The meaning we give things determines our beliefs. These believes drive behaviors, ultimately delivering an outcome: win, level off, or loss/learning. Here is the secret: X does not have to equal A. X can equal B, C, D. We get to choose. We GET to choose! Now, this does NOT mean we conveniently choose to believe convenient half-truths to pacify discomfort, despair. The question is: How do we find a meaning (in stress, conflict, catastrophe, pain) that avoids despair and instead creates clarity, a path forward, a renewed spirit in Mindset?

When we wake up in the morning, and step on the “scale of life,” what are we absolutely hungry to achieve? A giant mountain of a goal? A numerical outcome? Delivering for people who are depending on us? Transforming stress here means finding a hunger, an INTRINSIC driver, a selfless inspiration. Now, it’s NOT drive for credit. Rather, it’s drive for cause. The question is: What “thing worth the effort” is (or could be) on our hunger scale to avoid feeling overwhelm and instead ignite an emotional fire that transforms stress into being more effective each day in Mindset?

Gravity never goes away. Let go of a ball, and the force of gravity makes it fall. Seeing and experiencing this reality makes planting a flag of faith and trust in gravity easy. Now, imagine planting another faith and trust flag on this fact: letting go of ineffective balls like fear, doubt, insecurity, anger, and total control means transforming stress to feel better and be more effective. I use this factor to find clarity, a path forward, a renewed spirit, each moment, each day. Now, let’s be clear: blindly letting go of ineffective balls doesn’t mean relying on chance. Rather, it means effective people rely on the positive force of faith & trust to be more effective without taking tons of time. The questions are: Which ball in your life represents ineffective focus (is worth letting go of)? Where will you plant your Faith & Trust Flag to transform stress each day in Mindset?

Avoid getting lost anymore! Let’s transform stress into a better path forward and renewed spirit each month together, here!

The greatest wins originate from an energetic, will-not-fail, state of mind. It’s the core of how we landed on the moon, essentially starting from scratch. It’s the core of how we got astronauts home safe, after part their spaceship exploded (Apollo 13).  It’s the core of your own effectiveness each moment, each day. To be clear, a Moonshot Outlook is not delusional dreaming (although an element of that does help kickstart it).  Instead, the Moonshot Outlook is that energetic, winning, “find a way” state of existing, at a level 5 of 5 at least 80% of the time, for more effective daily actions without taking tons of time. The question is: What needs to happen to produce a positive attitude in people, so we can land this problem successfully as if our lives depended on it?

Transforming stress often starts with connecting dots that can’t be seen, at first.  This “beyond critical thinking” approach can reveal more potential “bad” outcomes before making a judgement call. Now, this is not judgement as in labeling. Rather, using judgement to decide, to transform stress empowers us to make better decisions more often (usually with less resources, i.e. cheaper, faster). The question is: What hidden/obscured dots can you uncover and connect today to make less “bad” decisions and more great decisions more often?

Maturity is behavior. And, behavior sends signals. Mature, highly effective behavior is like an oak tree.: grounded, reliable, and positively influences achieving better outcomes. It’s responsive. Immature, less effective behavior is like an oak sapling: weakly grounded, questionably reliable, and not helpful in achieving many useful outcomes. It’s destructive. Transforming stress ALWAYS begins with being aware of our behavior decisions and how those decisions will impact people and outcomes. It’s not being rigid or stoic without heart. Rather Oak Tree Maturity is akin to being securely open vs. insecurely closed. The question is: When overwhelmed (from partner, kids, calendars, tasks, work, the world, deadlines, etc), what needs to happen to center, ground, and RESPOND vs. react? How can we be an OAK TREE vs. an oak sapling so we transform stress into feeling better and being more more effective?

Avoid getting lost anymore! Let’s transform stress into connection, positive influence, & stronger partnerships each month together, here!

Transforming stress often means finding the right questions: how will we achieve X? How do we attain X? What would need to happen (and not happen) to reach X?  Not asking questions is equivalent to not eating. We will survive for a while, but slowly we’ll wither, leading to less effective judgement calls, decline, and disappearance. At best, people will stop having conversations (a silent poison). At worst, people and resources will be discarded like a disposable coffee cup. The question is: What needs to happen to ensure we ask more right questions than wrong questions?

There are natural frictions (examples: disempowering paradigms, behaviors, mindsets, uncalibrated / unused tools) that negatively impact effectiveness. Nobody and no organization is immune (including a family). Success additives can reframe focus, meaning, decisions/actions to find and fix constraint points and shave down stress. Example: Imagine shifting from “my job” to “my responsibility” in a relationship or a roll. This success additive reframes focus and effort to transform stress. Now, this is NOT shortcutting fundamentals. It’s NOT something that alone leads to feeling better, being more effective. A foundation must be in place first for lasting “additive effect.” When that foundation is in place, by pouring useful additives on the grinding gears or constraint points, stress can be transformed! The question is: how will we find and fix constraint points to transform stress into being more effective?

Avoid getting lost anymore! Let’s transform stress into feasible strategy each month together, here!

