The Strategic Living Podcast with Brian Holmes

SLP126 - Monday Mastery Edition : The Principle of Prosperity

In this episode, I explore the Principle of Prosperity.

SLP125 - Your Mindset Matters

We’ve talked before about how beliefs are formed and how your internal hard-drive contains a lifetime of inputs and experiences your behavior is governed by. It’s true people act according to how they perceive truth – whether or not it’s actually true.

But what does our mindset have to do with the way we lead? Do our core beliefs affect the way we dream or plan or influence others?

In today’s episode, we’ll look at these and other questions as we unpack how Your Mindset Matters: The Way You Think Determines The Way You Lead.

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…
~ Proverbs 23:7 

Mindset:

Every area of our lives is affected by our  mindset. Victim mindset produces hopeless situations. Poverty mindset produces helpless situations. Controlling mindset produces rigid environments. But let’s focus on some positives when it comes to the power of our mindset! Aspire to adopt these traits in your own life:

10 Qualities of a Leader’s Mindset:

1: Vision

A leader does not allow the past to determine the future. They SEE possibilities and convey them to those who are following.

2: Personal Growth

Leaders posses the desire to grow intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and in their influence. Leaders are committed to a lifetime of learning.

3: WE, not ME

A leader effectively mines the talents, skills, and gifts of the collective and leads the group to the full realization of their potential. The spotlight is on the team, not the individual.

4: Ownership

A leader takes ownership, responsibility, and accountability. They never blame others or pass the buck.

5: Innovation

Leaders live and think outside the box. They find ways to solve problems, even if those solutions are uncommon, unheard of, or unconventional.

6: Investment

Leaders not only invest in their own personal growth, but in the growth and development of others. They train, coach, and develop others with a heart of genuine service.

7: Empowerment

A leader promotes and empowers their followers to achieve, and are not threatened by the success of their team.

8: Patience

A leader understands the law of the seed, in it taking time for someone (or something) to grow and mature into full potential.

9: Abundance

Leaders expect prosperity and success, and believe when there is vision, resources will appear.

10: Leading by Example

A leader is not a manager, telling everyone what to do and when. A leader is in the trenches, working alongside, and rushing in rather than simply distributing orders.

Reflection Questions:

1. What beliefs do you hold that may handicap your leadership?

2. Are there areas in your thinking that need to change in order for you to become more effective in life?

3. Look at the fruit of your life and leadership. Examine it closely. Is it time to till up some hard ground and establish a new way of thinking?

Closing Thoughts:

• You will rise to the level of your mindset. No more.
• Your mindset matters in life AND in leadership!

SLP124 - Monday Mastery Edition : The Principle of Personal Growth

Welcome to our video blog and Monday Mastery Edition of our Strategic Leader Podcast with Brian Holmes! Each Monday, we provide a video & podcast audio segment designed to encourage, motivate, challenge, and develop you as a leader and influencer.

In this episode, I explore the Principle of Personal Growth.

SLP123 - Making the Pivot from Status Quo to So Much More : An Interview with Mike Kim

Mike Kim is an author, speaker, marketing consultant, communications strategist, and copywriter. He has many talents and a long list of major contributions he has already made during his young life.

Mike is a musician, leadership expert, fellow masterminder, and I’m blessed to be able to call him a personal friend. Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to the one and only: Mike Kim.

More About Mike:

Mike Kim ditched his comfy C-suite marketing job in pursuit of career freedom. His goal is to help leaders like you parlay your past work into a profitable personal brand. You can start now by downloading his free eBook, The Do-It-Yourself Blog Guide at mikekim.com.

Mike is a full-time entrepreneur helping others get their businesses and platforms off and running. Prior to his present work, he experienced several transitions – pivots – he knows led him to where he is (and thriving!) today. He talks about his experience, what he learned from his pivots, and shares with us his course designed to help you navigate the pivots in your own life as well!

Connect With Mike:

Website

Facebook

The Pivot Course

Closing Questions:

1. Do you recognize yourself in the place Mike was talking about today?
2. Do you need to make a pivot, or even a total change in your life?
3. Are you committed to abandoning the status quo, and taking your life and leadership to the next level?

SLP122 - Monday Mastery Edition : The Principle of Hard Work

Welcome to our video blog and Monday Mastery Edition of our Strategic Leader Podcast with Brian Holmes! Each Monday, we provide a video & podcast audio segment designed to encourage, motivate, challenge, and develop you as a leader and influencer.

In this episode, I explore the Principle of Hard Work.

