The Season of Hope
by Mark Sanborn

For everything there is a season. In Colorado that could mean a blizzard in April. You just never know.Generally, however, seasons are predictable. We ski in the winter, plant flowers in the spring, cook out in the summer and rake leaves in the fall. We know that certain activities are appropriate given the season.

The past year has been a figurative season of winter for many businesses and individuals. I have a highly skilled and capable friend who has been let go three times in the past year from as many different jobs, all due to the economy and the companies that employed him. He’s landed on his feet and has a great job once again, but the happy ending doesn’t always come as quickly for everyone.

I don’t know what you’re dealing with as you read these words. I hope this issue of my ezine finds you in a spring season of new beginnings with the promise of summer right around the corner.

But if your life, or your business, is still in a season of winter, what should you do?

As I drive to my office each morning I love seeing the Colorado Rockies in the distance. The view is magnificent. Some days the clouds and overcast obscure my view but-and here’s the point-I know the mountains are still there. It is just a matter of time and changing conditions before I see them again. In times of overcast and gloom, you can be encouraged that the mountains of future opportunity are still there.

Beyond waiting for the economic clouds to clear, is there anything you can and should be doing? I suggest you continue to hope. On the surface that sounds simple and maybe even maudlin, but consider how I define hope: hope is having something new to try and being willing to try it.

The worst thing you could do as you wait for summer is to stop trying. There are inexhaustible for ideas on overcoming circumstances, dealing with setbacks and succeeding despite the situation you find yourself in. Your challenge is twofold: first,lookfor those new ideas and second, trythem.

Not everything you do will work, or work as well as you’d like. But not trying has a very predictable outcome: failure.

My gift for you is one of encouragement, not the happy talk kind but born out of concrete life experience. I’ve lived long enough to see the clouds roll in for long periods, and I’ve experienced setbacks and disappointments that have ranged from frustrating to heartbreaking. In times like those I’ve been thankful for the person who reminded me that I was in a season of life that would eventually change as long as I didn’t give up hope; as long as I looked for new things to try and then kept trying them.

On Growth: Be a River  (Feature Blog) by Mark Sanborn  I’ve been listening to a CD of a panel presentation from a conference I recently attended. The participants were all long-time friends and colleagues in the speaking business. They are all highly successful in their respective fields and I’ve seen great growth in them and their careers over the years. The insights and perspectives they shared were very valuable and I have benefited from their collective wisdom. In listening, I was reminded of something very important about highly successful people. First, they invest regularly and significantly in their own growth. I know each of these individuals and they have spent serious time and money in seeking out the best resources, whether professional associations, coaches or educational experiences. Second, they become conduits of what they’ve learned. Each freely shares what they’ve learned with colleagues and clients. Their exceptional expertise has created great demand for their services. Not only have they profited from their skills and abilities, but they have been willing to help others who desire to do the same. They have become rivers. Highly successful people are more concerned with their growth than their comfort; they are more committed to learning than leisure. That means they invest in learning and development. But they don’t stop there. Not only do they share; they increase their expertise and abilities in the sharing. A wonderful synergy takes place when they help others. People learn from the successful, but the successful learn not just from the people they teach but from the teaching process itself. The lesson, if you aspire to become and stay successful: be a river.

Why Get Better?
by Mark Sanborn