W.I.N. Wednesday: The myth lives on.

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: Beware the thief of joy.

July 22, 2015 / Brian Willis

"Comparison is the thief of joy."

Theodore Roosevelt

In my presentations on Dare to Be Great and The Pursuit of Personal Excellence I talk about being "your best, not the best".

Being your best is about making a commitment to get a little bit better every day. It is about building on your strengths and talents to be the best version of you. It is about doing the best you can with what you have on that day, or in that moment. It is about allowing yourself to be human. It is about owning up to your mistakes, learning from your failures and growing from the experience.

Striving to be "The Best" however, always requires a comparison. You must compare yourself to someone else, or someone else's definition of the best. Every other person has different strengths, talents, and experiences than you do. It is this comparison that too often causes people to lose the joy and give up the dream. They get frustrated and tell themselves, "I will never be as good as them so why bother trying." They allow comparison to steal the joy and the dream.

Abraham Maslow said, "What one can be, one must be." He did not say, "What someone else can be, so too must you be."

Learn from others. Listen to others. Find strong mentors and role models. Read, study, work and grow yourself. You can model the qualities of others without striving to be someone else.

What's Important Now? Strive for excellence. Dare to Be Great. Commit to being the best version of you that you can be and you will frustrate the "Thief of Joy".

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: Some thoughts on success.

July 15, 2015 / Brian Willis

Lets start with a question - How do you define success?

Is it based on how much money you make?

Is it based on the positive impact you make?

Is it based on the number of championships or titles you have won?

is it based on how you have been of service to others?

is it based on the quality of your relationships?

Is it based on the awards you have received?

Is it based on what you have helped others accomplish?

Regardless of how you define success it takes work. It takes hard work. And, it takes hard work over an extended period of time.

There is no such thing as an overnight success. In today's digital age you might go viral in a short period of time, you might become a YouTube sensation overnight, but success takes hard work, and is usually the result of a lot of falls and struggles along the way.

What's Important Now? - Reflect on how you measure success, then reflect on the following quotes. Once you are done reflecting, do the work.

"The toughest thing about success is that you've got to keep on being a success. Talent is only a starting point in this business. You've got to keep on working that talent. Someday I'll reach for it and it won't be there."

Irving Berlin

"You cannot own success. You can only rent it and the rent is due every day."

Darren Hardy

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: What are you holding on to?

July 08, 2015 / Brian Willis

"The problem with holding a grudge is that your hands are too full to hold anything else."

Seth Godin

What are you holding on to?

How full are your hands?

Who are you hurting by holding on to the grudge? (Probably only yourself.)

What is that grudge costing you? (sleep, heath, peace of mind, happiness)

"Hanging onto resentment is letting someone you despise live rent-free in your head."

Esther Lederer, a.k.a. Ann Landers

What's Important Now? - Build a bridge and get over it. Let it go. Kick out the squatters.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: More than a question. Make it the culture.

June 24, 2015 / Brian Willis

I spent a fun hour yesterday talking with Melissa Agnes (www.melissaagnes.com) for an episode of her Crisis Intelligence Podcast. We were speaking about the current challenges facing the law enforcement profession and much of the discussion centered around Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

I believe the power of the question - What's Important Now? - comes from:

Its simplicity, and
Its diversity in application

As I reflected on our discussions it struck me that we need to make sure that we take What's Important Now? beyond seeing it as a powerful decision making tool and make it part of the culture of our organizations. How do you do that?

It starts with education. You need to make time to explain the question to people and give them simple, every day examples of how to use it in their personal and professional lives. Once people understand the question (and the acronym W.I.N.) you can start to make it part of the culture. How do you do that? Ask yourself What's Important Now? and:

Ask More - Tell Less. At staff meetings, in training, in brain storming sessions instead of giving people the answer, ask them the question What's Important Now? Use the question to guide them to self discovery of the answer.
Work with your training staff to help them understand the applications to the material they teach. Once the training staff are on board build W.I.N. into every training and education session taught in your organization.
Create What's Important Now? posters and put them up around your offices and facilities. These posters can have What's Important Now? at the top and an important message below. Here are some ideas based on key messages from my presentations, "Have that courageous conversation.", "Dare to be Great.", "Embrace the pursuit of excellence.", "Your life IS your legacy.", "Take the blame and give away the credit.", "Excellence, not Perfection.", "What are we celebrating today?", "Do what is right. It is not always popular or expedient, but it is always what's right.", "Praise great effort." or "Focus on process, not outcome.". You can also use key messages from your mission statement or core values.
Give out W.I.N. wristbands, which can serve as a constant reminder for people.
Use What's Important Now? to help create the long term vision or mission for your team or organization. Then use What's Important Now? to identify what is important for you to do right now to take the first steps towards achieving that mission. Use W.I.N. in every part of the journey as a guide.

