When Chet asked me what month I wanted to Blog, I chose September, and one of the reasons was my intense interest in the Essential of Emotions/Emotional Intelligence. I have more books on my shelf on this subject than any other. It’s such an interesting subject and one I feel comfortable with and would enjoy writing about. Another reason was the fact that I was traveling for business and pleasure in the month of October, and it might be more comfortable writing from home in September.. But then a whole series of events took place which are not important here and I ended up with October and now sitting in a hotel room, it’s 3:30 am (could not sleep, different time zone) writing this blog. And sharing a few thoughts, with a few, who might need some encouragement, maybe a different perspective or just an idea.
Comfortable, that dang word just keeps popping up (Trigger) as if it really is going to change something! Being more comfortable, “better write from home, might be to much travel, what if I’m in another time zone, pressed for time”…..YES, I’m embarrassed writing these BS thoughts/triggers! And that is what the mind does, and what can we do to manage that kind of thinking? Well, let’s consider what Chet is offering this morning in our reading.
“So, what does the wise leader do? They look in the mirror, not out the window. They build within. The stronger your core, the more consistent your reaction to the input of life.
So wise leader, what Productive Action are you taking each morning to build within? I answer that question every am and this is one of my bolted on beliefs. Transformation won’t happen in your life until your thoughts begin to change. So, when I realized I was going to be writing in October, I knew those triggers would probably want to invade my mind again, and I have learned how to manage those thoughts and triggers with the following ritual.
My morning ritual is what I have control over and through my morning ritual/my process I gain confidence, mental peace, and a stronger core. Let me explain, I wake up early, I pray for my family, friends, my partners, those who need my prayers and for guidance. I then read one daily Spiritual exercise and Chet’s Blog. I then write what I believe to be the melody line for me and how I can apply it in my life. This is a daily ritual, one small step each day, thinking, praying, reading, and applying, Daily Productive Action, CORE Building.
One of the things I did to orient my mind to the subject of Wisdom, the Essential we are studying and practicing this month, was to read about Wisdom and those short prophetic sayings or Proverbs wise men have been sharing for thousands of years. “By definition, proverbs come from wise, thoughtful people who have condensed their observations on life into short, clever sayings that ring true to our own life experience.”
One Proverb and one Thought…..
Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. Proverbs 4:23
Chet has written approx… 3,600 blogs, one each day for 17 + years. I would be willing to bet he had a few uncomfortable days in the process but managed to stick to his ritual of writing, (core building). That’s the mindset of a High Performer!
BUILT TO LEAD 
Great reminder the war to win is the battle of the mind, Pete. As Jim told our band this morning — “it’s the battle within.”