Monday, May 30, 2022

Is Memorial Day a Win Anyway Day?


Memorial Day is a Win Anyway day. Winning rarely comes without cost. Winning freedom never comes without cost. The higher the stakes, the higher the cost.

For those that lost their lives - I would never dare say they 'Won Anyway'. Neither would I say that about their friends and family who lost their sons and daughter, brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents. Even those who say 'it's not what happens to you, but what you do with it' have to stop short when a life is taken.

So today, we honor those who lost, who paid the cost, so we could win. My prayer is that somehow, some way, you are aware of what your sacrifice meant to the world, and that you know you are never forgotten.

To those who are remembering those you've lost, even the most positive among us know a loss is a loss. No matter how far away you get from that moment, no matter what you do with it going forward, what accomplishments, successes and victories that spring forth from that moment, that moment is always...a moment of loss. As you embrace it, we embrace you.

Be well today, and be seen. Your Win Anyway journey isn't easy - your victory may simply be getting out of bed, breathing in and out, and making it through the day. The pace of your journey might be months or years, but it's a journey worth taking. A journey those you've lost likely would want you to take.

When you're ready.



Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Do Motivation and Reality Mix?


If you can dream it, you can DO it! - Disney

Leap and the net will appear! - John Burroughs

Nothing in Life is impossible. The word itself says "I'm possible". - Audrey Hepburn

These, and a thousand more blindly positive platitudes float through our culture from well-meaning parents, teachers, preachers, speakers, and tacky posters in the hallways of companies around the world.

I'm guilty of repeating these quotes over the years - mostly to myself, in an effort to get myself going. My problem? I'm a realist. Pragmatist perhaps. Even a cynic, those close to me would say. My bigger problem? I'm a motivational speaker. Or, for those that hate that term (me among them - but it's the most general, recognizable term for the world), you can go with 'inspirational speaker' (but that offends non-spiritualists), or 'transformational speaker' (whatever that means), or even 'GIMP speaker' (which you might think is a crass term for disabled speakers like me, but actually stands for 'Great Inspirational & Motivational Presenters', or so my coach Tom told me after he came up with it).

But I digress.

I have a love/hate relationship with 'motivation'. Even though it's fairly well accepted that no one can motivate someone else, because motivation is an intrinsic force (finding a source for this is a bit of a wild google chase, but no matter), people in general tend to A. Believe they CAN motivate others, B. have a desire to be externally motivated, C. believe they aren't getting the right motivation from others, and therefore blame them for not being motivated, and/or D. complain that motivation doesn't last (which reminds me of a favorite Ziglar quote - “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing – that's why we recommend it daily.”)

People WANT motivation. NEED motivation. SEEK OUT motivation from books and music and speakers, and depending on our psychological makeup up, from exercise, food, and even sex.

Here's the problem - the motivation so many people think they want isn't motivation at all. It's a dopamine hit. A rush of energy that we are able to harness for varying lengths of time to help us work. That's not motivation. It's a drug hit.

But, perhaps I digress again.

The question you might be asking, and that I have asked myself many times, is "If you don't believe people can be motivated by others, why do you do what you do? What is 'WinAnyway' if not a motivational message?"

Fair question.

WinAnyway, and me as the "WinAnyway Guy", is all about realistic motivation - encouragement aimed at giving my audiences the means to realistically and consistently find the motivation within themselves. I can't motivate you, but I can guide you to regularly accessing your intrinsic motivation.

It's a simple process - Review, Celebrate, Redesign, & Act. Whether you've attempted a task and failed, attempted a task and succeeded, or are simply at a resting point figuring out where to go from here - motivating yourself to move forward again takes self-examination.

Review: Where were you? How far have you come? Whether you look back years, days, or even a few hours, remembering where you started is important. Even if you've taken steps backward. Every journey comes with setbacks and victories - big and small. We have been trained to ignore the small victories if we don't experience a large one, and conversely, even if we don't suffer a large setback, we often magnify the smallest of mistakes along the way. Taking time to review and take inventory of the reality of what has happened along the way puts you in a position of clarity and strength moving forward.