When you start to build What's Important Now? into every training session, every staff meeting, every planning session, every coaching session and every discussion, it will become the common language of the organization, it will serve as a rallying cry for the people in the organization and it will become part of the culture.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: How would you spend this prize?

June 17, 2015 / Brian Willis

I have had two people for whom I have a great deal of respect that both sent me this recently. I am taking the hint and sharing it with you.

(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)

THIS WAS FOUND IN THE BILLFOLD OF COACH PAUL BEAR BRYANT, ALABAMA, AFTER HE DIED IN 1982

The Magic Bank Account

Imagine that you had won the following *PRIZE* in a contest: Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use. However, this prize has rules:

The set of rules:

1. Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.

2. You may not simply transfer money into some other account.

3. You may only spend it.

4. Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for that day.

5. The bank can end the game without warning. At any time it can say, “Game Over!". It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do?

You would buy anything and everything you wanted, right? Not only for yourself, but for all the people you love and care for. Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right?

You would try to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew it would be replenished in the morning, right?

ACTUALLY, This GAME is REAL ...

Shocked ??? YES!

Each of us is already a winner of this *PRIZE*. We just can't seem to see it.

The PRIZE is *TIME*.

Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life.

And when we go to sleep that night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.

What we haven't used up that day is forever lost.

Yesterday is forever gone.

Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can close your account at any time WITHOUT WARNING.

So, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?

Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars.

Think about it and remember to enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.

So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply, and enjoy life!

Here's wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day. Start “spending”....

DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT GROWING OLD.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T GET THE PRIVILEGE!

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: It's Not About Me.

June 10, 2015 / Brian Willis

As a professional speaker and trainer, it is not about me. It is easy to think it is because I am the one who stands at the front of the room or on the stage, gets the glowing introduction and the one people say nice things about (usually) in the evaluations. But, it is not about me. It is about the people in the audience. I am there to serve them, not the other way around. I need to make them the heroes of my presentation and my job is to serve as the wise and humble mentor. I need to provide the audience with strategies, tools and tactics that will enhance their lives. I need to teach in a way that makes it easy for them to learn. I need to remember it is not about me.

As a leader, it is not about me. It is easy to think it is. I get the fancy title, the corner officer, and people call me Mr. or sir. I might even get the preferred parking stall. But, it is not about me. As a leader it is about the people I have the privilege and honour to lead. It is about serving those who honour me by following me. It is about developing the people I lead. It is about supporting, acknowledging and recognizing the people I lead. It is about them. I need to remember it is not about me.

As the son of aging parents, it is not about me. It is easy to think it is. Easy to think I know what is best for them. It is easy to convince myself that they just don't know what is best for them, and I do. It is easy to think I know what is best regarding where they should be living and what care they should have. But, it is not about me, it is about them. We go through phases in our life where we think our parents don't know anything and we know best, then we realize how smart they are, then we slide back to thinking we know best. As long as they are sound cognitively, then I have to accept they know what is best for them. My job is to be there to love and support them. I need to remember it is not about me.

What's Important Now? - I need to remember it is not about me. I need to get over myself and focus on being of service. What about you?

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: Your Power. Are you giving it away or taking it back?

June 03, 2015 / Brian Willis

It’s your power. You have to decide if you are going to take it back, or give it away.

You give it away when you hold on to anger and resentment towards other people. You give it away when you let other people control how you feel and how you respond. You give it away when you let the comments and actions of others ruin your day, and negatively affect your attitude, your happiness and your health.

You do not control other people. You do not control what they say, or what they do. You do control yourself and how you respond.

You take back your power when you forgive other people and set them free. When I talk about forgiveness I do not mean "forgive and forget" or condoning the words or actions of others. You do not control them, you have no power to change them, you cannot make them "take it back". You do have a choice however. You can choose to hold onto the anger and hurt and give them the power or choose to forgive them and set them free, and in doing so take back your power, your control and your life.

You take back your power when you accept the reality that you cannot change, or fix other people. You only have control over you.

