Can You Handle A Little PDC?

It's confession time.  And this one's a doozy.  Now, while I'm slighty kinda sorta embarrassed by this confession, it's not soo bad that my wife's kicking me out (at least not at this point), or that my kids will hide from me in shame (then again), or that I'll need to visit Father Kevin (heck, he's seen me enough, as it is). 

So you ask: what gives Abbott?  What's this uber confession that's got you so worked up, and yet apparently, so pressed to share!?

Fess up man, and get on with it!

Well, okay.  If you insist.  Here goes.

I gots a man crush on Tony Horton. You know, THE MAN behind the P90X workout program.  Yeah, I think he's cool.  After three full weeks of sweating/grunting/swearing to P90X - he's the current wind beneath my wings (cue Bette Midler).  Seriously, if not for Tony himself and how he does what he does the way he does it, there's no way I'd be doing what I'm doing.  Fact.  And for that very reason, I declare my public display of affection (PDA) for Tony and P90X. (We interrupt this program to state that this is not a paid endorsement by P90X; as if they'd subsidize a flub like me.  Disclaimer #2: don't expect me to look like he does in the picture.  Nope.  It's all about the health benefits (for now ;).)

More than just outing my PDA for Tony to hundreds of thousands of readers (riiight, as if) - the bigger point is to make a public display of commitment (PDC).  Think about it: I've now told everyone (well, one or two) that I've signed up to do the excruciatingly exhaustive 90 day P90X program.  So how can I back out now!  Can't.  Gotta get it done.  Anything short of finishing P90X, and this will be a very visible, pride swallowing, ego tripping, won't hear the end of it, my brothers will make me eat a big ugly nasty bug covered in dirt, type of humiliation.  Gulp!     

You know what though: bring it on!  Make it so!  The fact is, I did it, knowing it, and now you all know it, as well.  I ain't no dummy - for the most part; while I might have been born at night, I wasn't born last night (props to Kid Rock).  I knows what I did, and I'll hold me to.  I expect you to now hold me to it, as well.

So - how 'bout you?  What PDC do you want to do to help hold you to doing something new, or stop doing something you don't want to do?  Moreover, get the doing done.  For sure, you don't have put it out there on social media, let alone subject yourself to cracks about a man crush, like I did (please don't).  You can just keep it with your peeps.  Your call.  Either way, give it a go and put it out there.  It just might help. 

PDC is Good (if you can handle it).          

Lessons From Logan

Yesterday, our beloved dog Logan was sadly put to sleep.  After 15+ awesome years, it was just time for her to move on; discard her painful, achy, nonworking body - so that her beautiful soul could run again in heaven.  Through my tear filled eyes, I can see her now: zipping around fast as can be, running through streams, catching fish, chasing squirrels, playing with kids, licking faces and chomping on sticks.  She's bringing joy, getting well deserved belly rubs and having fun once again. I'm sure of it. 

The fact that she made it this long was fantastic, as Golden Retrievers have an average life span of about 10 years.  While her longevity was phenomenal and appreciated by family, friends and neighbors alike - I don't think it was a random coincidence, or luck. Nope. I think she was truly blessed (as are we, who loved her) because she was who she was.  And who she was can teach a lot of us humans about how to behave, and maybe even how to live longer, happier lives. It's true.

Check it out: If I did a mash-up of Logan's most wonderful and endearing qualities that we can learn from, it would go like this:

Attentive, happy, caring, kind, enthusiastic, careful, modest, playful, courteous, tender, fun, compassionate, protective, poised, accepting, unassuming, others-oriented, joyful, sensitive, smart and loving.  But make no mistake: while Logan would much rather wag her tail, cuddle and be petted - she would growl, bark and bite if the situation, or the person, warranted.  She was no fool, and she suffered no fools. 

Indeed, Logan was the complete package: friend, protector and confidant. Which leads me to think that if we humans could comport ourselves with half the characteristics that Logan had as a dog - the world would be a much better place.

Woof!

So run in peace Logan. 

We love you. 

We miss you. 

We honor you. 

Lessons From Logan Are Good.

Be A Sensor

If your career development plans include getting a promotion - let alone enjoying success with your current position - you're going to do what it takes to succeed, right?  Presumably then, you're going to have to do great at your current job, with the skills you have - while at the same time, learning/incorporating new skills. 

If this is your situation (please say yes ;) - than I'd like to suggest an important, yet often under appreciated skill, that you most definitely need to put on your list. And that's "sensing." In other words, you need to become a "sensor."

What's a sensor, you ask? Well, it's someone who can interpret, and moreover leverage, "soft data." A good sensor knows how to read body language, gauge the subtle clues, feel the vibe, sniff out the BS, observe the not-so-obvious, and detect the empirically undetectable.  Put another way: see the forest through the tress.  

Granted, being a good sensor is one part DNA; that's why they say common sense is not so common.  But make no mistake, you don't need to be a Jedi. It can be learned, honed, and toned through concerted effort and attention.  That said, be careful not to over use, as it can also be dangerous - especially if you let your "instincts" and so-called "street-smarts," get in the way of using real facts and figures.  After all, information still rules, and economics still wins.  And while perception might be reality, reality is still real (deep, hun.)    

So, when developing your talent repertoire, be sure to incorporate sensoring as a key component/attribute for your personal and professional success. 

Feel me?    

Sensoring Is Good.

You Mind?

We've all heard the expression "mind over matter," right?  And it's been said that “what we think, we become.”  Now, while those are both extreme over simplifications of what it actually takes to move from one stage to another, at work or life - they do compute, at least philosophically. 

In other words, we need to be genuinely mindful about who we are, and who we want to be; realizing that we’ll never actually get there, completely. After all, we’re a perpetual, never-ending work in progress.  So let's just embrace that reality, using it as motivation to continuously learn. And grow. 

Taken out of context, this mind myself first mindset might seem somewhat self-centered. At the very least, self-absorbed. Not so. The fact is, we can’t be good sons, daughters, parents, husbands, brothers, friends, neighbors, employees, or any of those without a sincere and genuine self-awareness.

Indeed, the more self-aware we are, the better we can be others-oriented.

But make no mistake: there’s a huge difference between self-aware, and selfish.  Abraham Lincoln said, “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to success is more important than any other thing.”  You think he was selfish, or self-aware?  Like most everyone, probably a bit of both - with the self-awareness far outweighing the selfish, like most everyone.               

Mindful Self-Awareness is Good.