7 Things I Learn't Running A Half Marathon!

by Amy Slattery

One of my 'dare to dream goals' over the past couple of years was to complete a marathon (yep I know what you are thinking...why!!).

I had this crazy idea that I was destined to be a 'runner', I was going to be one of those people that just loved to go running, and at the drop of a hat (or crack of dawn alarm) they would bounce out of bed in the morning throw on their amazing running gear (which included some sort of high tech running app) and just start the day with a lazy 10kms.  This was a nice dream, however like most dreams it kept nudging me in the back of the head that running could be my 'thing'.

So one day enlightened by a couple of friends at the gym I signed up for my first 1/2 marathon (it still counts!), honestly thinking that with such a big goal locked in I would surely follow the training required to complete the 21km run.

Now I know you are thinking that I was extremely dedicated and started following the plan and began a running regime to rival Kathy Freemen...unfortunately not the case!  I did try, I had 3 runs leading up to the big day with 1 around 11kms that felt pretty good (I'm not completely crazy I do keep myself relatively fit with netball and crossfit) however I decided I just wasn't going to think about the run until the day...and I couldn't get out of it, as with all things I try to multi-task and had managed to raise around $600 for Muscular Dystrophy - yep no getting out of it now!

So on the day I really made sure I had my head right with self talk such as "you are going to be ok...you wont die", "you can walk if you need to", "you can cry all you want" and "you can ask for help".  So with all this positive reinforcement I got started...and guess what...I didn't die!!  In fact I actually enjoyed it, finished in 1/2 hr earlier than I thought and didn't suffer too badly over the next few days!

I even learn't a few things along the way:

1.    Plenty of time to think of hilarious hashtags

A couple of hours really does give you some time to think about what's been going on in your life and work.  What is the next move, what other goals can you reach after this.  What I wanted to focus on or revisit in my life and the business, I can relate the to meditation - giving yourself that time for thoughts to float in and out.

2.    Your mind is crazy powerful!

I really did talk myself into getting this run done!  I made a decision that I was going to finish the run...and I decided that I wasn't going to stop or walk any of it.  I visualised myself finishing the race and celebrating with my friends and husband (even images of his smiling face proud to see me at the finish line), I have done this before with all kinds of goals and situations and I am still surprised at how well it works.

3.    Music is a great distraction.

Talk about a distraction - a good playlist is the ultimate distraction!  It got me thinking about distractions in general - positive and negative, if a good playlist could pass 2 hours then what were the other distractions in my life that allowed time to fly by?  Is television, social media, tiredness, fear for example a distraction that stops you from getting where you want?  Or is that playlist, the one that keeps repeating in your head not such a good one and it's holding you back?

4.    Gratitude

Needless to say I had a fair amount of time to think - so I spent some of it just going through the things I was grateful for, sometimes I don't do that enough (when I have so much to be grateful for).

5.    Dreams do come true

It might have seemed pretty crazy to jump into a big run with little to no training, but I knew in my gut I would be ok, I knew other things I had done in terms of fitness would get me through.  So while I believe in setting goals, evaluating risk and having a rough plan in place, sometimes you have to just go with blind faith and see what happens!

6.    There are times when you want to stop

We ALL have moments in life - whether a split second or longer that we just want to stop, stop the merry go round, stop the roller coaster, just STOP! Sometimes we do need to stop, take a moment and get back on track.  However the main thing to consider is why do you want to STOP...is it coming from a place of fear?  If that fear is real and not just False Expectations Appearing Real then of course stop, but if you are honest with yourself and at that moment you are behaving out of fear then ask the tough question...WHY?

7.    The Ultimate Confidence is what you have in YOU!

I believe this is the key, if you think you can't...you are right, if you think you can...you are right!  If you find yourself lacking in confidence then focus on what you can do to build that within yourself.

So the new dare to dream goal is a Full Marathon....one day!

Live life by design...not default!

Have you got a workplace migraine?

by Jodie Nevid

As a clinical hypnotist I have a lot of clients wanting to work on “problems of the mind”, things like self-sabotage, low self-confidence, specific fears, eating disorders, depression and anxiety. Getting rid of the problem usually (but not always) involves training people to think differently, see the world, or even themselves differently.

What has really surprised and even shocked me is just how many people have persistent negative self-talk, for some, it is so strong they literally give himself or herself a headache or even a migraine!  But here’s the thing… if a client who suffers from migraines wants me to simply hypnotise them to remove the pain and I just did it… that would be malpractice!  Removing a migraine without understanding the cause could even be fatal.  Here’s why - a migraine is a symptom and behind it lays a cause.  Imagine a migraine as our bodies alarm screaming “something’s wrong!”

And here’s the problem - we live in a society that is more invested in addressing symptoms than understanding the causes.  What if my client’s migraine was a symptom from a brain tumor, if I help them remove the pain the tumor goes unnoticed and they could die!

Before you panic think of Arnie…  that maybe “it’s not a tumor”, migraines can also be symptomatic of any number of causes like perfume, diet, lack of nutrition, poor eyesight, dehydration, stress or depression just to name a few. Unfortunately we are more prone to pop a Panadol (or something stronger) to numb the pain instead of investing focus on understanding and identifying the specific cause.

I see this pain numbing approach all the time in workplaces, in fact the symptomatic problems are so common we have identified a list of 7 repeat offenders.  