You take back your power when you take a breath, build a bridge and "get over it". Holding on to 'stuff’ from the past only drains your power and gives it to others.

It is your power. Your life. Your choice.

What's Important Now? - Choose wisely.

Take care.

Brian Willis

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W.I.N. Wednesday: What horse are you betting on?

May 27, 2015 / Brian Willis

During my bike ride yesterday I listened to a podcast interview with Dan Millman. Dan is the author of 17 books including The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, and is working on his 18th book. He is an incredible story and a man with a great deal of wisdom and insights about life. One of the many gems I took from that interview with Millman was a comment he made. "The horse I am betting on is effort over time."

That comment made we reflect on two previous events this week.

The first was breakfast with my son Jesse. Jesse owns a boutique wine store in Calgary called Vine Arts and along with his business partner Jeff Jamieson opened a cocktail bar at the start of May called Proof. Vine Arts opened in March of 2012 and is extremely successful and while Proof has only been open a month they have been packed every night. On April 26, Jesse ran a fundraiser for cancer with a Carnival and Cocktails theme. Jesse put in a huge amount of time and effort resulting in a first class event which raised over $20,000.00 for cancer research. Jesse and Jeff are also in discussions with developers for a second Vine Arts location.

The second event was lunch yesterday with my son Cody. Cody will be opening his first restaurant called Native Tongues Taqueria on July 1. He has been working on the concept for years and has been working on this restaurant, at this location for close to two years. I think it is a safe bet that the day they open the doors Native Tongues is going to be crazy busy every single day. Cody has a great team in place and the design, menu and service are going to be amazing.

What does the comment by Dan Millman have to do with these two meals? Nothing and everything. It has nothing to do with the actual food and everything to do with the conversations with Jesse and Cody. Both Jesse and Cody are extremely successful. They have worked extremely hard and developed amazing reputations for themselves in the food and wine industry in Calgary. Why? Because of their work ethic and their understanding of the importance of relationships, service and effort, integrity, and commitment.

When Millman said, "The horse I am betting on is effort over time.", my thoughts immediately went to Jesse and Cody and their deep understanding of this concept. They understand there is no such thing as an overnight success. I am betting on both of them to continue their efforts and their success.

What about you? What horse are you betting on?

What's Important Now? Do the work. Do the work over the long haul. Be willing to commit to effort over time and be the horse others are willing to bet on.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday - Unexpected Challenges. A setback or an opportunity?

May 20, 2015 / Brian Willis

One of the W.I.N. Newsletter subscribers sent me the following e-mail recently:

Brian,

My wife is the new HR manager at her company and was having to replace 5 people in a unit that had 6 people total. All the managers were panicking. She sent out her message to all the managers explaining that she had 4 new candidates to fill some of the spots and ended her message with this new mantra that I thought you would like. It's below:

Unexpected challenges = undiscovered opportunities for improvement.

Great message and a great attitude from someone who understands leadership. For many people unexpected challenges trigger complaining, panic, and fear of the worst.

True leaders see those unexpected challenges as an opportunity for growth, positive change and improvement. They embrace the suck and look for the good in the situation. As a result they come through the challenge better off for the experience.

What about you? How do you deal with unexpected challenges in the workplace? What about in your life?

What's Important Now? - Next time you are confronted with an unexpected challenge look for the opportunity to grow and improve.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: Are you sacrificing the gift?

May 13, 2015 / Brian Willis

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."

Steve Prefontaine

You have a gift.

I do not know what it is, but you do.

If you do not know what your gift is ask the people who are closest to you in your life, they know.

Then ask yourself:

Am I using my gift to the fullest of my ability?
Am I giving my best?
Am I daring to be great?
Am I embracing the pursuit of excellence?

What's Important Now? - Accept that your gift is too important to the world for you to give anything less than your best.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: I dare you.

May 05, 2015 / Brian Willis

“Greatness is the birthright of everyone.”

Paul Coelho

Allow yourself to imagine back to when you were a young boy or girl and dreaming of what you wanted to be when you grew up.

I am confident that you dreamt of being great at whatever you did. Most people do not grow up dreaming of being mediocre, of flying under the radar their entire career, doing the bare minimum to get by or just being average. You dreamt of being great.

Sometimes however, life gets in the way and beats you down and you find yourself embracing the status quo and focusing on just getting by.

