Ripple Challenge

I am officially back from a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend spent in El Paso celebrating the grand reopening of Rosa's Cantina (see last post). It was a fun weekend filled with many laughs, unbelievably good authentic Mexican food and of course, my favorite, many cold beers. It was a great time and my wife, kids and I really enjoyed spending time with my folks, my brother and his wife and of course the proud owners of Rosa's Cantina, my sister and brother-in-law.

Congratulations Debbie and Adolpho for both a successful weekend and the incredible job you have done making Rosa's a great restaurant and bar. Marty Robbins would be proud no doubt!

On to today's BLOG post....

So this week I want to suggest a challenge. I talk often on this BLOG about the importance of connecting with others and why it so critical to not overlook the people who cross your path in life. I get positive comments, emails and have many wonderful conversations about the topic but it still makes me wonder how many of you are actually out putting my advice and suggestions to actual use. Which of course got me thinking......

Why not challenge you to go out and connect this week. Simple. Easy. Straightforward.

So here's the deal:

I want you to make a conscious effort to make some sort of connection with two complete strangers this week. That's it! Simple enough right? The only rules are you must engage this stranger in a conversation that lasts longer than two minutes. You must get the person's full name and reveal your name to them as well. You must stay away from the sucker subjects and questions surrounding what they do for a living or where they go/went to school. You must legitimately ask some sort of insightful question (perhaps do a search at the top of this BLOG for Ripple Connection Questions) and obtain at least one meaningful piece of information about said stranger.

Think you are up to the challenge?

Well take the Ripple Challenge and see if by stepping outside your box to engage someone else doesn't make their day and yours. Feel free to email me at steve at ripplecentral dot com or post via a comment to this BLOG post the outcome and results of your challenge.

Come on people....it's time to quit being a passive watcher of life and get in the game and start playing. The very connection you make might open up a world of possibilities for you, your life and your career. Not a bad upside eh?

Good luck and happy connecting!

Ripple On!!!

Decide To Do Better

I have a confession to make. I screw up. I screw up a lot!

I have a mean temper...had it for years.

I don't always do the right thing....sometimes logic and I don't mix.

I could be a better husband.

I could be a better dad.

I could be a better friend.

I could be a better man.

Yes there are a lot of things I could do better. There are things that I am determined to do better.

One of the important steps to change is understanding that a change needs to happen in the first place. Finding your internal moral and ethical compass is important for us all. It's a continual learning process and our internal compass is something that requires constant attention, calibration and recalibration.

Years ago I used to drink too much. I think it was mostly out of habit and my way to combat stress. I remember sitting at a bar after a hard day at work and finding myself watching an old drunk man that looked like he and the bar stool were a permanent fixture to the place. His mouth never stopped moving as he bitched and complained about how life had treated him unfairly and how the company he worked for screwed him over after years of loyalty. He rattled on until the people sitting next to him got up and moved and started again when someone new sat down. His age and his sadness seemed to emanate from his aura and the depressed existence he called his life was palatable. I thought to myself what a waste. Then I looked up from my beer and into the mirror behind the bar and saw my own face. The only difference between me and the old man was age.

Was this man a preview to my future? Maybe. Maybe not.

But through the beer buzz and anger that had sent me to the bar that night, I awoke to something that even at that moment was somewhat profound for me. My life is my own. My destiny is truly in my hands. I get to decide if I want to do better.

And at that moment I did.

We all have a choice when it comes to choosing our path. The decision to do better in whatever area of your life is yours. Guaranteed there is no one taking credit right now for your screw-ups and there likely won't be anyone there to pick you up when you fall. You have to and must always depend upon yourself to make things right. You and only you can make sure your compass is guiding you in the right direction.

Decide what you need to do better at in life and take the steps that are necessary.

I got up from that bar stool that night determined not to become that old man. I decided I could and would do better and I have.

Three years later I sold my company for more money than I could have possibly ever imagined. I am quite certain it would never have happened had I not made a conscious decision to do better. There was a lot of work along the way but to this day I still remember that reflection staring back at me and the pain that settled into m heart. I would either make the change myself or perhaps befall a destiny that wasn't so pretty.

I still have lots of work to do but with the grace of God, I will have a lot more time to keep at it.

How about you?

Ripple On!!!

Donna Karlin - Guest BLOGGER

Donna Karlin, my good friend and mentor, pinged me a couple of times over this past weekend in regards to my Breakfast Fairy Challenge. She felt some strong synergy between what I was challenging people to do and a cause that she has recently become involved with that she felt my Ripple friends might want to know about. I asked her to be my Guest BLOGGER and share with us all this important Ripple.

Last week at the Conversation With Masters Conference, we launched the Coach Initiative. The mission is “To be the central gathering point where professional Coaches can volunteer their experience and expertise in support of global projects that focus on the betterment of the human condition and uplifting the human spirit. The Coach Initiative holds the value that professional Coaching has the ability to increase both personal and professional effectiveness, contentment and success of committed clients ("coachees").

We made a commitment as a group to donate our time to this initiative, but each and every one of you can do something in some way in your cities and communities to make a difference one kid at a time.

Rick Koca, the founder of StandUp for Kids, spoke to us from the heart, from a place where passion resides…passion and anger that kids have to end up living on the streets because to them it’s better than what they had to live with in their homes.

“Imagine this: you are 13 years old and you don’t know here your parents live. You don’t know where you are going to get your next meal or where you will take your next shower. You do know that you can’t go to sleep tonight because you don’t know what may happen to you when you close your eyes. All you have is hat is on your body and a small backpack of your most prized possessions. This is what over a million kids experience all the time.”

We heard statistics that were shocking that spoke of a way of life, or ‘no life’ as Rick says, that is just plain unacceptable.

Fact: 1.3 – 2.8 million youth are living on the streets each day. If they were all together in one place, that would rank in the top 10 most populated cities in the US.

Fact: 27% of the homeless are children.

Fact: 50% of all homeless children are under the age of 15.

Fact: Almost 50% of homeless children who are school age have observed domestic violence. Many chose to live on the streets because of sexual abuse by a family or household member.

The first question that came to mind was “Why didn’t I know about this?” Once I knew I also knew I had to do something in some way. I started by what I do best…connecting people who are already in positions to make a difference. StandUp for Kids has 30 programs in 19 states. It’s not yet up and running in Canada but we’re still starting to work with powers that be in various positions of power and influence to make a difference starting right now.

I can no longer say “Why didn’t I know about this?” Yes, we can bury our heads in the sand or we can do something in some way. Spread the word. Contact the StandUp for Kids office in your city and ask how you can help. This organization is made up of volunteers.

I made a promised to Rick that I would tell everyone I knew and even those I don’t through the power of the written word. Steve Harper, an amazing man, lives the Ripple. He doesn’t only talk about it which is why he invited me to share this.

If you go to the website you can see how you can help. And each and every one of you can then make a difference one kid at a time.

Thank you for sharing this very important Ripple. There is nothing more worthwhile than saving the life of a kid and how they are living right now is no life at all.

Best…

Donna Karlin

Thanks for an inspiring call to action Donna. I ask all of you to join me in helping spread the word about Stand Up For Kids. My personal and professional tag like is:

Make a Difference. Start to Ripple.

I can't think of a better way to do just that than by answering the call and helping create some very special Ripples for kids that really need them.


Ripple On!!!

Steve Harper