How to Have More Good Days at Work – and at Home

 

Work.  Some days are good, and others not so much…  Just like life, right?

Since we spend so many of our waking hours working, it’s likely that a good day at work will spill over into your life after work.  Unfortunately, a not-so-good day will do that too.

You can’t always change what comes at you in your professional life, but there are some things you can do to have a better experience of it. 

What’s interesting is that improving your experience of work won’t just allow you to enjoy your life more. It can also boost your performance, leading not only to greater satisfaction and fulfillment – but also increased effectiveness and better results.

This week’s video expands on that idea and gives you a simple example of how to have more good days at work – and at home.  The audio is a snippet of some opening comments from a previous Pinocchio Principle Unleashed group session.

Though enrollment for the fall program has now closed, the Executive Track (an individualized version that blends the curriculum with 1:1 coaching) is available anytime.

You can also bring the group program into your organization and customize it to meet your unique needs. Get more information or join the waiting list to be notified of the next group session at UnleashtheExtraordinary.com.

We all have plenty of work in our lives.  Here’s to putting more life into our work – and watching both grow infinitely richer!

 

FULL VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

One day when my son was 8 years old, he came home from camp with a riddle. He said, “Pretend you’re in a box with four walls all around you and it’s airtight. There’s no handles and no latches.  How do you get out?”

“Hmm, I responded.  “I don’t know. I think I would punch my way out.”

He said “No.”

“Okay, then I’d use my legs. I’d kick my way out.”

“No.” He was emphatic.

I thought for a moment. “Hmm. Maybe I’d try to chew my way out.”

He was getting more and more irritated with me. “No.”

I was out of ideas, “I don’t know. I give up. How do you get out?”

“Mom,” he said.  “If you’re pretending you’re in a box with airtight walls, the way you get out is you STOP PRETENDING.”

Wow, this from an eight year old.

It’s crept into my thinking several times over the years because I think it’s such a great analogy for what we do.

How Beliefs Can Become Boxes

We have these beliefs…

Have you ever thought about how your belief about work shapes your experience of work? To a large degree, we’re pretty much conditioned to believe that work is not supposed to be fun – that work is something that you do in order to earn a living, pay your bills, feed your family, and be a responsible human being. Work is something that you do and you just get through it.

And living… well, living is what you do after work, right?

It’s part of our societal conditioning. Have you ever noticed that?

You Can Break Out of Your Box

The people who enjoy their work are people who have realized that doesn’t have to be true.

“What if I didn’t think that? What if I approached it differently? What if I thought of work as an opportunity for me to do something cool, to contribute to something bigger than me? What if I thought of work as an opportunity to be around people or to partner with people that I really enjoy, or that are really interesting to me, or that I can learn from? What if I think of work as a way that I can somehow grow?”

What a novel idea.

Work is What You Make It

What’s interesting is that people who believe work is a chore, experience it that way. And they get bogged down, and they have so much to do, and they feel like they’re never going to be able to finish it. And it’s one more thing and everything’s going wrong. And then there’s this and there’s that and they can’t wait to go home.

And that person could be working side by side with somebody who believes – even just for that day, even just for that moment, that work is something different. And they will have a whole different experience. They will tell you something entirely different.

It’s not that they won’t have a whole boatload of work to do. It’s not that they won’t have pressure or deadlines and people relying on them and more to do than there’s time to do.

But there’s something about people who believe different things about work that changes the way they interact with everybody. EVERYBODY.

Learning How to Have More Good Days at Work is About Making a Choice

If you think about the last time you went even just to get a cup of coffee… the difference between somebody taking your order that never makes eye contact with you, that’s having kind of a crappy day, that is kind of wearing it on their body and the way that you feel when they serve you…

…the difference between that and somebody who when you walk in, looks you in the eye and asks you how you’re doing and maybe shares something funny or is genuinely interested in you. And really you can tell that when they ask you how you are, it’s not just part of their script. There’s something about their presence that is with you.

I guarantee you they are having a better day than the other person… not because anything different is going on, but because they made a choice to see work differently.

Make YOUR choice.