I dare you to go back to the dream. I dare you to be great.

Dare to Be Great is the name of the presentation I did at the ILEETA conference in April and the title of my newest seminar. It builds on the theme of What's Important Now?

What's Important Now? - Accept that greatness is a choice.

“Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice.”

Jim Collins

Every day you have to decide whether you are going to dare to be great, or accept the safety and security of average. Deciding to dare to be great takes work and a long term commitment to the process of growth.

“No matter how much you have achieved, you will always be merely good relative to what you can become. Greatness is an inherently dynamic process, not an end point. The moment you think of yourself as great, your slide toward mediocrity will have already begun.”

Jim Collins, Good to Great and the Social Sectors

What's Important Now? - Accept that greatness is a process, a journey, not an end state. At the point you think you have arrived, at the point you think you are great, your slide to mediocrity will have begun.

Daring to be great is not about trying to be perfect, it is about a commitment to be a little bit better every day.

“You don’t need to know what perfect looks like you just need to know what better is. Use better as your guide.”

Eric Greitens, Resilience

What's Important Now? - Go back to the dream. Go back to your why. Accept the dare. Dare to be Great.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: Want to grow? Do this.

April 29, 2015 / Brian Willis

My friend, mentor and business associate Roy Bethge, the co-founder of The Virtus Leadership Group, speaks and writes about the importance of Growing Courage. I have had the pleasure of teaching a Growing Courage class with Roy and spoke about Growing Courage during my TEDx talk.

The question that often comes up is, "How does one go about growing courage?" For the answer to that question I am going to draw on two different sources.

The first is Pete Carroll, the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. In his book Win Forever, Pete Carroll explains one of the key elements to the Win Forever philosophy is Practice is Everything.

The second is researcher and author Brene Brown. In The Gifts of Imperfection Brene Brown tells us: “Practicing courage, compassion, and connection in our daily lives is how we cultivate worthiness. The key word is practice. Mary Daly, a theologian, writes, “Courage is like—it’s a habitus, a virtue: You get it by courageous acts. It’s like you learn to swim by swimming. You learn courage by couraging.”

The key to all growth is practice. Growth is not the result of a single event or single act. The only way to Grow Courage is to practice it in your daily life.

How do you do that?

Do what is right. What is right is not always what is popular or what is expedient, but it is always what is right. Doing what is right takes courage.
Stand up, speak up and own up when you screw up. It takes courage to admit you made a mistake or were wrong.
Stand up for others. The world is full of bullies. It takes courage to stand up for both yourself and others especially when the bully is the boss. (Read the book The No Assholes Rule for some tips)
Embrace change. Change is often scary. Have the courage to embrace change.
Dare to be great. Being mediocre is easy. Sticking with the status quo is easy. Daring to be great is a process that can be scary because it involves risk and failure. Have the courage to dare to be great.

Use Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now? to help guide your daily practice of Growing Courage.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: Dare to Be Great, Not Perfect.

April 22, 2015 / Brian Willis

During my presentations on What's Important Now? and the Pursuit of Personal Excellence I have begun to challenge people to Dare to Be Great. Greatness is a choice. Greatness is a process. It is the result of making the commitment to be a little bit better tomorrow than you are today.

In my presentation yesterday at the ILEETA Conference titled Dare to Be Great, I shared some insights from Eric Greitens great book Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for a Better Life. I am going to share two of those insights with you, and strongly encourage you to read the book.

The first insight is:

“You don't need to know what perfect looks like you just need to know what better is. Use better as your guide.”

The pursuit of personal excellence, and the journey to be great requires that you strive to just get a little bit better every day. You do not have to reinvent yourself each day. You do not have to change the world in a day. You do not have to put a dent in the universe each day. You just need to focus on 'better', and get a little bit better every day.

On that journey to be great you also need to allow yourself to be human. To be human is to make mistakes. To be human is to have failures. To be human is to stumble on the journey. To be human to is have good days and bad days. To be human is to be imperfect. The goal is to Dare to Be Great, Not Perfect. Eric Greitens reminds us to be human with this insight from Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for a Better Life:

“Accept that you are imperfect and always will be. Your quest is not to perfect yourself, but rather to better your imperfect self."

Are you willing to accept the challenge to Dare to Be Great? If you are, then allow Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now? - to serve as your guide along the journey.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: Yes, it's that simple.

April 15, 2015 / Brian Willis

"The time is always right to do what is right."