Risk, in obvious and obscured forms, permeates everything. While identifying risk and mitigating the frequency-severity is critical, transforming stress means defining and deciding to stay within an operating envelope to manage risk and avoid harm and suffering to people, equipment, or the environment. It’s building wide safety margins into everything and ensuring everyone knows it’s safe to say “Stop!” How likely is X to occur, what will impact/severity level of X occurring be, what level will we tolerate based on what we value? What is our bottom line? Now, it’s NOT assuming other people see/understand risk mitigation/management in the same way we (or our oranization/team) does. Assume here, at one’s own peril. The question is: Would we be willing to wage our net worth that our family or team is aware of these same risks, and are willing to halt all movement (at front-line & enterprise levels) when a stop boundary is tapped? If no, then there is opportunity here to transform stress BIG time.

There are basics to being physically healthy: running a 10-minute mile, doing 10 pull-ups, doing 10 push-ups.  And, there are basics to being time healthy, too: disciplined time-planning, task-matrixing, and time-blocking for distraction-free focus. These basics work our “main-thing muscle” so we can move important things towards and across the finish line. Now, this is NOT indulging in distraction or wearing the busy calendar badge-of-honor. Instead, having reasonable clock and calendar fitness means FOCUSING with raw action that transforms stress into execution. The question is: How can we be more time-healthy? How can we really own our time: the hour, day, week, month, quarter, life… we have less regret and feel more accomplished?

These are clear, regimented steps (executed with an artistic finesse) to ensure: right actions, right order, right times. Think: process excellence lubricated with emotional acumen (humanization). This improves effectiveness across a spectrum of activities from personal or relationship success to business strategies to flying spaceships. Example: think of a  magnificently-played symphony that’s very process driven, yet permeates humanization for an amazing outcome. That takes Apollo Steps! Now, this is NOT machine-like execution that lacks humanization, attunement, sound judgement. The question is: What are the Apollo Steps needed to ensure right things, right order, right times to really transform stress?

How does a pilot ensure that their individual inputs are working together to keep an airplane flying? The answer that they see and interpret feedback from their environment: various sensors, computers, and pilot actions. This feedback signals the pilot so they can adjust their actions for a more effective outcome. In an airplane, this system consists of warning (red) or caution (amber) or advisory (white) lights and sounds. It’s very concrete. Back on the ground, life is less concrete. transforming stress here means having our own signal lights in place to see and interpret what’s working and signal what’s not working from our actions so adjustments can be made.  This is NOT someone else’s job. It’s NOT “nice to have.” To truly transform stress, feedback is a “must have.” The question is: How accurately are we seeing and interpreting signals and feedback (to improve, not personalize) so we can transform stress into progress?

Avoid getting lost anymore! Let’s transform stress into progress each month together, here!

When we can transform stress in the moment, we can naturally Lead Wiser. This means (1) our people win more often: they’re happier, they feel more secure, and they have a renewed sense of meaning to chase and achieve better outcomes. It also means (2) we pass the torch of transforming stress to be more effective to other passionate and capable people, helping them lead wiser, too. Momentum develops, especially when linked to non-negotiable values, that can result in remarkable outcomes for society. Now, this is NOT winning at the expense of, or negative impact on, people, equipment, or the environment. Nor is it favoritism. The question is: In the stress facing you now and in the future, how will you use the new map to Lead Wiser?

With ability to transform stress, we can naturally Serve Greater. This means we evolve in directing our energy less into outcomes that benefit ourselves and more into outcomes that benefit other people, organizations, communities, and ultimately humanity. What once may have felt like a headwind of self-sacrifice now feels like tailwind of deep care for peoples’ safety, peace, and happiness. Yes, sometimes this deep care demands candor, unpopular judgement calls, or short-term sacrifice (think, parenting kids or pets). And yes, sometimes this deep care starts with shoring ourselves up to create the capacity to serve others (important). In other words, this is NOT about self-sacrifice with long-term negative consequences (think chronic sleep deprivation, fast food to save time, etc. beyond occasional sprints). When that deep care for others has been woven into our DNA, into our values, then finding a way to serve greater becomes core to why we believe we have been put on Planet Earth. The question is: Despite daily demands for your attention, how will you use the map to Serve Greater? 

When we transform stress, we profit profoundly in three ways: (1) we’re more fulfilled, (2) we’re financially further ahead, and (3) we’re intrinsically driven to share our fortune (yes, money… but equally; time, expertise, know-who) with people and purposes we believe in. Imagine a “profit pie chart” with the above three variables displayed with three different colors. We get to decide how to divvy up the three parts of the pie chart, no matter the size of our “profits.” Now, this is NOT just about money or extrinsic reward. The question is: Despite color-full calendars, continuous task-lists, obstacles, curveballs, and hard work ahead, how will you use the map to Profit Profoundly… for Heart, Mind, Mission? What action will you take, starting today?

Avoid getting lost anymore! Let’s transform stress into feeling accomplished, happy, at pace together, here!