V. Shane Browning

Hello to those of you from the Mastermind Forum. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to review this outline and share your feedback.

Regards,

Shane

All I Needed To Know For Living The Life of My Dreams I Learned While In High School...

If I had known then what I know now...

I. Blowing up the bullies - thieves - liars and leeches in your life

A. Becoming secure in a world filled with insecurities

B. Protecting your valuables and your values against those who would steal your dreams

C. Conquering all the voices in your head and the ones outside your head that keep shouting it can’t be done because of X–Y–& Z

D. Salt – Garlic and other ways to repel the bloodsuckers in your life

II. Conclusion

 A. Stop giving power to the bullies – thieves – liars & leeches in your life...

B. The time is now to begin creating the life of your dreams...

C. Don’t wait – Don’t settle – Don’t stop

I am NOT a therapist, a consultant, or counselor. And, I am not a wizard, guru, or magician. What I am is a friend, a confidant, a cheerleader. You might also know me as a professional coach.

The profession of coaching is built upon the foundation of questions. Asking questions leads a client to deliver answers. This leads to deeper questions and subsequently, more listening.

The coach takes notes of the answers that are given and the answers that are often hidden between the lines. These hidden answers may revolve around unresolved issues in relationships, personal and/or professional challenges, as well as one's hopes and dreams. Taking notes is essential for revisiting key client concerns as the coaching relationship evolves.

Coaching is a means of facilitating growth - of assisting a client reach his or her full potential. Skills required for success as a coach include, but are not limited to the following:  Active Listening - Empathy - Humor - Patience - Confidentiality - Courage. But, nothing is more important than a sincere desire to help the client.

Just read an interesting article about the "FIVE C's of social media. You can read it here (http://bit.ly/o4wJaP). Thanks to @BobWarren for the tweet.

When I was a child, my family watched the T.V. series StarTrek. We were always amazed by the crazy technology dreamed up by creative writers in Hollywood. Remember the video chats between Captain Kirk and peoples of different races on starships in a galaxy far away?

Today we have iChat, Facebook and Twitter. We can instantly connect with peoples of other cultures in lands far away. We can share our interests, ideas, and information immediately. And by doing so, we can turn the world of Social Media into an active community where we can learn, teach, and share. We can build bridges and tear down walls. 

Social Media is so much more than a dumping ground for the inane ramblings of the masses. It is a place to connect, converse, and collaborate (3 of the 5 C's). Connections can lead to interesting conversations, which in turn, can lead to collaborative efforts. And these connections, conversations and collaborations can happen quickly with people all over the world.

Just think, Captain Kirk, of the Starship Enterprise, could have never connected with the Klingons in the year 2264 if we have not first connected with other nations around the world through social media.

Have you ever considered why you treat others way you do? What about the way you view different cultures? How about personal biases or prejudices?  John Dryden wrote, "We first make our habits, and then our habits make us." The question is, when do those habits originate? Many of us may want to consider our childhoods when searching for answers to these questions.

For most of us, our past has had a profound impact on our present. The way we saw our fathers and mothers treat one another can be at the root of how we treat our own mates today. How our parents treated us could be the reason we treat our children the way we do. And oddly enough, the prejudices that were openly voiced in our childhood homes laid a foundation for how we view the world we live in.

For example, I know a businessman who, as a child, was overly criticized by his father. No matter how hard he tried to please his father, it was never good enough. As an adult, he constantly seeks approval of others and is overly sensative to criticism. He also finds it hard to criticize/correct his own children for fear of becoming his father. Yet, as a business leader, he openly criticizes those in his charge - often in broad, sweeping terms that are offensive and hurtful. He became his father after-all.

Another individual, with a similar background, turned to self-medication as a means of escaping. The sad reality is that what was escapism as a teen became a life of addiction as an adult. Due to those addictions, his emotional maturity quotient never progressed much past that of a sixteen year old boy. And as a result, the abuse he feared as a child, he now distributes to those around him.

Both men are incredibly talented in their chosen fields. Yet, they carry so much baggage from their childhoods that it is difficult for them to move forward. They have become hostages to their pasts, carrying a damaged sense of self into everything they do. As a result, they have handicapped their own abilities to reach the potential inherent within them.

What about you? Is there an approach, any habitual practice, any type of addiction, any bias or prejudice that should be laid aside? Maybe it's time to rethink who we are - in light of who we could be. And in the process, we might possibly inspire those we impact the most to fulfill their God-given potential - rather than imprinting our own doubts, fears and psychosis upon them.

