Black Diamond Self-Talk

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Wait a minute, you can do that tomorrow, can't you?

The mastery of procrastination

Organized planning

I've heard it said many times, if you enjoy what you're doing, you'll never work a day in your life. As many, many, many people take a day and recognize some event, like TGIF, the weekend, or even a holiday, they are possibly giving up a little bit of their plan. I'm not saying that I don't coordinate my activities with others. I do make plans together, so we can accommodate each others schedules and desires. But I live my life like everyday is a special event. I weave all of the positive emotions throughout my day as much as I possibly can. And, the sweetest times are those spent helping others do the same, and, greatest yet, when theirs is much greater than mine. Oh what a lift it is to feel their joy!

But. I have to have a plan.

My Daily To-Do List = ordered list of have-to-do's (just for example):
  1. self-talk,
  2. write lesson plan,
  3. self-talk,
  4. call prospect
  • .
  • :
  • - one habit-making or habit-breaking exercise.
  • .
  • :
  • - eat (ok, those sounds I've been hearing should be quieted, I think)
  • .
  • :
  • - sleep (or am I sleep-walking again? maybe I should have had food earlier than I did, so I'd have more non-adrenalin energy?)
  • .
  • :
  • - breath (yeah, sometimes I actually have to think about this one - it helps me relax, when I take a couple of deep breaths)
  • .
  • :
  • - etc

I try to "Manage yesterday's decisions daily". I'm "all in", so this is a quick process:
  1. on track,
  2. not-so-much
  • Easy, #1. on track.

But, if I stop too long to evaluate the situation, I need to go back and assess my why.

Distractions - see habit-making / habit-breaking (ok, so this habit-making / habit-breaking list is wa-a-ay too long, already; I'll just have to settle for being perfect, just the way I am, and move on, now)

OK, life happens. You just have to "... pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again ..." Everything happens for a reason. Next.

Multi-tasking - who are we kidding? I can only, really, do just one thing at a time. FOCUS!

If the radio station in MY mind is tuned to the "you suck" channel, _I_ have to recognize this NOW! _I_ have control over the ONLY dial. _I_ can switch it to the "you rock" channel. NOW!!

I have already layed-out the organized plan. There is no time to put anything off until later, or tomorrow. I am counting on me. People are counting on me. The world is counting on US.

My desires are DESIRES. They're not fanciful or unimportant wisps of thought. I already have them fulfilled, in my mind, and I WILL have them in my hand and the hands of those that I love.

in gratitude and service,
Tony Koker

Thursday, February 03, 2011

What is holding you back?

It was just after the Coaches Corner Mastermind call when I got paged for my job. Yeah, it was around 1 am on Sunday morning and I got paged. Some equipment set off a bunch of alarms and they called me to diagnose this issue so they could engage the proper people or vendor to fix it. Luckily I can do this from my setup at home, without having to travel into anywhere. Anyway, it was the state of mind I recognized, only in hindsight of answering the page that was my epiphany.

I had been frustrated, again, another weekend going by, and little by slow was too slow ... maybe I'm still stuck with a fear of lack? Am I afraid I'm not ready? Is there something I didn't do, yet? Is this exceptionally snowy winter giving me another excuse to not succeed? I keep putting together plans and steps, but I end up with 50 tasks. all moving slowly forward, but nothing done. Or, at least, nothing that seems to be working. Maybe I'm not saying my self-talk enough? Maybe I lack the conviction I need to make it work? Analysis paralysis again? Why do I let these simple steps pile into a mess that overwhelms me?

When I answered the page, everything changed. I was in my element. I was performing tasks I'd trained years and years to master. No hesitation. No doubts. I knew right where to go, which system(s) to check, and which things to do. It wasn't that I knew what was wrong in an instant, but the logic I followed was solid and well traveled. I had used this stuff, over and over again, and knew exactly what to expect. I knew what connects to what, what fails or doesn't, but mostly, how to interpret the often cryptic messages and reports. I was in the zone. I knew that I knew that I knew. Even if I didn't know something with exacting detail, I knew to be comfortable in the knowledge that I could figure it out. I knew the missing pieces would present themselves to me. There was no fear, no worry, just confidence and faith.

The weekend is over now, but I am now equipped with a tool. A tool that I already had at my disposal, but which can now be applied to the task I now desire.