"Making a choice that is one percent better or one percent worse seems insignificant in the moment, but over the span of moments that make up a lifetime, these choices determine who you are and who you could be. Success is a product of daily habits—not once-in-a-lifetime transformations."
– James Clear, Atomic Habits
The dawn of a new year is always a powerful moment. It’s a time when we reflect on the past and dream of what’s possible in the future. We often set lofty goals—whether it’s improving our health, advancing in our careers, strengthening relationships, or building financial stability.
But here’s the catch: while having a clear vision is crucial, it’s not enough to just know what we want. What truly makes the difference is the ability to show up every single day and take consistent action toward those dream...
“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”
– Joel A. Barker
We all have a vision. It’s not just a pipe dream or a fleeting thought—it’s a deep-seated knowing inside of us, one that’s been there since childhood.
Think back to when you were a kid. What did you imagine yourself becoming? An astronaut? A doctor? A superhero (I’m pretty sure I was Batman at the age of five)? The possibilities were endless, weren't they? The world was a canvas, and your imagination was the brush.
But as we grow older, those boundless visions often fade. Why? Because we start questioning whether they’re possible, practical, or worth pursuing. We allow fear, doubt, and the voice of "what if I fail?" to silence our dreams.
But I believe the visions inside of u...
“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”
- Joel A. Barker
I believe we are all born with a vision for what we want in our lives inside of us.
Just think back to when you were child and the numerous visions you had for what you wanted to be in when you “grew up”. Your imagination was boundless. I personally wanted to be a cartoonist, a doctor, an astronaut and a super-hero (Actually, when I was 5-years old, I WAS Batman).
I believe these visions exist inside of us so we have a means to share our innate gifts in the world. This is not just available for some of us, but for all of us. However, this begs the question: If this is true, why is it that so many of us allow those visions to merely become dreams that fade away because we never took action to make them a reality?
“Erase the victim mentality. Remember you are capable of achieving greatness; if you’d only believe in your abilities to overcome. You are victorious. Celebrate the victory.”
- Amaka Imani Nkosazana
Throughout the years, I have had several meaningful conversations with my good friend, Theresa Byrne.
But none brought the clarity and impact of a recent conversation when she shared her distinction of how our choices in responding to challenges can be broken down into three distinct ways of being that I will call the “3 V’s”….
The concept is quite simple. As best we try, we may not be able to control what happens to us in our lives, but we can always control how we respond to it.
When challenges arise, we really have three choices.
“Most dying people regret not the things they did but the things they didn’t do.”
– Olga Rickards
If you are like me, the end of the year is a time of reflection of what was completed and experienced over the past 12 months and what is to be pursued and created in the upcoming year.
Many times, the pursuits we are inspired to embark upon in the new year get quickly put to rest by our fear of possible failure.
This is especially true when we have the “evidence” of our past to rationalize our not taking risks, particularly when we have experienced challenges like we have faced in the last couple of years. It is then easier to accept playing small, because although it is uncomfortable, it is safe.
However, what if we looked at things differently and asked ourselves another question,
This is a question asked frequently in...
"Making a choice that is one percent better or one percent worse seems insignificant in the moment, but over the span of moments that make up a lifetime these choices determine between who you are and who you could be. Success is a product of daily habits - not once-in-a-lifetime transformations."
- James Clear, author, Atomic Habits
It is once again the beginning of a new year, and many of us have great aspirations for making monumental improvements in various aspects of our lives.
This is usually the time of year when we set intentions for improving our health (usually in the way of releasing weight or improving our diets and/or exercise habits), our careers, our relationships and/or financial standing.
Having a clear vision on where we want to go is integral to the attainment of any worthy vision. However, what gets most of us off track is not just lack of clarity for where we...
“Most dying people regret not the things they did but the things they didn’t do.”
– Olga Rickards
If you are like me, the end of the year is a time of reflection of what was completed and experienced over the past 12 months and what is to be pursued and created in the upcoming year.
Many times, the pursuits we are inspired to embark upon in the new year get quickly put to rest by our fear of possible failure. This is especially true when we have the “evidence” of our past to rationalize our not taking risks. It is then easier to accept playing small, because although it is uncomfortable, it is safe.
However, what if we looked at things differently and asked ourselves another question,
This is a question asked frequently in the personal development and coaching world. I have asked many coaching clients (and myself) the same ques...
“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”
- Joel A. Barker
I believe we are all born with a vision for what we want in our lives inside of us.
Just think back to when you were child and the numerous visions you had for what you wanted to be in when you “grew up”. Your imagination was boundless. I personally wanted to be a cartoonist, a doctor, an astronaut and a super-hero (Actually, when I was 5-years old, I WAS Batman).
I believe these visions exist inside of us so we have a means to share our innate gifts in the world. This is not just available for some of us, but for all of us. However, this begs the question: If this is true, why is it that so many of us allow those visions to merely become dreams that fade away because we never took action to make them a reality?
“Stemming from the Latin for "inward," intrinsic goals relate to "goods of the soul," like personal growth, close relationships, and physical health. Stemming from the Latin for "outward," extrinsic goals relate to "worldly goals," like money, status, or fame.
- Harvard Business Insider
In in their book, From Me to We, brothers Marc and Craig Kielburger create a powerful distinction between Extrinsic versus Intrinsic Goals.
Specifically, Extrinsic Goals are those we strive to achieve outside ourselves like career status, financial achievements, and personal possessions.
Intrinsic Goals are those we create inside ourselves like love, peace, acceptance, a connection with our Higher Power (whatever that is for you) and a commitment to the service of others.
Neither is good nor bad or better than the other. However, the Kielbergers propose that when we are clear and committed to our...
“Most dying people regret not the things they did but the things they didn’t do.”
– Olga Rickards
If you are like me, the end of the year is a time of reflection of what was completed and experienced over the past 12 months and what is to be pursued and created in the upcoming year.
Many times, the pursuits we are inspired to embark upon in the new year get quickly put to rest by our fear of possible failure. This is especially true when we have the “evidence” of our past to rationalize our not taking risks. It is then easier to accept playing small, because although it is uncomfortable, it is safe.
However, what if we looked at things differently and asked ourselves another question,
This is a question asked frequently in the personal development and coaching world. I have asked many coaching clients (and myself) the same questio...
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