SLP121 - The Plague of People Pleasing

Hi. My name is Brian Holmes, and I am a recovering people pleaser. But before you get your feathers ruffled, I’m willing to bet you’re one, too!

Why do so many of us struggle with this disease? What drives us to say yes when we know we shouldn’t? Is it possible to break free from people pleasing and performance-based acceptance?

In this episode, we’ll answer these questions and more as we talk about The Plague of People Pleasing and How You Can Break Free.

You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.”
~ John Lydgate

What is the ROOT of this plague?

Most often, the people-pleasing tendency can be tracked back to a relationship or an event where one’s value was inherently linked to their performance.

What is the RESULT of this plague?

• We say yes when we know we should say no.
• We accept jobs that do not bring us satisfaction or benefit us financially.
• We make promises we can’t keep.
• We create an unsustainable life!

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you have a hard time saying “no”?

2. Do you find yourself striving to meet what you perceive to be other people’s expectations?

3. Do you lose self-esteem when people criticize or question you?

4. Do you often find yourself trying to help people understand why you are doing what you are doing?

5. Do you feel as though you never measure up?

6. Are you consumed with seeking approval or recognition?

7. Are you a people pleaser?

7 Truths You Must Embrace:

1. You are loved, accepted, and approved of by God.

2. You have tremendous value.

3. Your value is not based on what you do, but who you are.

4. The people in your life will always have their expectations of you, but only you can determine what you expect from yourself.

5. People pleasing is a plague. It will only bring you misery, frustration, and less than success.

6. You cannot expect people to understand where you are or where you are going. They simply cannot.

7. “If you live for people’s acceptance, you will die from their rejection.” ~ LeCrae

Tips For Breaking Free:

• Unplug for a moment.
• Decompress and take the pressure off yourself.
• Evaluate by listing your gifts, talents, abilities, and qualities.
• Get Clarity. Who am I, and why am I here?
• Identify the areas you feel you need to please others.
• Ask. Why? What is the root of this need in me?
• Decide. I will resolve this root issue and I will no longer be driven by fear.
• Create boundaries. Make decisions ahead of time.
• Be Accountable.
• Practice “no”.

Closing Thoughts:

• We teach people how to treat us.
• Most people love you as long as you fit in the box they’ve created for you.
• Don’t be afraid to disappoint. Do what is right and let the chips fall where they may.

SLP120 - Monday Mastery Edition : The Principle of Discipline

Welcome to our video blog and Monday Mastery Edition of our Strategic Leader Podcast with Brian Holmes! Each Monday, we provide a video & podcast audio segment designed to encourage, motivate, challenge, and develop you as a leader and influencer.

In this episode, I explore the Principle of Discipline.

SLP119 - How To Recognize and Successfully Navigate Significant Transition

There are many people experiencing some type of transition in their lives right now. Whether it’s in a career, relationships, faith, or life in general, we experience transition on a consistent basis. But, how do we know when we’re in transition? How do we identify, or even embrace, the end of a season in our lives?

I’m glad you asked! In this episode, I want to share with you the Four Stages of a Successful Transition AND the 7 Keys to Completing a Successful Transition!

Change is inevitable, but what will you do when change comes to you? Transition is something we’ll all experience. It’s the place between the way things were and the way they will be.

What is Transition?

The following excerpt was taken from an article www.Therarive.com

In the simplest terms, transition is change. In a broader sense however, transitions are life’s way of asking us to reexamine our present way of being. These transitions can be predictable such as a child leaving for college or marriage, or they can be unpredictable, such as the sudden death of a loved one or a traumatic accident. Whatever the degree or intensity of the event, every transition we experience has one thing in common. It forces us to make changes to our existing life. And with change, comes resistance. A major life transition literally closes one chapter of our life, and starts a new one, putting us in a new place and direction that we have not walked before. It is often a very difficult adjustment as we endure intense feelings of fear, doubt, and uncertainty.

Transitions typically mark an ending followed by a time of self-reflection, which hopefully, leads to a new beginning or outlook on life. Every life transition asks us to let go of a past way of thinking or doing. By doing so, we are given the opportunity to replace the old way of being with something new. During the transitional period, however, we usually feel uncomfortable, almost disconnected with our environment and even ourselves.

While this is natural to some extent, if you can’t move through this phase, these feelings can often overwhelm you, sending you spinning out of control into emotional turmoil. Many times, people turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to numb the anxiety and stress of these transitional times. Admittedly, life isn’t always fair, but often the most good comes out what seems at the time to be a completely overwhelming experience. 

Whatever the transition, counseling with a professional counselor is an excellent opportunity to help you take stock of your life and move forward into your new beginning with less pain and resistance.