1.     Low levels of accountability

2.     Under performance or apathy

3.     A culture of blame

4.     Resistance to change

5.     Working in silos

6.     Poor communication or

7.     Avoidance around performance management

Above is a list of symptoms not causes, they exist in most organisations, however each organisation has its own specific and personal cause.  Are you clear on both the symptoms and causes of the issues impacting your organisations performance?  If you want problems to go away for good then stop numbing the symptoms and start understanding the cause. There are 7 key questions we ask organisations we partner with; and one of those questions is “What are the specific symptoms and causes of your problems?”

To find out what the other 6 questions are, join us at our High Performance by Design breakfast on Thursday 23rd July in Adelaide.

Contact amy@the7effect.com.au or click here to register now!

High Performance by Design

By Jodie Nevid

Have you ever thought about why some things come easily, and other things seem like hard work?  Imagine what life would be like if you had the formula for success?  Or what if you knew the formula for organisational high performance?  How quickly could you catapult your career or business to the next level if you knew the answers?  Great News Alert - there is in fact many formulas for success... and of course there are also formulas for failure or recipes for disaster!  As Tony Robbins often says - "Success leaves clues baby!" so its kind of nice to know that everything in life, from the way we feel each day, through to the tangible outcomes we achieve at work, are indeed the result of the formulas we apply on a day to day basis.

Finding the formula to getting what you want out of work and out of life is simply a matter of opening your eyes and becoming conscious, or mindful about what works and what doesn't!

As a coach and facilitator I do a lot of work with organisations wanting to improve performance levels, first hand experience and years of study and research has taught me exactly what the formula for high performance is. There are specific things high performing organisations do habitually that low and average performing organisations don't.  High performing organisations also strategically invest time and energy into establishing and achieving goals under 6 High Performance Key Focus Areas, which are:

1. Leadership - leaders are aligned on a vision and developed to be constructive by nature

2. Employee Engagement - people are encouraged to grow, given ownership and held accountable to deliver (without fear)

3. Customer Experience - relationships are built on trust, feedback is embraced and experiences are designed to WOW!

4. Perception of Fairness & Equity - expectations are clear at every level and policy is implemented with consistency and fairness

5. Productivity and Profitability - low effort high reward strategies drive value and viability

6. Innovation - a fearless culture fosters creativity and people at every level continually improving the way they operate

High performing organisations understand that the most effective and sustainable path to excellence is through trusting and growing their people, not through monitoring and controlling their people by enforcing policy and procedure.  High performing organisations develop leaders who have the confidence to put down the rule book and influence change by connecting with the hearts and minds of their people. When leaders understand their people (and people in general) they have much less fear of failure, fall out or a bully claim being made against them!

So when it comes to high performance the formula is all about people and culture, there are things that work and things that don't.  Finding your own success formula is much the same, it's a matter of opening your eyes and becoming mindful of what's working and what's not, look for the clues of success and adopt them consciously until they become your new and unconscious way of achieving what you want.

If you want more detail about the formula for organisational high performance then join us for a free breakfast at DDLS where I will be unpacking my tool kit and giving everyone a simple step by step formula to take away and apply at work. Are you ready to rise to your next level and achieve high performance by design...?

Are you courageous enough to take the lead?

 By Jodie Nevid

We work with leaders at every level; from aspiring through to executive and along the way we've met plenty who felt helpless in a hopeless situation. Their helplessness usually stems from a deep belief that influencing change and making a difference is beyond their control. We don’t buy it, or believe it, and we certainly don't offer a bunch of soothing sympathy and agree that their situation really does seem hopeless. If we did that we would never inspire growth in anyone!!

Instead we tell them this; “True leadership has nothing to do with position or authority, anyone at any level can inspire change or leave a legacy… if… and only IF they had the courage and the commitment to follow through to the end.” Too many people give up to early… not because they lack the skills or the ability… more so because they lack the belief that change is possible, or they lack the confidence in themselves to lead the change they desire. 

True leaders are those who develop a belief (yes you can develop and change your beliefs) that they can… no… that they MUST own, influence and lead the change they wish to see. These types of people are human and have fears like us all, but they are not ruled by their fears. They are more visionary than most and they have a rare type of courage that might appear innate, but that in fact can be built in anyone. They are the types of people who would have high scores across all 7 Elements of Leadership.

So what are The 7 Elements of Leadership? Think of The 7 Elements as your essential ingredients to being an effective leader. They are also the 7 most common stumbling blocks we have witnessed leaders struggle with on a day-to-day basis. Master the 7 Elements and you will be able to lead change leader with less pain and more pleasure in any situation!

The 7 Elements of Leadership:

1.    Confidence – Fearlessly releasing your full potential and being self-actualised.

2.    Vision – Seeing your world as it could be and constructing a compelling future.

3.    Authenticity – Having the courage to be who you are, and to show your true self at all times.

4.    Communication – Mastering the art of connection to engage others, build trust and inspire action.

5.    Growth – Embracing lifelong learning and coaching others to reach their full potential.

6.    Delivery – Following through to achieve measurable results and sustainable high performance.

7.    Resilience – The ability to bounce back and grow stronger through challenges.

In short Leaders who score high across all 7 Elements are those who are constructive by nature. How do you think would you score across the 7 elements of leadership? Take the test at our one-day Leadership workshop we have our next one on the 11th September.