Ripple Your Way To A Better Week

Happy Monday! I trust each of you had a relaxing, safe weekend. Mine was fantastic and though I had committed to do some work this weekend, I goofed off instead. Now only as I look at all of the things I should have done over the past few days do I begin to feel a bit guilty. Okay....not really.

Mondays present each of us with a unique opportunity. As I talked about a few weeks ago in my post titled Launch Pad Monday, Mondays, and how you approach them, can decidedly play a role in what kind of week you are going to have. I believe it's all in your attitude and how you approach them that truly makes the difference. So if that's the case why not tip the scales in your favor?

I truly believe that the more positive actions or Ripples that you create on someone else's behalf will return to you in ways you can never imagine. Call it karma, call law of reciprocity or call it life's way of adding a little extra interest to your life's luck account....good things tend to come back to those who are creating good things for others.

Of course with one caveat -

Real Ripplers don't do things for other people with some lofty expectation of reward; they do it because the Ripples need to be done. They focus on the impact their actions can have and make on others and let the karma of their actions and any residual reward they receive come in its own way and time.

Mondays prove to be a great way to get yourself thinking in the Ripple mindset. Think about the people that will cross your path today, both people you undoubtedly know and complete strangers. What can you do for them? What action can you take on their part to make an impact on their day? Is it opening a door for a stranger and offering a bright smile and a hearty good morning? Is it buying a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line at Starbucks or taking one back to that overworked receptionist at the office? Perhaps it's buying the lunch for the military folks who are lunching across the restaurant from you. There are literally countless Ripples you can create to make an impact or help someone if you just take the time to think about it.

The greatest feeling in the world is to do something for someone when they least expect it. Ripples come in all sizes and no matter how small or insignificant they may seem at the time to you, you have absolutely no idea who big they are for the person you just Rippled for. Why not use this Monday as your starting point? Why not stop for a few minutes and think about who in your life needs a Ripple and decide just how you are going to help create it for them. And while your at it why not be a little more conscious of the strangers you encounter and how, in your own special little way, you could surprise them and make their day as well

The point is to do something....anything! The world awaits you and desperately needs the impact you and only you can make. Why not give it a try and just see how different your week ends up looking.

Ripple On!!!

A Little Ripple Goes a Long Way

When was the last time you recognized or complimented a coworker, good friend or even a complete stranger for something, anything? You know unexpected recognition, praise and encouragement can impact a person in ways that you could never imagine. Sure it takes a little risk on your part and can maybe at first seem a little uncomfortable but that's alright. The more you do it, the more comfortable you will get at doing it.

There is a particular coffee shop that I drop by nearly every day for my daily caffeine fix. The woman behind the counter is, I think, somewhat introverted. Her shyness could, and is, easily misconstrued as her being somewhat rude or aloof about her duties. I somehow recognized this about her after she first started working there and I consciously decided to do my part to take some action to change that about her; well at least when she deals with me.

I refuse to let a day go by that I don't at least try to joke with her on some level or compliment her either on what she is wearing or note how good it is to see her. This invariably makes her smile big as Texas and I like to think, happy that I come in virtually every day. She really seems to love it when I kid her when there is a line of people standing behind me. I don't know if my efforts somehow yank her out of her introverted dungeon of fear or if my jokes are just that funny and entertaining, but I can truly see the Ripple my efforts are creating. I watch as I step aside to prep my coffee and watch her personality really come out and shine with the next few people in line. My simple act of attention I believe helps her to be better at her job and the people who used to not care for her (and it was obvious) really seem to now enjoy seeing her every day.

What does my effort cost me? Absolutely nothing! I have had the opportunity to get to know a really nice lady whom I likely never would have gotten to know had I just been a mindless customer coming in for my coffee day after day. The changes that I have seen in this woman are nothing short of amazing and I believe are, at least in part, due to taking some action to recognize, compliment or joke with her every time I see her.

People matter and whether you are serving me coffee, driving me to the airport or taking my phone call, I like to show it through my efforts, my attitude and my way of Rippling. Give it try and just see how amazing a small effort on your part can impact another person and how incredible you feel for doing it.

You just never know what kind of Ripple it might create. This morning....my little investment of daily Ripple may have just gotten me a free day old Danish. Yummy!

Ripple On!!!

Steve

Strive For Three

I recently gave a speech to a group of business executives and during the question and answer portion was asked how I might suggest someone begin adhering to a Ripple-centric philosophy for their life. I get this question quite a lot so I figured it would be worth sharing my answer in this platform.

Ripple is about creating or taking action on someone else's behalf. Doing something....anything on a a consistent every day basis. My belief is when you are consciously on the hunt to Ripple on someone else's behalf you become acutely aware of your surroundings and it makes you active participant in the game of life. Not just a transient passenger of it.