Martin Luther King Jr.

As you go through life you are faced with many choices and decisions. Some are easy and others more complex and challenging. In order to make better decisions it is helpful to have a guide or filter. Here are two:

What's Important Now? Three simple, but powerful words that can help you drastically enhance the decisions you make in your life.
Do what's right. Doing what is right is not always what is popular and not always what is expedient, but it is always what is right.

Doing what is right and focusing on What's Important Now? are not always easy. Some would challenge and suggest this as too simple a strategy to be effective as a life guide. There is a difference between simple and easy.

Simple: Lack of complexity.

Easy - Lack of effort.

W.I.N. and Do What's Right are simple strategies, not easy ones.

The next time you are struggling with a decision ask yourself, "What's Important Now?' and "What's the right thing to do?". You might be surprised at how simple the answer is.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: Why you need to become a Whistle Blower.

April 08, 2015 / Brian Willis

While riding the exercise bike at home I like to listen to podcasts so I can exercise my mind as well as my body. This past Saturday I listened to an episode of Unlocking the Minds of Athletes podcast hosted by former NFL player Isaac Byrd. In this episode (#15) he was interviewing sports psychologist Stephen Walker.

One of the things that jumped out at me what his reference to What's Important Now? Since you are reading this blog you know that for the last 13 years I have been speaking and writing about What's Important Now? and referring to it as Life's Most Powerful Question.

During the interview Isaac asked Dr. Walker to talk about getting players to focus on "playing in the now". Dr Walker shared a story about Pat Summitt, the former coach of the Tennesse women's basketball team and the all time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history. He said Pat used to carry two whistles at practice. One was a sterling silver one she was given as a gift in recognition of one her many milestones and the other was a plain red whistle. The red whistle however, was the What's Important Now? whistle. During practice she would blow it at critical times and call out a player's name. That player had to immediately explain what their assignment was, where they should be on the court and what they should be doing. Brilliant.

How does this apply to you? You need to find your own version of the 'red whistle' and be your own Hall of Fame Coach. At key times in your day blow the imaginary red whistle on yourself. Ask yourself "What's Important Now? What do I need to be doing? How do I need to be thinking? What do I need to do at this moment to get myself back on track or refocused?"

You could carry a red whistle in your pocket to remind you or wear a W.I.N. wristband as a reminder. You could make yourself signs or posters with W.I.N. and the picture of a red whistle on it and place them in strategic places in your home and office as a constant reminder.

The key is to become a W.I.N. Whistle Blower for yourself.

If you are a coach consider teaching the W.I.N. Philosophy and having your own red whistle at practice.

As a leader create your version of the red W.I.N. whistle to use at meetings to get everyone refocused and back on task.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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W.I.N. Wednesday: The one thing that makes the biggest difference.

March 18, 2015 / Brian Willis

"There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative."

Robert Collier

Last week while waiting to catch a flight at O'Hare airport in Chicago coming home from teaching in Fort Wayne, Indiana, I had the pleasure of having Joe as the United agent working my gate. I have encountered Joe before and he always has a great attitude. I watched him deal with cleaning staff, customers, and the flight crew. He treated everyone with respect and sincerity, even the First Officer for the flight who treated Joe like he wasn't even there.

I took the time to tell Joe how impressed I was with his great attitude and the way he treated everyone. Joe was very appreciative of the compliment and stated, "We are all here for the same reason, to get you out on time and make sure you have a great flight."

My responses was, "we may all be here for the same reasons, but not everyone brings the same attitude to the job." and I told him again how much I appreciated his attitude.

Im my travels, in my business and in life I encounter a lot of people who all allegedly have the same goal or mission. Some have great attitudes and make it a joy to deal with them. Some have crappy attitudes and make dealing with them a miserable experience.

The attitude you bring is infectious not only with your customers but with your peers.

I have written about attitude before, and will write about it again as it is often the one thing that makes the biggest difference.

What's Important Now? - Understand attitude is a choice. Choose well.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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Contact me at winningmind@mac.com to arrange for me to speak to your team, your organization or at your next conference.

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W.I.N. Wednesday: Our service sucks! Wanna still do business with us?

March 11, 2015 / Brian Willis

On a recent flight I was surprised to hear one of the flight attendents telling two of the other business class passengers that the service with their airline is horrible. She was telling them about a bad experience she had as a flier on the airline she worked for and was commiserating with them as they complained about some of the service they had recently received.