Celebrate: What did you learn? What progress did you make? What have you survived? The answers to these all give you reason to celebrate, even if the world may tell you you should only celebrate your final victory. This doesn't mean you need to spend a ton of money on some extravagant event or trip - though, if that's the level of celebration your life allows, I'm the last one to stop you. My celebrations are simple, and more geared toward respite and recharging - maybe a movie, or a night out with family (or alone!), or buying that book you've put off buying because, well, you didn't really NEED that faux leather bound copy of Huckleberry Finn, but it sure would look nice on that bookshelf. These rewards preserve your self-esteem, protect you from focusing on outside negative judgments that can quickly fester as internal negative judgments, and help you build internal emotional energy (read: motivation) to move to the next step.

Redesign: After celebration, it's time to turn your attention back to your journey - back to your goal. What changes can you make in your approach? Is it simply a matter of starting over, or do you need to start differently? What resources and allies can you bring in that will help you over obstacles you've yet to overcome? Here's a big question many don't want to ask: is this still a goal you want to pursue?

The Redesign stage offers options - and one of those options is to quit. QUIT? OMG! The world hates a quitter! Still, quitting can yield bigger and better results if done with intention and thoughtfulness. Maybe you've grown beyond the goal you've been trying to reach. Perhaps you see a different goal altogether that is just as valid, or even more valuable, than what you been trying to achieve. Oftentimes, we see other options open up even as the doors to our original goal repeatedly slam shut. Quitting doesn't have to mean giving up - and really, it shouldn't. But if you quit in order to shift, you may just find your next journey goes smoother and faster - and farther.

Finally - Act. No good motivational formula is complete without a call to take action. Maybe massive action, as Tony Robbins likes to say. Maybe just a step further than you've gone before. But you've got to do something now that you have a newly designed plan, and maybe even a newly determined outcome.

The WinAnyway life isn't about false platitudes. Yes, dream. Yes, take chances and leap - after at least taking a peek. Yes, more is possible for us than we often believe. Maybe even just go all in the first time - and if you achieve your goal - GREAT. For the vast majority of the you, however, you will face failure. Unexpected challenges that stop you in your tracks. Partial success that leaves you wanting. You'll feel like a loser, and the outside world will affirm that belief.

WinAnyway was built off one question: Are you who you want to be, or who the world has let you become? Use it to build off the knowledge of where you've been, to create self-esteem through celebration, and renew your energy by redesigning your plan - and your internal motivation will be replenished and ready for your to draw upon - regardless of what the world is throwing at you. Motivation and Reality CAN mix, and you can define your OWN success...and put yourself in position to Win...Anyway.

Bring the WinAnyway message to your organization - contact Rich at Rich@RichHopkins.com,
or call 303-345-8487.



Sunday, May 15, 2022

I'm Reading in 2022

  


Finished 2 more books this week: Tools of the Titans, by Tim Ferriss, and All Business is Still Show Business by Scott McKain. 

Tools was a 'real book' - bought for me for Christmas several years ago, and left on my shelf as I contemplated reading 676 pages. The way it's laid out, profile after profile, with a few valuable essays interspersed, is very reader friendly, and it reads more like a 400 pager. Great interviews, some really cool ideas - on health, wealth, and wisdom (deliberately broken out this way). Instead of putting it back on the shelf, I'm keeping it down to reference again when I'm in need of inspiration. 

All Business I bought on Kindle when it came out, and just flew through it. Easy enough because there wasn't really anything in there that I didn't completely agree with - it was a great 'Oh yeah - I know that - why aren't I doing that book', with some wonderful personal stories and business case studies. McKain is conversational and authentic, and I've watched him enough on video to hear his voice as I read - which is always a plus. 

2022 Totals: 

2 Real Books: 1028 pages 
8 Kindle Books: 1723 pages 
19 Audible Books: 121 Hours, 17 min

I'll continue to update, as well as go back through the year with reviews of earlier readings. 

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