Under the Influence

I recently stumbled on a quote from leadership guru John Maxwell that scared me.

It read:

"Even the most introverted person influences 10,00 people in their lifetime."

Ten...

Thousand...

People.

At first, I thought this statement was total baloney.

And then I thought about it.

REALLY thought about it.

Influencing 10,000 people during our lifetime is ABSOLUTELY possible.

Because the people we influence aren't just our kids, co-workers and others who are close to us.

The people we influence can often be the people that are anything BUT close to us.

People we seldom notice.

People whose names we may not know.

The checkout guy bagging our groceries at King Soopers.

The hourly college kid that helps out in the office a few hours a week

The flight attendant serving us a cup of Starbucks on our red-eye flight back home.

People who are practically "invisible" to us.

If you can believe it, this notion really hit home during a recent family burger run to The Red Robin.

It was crowded, the restaurant was short-staffed and our waitress was scrambling.

I remember my bad mood walking in the door and being seated.

"I'm starving, am paying $9 bucks for a lousy burger and have a waitress that is moving way too slow," is what was racing through my head.

Until our "invisible" waitress...

...became VISIBLE.

It turned out that our young waitress was taking on a full load at the community college while WORKING full-time at the burger joint to pay the bills and tuition. And on this particular night, a night when other wait staff didn't show up for work while she DID show up for work, every nasty customer in Denver also decided to show up.

And the nastiness was wearing on her.

Big time.

But here's where the story gets interesting...

When she brought our order, she paused, and slowly, seriously told us how she appreciated my family's HUMOR. That's right HUMOR.

How she actually NEEDED it that evening.

And that WE pulled her out of a really bad night.

I was stunned.

Because I had no idea we were an influence........just being a family.

And then I felt ashamed.

Really ashamed.

Ashamed for the selfishness that had been blazing through my head when I first came in the door.

The experience made me recall a picture on Linked-In of a quote somebody wrote on their whiteboard at work.  It read:

"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.  Be kind. Always."

So here's what I'm thinking:  teaching and coaching are two of the best jobs on the planet because of the big impact one can have on another human being.

But guess what.....you don't have to be a teacher or a coach, or a CEO..... or even the Pope to make a big impact on another human being.

That's the good news.

Here's the scary news....

The news that should give us pause every time we spend time with another human being....

We may not even be AWARE that we are being an influence.....

GOOD.

Or NOT.

If the late Jim Rohn was right when he said that "we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with," the question we must ask is are we bringing the average UP or DOWN for those we spend our time with. 

I suspect a mechanic introducing his neighbor to the joy of a lung-busting trail run up Green Mountain to experience the camaraderie of a hard-fought run before sunrise can be as influential as a pastor inviting his neighbor to a church revival if done with a kind heart.

Heck, as my family found out that night at The Red Robin, simply ordering a cheeseburger and fries with a kind tone and a smile can at just the right time can actually make a difference----a BIG difference.

So this week, as we prepare for that meeting at work, or lace up for that new trail with our training partners, perhaps we should bring more to the boardroom and trail than our minds and talents.....

And think about those 10,000 people under our influence.

And consider OUR role in raising the average

AMJ
 

Why the Tortoise REALLY Kicked the Hare's Butt.

You remember the story of the tortoise and the hare.

I bet you remember your teacher telling you the tortoise beat the hare because the hare got cocky and over confident.

And that his cockiness led to his demise in the race.

I remember learning that lesson too.

I think our teachers missed the REAL reason the tortoise kicked the hare's ass that day.

The hare was indeed cocky and a big jerk.

But his biggest failing was not his cockiness.

His biggest failure on the field that day was his inconsistent effort.

The tortoise was slow---and he probably had an ugly running outfit.

But he was consistent.

REALLY consistent.

He set a pace, maintained his pace, and didn't let his EGO disrupt his plan.

Even when he passed the hare.

He ran a steady race.

All the way to the finish line.

THAT is why the tortoise beat the hare my friends.

Because the tortoise focused on FINISHING strong instead of STARTING strong.

Because he knew starting is easy.

While finishing is hard.

So how about this...

Let's exchange fast and flashy failed starts.

For boring and steady but successful finishes.

Whether it's earning that degree...

...or starting that business...

...or training for that first marathon.

 Because boring and steady will whoop flashy and inconsistent all-day, every day.

Seven days a week.

Even in an ugly running outfit.

AMJ

Wear a Windbreaker on Mondays

"The best way out is always THROUGH"
--Robert Frost


I hate the wind.

I especially hate RUNNING in the wind.

My training buddy and I planned to run two repeats up Lookout Mountain last Sunday.

That was the plan.

Until the wind started howling.

Our second repeat was chugging two venti Sumatras at Starbucks.

We blamed the wind.

But honestly...

We weren't prepared that day.

We didn't have our windbreakers.

Cursing and blaming the wind is crazy.

