We All Need to Get Into the Game

We all need to get in the game

The excuse many people give about not having time to give back to their community is really is not relevant in most cases.  We all have time but it is how we choose to use our time which is the determining factor for whether our lives become nothing more than a poster child for the couch potato syndrome or whether we make a difference.  There seems to be an abundance of opportunities for us to sit around and occupy our time with idle tasks that at the end of the day makes many of us ask ourselves the question “What did I accomplish today.” Or, “How did I make a difference today?” Or maybe, “How did I make my community a better community today by doing my small part? “ Those questions are difficult to answer if we don’t make better use of our time.  An argument can be made that if we make a concerted effort seriously look how we spend our hours, it will quickly become evident we have an abundance of chances to answer those questions in a positive way because we got into the game.

I spent three hours sitting near Gate C-6 at Chicago O’Hare International Saturday night. There were several options to consider for occupying those three hours.  I could just hang out.  I could people watch which is a fascinating exercise in the study of the human condition.  Or I could really be productive and continue working on a major project that is coming due at the end of November.  I chose the latter and about a half hour into it the idea hit me (Creativity doesn’t necessarily announce in advance when it is going to strike)   I chose to work on the project and his post was an outgrowth of that effort.

 It is okay on some days to kick back and become part of the furniture, sit out on the porch and listen to the birds in the trees or just grab a cup of your favorite hot beverage and spend some time staring out the window.  When we recharge our batteries we become ready for the next adventure that comes our way and are usually ready to say yes to the next event we can participate in to make our community better.

Striving for balance is the key. If you seriously think you aren’t doing enough, analyze how you are using your time. There is some available to give back.  If you are doing too much, there is always time for the hot beverage and the window.  The view is usually pretty good.   Just like it was Saturday night at Gate C-6.

Be well

Those Sighs of Despair We All Experience

We all feel this way from time to time.  Sometimes all it takes is to look at our personal calendar as we struggle to actually find the date on the page before us beneath all the scribbles and notes to come to the conclusion that there is too much on our plates.   Other times we become short with a friend or a spouse because we are stressed over trying to do way too much within the limited amount of time we have in a given day.  There are also those moments when it seems to come crashing down.  We could be trying to do what many would consider to be a minor project or menial task when we become overwhelmed with despair.  

I fall into all three examples.  I stressed over when I would be able to write this for this small area of the web because I have tried to make it a point to provide some fresh insights on a twice a week basis. (Missed that last week)    My wife will tell you, and she is would not be shy about doing so,  that I can be short with her, when the day has not gone well and the proverbial plate before me is overflowing with stuff.  Much of it is really petty when you get right down to it.  There are also those times when I am alone and my heart sinks and my spirit wanes because it really doesn't seem to get any better from week to week and I lie awake at night for way too long of a time looking for answers to the questions about "How did life get to this point ?" and "How can I turn this around."

But this is not an "Oh woe is me" opportunity.  It is instead a call to find solutions to most of the predicaments I/we find myself/ourselves in as opposed to just waiting for the pity-party to begin. 

 I have learned to step away in order to keep burnout at bay. (Unintentional rhyme)

 Unless it is an urgent situation, I step away from whatever it is that has burned me out at least for 24 hours.  Stepping away allows for a fresh perspective to enter the picture.  There are a host of suggestions and much more analysis here.  

Everyone has probably heard of the need to prioritize events and tasks that will impact their lives.   I couldn't agree more.  A high school student once asked me at a convention in Baltimore," I want to find out what I am passionate about but I am involved in 20 different activities in school.  How can I decide?

 You can probably guess the answer to the question. 

 Priorities are the key.  What is important to you?  Focus on those things and leave the other stuff for someone else to worry about.

There is a myriad of sources for gaining more information about staving off burnout.  I found Carson Tate seems to have nailed it pretty much spot on in her blog of a few months ago.

Now I have to get back what I need to focus on tomorrow.....right after I spend some quality time.....walking the dog.

Be well.

A Different Wrinkle to an Old Problem

Maybe the conversation starts something like this.

"Hey Cameron, what's happening?
"Oh, not much.  Just kind of hanging out this weekend."
"Say" Jocelyn replies.  "Do you want to help at the tree lighting ceremony next weekend?  The group I'm with could use some extra hands."
"Not really Jocelyn. It's not my cup of tea."
"OK."

The conversation ends right there for a lot of people. Some would argue it would be time to just move on.  But if a slightly different approach is used from the start, our success rate for getting more people to volunteer or perhaps getting them to join the cause we hold dear will increase.

