Don't Wait Too Long to Use Your Ideas

“Turn every idea upside down to see

 if there is an expiration date stamped on the bottom.”

~Thomas Shepherd

While it may sound strange to check for the "expiration date" of ideas as if they were carton of milk or a loaf of bread, the timing of an idea may be vital to its success.  When you have ideas or opportunities to develop something new, check to see what the urgency is of creating it.  Ideas that fit with the needs of those around you deserve a higher priority.  You don't want to miss your window of opportunity.  Some ideas have a much longer "shelf life," however.  In fact, the current conditions might not support your pursuit of that idea.  If that is the case, write down the idea on a piece of paper and save it in a "parking lot."  Your parking lot is the place where you "park" your ideas until a) you have more time; or b) the timing is right to pursue it.  But make sure you note that "expiration date" so that you don't wait too long!

This week:  Just notice the "expiration date" on ideas you have or those others approach you with.  How does knowing that change the priority you assign it?  Is there something you need to do to make sure that you don't end up throwing out perfectly good ideas because you've waited too long to use them?  At the end of this week, make a decision about how you are going to incorporate "expiration dates" into your use of ideas.

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert at helping people achieve goals they had not thought possible using her solution focused approach.  She helps clients take the necessary action to reach goals efficiently and to overcome any mindset limitations that might be interfering with success.  For more information, go to http://www.InnerResourceCenter.com

It All Begins With Your Imagination

"First comes thought; 

then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; 

then transformation of those plans into reality. 

The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination."

~Napoleon Hill

Sometimes people wonder about how to do strategic planning.   It isn't something magical.  It involves following these steps to create the plan for your organization or for your life.   First comes thought--the vision--what you imagine things could be like.  Then you break down that vision into ideas and plans, then begin to take action steps to make those plans comes true.  The beginning, though, is in your imagination.  It is the vision, the passion, the idea that "I really WANT this."  The magic is in the compelling vision, because that is what drives it all.

This week:  Do you have a vision of something you'd like to have happen in your life or career?  Is it compelling?  Do you feel passionately about it?  If not, play with it until you can experience those emotions that tell you it is a must have. If so, create a plan to make it happen.  Then break that plan into smaller steps and take action.  Do at least one small action today.  And at least once a day, reconnect with that vision, that passion, that compelling future that emerged from your imagination.  Stay connected to it because that is what will keep you moving forward toward achieving it.  

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert in helping people identify their vision, mission and life purpose.  She specializes in helping people figure out HOW, to access their resources and to create the steps to easily achieve their goals.  For more information, go to http://www.InnerResourceCenter.com. 

Being True to Yourself Gives True Freedom

"True independence and freedom can only exist in doing what's right."

~Brigham Young

When we allow ourselves to be guided by our moral compass and our  beliefs about what is really right, we can be authentic to ourselves and those around us.  When you are true to yourself, you can experience true independence and  freedom.  It isn't about being what others expect of us that counts; it is what we expect of ourselves.  When we live our personal code of what we believe is right, we express ourselves more fully.  Doing that means setting and enforcing boundaries with others about what we believe is right.  Here's an example:  Many years ago when I was still in grad school, I had a boyfriend who didn't pay his child support.  He used his tax refund to buy a camera instead.  Although I tried to pretend that it was none of my business, this ran so counter to my sense of what was right that I ultimately felt compelled 

to end the relationship.    

This week:  Spend some time evaluating how in tune your life and daily activities are with what you think is right.  Do you ever "go along" just to not make waves?  Do you stand up to intolerance?  Do you express your beliefs, even if they aren't popular?  It takes courage to stand up for what you believe, but the payoff is huge in terms of your own self respect, freedom and authenticity.  This week make the decision to stand up for ONE THING with ONE PERSON.  Notice how this feels. 

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert in helping people uncover their values, needs, life's purpose, passion and meaning.  She specializes in helping people overcome negative emotions and limiting beliefs from the past, (what she calls "emotional clutter").  For more information go to http://www.InnerResourceCenter.com .  

What Are You Thinking?

"Any idea, plan, or purpose may be placed in 

the mind through repetition of thought."

~Napoleon Hill

This can be either very helpful or not very helpful.  If you are thinking empowering thoughts, and repeat them often enough, you can be empowered.  You can create ideas and plans that inspire you.  You can allow purpose (and passion) to move you forward toward great things--just by thinking those thoughts repeatedly.  AND if you are thinking thoughts that limit you, those thoughts will just as surely keep you from getting the outcome you were seeking.  What are limiting ideas or thoughts?  Ideas that contain a negative--for example, when you think about what you DON'T want, rather than what you DO want.  Thoughts that focus on failure, anxiety, worry, memories of bad experiences, self doubt, fear, guilt, hurt, sadness, or anger.  If you are going to be putting ideas, plans and purposes in your mind through repetition of thought, why not make them empowering ideas rather than liming ones?