Transitions are difficult because we unconsciously or even consciously resist change. As humans, it seems like every fiber of our being is innately programmed to resist anything new or unknown to us, most likely a result of our basic self-preservation instinct. Whether we realize it or not, even good changes can cause us to feel stressed and uneasy. On some level, we are simply not comfortable with the unknown.”

4 Stages of Transition:

1. Discontent

• What has been no longer satisfies you. Much like pain and discomfort.

2. Disconnect

• If you’re going to embrace opportunities ahead of you, you must disconnect from the old (or current) practices. You can’t hold on to the past and embrace the future at the same time.

3. Discovery

• Pursue understanding of what your opportunities and possibilities are.

4. Deployment

• Full engagement in your calling.

Change is inevitable, progress is optional.”
~ Tony Robbins

7 Keys to Completing a Successful Transition:

1. Learn to recognize when something’s season has come to an end.

• Is there still passion? Fulfillment? Joy?
• Is what you’re doing bearing fruit?
• Is the relationship in question mutually beneficial?
• Is where you are limiting your forward, upward progress?

2. Embrace change.

• Grieve over the loss of the known, then anticipate the next chapter.
• Set your sights on what is ahead.
• Know change, properly handled, produces growth and progress, which produces new opportunities and prosperity.

3. Let go of the past.

• Hurts
• Failures
• Disappointments
• Relationships
• Past wins or successes
• Unforgiveness

4. Identify the opportunities.

• New relationships
• New career/business
• New circles
• New levels
• New ideas

5. Concentrate on growth areas.

• What do I need to know?
• What resources do I need to pursue?
• What areas in my life require personal development?
• What new disciplines must I acquire?

6. Commit to your future.

• Your next chapter is designed to be greater than the last.
• God has plans for you, and they are awesome.
• Commit to yourself, and commit to your future.

7. Exercise faith.

• You don’t have to understand it all!
• Be willing to step into the new, even if you can only see one step.
• Trust God’s leadership in your life.
• Trust His plans.
• Believe you can succeed and accomplish the task.

Closing Thoughts:

• Embrace the discontent.
• Be willing to disconnect.
• Set your heart on discovering what is possible and what is new.
• Engage with all your heart.

SLP118 - Monday Mastery Edition : The Principle of the Seed

Welcome to Monday Mastery with Brian Holmes! Each Monday morning, we provide a video & podcast audio segment designed to encourage, motivate, challenge, and develop you as a leader and influencer.

In this segment, I explore the Principle of the Seed.

SLP117 - 10 Questions You Must Answer If You Want 2016 To Be A Breakout Year

I believe in spite of all the challenges we’re presently facing in our world, opportunities abound. But if you believe and are willing to stretch yourself, this can – and will! – be one of the greatest seasons of your life.

How can we rise above the status quo, and take our lives and our leadership to a level we’ve never experienced before? How can we make sure this year is not simply a repeat of last year?

I want to have you answer 10 questions today that will help set you down the path to new beginnings and achievements this year. Here are 10 Questions You Must Answer If You Want 2016 To Be A Breakout Year.

He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” ~ Chinese Proverb

Change requires movement. Movement requires action. Action requires commitment. Commitment requires a decision be made. Decisions require information, and dependable, trustworthy information requires questions be asked.

Until you ask questions, your information is accidental.” ~ Dr. Mike Murdock

10 Questions to Ask Yourself:

#1 Who am I, and why am I here?

• What is the purpose I was created for?
• What contribution am I supposed to leave in my lifetime?

#2 What do I want in 2016?

• relationships
• health
• financial growth
• career/business shift
• spiritual growth

#3 What have I accepted as “normal” that is actually unacceptable and self-defeating?

• unhealthy connections
• job I’m unhappy in
• hurtful or abusive relationships
• toxic environments
• negativity
• lack of discipline
• poverty
• unhappiness

#4 What am I no longer willing to tolerate?

• list each thing/person
• be specific

#5 What actions/changes am I willing to make TODAY?

• list each one
• be specific

#6 What relationships do I need in my life that I presently do not have?

• mentor/coach
• friends
• mastermind group

#7 What relationships do I presently have in my life that I need to walk away from?

#8 Do I have clearly articulated goals for 2016?

#9 Do I have a personal development plan for 2016?

#10 At the end of 2016, what has to have happened for me to feel I’ve experienced a breakout year?

Closing Thoughts:

• You cannot lead someone else somewhere you have not been.
• Honest, thought-provoking questions foster an awakening of potential and possibility.
• Refuse the status quo and become the leader God intended you to be!