2004 - Year of the Monkey - Go Bananas!

Well it's a new year, whether yours started on January 1st or on January 22nd with the new moon. Personally I like new years and use them for a time of reflection and planning. On Jan 2nd I climbed Mt. Kinabalu, at 4000m the highest mountain in S.E. Asia. This physical challenge reminded me of five power lessons that I had previously learned and needed to refocus on. I hope they are also meaningful for you.

1. The power of public statement
I had told a number of people that I was going to reach the summit. My reputation as a teacher of mind power and self leadership was certainly on the line. At no point during the climb, even when the stress of the altitude was getting to me, did I consider quitting - because I had said, "I'm going to do it."

2. The power of preparation
I knew I needed to get fit for the climb and I had started to increase my exercise program, but I was by no means ready when the time came to climb. I know with certainty that had I trained more, the climb and the descent would have been much more enjoyable. There are two lessons here; firstly that preparation makes any task easier to achieve, and secondly that you can't spend your life preparing - sometimes you have to just do it and you can still reach the goal.

3. The power of perspective
I think it was Socrates who said, "In order to understand the world you live in you have to get above it." By climbing through and then above the clouds you get a new perspective on the life you are living. For the final ascent to the summit of Mt. Kinabalu you have to get up at 2am and start climbing in the dark. I heard many of my fellow climbers say, "this is crazy." Later, in sight of the peak I saw a couple give up, and he said, "This is insane!" I took a different perspective; I thought, "It's insane to sit behind a computer screen all day or some other form of work that let's your body go soft or to quit in sight of your goal."

4. The power of vision
The view from the top is awesome, as you look right across Borneo. Being able to see across vast distances also encourages you to look across time, so I found myself easily planning the next 1, 5 and 10 years and making decisions about what things are important to me in business, relationships and health.

5. The power of success
There is something magical about setting a goal and achieving it. Just prior to reaching the summit I was exhausted but as I stood on the top I felt exhilarated and all the fatigue left me. I said to myself "I did it!" and noticed how that boosted my self-esteem and self-confidence. I will be carrying this feeling of success to all the new endeavours I have set for 2004.

Dr Martin Seligman in his work on optimism and its effects on health and success noted that to be optimistic you have to feel you have control over your actions and results. Achieving a goal, which is challenging relative to you, gives you a sense of control that can extend across various areas of your life. What goal have you set for 2004 that you will tell others about, prepare for and achieve?

Andrew Bryant
Author, Executive Coach,
NLP & Neuro-Semantic Trainer

Upcoming Trainings 2004:

The New Psychology of Sales
Effective selling or presenting requires excellent communication skills and the ability to build trust and rapport with many different types of people. You will learn the psychology of selling, and the secrets of communicating with influence.
Sydney, March 5th and 6th
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Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) &
Neuro Semantic International Certification
NLP is a model of human communication that has proven to be a powerful tool in business, teaching, training and therapy. Neuro-Semantics takes NLP to new levels by showing how humans think about their thinking and how this creates the results in their lives. Understanding Neuro-Semantics increases your emotional intelligence and your ability to lead yourself and others.
Sydney, March 14-20th
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Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia April 2nd-8th
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Singapore, April 18th-24th
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Referral Program
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