This week:  Sit down with a piece of paper divided into 2 columns.  At the top of one column, put "Empowering"; at the top of the other column, put "Limiting".  Now spend some time brainstorming.  Identify those thoughts you think regularly and repeatedly.  Write it down in the column it belongs in.  Does it empower you or limit you?  Continue you doing this until you have captured them all (or at least the most frequent ones).  This may take you a few days.  Then look at the "Limiting" column.  See if you can reword them so that they are 1) positive 2) empowering and 3) could be true (you have to be able to believe that the belief could be true, even if it isn't quite true yet).  Practice REPEATEDLY saying the empowering thoughts OUT LOUD this week.  Do you get more confident about it the more you say it.  If not, practice changing your body language and say it like you MEAN IT!  

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert at helping people overcome mindset limitations that block their success and happiness.  Many people stockpile negative emotions and limiting beliefs from past negative experiences (what Linda calls "emotional clutter") and it keeps them stuck.  For more information about how to change this, go to http://www.InnerResourceCenter.com . 

You Need to Be Able to Communicate Your Ideas

"You can have brilliant ideas, but if you cannot get them 

across, your ideas will not get you anywhere."

~Lee Iaccoco

The ability to communicate your ideas to others is important.  Not because you need others to approve of your ideas, but because when you share your ideas you clarify your thinking and those ideas become better, more productive, more achievable.  There is a synergy that happens when ideas are shared that sometimes makes the resulting ideas even more brilliant.  You need to take the time to formulate your ideas in a way that can be communicated when you are ready to move them forward.  While you may need some time to be ready to share your ideas, time to think them through, time to articulate them into an understandable form, in the end you need to be able to share them.  Think where we might be if Einstein had not shared his ideas...

This week: Think about the ideas that have been floating around in your head for awhile.  Have you communicated them to anyone?  If not, why not?  What would need to happen for you to be ready to share them?  This week, take one small step to get ready to share your idea.  It might be to spend some time thinking about what you would tell or who you would tell.  It might be actually talking with someone about it.  It might be answering your own questions about your idea:  why? what?  how?  what if?  Take some action to move your idea forward this week.  Then notice how that feels.  

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert at helping people reach goals they had not thought possible using tools she's discovered in her 30+ years of experience.  She specializes in helping people overcome the mindset limitations often caused by negative emotions from the past or limiting beliefs.  For more information go to http://www.InnerResourceCenter.com .  

Emptying Your Mind Creates Space for Peace

"A primary method for gaining a mind full of 

peace is to practice emptying the mind."

~Napoleon Hill

We are often so caught up with working and doing things that we ignore peace.  We might crave it, but we don't do anything to pursue it or encourage it.  For many of us, thoughts chase us throughout the day, even into the night.  We have trouble turning our mind off, so we have trouble getting sleep.  We find it difficult to relax because we are always thinking of everything we have to do.  At least once a day, we need to empty our minds to create space for peace.  Turn off the thoughts and turn your mind inward, allowing your thoughts to drift away.  Breathe.  Keep breathing.  Allow your muscles to relax and stay in the present moment.  Invite peace into your life.  And watch your life change in positive ways.

This week: Everyday take at least 15 minutes to empty your mind.  Breathe deeply from your belly and sigh when you exhale.  Allow the tension to leave your shoulders and neck.  Picture your mind emptying out.  Imagine your thoughts taking flight and disappearing into the sky above you.  (Don't worry, you'll be able to get them back).  Imagine washing your mind with your favorite color.  Bathe your mind in calming light and energy.  Invite peace into your mind to fill the space that is now there.  Relax and enjoy.  Do this at least once a day for a full week.  Notice how you feel at the end of the week.  Isn't peace worth at least 15 minutes of your day?

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert in helping people overcome the mindset limitations that often block success and happiness.  A mindset limitation may be a belief that "I can't turn off my mind" or that "I need to pay attention to everything so that I don't forget something."  Wouldn't it be nice to let that stuff go?  For more information about the tools Linda uses, go to http://www.InnerResourceCenter.com .  Discover the resources to transform your life... 

Great Things Are Done in Smaller Steps

"Great things are done by a series of 

small things brought together."

~ Vincent van Gogh

Whether you are doing all the small things yourself to create something bigger, or whether you are collaborating with others to put together the pieces that will make your outcome greater than the sum of each part, when you take small steps and put them together, you often get something greater than you had anticipated at the start.  The small steps make the task easier to accomplish.  Sometimes doing things in small steps is the only way to get things accomplished at all.  The job is too big to do all at once, or too overwhelming to achieve.  Small steps keep you from being overwhelmed, and allows you to build momentum towards your goal.  Take those small steps; do those small things and achieve something greater than you'd thought possible.  


This week:  Take a small step toward a big goal.  Do some small thing without expecting yourself to "do it all."  Notice what that feels like.  Although you may think what you did is pretty insignificant in the bigger scheme of things, beginning the journey toward that bigger goal or achievement starts you moving forward.  Do something little every day this week toward some outcome you'd like to accomplish.  Notice your progress at the end of the week.  You may still have a long way to go, but you've made a dent in it, have you not?  Congratulate yourself or reward yourself in some way.  If you like this approach, make a commitment to doing it again next week.  


Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert in helping people achieve goals they had not thought possible using her solution focused approach.  She specializes in helping people overcome mindset limitations that often block our success.  For more information go to http://www.InnerResourceCenter.com .