One source of help in addressing these questions is a professional life coach. The coach is there to help a person find answers within themselves. Working with a coach can provide one with accountability without judgment. And it can offer hope in the midst of a personal storm. 

As Dryden wrote, "We first make our habits, and then our habits make us." If you can imagine a different, brighter future than your present reality, maybe it's time for some new habits. And maybe finding the a coach could help you plot the right course in bringing your imagination to life.

This morning I read @Harvey Mackay's tweet, "Take risks. You are better off being scared than being bored." This does not mean one should jump off the top of a skyscraper without a parachute or safety net. However, it does imply that most people live with regrets regarding their unfulfilled dreams and the fear of merely living average lives. Taking calculated risks is fundamental to reaching your potential.

Another of my favorite quotes is from Albert Einstein who said, "Nothing happens until something moves." The difference between potential energy and kinetic energy is that potential energy is sitting there doing nothing, while kinetic energy is potential put into action. Taking risks, as Mackay suggests, is taking action. At the heart of taking risk is self-examination. Consider your strengths and abilities and then put them in motion; do something. 

The second part of Mackay's statement implies that fear is better than boredom. Putting one's talents in motion can be frightening, especially if it requires getting out of one's comfort zone. Yet, isn't it better to be a little scared and fully alive rather than doing nothing and being bored to death?

It's time to take some risks. Put your talents in motion. Get up and get moving, because nothing will happen until you do.

Sports can teach us valuable life lessons. However, we can learn not only by playing sport, but by watching as well. In observation, we have time to pause and consider what we are seeing. We can then reflect on the lessons of sport(s) and how they can affect our lives. It was this type of viewing over the weekend that is the basis of my post today.

During the 2009 NFL regular season, the Oakland Raiders, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the St Louis Rams were all at the bottom of the league. They were painful to watch. Each week they seemed to go through the motions. But, they were simply there to scrimmage a much better team and everyone knew it.

Then there was the Dallas Cowboys. They led their division. They were full of excitement and passion. And everyone knew they were rising stars - seemingly with a Super Bowl season just around the corner.

Jump forward to 2010. Just past the midway point and we are witnessing valuable lessons developing before our eyes. The Raiders and Chiefs played yesterday for division lead. They are both poised for a strong run at the playoffs. The Buccaneers and Rams are both starting unproven QB's and are winning more often than they have in recent years. These teams are playing with confidence, passion and pride.

Back to the Cowboys. These guys were picked by many of the professional analyst as the team to beat in 2010. They are loaded with talent. The Super Bowl is being played in their home stadium this season. And they were poised to be the first ever with the honor of hosting and playing that game of games on their home turf. 

Last night I watched the Green Bay Packers hand Da Boys their 5th straight loss in a blowout 45 to 7. At 1 and 7 on the season, they look destined to be the 2010 season punching bag. The secondary is riddled with holes. The defensive line has found what does not work and has decided to keep doing it until it doesn't work some more. The offensive line has taken a season vacation and is looking more and more like swiss cheese. And don't get me started on the running backs (missing blocks - dropping balls - and giving up with the first sign of pressure). And when you turn to the sideline what do you see? Humpty Dumpty shrugging his shoulders saying "oh well". The only bright spot in Big D this year is the receiving core.

What happened to all that potential? Where did the fire go? When did passion leave Dallas and move to Oakland? 

Albert Einstein once said, "Nothing happens until something moves." He was speaking about potential vs. kinetic energy. Potential when it is sitting their looks pretty, but accomplishes nothing until something impacts it and puts it in motion. 

Someone needs to light a fire in Dallas. The passion needs to be rekindled. And the forgotten fundamentals need to return to the playbook. Why? Because you don't win Super Bowls with pretty uniforms, a great cheering squad and a new stadium. You have to excel at the basics. You have to show up every day with passion and heart and a commitment to being the best in the game. 

So, to you and me? Are we Raiders, Chiefs, Buc's, Rams? Or are we pretty faces, clean uniforms and waisted potential? Something to thing about...

Just started week 2 of P90X. The first full week was painful physically, but humbling mentally. The humble pie was the toughest item on the menu last week. However, it's low in calories and give's one a great perspective from which to work. 

My tip of the week is this:

A great and mighty oak is only a little nut that held its ground. You and I will be judged by what we finish, not by what we start. 

Whether you are beginning a new workout program, taking on new challenges at work, or daring to repair suffering relationships, start - start today - start now. And don't back down. Remember the words of Sir Winston Churchill and "Never Surrender". Just keep plugging away, one step at a time, one breath at a time, one challenge at a time, and don't stop.