So back to the question. How does someone begin utilizing the concept in their life? I have a little mental game I play with myself called Strive For Three. It's quite simple and a whole lot of fun. Here's how you play:

Throughout your day look for three opportunities to help someone and do it. Take an action on their behalf. It can be a big action or a little action but whatever it is, it's an action. It could be as simple as holding a door open for someone and wishing them a good morning. It might be complimenting a co-worker on a job well done or how nicely they dressed on that day. It might be letting that guy who's had his blinker on trying to get into your lane of traffic cut in in front of you and giving him a big smile while you do it. It could be stopping and offering to help that person change their tire. Or it might be buying a cup of hot coffee on a cold winter morning and stopping to give it to the flag man of the road construction crew.

The cool thing is your action can be anything you want it to be!

So as you do these things throughout the day keep track. Write them down. Strive to do a minimum of three each day and record your Ripples in a little journal. Tally your score at the end of each week and see how many positive Ripples you have created out there in the world.

Before long what you will notice is Rippling is no longer a game....it's a way of life. Your good deeds will have you feeling a little like a super hero and extremely good about yourself. That alone is a fantastic reason to begin Rippling every day in every way. And those Ripples you create will come back to you in ways that are unimaginable.

Strive for three is a great way to get yourself actively Rippling. So what are you waiting for?

Ripple On!!!

You Can Be An MVP!

As I sat on my couch last night watching the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Cleveland Cavaliers I couldn't help but notice an important lesson for those of us who lead people. Leaders step up when they are needed and you don't even have to be the anointed leader to do it...just do it. Just make it happen.

Tim Duncan is pretty much the face of the San Antonio Spurs....the super star who always seems to rise up when he is needed and make things happen. However, in this year's finals he hasn't really done that and just the mere thought of him not playing at his best should have caused stirs of nervousness throughout Spur-nation but it didn't. Why?

Tony Parker.

You see when Tim was off, Tony, and to be fair, his teammates, stepped it up. They have done it throughout the playoffs and through the early games of the NBA Finals. However last night, it was Parker who stepped up and lead by example with selfless play, exceptional execution and pure heart and determination. He wanted to close out the Cavaliers and it showed. He took control of that game and never let the taste of victory leave his lips. And for his efforts he was awarded the NBA Finals MVP award for his performance throughout the finals. An award I think he truly deserved!

Parker is no different than you or me. We all have the ability to take control of a meeting, a project or simply dig in and work our butts off until what needs to be done is done. We all possess the ability to step up and be an MVP at any time and for many of us, especially leaders of an organization, we need people surrounding us that understand that and will see the gaps and fill them when they need filling.

Now to be perfectly fair, we don't all have Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives) rooting for us in the stands. Hell I think I could go score a 100 points if I knew she was rooting for me and I am five foot nothing. Don't worry my wife isn't worried that Eva will be calling anytime soon (especially now...thanks Tony!) so I am okay to say that.

You get the point right?

You don't have to wait for your leader to falter or be asked to be the hero to take action...just do it. Step up and start taking shots. Show everyone around you that you are the game changer and perhaps your championship...whatever it is; more customers, more productivity, more innovative products, etc. will be waiting for you.

So do you have what it takes to be an MVP for your company, your team, for your customers? I bet you do....in fact I know you do. Come on you know it too....

Step up and take the shot!

Ripple On!!!

Steve

Use What You Have

As I reported yesterday, Austin was in the grips of Blizzard 2007! Though we got very little snow we did get "some" around noon and the wife and kids were abuzz with excitement. As the flakes began to fall we had to rush out and play in it!

My three year old son Josh used the wintry precipitation to take full advantage and made his personal attempt at being a snow angel. How or why he thought to lie down when to my knowledge, he has never even seen a snow angel before, was beyond me. But it was one of the most amazing actions I have seen him take and it was completely of his own doing. I found it inspiring and truly heart warming. One of those memories that will be with me forever!

As I thought about his actions this morning I began to equate it to my own life and the life of other business people I know. How many of us are waiting for our conditions to improve or for better things to happen (like more snow) before we take action and actually do something? How does that waiting affect us from fulfilling our real life's purpose?

For me, I worry that my material isn't enough. Major corporations or conferences won't consider me because I don't have a twenty thousand dollar high powered video and marketing package. It's the story I tell myself and what I am sure prevents me from attracting that which I desire. I'm waiting for my snow but I am focusing on the wrong thing.

If my son had waited even just thirty minutes more yesterday the conditions would have completely changed. His tiny little arms and those stubby little legs would not have even left an impression as the snow quickly turned to slush and was gone. His snow angle would never have gotten its wings and taken flight had he not done what he had done at the exact moment that he did it.

Oh what a tragedy that would have been.

What are waiting for? What conditions are you waiting to improve or become more ideal before you lay down and spread your wings to fly?

Forget waiting for things to be perfectly right as I suspect they never will.

Use what you have and make your mark and let the Ripples wander where they may. You may just find the conditions are exactly right!

Ripple On My Friends!


Steve