But here's what's crazier...

... putting your training on hold to go to Starbucks to pound coffee while waiting for the wind to stop.

It's better to be prepared.

And wear your windbreaker.

So you can train in ANY conditions....

Even the wind.

ESPECIALLY the wind.

We put other things in our lives on hold by "going to Starbucks" to wait for the "wind" to stop.

Starting that college degree.

Writing that novel.

Opening that business.

Instead of putting on our windbreakers and getting to it...

We make excuses....

And wait for the wind to go away.

But asking for the wind to go away is like asking for Mondays to go away.

It's the wrong question.

We shouldn't be asking for less wind.

We should be asking for more strength to get THROUGH the wind.

A mental "windbreaker" so to speak.

The cliche  "there's no such thing as the wrong weather, just the wrong clothing"  applies to more than just running.

Because with the right "windbreaker," it won't matter how hard the wind blows....

or how hard that that Intermediate Accounting class is....

or how tough that new business start-up is......

or how difficult that new boss is.....

You'll prepared.

Not to AVOID the wind.

But to get THROUGH it.

We're going back to Lookout Mountain this weekend.

We're starting at 4am.

It's going to be dark.

And cold.

And probably windy.

But that's okay.

Starbucks is closed that early.

And I'll have my windbreaker.

AMJ

They Don't Sell Lukewarm Coffee at Starbucks

"So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."
Revelation 3:16

Is it possible to succeed being lukewarm?

I recently saw the movie "Lone Survivor".

It's the story about Mark Lutrell----the sole survivor of a Navy Seal team on an ill-fated mission in Afghanistan that is ambushed by the Taliban.

There's a scene that features a new recruit reciting a ballad to his peers that captures the intensity and can-do mindset of the Navy Seals. Two lines from the ballad caught my particular attention:

" Anything in life worth doing is worth overdoing "  and  " Moderation is for cowards."

I realize phrases like these can be interpreted as over the top, tough-guy braggadocio.

But I think these phrases can also be instructive.

Instructive as to the mindset that is required to succeed at the highest level--on the battlefield.

Or on the trails.

And in life.

Could painter Andrew Wyeth have produced "Christina's World" if he had just gone through the motions of painting each day?

Could Steinbeck have written "The Grapes of Wrath" if he had punched a time-clock?

Can a great school teacher be great by just showing up?

Could Haile Gebrselassie have run a blistering world record 2:03:59 marathon by only doing MODERATE exercise?

I don't think so.

Starbucks can sell a cup of black drip coffee for $2 bucks.

You can buy it Hot....

Or COLD.

But there's no "lukewarm" option.

Because customers don't like lukewarm.

Lukewarm doesn't work.

It doesn’t win wars.

It doesn't make for great art.

Or great writing.

Or great teaching.

Or great running.

It doesn't even make for great coffee.

So how about a new personal mantra.

A mantra that goes something like this:

“Less volume, more heat!”

In other words….

LESS  projects at work, more COMPLETED projects at work.

FEWER classes at school, BETTER grades at school.

FEWER miles on the trails, BETTER miles on the trails.

I say it’s time to stop being lukewarm at a lot of things.

And turn up the heat for a few things.

This is not easy to do...

But I hope you give it a try...

Let me know...

I’ll start another pot of coffee.

AMJ

Watching TV in the Men's Room

There is so much noise.

And it's everywhere.

And it's getting louder.

It's not just the sports bars where you can watch 20 different ESPN games whilst consuming Lady Gaga on the throttled-up Nakamichi sound system.

It's ALL restaurants now.

And airports.

And hotel lobbies.

And dentist office waiting rooms.

Even gas station pumps.

Heck, I've even watched the Nuggets play the Spurs from a men's room urinal!

Any location a human might have to wait in excess of five minutes for the next electronic stimuli is now fair game for the ad guys.

More music.

More TV.

More noise.

We've lost the art of silence.

The ability to just sit and think.

About everything...and about nothing.

You think its a coincidence that so many runners snag their best ideas and "ah-ha" moments on the trails instead of a Muzak-infused hermetically sealed office?

I don't.

Because slogging up Green Mountain or Dinosaur Ridge at 5:30 am is a hell of a great way to purge the mental hard-drive of the to-do lists, emails and pain-in-the-ass co-workers so it can re-fill with contemplation and creativity.

But contemplation and creativity require a still mind.  Philosopher William Penn opined:

"true silence is the rest of the mind, it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment."

Sounds like William Penn was a distance runner.

So this weekend...

If you are looking for some quiet contemplation.

I say lace up the Brooks for a 5:30 am hill-climb up Chimney Gulch...

...and pass on the $300 Bose 20i accoustic noise cancellation headphones.

...unless they come with a big, mean headlamp to scare away the mountain lions.

After all...

It's dark at 5:30.