For more, visit www.UnleashtheExtraordinary.com

Make the most of your mishaps

 

We all experience our share of mishaps. But with patience and ingenuity, you can turn those setbacks into springboards. This video provides 3 examples of how it’s done. It marks the last day in the countdown to the kickoff of The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed Fast Track launching on 9/20.It’s an excerpt from one of the video lessons in the program.

If you’re thinking about attending, it’s not too late to register. Get more information and save your seat at UnleashtheExtraordinary.com. For alumni or group enrollment, email us at Support@DianeBolden.com.

How to keep life’s obstacles from stopping you

Imagine that you’re cruising along in your car headed smoothly toward your destination. And then traffic slows to a stop.

Is there an accident ahead? Construction? Some other impediment?

No worries. Your GPS has an alternate route that’ll get you exactly where you need to go.

What if you could find your way around life’s roadblocks with the same ease and efficiency as your GPS system?

You can!

The video below will show you how. It marks Day 2 in the countdown to the kickoff of The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed Fast Track launching on 9/20…

It’s an excerpt from one of the video lessons in the program. If you’re thinking about attending, it’s not too late to register. Get more information and save your seat at UnleashtheExtraordinary.com. For alumni or group enrollment, email us at Support@DianeBolden.com.

See how easily you can get unstuck

 

Do you ever feel like you’re at the mercy of your environment?

Imagine a racehorse getting ready for the starting gun, blood pumping, adrenaline rushing, eager to stretch itself beyond the confines of its compartment…

But the gun never goes off. The gate never opens. And the horse is trapped.

Imagine the animal bucking and kicking and expending a tremendous amount of energy railing at its constraints, until finally it foregoes its desire to run and resigns itself to the small, constricted space.

Many executives I’ve worked with over the years have felt like that racehorse in their organizations and their careers.

Maybe you can relate?

Perhaps, like so many…

 …you’re frustrated about how things are going in your organization or feel like work is becoming a grind, but question whether there’s really anything you can do about it and even wonder if you should look for another job.

…you long for more in your career but aren’t sure what it is you really want or how to find it.

…you have a vision or dream of doing something amazing but wonder if you can really pull it off or whether your ideas will be well received.

…you want to play a bigger game but are hesitant because of a recent setback, challenge or disappointment.

…you’d like to infuse new energy in your organization but are discouraged because previous efforts to create an engaged, inspired workplace have fallen flat.

If you can relate to any of the above statements, I have good news for you.

Unlike the racehorse confined to its compartment, you can open your own gate and free yourself from the constraints that keep you feeling trapped.

 And best of all, it doesn’t require anything radical.

You may not have to quit your job, transfer departments, move to Canada, or fire your whole team.

In fact, many executives who do things like that find it’s only a matter of time before they are right back in the scenarios they’ve left — only surrounded by different faces with different names.

The truth is, freeing yourself starts from the inside out, not the outside in. Because even though it seems our biggest constraints are “out there”, most of our biggest obstacles are self-imposed.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying organizational constraints aren’t limiting. It’s just that until you address your own impediments, you’ll likely never see the way to rise above all the other ones.

Over the last 25 years I’ve worked with hundreds of executives to recognize and open the gates that have kept them from the freedom, fulfillment and success they crave. Today marks Day 3 in the countdown to the launch of The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed Fast Track kicking off on Friday 9/20, a 7-week leadership development program that can help you do the same.

 The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed will help you…

 …move beyond the frustrations and irritations that bring you down and breathe new life into your work, allowing you to see and act on possibilities you never realized were there.

…gain clarity into what you most want in your career and what you can do from where you are to make a bigger impact doing meaningful work you are passionate about.

…access a new level of confidence in yourself and your abilities that will help you navigate a course and unleash the level of performance necessary to bring your most precious dreams and visions to life.

…learn to leverage your experiences (including those you’d rather forget) to gain valuable insight on the best way to get where you most want to go.

And having experienced a resurgence of your own engagement, you’ll naturally lead others to reignite their enthusiasm and effectiveness in ways that previous organizational initiatives couldn’t.

Find out more and save your seat at UnleashtheExtraordinary.com. Respond directly to this email with with questions – or for group or alumni enrollment.