There is a school of thought I subscribe to that says we first need to find out what the strengths are of the person we are approaching and only after we ascertain some of those should we go to the next step which us asking for the volunteer commitment.  This may likely require more than one conversation which goes back to "touches" talked about in last week's blog.  It could take a couple or three cups on coffee on just as many occasions before we learn what trips their trigger.  The next cup if coffee is our opportunity.

A person is more likely to say yes if we ask them to help by using one of their strengths or passions for the project at hand.  Once they have done so, they may then be more inclined to join our cause on more than a one time basis.

Note:  This is in no way the fool proof, 100% guaranteed way to get someone to volunteer.  It's simply a tool in our arsenal as a means to get more people off the bench and in the game. It is one of several I have used over the years.

If you decide to try it I would be most interested to hear from you.  We could develop a discussion that would attract and help others find more people to give back to their community regardless of the mission.

Be well.  And enjoy that next cup of coffee.

The Stuggle to Find Volunteers

This has been happening a lot lately.  The statement often goes, "Why is it so difficult to get people to become part of an organization?"  Or a variation on the theme might be, "Why is is so difficult to get people to commit to an effort over a long term?"  Those are perplexing questions for many volunteer groups and organizations.  What follows is not backed up by years of research but more anecdotal evidence that collectively we may be asking the wrong questions at the wrong time and maybe we are not asking enough times.

A friend of mine named Steve once told me in order to get someone to do something you have to have multiple touches.  A touch is considered an encounter in which a particular subject can be broached as opposed to a physical touch.  Sometimes it takes just a couple of touches before we can convince someone to get on board.  Sometimes is takes multiple touches before that happens.   The point seems to be that unless we are flat out told "No" we need to keep asking and with each additional encounter provide the prospect with a little more information about the cause, mission or organization.  Sometimes I think we give up too easily.

There is also the notion that volunteers are hard to come by because we live in an "instantaneous" society which demands immediate gratification without committment.  This begs the question, " What would happen if we invited the prospect to get involved in a one time project or event without hitting them upside the head with the membership push?"  I have seen evidence,  first hand, of people deciding to get involved with a group or organization after they have experienced the sought after gratification through a project or event as opposed to joining something just to join it.

So maybe its is not so much how we ask but what we ask.  Maybe giving someone an opportunity to experience the rewards of volunteerism is the route to go and let the membership aspect fall into place afterwards.    We may have to ask multiple times or have multiple "touches" as Steve indicated but experience seems to dictate our success rate for engaging more people in our cause or organization will be higher with such an approach as opposed to the phrase, "Do you want to be a member?"

Next week, thoughts on how to break the ice to diplomatically pursue the new volunteer.  

Be well

That's Impossible

Perhaps a second opinion is in order to refute the title.  It's true that some things are impossible thanks to the laws of physics. It's not possible to step off of a building and not fall to the ground.  The laws of gravity dictate it will happen.  Just ask Robin Williams' character in the Movie "Fern Gully."  This is not about the laws of physics but instead about the roadblocks we put up for ourselves regarding situations that confront us in every day life.

A dilemma rears its head and we suddenly feel the situation is impossible to overcome.  There seems no way out, no alternative to the situation we face, and only angst as we come to the realization we are in one heck of a situation.  But this is where philosophy takes over.  No, not Aristotle or Plato or any of the other ancient philosophers.  This is about a philosophy for life.

It became clear for me several years ago that any time a dilemma rears its head it is not something to become discouraged over but rather it should be viewed as an opportunity.  It could be a chance for change, charting a new direction, or opening up another aspect of life that heretofore was unavailable.  The latest example was this past Saturday coming home from a conference where another attendee asked for some help with a perplexing situation. ( Never be afraid to ask for help, suggestions or guidance) I told him I would "noodle" it sine I had a five and a half hour drive home.   So utilizing my creative thinking environment (classic rock on the stereo) I waited for inspiration to show up and it did somewhere south of Hannibal, MO. So what seemed like it was impossible just a day before now had a plausible solution which could be massaged so it could apply to several scenarios.

There is always going to be a Plan B or C or something else.  We just have to be open to the possibilities that we initially do not see because the dilemma seems so insurmountable.  So when you come across a situation such as that, pause, reflect, ask others and if the spirit moves, put on some "thinking music" you enjoy.  This can also apply to dreams that seem out of reach, mountains to high to climb and chasms to great to cross.  Maybe Building 429 can help.

Be well.