Today is...

source: commons.wikimedia.org

Today, entrepreneur-extraordinaire Diddy turns 41.  I was reading about him online during the weekend and it was pretty fascinating to read the ups-and-downs of his life.  Often, we see the results of a successful person's hard work without realizing what got him/her there.  http://www.answers.com/topic/sean-combs

I'm not saying that I adore everything about Diddy.  He's got his flaws but from a business sense his resilience and drive are admirable. 

In addition to "Diddy Day," today is also National Men Make Dinner Day http://www.menmakedinnerday.com/home/index.php and Use Your Common Sense Day http://www.budbilanich.com/career-success-coach/today-is-use-your-common-sense-day/.  Hopefully, those two days will eventually be obsolete.  I know a lot of men who enjoy cooking.  Moreover, in some countries, it's common for a man to cook dinner.  In any case, I suppose this is a day for those men who abstain from cooking to bond with the oven.

This year's theme for Use Your Common Sense Day is not to text while driving or walking.  (Confession: I added in that last part.)  If you're curious, here's some worthy  info from Answers.com on the history of this revered day -
 A day celebrating common sense in business and in life—on Will Rogers’s birthday. Rogers said, “Common sense ain’t all that common.” On this day don’t ignore your common sense—use it. Do at least one thing your common sense tells you to do: stop smoking for a day, have a talk with your children, begin an exercise program, etc.
http://www.answers.com/topic/use-your-common-sense-day

Coaching Questions:
What habit could you stop or try for today?  Perhaps if you're a guy who hasn't cooked, you could combine the two "holidays" and cook a simple dinner.  OK, I know, some people may say that's not using common sense but the key word here is "simple."

Is it easy or difficult for you to do what is beneficial  for you?

What available resources (people/material) can help you with changing a habit?

If you tried to not text while driving today, how did it go?

OK, that's it for the questions.  Let's agree to continue using common sense throughout the year.    Wish everyone a SUCCESSFUL day!

Me and Johnny D

This morning as I sat down tying my shoes, I suddenly thought, "Wow, it'd be cool to meet Johnny Depp."  There was no reason for the thought to occur to me, it was just one of the ideas which passed though my mind this morning.  My next thought, however, was one which I hadn't much pondered: "What would I say?"  I had no clue. I didn't want to simply tell Depp that he was cool  Maybe I'd tell him that I liked him in What's Eating Gilbert Grape...and that he was cool.  Although I figured it would be swell to meet Johnny Depp, I hadn't thought much about what I would say to him.  I was, in short, unprepared.

My Johnny Depp daydreaming can be compared to other fantasies/daydreams which we may have but for which we're regrettably unprepared.  We daydream about winning the lottery but we lack the knowledge to manage a large sum of money.  We say we want a better job but we're not getting the skills to qualify ourselves for such a job.  We imagine one day being on Oprah but we don't know what we'd talk about and we're uncomfortable with being the center of attention. 

So should we drop the Johnny Depp-lotto-Oprah fantasies and resign ourselves to our day-to-day routine?  Nyet, that'd be kinda boring, right?  After all, our daydreams give us something to aspire to and add more color to our lives. 

Instead of dropping the fantasies, I recommend that we prepare ourselves for their realization.  In my instance, I'm not saying that I'm going to track Mr. Johnny Depp's every movement or send him frequent and insistent postcards, I have though brainstormed on questions I'd ask Depp.  I've also reflected on what I admire about him---his risk taking, unpredictability, character range, skill in transitioning from TV to movie work, overseas lifestyle, career longevity, coolness.

The following are some questions that can help you to make your fantasy a reality...or at least prepare you for that chance celebrity encounter:

Why do you daydream about the person/experience? 

What feelings do you associate with the daydream?

How can you experience those feelings now?

Have you done any research on your dream goal/person? 

If you wish to meet an inspiring person, what qualities do you currently share with the person...or what qualities does the person have that you'd like to embody?

What would you tell the person about yourself?  What are your accomplishments?  What obstacles have you overcome?  Remember and appreciate your strengths!

How are you preparing yourself for your daydream-goal? 

Do you have a daily/weekly habit that is moving you closer to realizing your daydream?

What do you expect to gain from achieving/realizing the daydream?

Hopefully, these questions will be helpful so whether you bump into P. Diddy in the airport or win that multi-million dollar jackpot, you'll be prepared...instead of speechless.