I’d love to help you move beyond your perceived limitations to reach a whole new level of success that is truly meaningful to you. Don’t wait another minute to free yourself from the illusion of being trapped by your circumstances. Save your seat today!

Here’s to your success!

Diane

Are you on autopilot?

 

The beauty of a habit is that it allows you to take automatic action without thinking all that much about it. Unfortunately, that is also the DOWNSIDE.

More about that in this video – which marks Day 4 in the countdown to the kickoff of The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed Fast Track launching on 9/20…

This week, pay attention to what automatic behaviors and patterns you are falling into, and notice to what degree they are helping or hindering you.

If you’d like some support unlearning old habits and patterns and swapping them out for something more aligned with your desired results, consider joining me the next seven Fridays from 1 to 2:30 pm EDT for The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed Fast Track.

The program is a compilation of tools, techniques and approaches my most successful executive coaching clients have utilized over the years. It’s designed to help high achieving (and often overextended) executives rise above old habits and patterns and lead from a Genius mindset.

In addition to the group meetings, the program includes lifetime access to seven modules of video and audio content and bonus access to my Navigating Change, Challenge & Uncertainty self-study.

Get more information and save your seat at UnleashtheExtraordinary.com. For alumni or group enrollment, email us at Support@DianeBolden.com.

Is this you?

 

High achieving executives, particularly those with a heart for service and contribution, are prone to a very common pitfall…

And it keeps them from doing some of the very things they most pride themselves on.

Take a look at this short video and see if you can relate.

If it strikes a chord and you’d like some assistance avoiding (or recovering from) a similar fate, consider joining me next Friday, September 20 for the kickoff of The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed Fast Track. You’ll have lifetime access to seven modules of practical tips, tools and approaches to help you overcome stress, pressure and overwhelm and lead from a Genius mindset.

And each Friday for the next seven weeks we’ll meet via Zoom for additional training, support and live coaching.

Here’s what one participant had to say about her experience in the Pinocchio Principle Unleashed program:

Diane helped me uncover the thoughts I didn’t realize Iwas having and the things I was holding onto that were getting in the way – answering the question for me about why I couldn’t execute. I was able to let go of a lot of self-blame and really be in the present moment, deliberate about how I want to show up. I feel more intentional and more empowered in my work and my life. And I’m committed to being more thoughtful about creating my schedule and not allowing things to overwhelm me.

 Your greatest gift that you‘ll get if you’ll invest this time is that you’ll reconnect with yourself and find the answers you need – open up your mind and your heart, which is something you can’t do when you’re going a 100 miles an hour. The whole experience was very authentic. Diane is truly invested and engaged in creating something better for the people she works with.

       – Connie Phillips- President and CEO, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest

Get more information and save your seat at UnleashtheExtraordinary.com.

5 Phases for Unleashing Genius

 

Sometimes growth presents itself in ways that make us uncomfortable. The things that used to work may no longer be effective (and in some cases begin to work against you). You begin to recognize a desire within yourself for something more – more meaning, more fulfillment, more connection, more impact… and perhaps a whole new way of experiencing your work and your life.

I believe these are signs that you’re ready to more fully live from that wiser, greater part of yourself that I like to call Genius.

To mark Day 9 in countdown to the kickoff of The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed Fast Track launching on September 20, I wanted to share the Five Phases of Unleashing Genius that I teach in the program.

It all starts with awareness and desire. Watch the video to learn how to navigate each of these five phases to move confidently toward what you most want in your work and your life.

And if you’d like more support, consider joining me in this 7-week leadership development program, designed to help high-achieving (and often overextended) executives break out of limiting habits and patterns and lead from a Genius mindset.

It’s a compilation of approaches, techniques and tools that my most successful executive coaching clients have utilized over the years. Through a combination of video and live training and coaching, you’ll learn to rise above stress and pressure and take your performance to the next level – while enjoying your life more both on and off the job.

Get more information and save your seat at UnleashtheExtraordinary.com. Enroll with a friend or colleague and you’ll both save $500. Email us at Support@DianeBolden.com for group or alumni registration.

Here’s to your success!