The flight attendant went on to tell this couple that the airline had hired a company that did the 'secret shopper' experience so they could provide the airline with feedback on every aspect of the customer experience with the aim of improving customer service. I am not sure how she knew they were not 'secret shoppers'.

As a customer the last thing I want to hear from any employee is that the service with that company sucks. Bitching about your employer, the company who pays your salary, in no way enhances by my view of you, or the company. If enough customers listen to you and leave and go to another airline, or another service provider then you may find yourself out of work.

What's Important Now? - If your organization has a reputation for service that sucks then do something about it. Ensure that I have a great experience in dealing with you. If I am bitching about the company to you then tell me you are sorry to hear that I had a bad experience with someone in the company and let me know that you will do whatever you can to ensure I have a great experience. Be an agent for change. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Take care.

Brian Willis

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

Please share this with your friends, family and co-workers and encourage them to go to www.lifesmostpowerfulquestion.com and subscribe so they never miss an issue of W.I.N. Wednesday.

Contact me at winningmind@mac.com to arrange for me to speak to your team, your organization or at your next conference.

Also check out:

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W.I.N. Wednesday: I suck at this, but I am working on it.

March 04, 2015 / Brian Willis

Ok. The theme this week in the three blogs that I write is to stand up and confess two areas where I struggle badly, in fact I suck at these:

Vulnerability.
Asking for help.

I struggle with being open about my feelings, my fears, my past failures and my insecurities. I am surrounded by a loving and supportive family and a network of friends and colleagues who who be glad to help me but, I am just not good at asking for help when I am struggling with aspects of my business or things in my personal life. I am not good at asking for help or just saying no when I get to the point of overwhelm.

Why? I am not sure. I am not sure if it is just my make up, the introvert in me, a man thing or a cop thing. Maybe it is a fear of appearing weak. Maybe it is a fear of being judged. Maybe it is a fear of appearing weak. Maybe it is all those things and more.

For years I never talked in my seminars about my struggles over the years with my weight, being bullied in school, or the decision I made as a teenage that resulted in me dropping out of high school part way through Grade 11 and living in the back seat of a car for months. I rarely talked about the point in my life at 18 years old when I was 60 pounds over weight, a high school drop out, a pack a day smoker working at a job that paid $325.00 per month and I made the decision to change my life and go after my childhood dream of becoming a police officer. Then a few years ago someone at the end of a full day seminar I taught asked me, “Have you always been like this?” When I nervously asked for clarification on what she meant by “Like this”, she said, “You stand up hear for 8 hours without notes and rattle off all these names, stats and stories. Have you always been this confident, dynamic speaker.” While I was embarrassed and flattered by the compliment built into the question it made me realize I had been speaking to this group for 7 years and never once spoke of my past. So that day, for the first time, I did reveal some of my ‘homeless living in a 64’ Plymouth’ story. I was nervous doing it but it seemed to resonate with the crowd.

I am not proud of that time in my life. I am not proud of how those decisions hurt my feelings. I am not proud of it but, I am the person I am today partly because of that experience. I was very nervous the first time I revealed this part of me to a law enforcement audience but the message seemed to resonate with many in the audience.

Over the past year I have begun to power the power and importance of vulnerability. I have had discussions with fellow law enforcement trainers about this. Watching Brene Brown's TED talks on vulnerability and then recently reading her book Daring Greatly opened my eyes and my mind even more to the importance of vulnerability.

I then watched a TED talk by Amanda Palmer, listened to her being interviewed by James Altucher and recently read her book The Art of Asking. The book is about vulnerability and the importance of being willing to ask our 'community', our 'tribe' and our family and friends for help when we need it.

I would encourage you to watch the TED talks, read the books and explore these issues in your life. I am very much a work in progress. I have begun asking for help in small ways and will start to ask you, the W.I.N. Community for help occasionally. When I ask for help it will be to help with something that serves the greater good and not just something that serves Brian.

So, I have a favour. I am continually amazed and inspired by the ways people find to apply W.I.N. In their personal and professional lives. Over the next week I would be grateful if you could get 3 to 5 new people to go to www.lifesmostpowerfulquestion.com and sign up for the W.I.N. newsletter. We currently have about 3000 people that subscribe to the newsletter and I would love to get that number over 10,000 so that we can continue to spread the message and change people's lives through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

Take care.

Brian Willis