mental intensity, the teamwork and the beauty of being on the water.  On the racecourse I learned that the journey of life is won by those who sense the shifts in the wind and sea and boldly respond, changing course as needed to reach their destination.  Unconditional love, forgiveness and compassion are both my bold response and destination.  Here’s how these three got connected together.

December 2007.  I am in India, down on my knees  in a sacred shrine, the warm breezes, gently blowing the scent of jasmine through the open windows.  I touch my head to the cool floor before the marble tomb of the saint who’s spirit inhabits this place.  I silently pray a monumental life shifting prayer, ”Forgive me for whatever it is I’m not doing right.  Show me how to worship you.  Can we have some kind of relationship, please? ”  I silently walk around to the back of the tomb, to the majestic photo and gaze into his eyes, which are sparkling with love.  I hear his response, a voice in my head.   “Let’s start by you letting me love you just the way you are.”    An intoxicating wave of indescribably intense unconditional love washes through me.

Fast forward 2 months to a handwritten scrawled question and answer in my journal:  How do I love myself unconditionally?  Self Forgiveness.  Plain and simple.

Last week the final thread gets woven in.   I get to hear His Holiness the Dalai Lama speak.  His theme, Compassion.  Having empathy for what another is going through and also taking action to ease their suffering. 

A mental light bulb flashes! It’s not so easy for me to get over there and have empathy and unconditional love for you, if I’m hiding behind the wall of my wounded ego silently beating myself up with negative self judgments, projecting them on to you.  I can’t get over there with you, compassionately, intimately connected until I forgive myself.  Try some self forgiveness this week for the sake of you and those you love. Forgive whatever is standing in the way of you loving you, exactly the way you are.   Treat yourself to a blended cocktail of unconditional self love, forgiveness and compassion.  Let me know how it impacts your journey.  Cheers!