Diane

P.S. Have you already been through The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed program? Alumni are eligible to re-enroll at a special rate.

Let me tell you why…

 

It’s Day 10 in the countdown to the kickoff of The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed Fast Track launching on September 20. It’s a program I’ve taught in some form since 2017.  I’m incredibly passionate about it and thrilled to bring you the Fast Track version. Today, in this short video, I want to share WHY…

Simon Sinek tells us “Happiness comes from what we do. Fulfillment comes from why we do it.”

The fulfillment this program has led others to experience in their work and their lives allows me to find fulfillment in mine as well. Come join me!

The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed Fast Track is a 7-week leadership development program, designed to help high-achieving (and often overextended) executives break out of limiting habits and patterns and lead from a Genius mindset.

It’s a compilation of approaches, techniques and tools that my most successful executive coaching clients have utilized over the years. Through a combination of video and live training and coaching, you’ll learn to rise above stress and pressure and take your performance to the next level – while enjoying your life more both on and off the job.

Get more information and save your seat at UnleashtheExtraordinary.com. Enroll with a friend or colleague and you’ll both save $500. Email us at Support@DianeBolden.com for group or alumni registration.

Here’s to finding your fulfillment!

Diane

P.S.    Have you already been through The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed program? Alumni are eligible to re-enroll at a special rate.

Find your winning approach

 

When the game you’re playing is not designed to let you win, it’s time to play a different game. You can be in the most horrendous of circumstances and still rise above it if you have a winning approach.

This video will explain why.  It marks Day 11 in the count down to the kickoff of The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed Fast Track launching on September 20.

If you want to find a winning approach that is unique and custom designed for you, consider joining me in this 7-week leadership development program, designed to help high-achieving and often overextended executives break out of limiting habits and patterns and lead from a Genius mindset.

It’s a compilation of approaches, techniques and tools that my most successful executive coaching clients have utilized over the years. You’ll learn to rise above stress and pressure and take your performance to the next level – while enjoying your life more both on and off the job.

Get more information and save your seat at UnleashtheExtraordinary.com. Enroll with a friend or colleague and you’ll both save $500. Email us at Support@DianeBolden.com for group or alumni registration.

Make your Fridays fountainheads for progress

 

Ahhh Friday – a day that marks the end of the week and the beginning of the weekend. It’s a time we instinctively want to slow down a bit and enjoy things a little more.

And it’s a great day to zoom out, connect the dots of your experiences – take stock of what you’ve accomplished over the week and zero in on what you’ll tackle in the coming week after you’ve had a little rest and relaxation.

Taking the time to do that is one of the most valuable ways to leverage the progress you’ve made and ensure you can continue to build on it.

But that’s often easier said than done. If you ever feel you can’t afford to slow down because you have too many balls in the air, you might forfeit that opportunity and just keep moving.

And the problem with that is if you continue that pattern, it’ll perpetuate a way of thinking and acting that’ll run you into the ground.

Because you can only do that so long before it catches up to you and begins to impact not only your energy and ability to enjoy your work, but also your effectiveness. You risk getting to the point where you are running like mad, but not really getting anywhere near where you want to go.

As you connect the dots, you learn from your experiences how to most effectively use your time… what to continue doing, and what to tweak.

If you can reflect on some of your experiences, you can also gain valuable insight into what you can do differently next time to be more effective.

And as you check in with your vision and desired future you can ensure that the steps your taking are going to get you there – and make any necessary course corrections.

So, I challenge you to start using your Fridays as fountainheads for progress. Even just designating thirty minutes can make a significant impact. You can begin today.

And if you’d like some support in making that a consistent practice, consider joining me for The Pinocchio Principle Unleashed Fast Track kicking off on Friday September 20.

Every Friday for seven weeks you’ll have the opportunity to engage with like-minded people who are learning approaches for leveraging their progress, overcoming old limiting habits and beliefs, and bridging the gap between where they are and where they want to be.

You’ll also have lifetime access to seven video modules of powerful and practical content that will be covered each week.

Today marks day 14 in the countdown to kickoff! You can get more information and save your seat at UnleashtheExtraordinary.com. Email Support@DianeBolden.com for group or alumni enrollment.