AMJ

Why Smart Boards aren't so Smart

I bought a new pair of Brooks Adrenaline ASR 9 trail running shoes this week at a local running shoe store.

I love running shoes.

And I love running shoe stores.

In addition to picking up a pair of sneaks from owners who really dig running, I get to see all the latest gadgets I didn't know I needed: heart rate monitors, Garmin GPS devices, compression socks, compression pants, power bars, power drinks, power gels as well as the latest clothing--including plaid running skirts for men--I'm not kidding!

But despite the hype of all the gadgets, gus and gels, when I lace up and head out for a 20-miler, by mile 17, I am always reminded and HUMBLED by the running gods that when it comes to distance training, even the best gus, gadgets and plaid skirts are no substitute for great training.  No amount of logos, no amount of power gu, and not even the brightest and tightest polka dot compression tights will let you cheat the training gods when the goal is 26.2.

In other words...

Technology is no substitute for good training.

The same week I bought my Brooks, my wife and I learned that many of my son's high school classes no longer use textbooks--including his foreign language class.

I was appalled.

I know I am going to receive hate mail and be accused of being closed minded to the benefits of technology.

I apologize in advance.

As an instructor who has taught Principles of Accounting for three years I know that attempting to pass an accounting class without a textbook is akin to changing a flat tire without a jack--it can't be done--or at least done well.

I expressed my reservations and skepticism of the lack of a textbook to his teacher.  She assured me that the use of the smart board, lesson inserts and a workbook (which accompanies the textbook NOT being used) would be an adequate substitute for the textbook.  With this reliance on technology, is it a wonder the remedial reading and writing classes in community colleges are always full?

Technology is no substitute for good teaching.

The entertainment industry constantly makes the mistake of using technology as a substitute for content. How often have you walked out of a sci-fi flick with dazzling CGI special effects but felt emotionally flat because the acting and script were non-existent.

The best movies use great technology as a COMPLEMENT to a great story--not as a SUBSTITUTE.

So here is my summary when it comes to gadgets, gimmicks, gus and gels and other "smart" technology:

Technology should be a COMPLEMENT, not a SUBSTITUTE for great training.

Technology should be a COMPLEMENT, not a SUBSTITUTE for great teaching.

How about one more...

Technology should be a COMPLEMENT, not a SUBSTITUTE for great parenting.

Again, sorry if I offended all you techies out there.

Feel free to write me a letter.

Just don't send it to my smart phone.

AMJ

Victory Letter

Below is a letter I haphazardly penned to my Change through Challenge students a few hours after they all completed the Estes Park Marathon June 16, 2013.  

Hello  Friends-

The victory today made the long drive from home from Estes Park one of the most pleasant drives ever—I trust this was true for all of you as well. 

As it may take several days to mentally process the enormity of the accomplishment each and every one of you has achieved today and over the past 21 weeks, I would like to leave you with a few final thoughts.

First of all, I hope you will all display your race medals in a conspicuous place at work or home—perhaps adorning your future college degree.  For this medal is more than just a token of a well-fought race, it will serve as a reminder—a reminder to squash the times of self-doubt and illustrate that anything, ANYTHING is possible with courage, effort and determination.

Second, your academic careers mainly focus on learning about the world and the technical skills to survive in this world.  I hope this class experience has taught you something about YOURSELF and the PERSONAL SKILLS to prosper in this world –skills such as:  discipline, determination, persistence, leadership, goal-setting and old-fashioned GRIT—skills which, in my opinion, will prove far more valuable to you personally and in the marketplace.

Third, many of you have expressed disappointment that the training is over.  I would argue that this past semester is only a FIRST step.  For the life skills you have established in this class have infinite potential for development and refinement—not just for a better race, but for a better life.  So I say continue to build your library—and sign up for another race—a scary race!  Go farther, go faster but do something that continues to keep you outside your comfort zone--for this is where true improvement comes and what the marketplace is craving for.  As business author Seth Godin writes, “the marketplace wants people who would rather be sorry, than safe.”

One final thought.  In my opinion, the only thing better than DOING what you love, is SHARING what you love.  So here is the last (extra credit) assignment I hope you will consider:  share this experience with others--share it with your friends, share it with your family, share it with your neighbors—share the joy that can only be derived from the satisfaction of self-knowledge and personal achievement. Instead of taking a friend out to lunch—take them out for a RUN.  Take them to Waterton Canyon at sunrise or Washington Park on a cool Fall morning.  Show them that life is far richer than TV sitcoms and shopping malls.  As Zig Ziglar once opined, demonstrate to the world that happiness does not derive from PLEASURE…but from VICTORY.

 Friends, I wish you the best in your careers.  And as your lives fill up with work, mortgages, and kid’s soccer games, I hope you will remember to find a little time for yourself each day—and run.  Your friends, families, and the marketplace need the creative things from you that can only be created from lacing up and heading outside.

So lace up…I’ll be looking for you.      

AMJ