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“Too often, we dread getting up in the morning to face – Zig Ziglar, “Daily Insights” |
possibilities
What is “What If?”
Once An Ancient Mind Game
Now a Life-Changing Adventure Game for Career Professionals
Everyone plays this game more than they admit. For some it’s mostly from a negative perspective. What if I get lost? What if it doesn’t work? What if I don’t like it? What if I fail? What if people laugh? What if, what if, …? Such negative self-talk is a game of fear that causes us to talk ourselves out of life’s opportunities Today, the Game Changers Team of Wright Cross Performance Group is pleased to announce a brand new edition of What If? Let’s Play!
ROUND #1 – “The Practice Round”
The object of the game is to use four What if? Power Questions to knock down Negativity and out of the game. Your first move is to think of a hypothetical opportunity that involves Going Someplace, Doing Something, Learning Something, Meeting Someone, Discovering Something, Acquiring Something, and/or Experiencing Something. Maybe it’s the chance to develop a new skill or have a little fun. Next, within the context of your opportunity, answer the first What If? Question (Q1) by choosing the favorable outcomes you desire from such an opportunity. Unlike Chance Cards in the game of Monopoly, all of the What IF? Outcomes are positive AND you can choose as many as you want. How cool is that?
Q1: “What if I choose to grab this opportunity – what positive outcomes will I want and expect from it?
| Influence | Money | Knowledge | Momentum | Strategy |
| Clarity/Focus | Insight | Efficiency | Effectiveness | Plan/Goals |
| Motivation | Peace of Mind | Fun | Excitement | Pleasure |
| Strength | Confidence | Inspiration | Self Esteem | Accountability |
| Referrals/Leads | Relationships | Teammates | Friendships | Faith |
| Opportunities | Solutions | Improvements | Direction | Options |
| Ideas | Suggestions | Resources | Processes | Systems |
| Growth | Decisions | Resolution | Relief | Vision/Dream |
| Methods | Resources | Tools | Techniques | Skills |
After answering your What If? Opportunity Question, answer each of the following What If? Consequence Questions. Your answers will reveal the solution that wins the game.
Q2: “What if these outcomes were truly possible – then why would they be important to me?”
Q3: “What if I DO NOT take advantage of my opportunity – then how will I feel?”
Q4: “What if I DO and then actually realize one or more of my expected outcomes – them how will I feel?”
ROUND #2 – “Playing for Keeps”
Practice is good, but a real opportunity is better. In this round, repeat the four power questions with a real “What If? Opportunity such as Prepare to Win! This half-day workshop on November 4, 2014, featuring Tom Ziglar (son of Zig Ziglar) is a live event to help you grow personally and professionally and build professional relationships. Once again, unlike Monopoly, the What If? Outcomes are heavily stacked in your favor. So much so that you could experience ALL of your chosen outcomes, but only if you play by the rules of the new edition of What If? The longer you play the old negative edition, the longer you will procrastinate and miss out on the available benefits of Prepare to Win! It’s an opportunity you can’t afford to miss.
Claim it now at: WrightCrossPerformanceGroup.com
Movies, Rednecks and Leadership
Picture yourself at a lunch-and-learn gathering entitled “Leadership Lessons in the Movies.” Now imagine the facilitator beginning the session with the following challenge:
“I have two objectives for this session. The first is to use movie clips to identify and discuss qualities of leadership. The second is to change the way you watch movies, FOREVER!”
What do you see? Are there nods of approval or puzzled looks? Maybe you see expressions of disappointment or amusement.
As one who has introduced such an event using these exact words, I can attest that they are more prophetic than amusing. Hollywood has produced a large body of work filled with leadership examples, metaphors and lessons. When people discover movies through leadership lenses, their cinematic experiences are never quite the same again.
“Houston We Have a Problem”
John C. Maxwell says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” One of my favorite movies, Apollo 13, demonstrates that this is most important in matters of life and death. An on-going theme throughout the film is how effective leadership inspired and empowered the team to rescue three astronauts from a precarious life-and-death situation.
The heroic mission of Apollo 13 occurred over 40 years ago. Today, I look around and am concerned about what I see — a serious lack of leadership at every level, in every sector of our society. Would it be facetious to suggest that the solution should include watching more movies?
Redneck Inspiration
While watching an episode of Duck Dynasty, I was reminded that I am the product of my lunch-and-learn challenge. I see life lessons everywhere I look, including movies and so-called “reality television.” The male characters proudly describe themselves as rednecks and their behaviors confirm the stereotype. The purpose for watching this show is to be entertained, not educated. I was not seeking wisdom and material for my next blog post. But, my values and perspectives are such that my antenna is always up and connected to my brain. Here’s what I heard…
“It’s all about teaching my son: you got a goal or a target in life … in this world today anything is possible. You go for it.”
— Jase Robertson, Duck Dynasty, Episode 12.
Today, 26 words from an unexpected source triggered my leadership awareness and sparked my sense of responsibility. Thanks to a scruffy television guy with a bushy beard I am reviewing my goals and opportunities and encouraging you to do the same.
“Chasing the Puck”
I came across a quote that caused me to pause and reflect about the way I’m living my life and conducting my business affairs.
“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” — Wayne Gretzky
As I tried to put these words into personal context, my mind flashed back to days of watching small kids play soccer. For those who haven’t seen such a sight, imagine a clump of 10-15 kids chasing a soccer ball in a seemingly random fashion. In a game it’s amusing — in life, it’s tragic.
I came to the conclusion that a “chase the puck” approach to life is a major contributing factor to an unsuccessful, stressful, unfulfilled life. The alternative is to make a habit of intercepting the puck. That is, to observe the puck’s speed and direction, choose a spot in the puck’s path, and get to that spot as the puck arrives. If you believe Mr. Gretzky’s quotation is an apt metaphor for life, you might draw the same comparison I did regarding tell-tale signs that someone has been chasing the puck rather than intercepting the puck.
| “Chasing The Puck” | “Intercepting the Puck” |
| Dwells on the painful past | Envisions and dreams of a better future |
| Never has enough time | Has time enough for what matters most |
| Lack of money, growing debt | Budgets, saves, invests, delays gratification |
| Bitter about mishaps | Thankful for blessings |
| Reactive – waits for things to happen | Proactive – influences what happens |
| Pessimistic | Optimistic |
| Results: limited success, stress, regrets | Results: Abundant success and personal fulfillment |
Success Starts With a Dream
“Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I’ll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I’ll give you a stock clerk.” — J.C. Penney
Success is a Daily Decision
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” — Thomas Edison
“This is as true in everyday life as it is in battle: We are given one life, and the decision is ours whether to wait for circumstances to make up our mind or whether to act and, in acting, to live.” — Omar Bradley
“Change before you have to.” — Jack Welch
Success Requires the Proper Mindset
“Either do or do not; there is no try.” — George Lucas
“I’ve never been poor, only broke. Being poor is a frame of mind. Being broke is only a temporary situation.” — Mike Todd
“Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising one’s levels of aspiration and expectation.” — Jack Nicklaus
Success Requires Knowledge
“In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future.” — Eric Hoffer
“Instead of waiting for someone to take you under their wing, go out there and find a good wing to climb under.” — Dave Thomas
“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.” — Galileo Galilei
Limits to Success
“Every man dies. Not every man lives. The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the “buts” you use today.” — Les Brown
God Bless,
— CC
© Copyright July 2008, Clancy Cross. All rights reserved.
Read more “Clancy’s Quotes” at: ClancyCross.WordPress.com