Success comes not in the desire, but in the follow-through!!

I woke up a year ago, took a look in the bathroom mirror, and there I recognized my father staring back at me. Not the super-dad I remember from my childhood, but rather I saw the older version – the one from his late 40’s when he was overweight, out of shape, and looking like life had beaten him up a bit. Yep, that was me.

How did it happen? What happened to the seventeen year old baseball player that could play all day? Where did the twenty two year old marathoner go? And when did this version of me sneak in and take over my body?

All kidding aside, the man staring back at me in the mirror that morning was the result of years of compromise and poor choices. When I was younger, I could eat whatever I wanted and in burned off faster than I could take it in. My metabolism began to slow in my thirty’s and I did nothing to change my dietary habits. However, I did change my level of activity. My career became the focus and the excuse. Long days became the norm. Clients were the reason for late dinners filled with rich food and drink. And late dinners led to late nights – which of course led to sleeping in. And this routine meant there was “no time” for the gym or going for a run. Try this for twenty years and “suddenly” the guy staring back at you in the mirror is NOT the man you had wanted to be.

Late last year, I was two hundred thirty six pounds, winded at the thought of exercise and progressing toward heart disease. My doctor said drop the weight, change your diet, get some exercise, and get some sleep. He told me to stop drinking so much coffee and reduce my alcohol consumption. DONE!

After ten months of making these adjustments, I got down to two hundred eighteen pounds. I was moving in the right direction, but still had a Body Mass Index of 31.4 and was classified as “obese”. That was when I had the opportunity to travel with a friend of mine who “had been” in the same health condition last year. He had taken an aggressive step to improving his health and it showed. In the same time period that I dropped eighteen pounds, he had drop fifty seven pounds – moving him from the mid two-twenties to the mid one-sixties. And he looks great!

That was when my friend challenged me. He knew I was frustrated with my health. He agreed to mentor me in the same program – IF – if I would commit to giving him ninety days of consistent effort. If the ninety days did not clue you in, P90X is the program he used and almost dared me to take on.

Do you drive to work, taking the same route every day?

Do routines govern your life?

Maybe it’s time for a change of scenery – a change of pace – a change of place.

Each year, in the fall (USA), my family and I take a trip. Sometimes within the United States, and sometimes we go abroad. These trips are always exciting, educational, and life altering experiences – especially for my daughter Megan (age 6). There is a world of wonder out there. And taking the time to jump out of the rat-race for a few days or weeks is a means of recapturing passion, drive, wonder and enthusiasm for the life we have been given.

This year, we journeyed to the “Land Down Under” – Australia. One of the most exciting parts of the trip was a day we spent walking through a wild animal park on Philip Island (off the coast of Melbourne).

We saw echidnas, and kookaburras, and kangaroos:

Taking the time to break the routine and take a walk down different path for a day can open the mind to new experiences and create lasting memories. It may even give you time to consider the path you normally walk and help you reevaluate your life, your relationships, and the purpose for which you were born.

If you have not taken a vacation – or “daycation” – in a while, maybe it’s time. Maybe today is the day you take the train to work rather than drive. Maybe it’s the day you choose to shake up the routine.  Or, maybe this is the day you simply take a long walk down a different path just to see where the path might lead. Who knows, maybe you will discover a truth written of by Robert Frost when he wrote about the 2 roads in the woods and taking the one less traveled. That’s what makes all the difference.

It’s one of our family favorites. The food is good. The drinks are cold. And the service is usually great. So, we will probably return to see if the night in question was a fluke – OR – was it the new norm?

Our waitress got the drink order wrong. We understood. It was a busy night.

Then, she brought the wrong appetizer.

Then, she brought the wrong soup.

Then, she brought the wrong entre.

Finally, she got the bill wrong.

On our way out, I heard the manager ask why the tip was only %5 of the bill. The waitress responded, “I don’t know, everything seemed to be O.K. with the service.”

Most of us do not work on tips. We can’t wait for the %5er’s to remind us to pay attention to the our levels of service. We have to focus on the details now, or they will go somewhere else. Never assume all is O.K.!

There are numerous ways our customers communicate their opinions of our service. Do we hear what they are saying? Or do we simply assume that we are doing a good job and that all is O.K. with our service? Is our service all it should be – or could be? Can we do better? If so, in what areas? And how can we go about implimenting a plan to improve?

It’s taking the time to ask these simple questions that will determine our success or failure.