This months we continue by encouraging everyone to take some time out. Time to refocus on the positives and look forward with renewed energy for the next half of the year.

All the Best

Damian and the team at MindStore Australia.

Use MindStore’s toolkit to be creative like Picasso

Several people who contacted us last month were challenged by May’s newsletter, regarding blocking time to think in their Calender.

I understand for many this is challenging, its different and it requires a change of thinking.

And that’s exactly WHY we all need to do it.

We all know the quote “Change your thinking, Change your life”.

If we don’t or won’t change, how can we expect things to be different.

With the cooler weather in many parts of Australia in the evening instead of reaching for the remote control, Why not have a TIME OUT…

not a chocolate bar, but some time out for you.

Everyone needs time to recharge, to review, to reassess and to reflect.

With the focus in business on the upcoming end of financial year, its an ideal time to take this time out for yourself.

Challenge yourself to sit in your bedroom and close your eyes, focus on your breathing, concentrate on breathing and resist the tendency for your mind to  “wander” manage your thinking. Your Mind is a huge Store for Creative Innovative thinking, practise accessing it for improved quality time to recharge, to review your day to see that you did the best you could and to reassess your next day and reflect on how you could think, listen and act with greater clarity to achieve more.

Remember  its true ” Everyone needs some time out”

Book Review:

Drive- The surprising truth about what motivates us by Daniel Pink

This is an ideal book to dip in and out of after your TIME OUT time.

Enlightening and full of ideas about changing our thinking and how we are motivated to achieve more.

To find out more or order the book click on the link: http://www.danpink.com/drive

And Finally……….

“Poirot, ” I said ” I have been thinking”

“An admirable exercise my friend. Continue it” Poirot responds.

Agatha Christie, Pearl at End House

This months thought is about being Mindful in May. In a short example consider making time to think about your appointments Calendar and maybe blocking out some time to THINK. Sounds radical I hear you say!

Welcome also to everyone from the Miners Health and Wellbeing Conference who have joined our Newsletter this month.

Finally I trust you are all going to motivate yourselves to make time to have a Magnificent May!

 THINK….

THINK….

THINK

Ever heard yourself or collegues saying ” I don’t have time to think” or “I can’t hear myself think”

As you can imagine, your not alone. Often when working with clients a common issue people raise is their work Calendar. Meeting after meeting seems inevitable. As this is May how about thinking about being more Mindful of your Calendar.

Dare yourself to say NO to a meeting request, and use that time for reflection on current challenges with space to THINK.

Also challenge yourself to think about each appointment before accepting it.

Is it carved in stone, who set it for you?

How many do we attend even when others in our team attend?

Do we attend because in our organisations culture, everyone needs to know everything?

Do we believe that if someone thinks we are needed in a meeting, we cannot turn it down, we are leaders so we must be required?

Why not open your calendar, take a deep breath and pause for a moment, do you feel your chest, neck or stomach tighten just by looking at the volume of appointments. What is that telling us, if we listen? Is it good for us?

Is this the best use of our time? Are we effective leaders if we allow ourselves to be in 8 meetings a day 5 days a week. Where do we have space to lead, to think differently, to innovate.

How different would your week be if you questioned the volume of meetings, delegated more, intentionally left spaces in your week for connecting with colleagues and reports face to face. What do you feel the impact would be if you made space in your day to ask if there was better ways to do things, more productively, more socially responsible, more profitably?

As Wayne Dyer said “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

Book of the Month:

Use Your Head by Tony Buzan

Several people asked about MindMaps after last months Newsletter. So here is an easy to read book by the inventor of Mindmaps. Full of great examples and easy ways to develop this great tool yourself.

Here is a link to the book:

http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Use-Your-Head-Tony-Buzan/9781406644272

This month I thought about changing the format a little, being inspired by the content in the book of the month “The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs”

We also had great feedback last month on our book of the month for kids based on Stephen Coveys 7 habits. It is always great to get your feedback. Thanks for making time to read this. We always endeavour to make it motivational and give you some food for thought.

Trust you are going to be inspired to create an Awesome April for yourself.

Change is the law of Life

Taking action and changing the format of the Newsletter this month I have decided to expand on some of the quotes I was reviewing for my presentation at the upcoming Miners Health & Wellbeing Conference**

I trust you can find a quote about change and the future which sparks your passion and you decide to make some changes in your professional and personal life so you to can “make a ding in the universe”!

Quick Quotations to inspire:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward: you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” Steve Jobs

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Peter Drucker

“Change is the law of life. and those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.” JF Kennedy

“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.” Thomas Jefferson.

“Ordinary people believe only in the possible. Extraordinary people visualise not what is possible or impossible, but rather what is impossible. and by visualising the impossible, they begin to see it as possible.” Cherie Carter-Scott.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the one’s we have been waitng for. We are the change that we seek.” Barack Obama.

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer.

“You see things: and say , “Why?” But I dream things that never were: and say “Why not?” George Bernard Shaw

“To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” Buddha.

** Click here details of the Miners Health and Wellbeing Conference:

http://www.informa.com.au/conferences/mining-conference/operational-mining-conference/miners-health-and-wellbeing-conference

If you are going to the conference let me know it would be fantastic to catch up with you.

A final thought………..

BOOK REVIEW:
The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs – Insanely Different Principles for Breakthrough Success

Many of you will know lots about Steve Jobs already. This book covers the known stories but also some new ones like Dysons 5123 failures and why Steve trusted his instinct to take a Calligraphy class not knowing why he was being guided to it.

The overriding message is that the secret of success is to follow your passion and do what you love. Available as an audio book which I found fantastic for listening to when driving and inspiring me rather than listening to the negativity of the news reports.

Here is a link to the book:

http://www.booktopia.com.au/the-innovation-secrets-of-steve-jobs-carmine-gallo/prod9780071748759.html?gclid=CNmawfPTnrYCFUpgpQodVyYAuw

This month we look at a Scotsman who dared to think BIG.

Plus we have a book for any children in your life to guide them in their life.

Anyone guess the relevance of the title above?

They are the first words spoken and received by telephone.

Why is that relevant this month?

Well, Alexander Graham Bell the Scottish Inventor was born this month back in 1847. Also it was on 10th March 1876 that he got his invention “talking with electricity” to work.

He had the attributes we have covered in previous newsletters:
•the ability to dare to think BIG
•to set himself huge goals
•to have a positive mental attitude towards achieving his goals.

The significance of his invention is that for the 30 years prior to his invention people had been using the telegraph, which was a far quicker method of communicating than by letter and post.

But Bell thought BIG, he thought there was a quicker, faster way to communicate and he set his mind to inventing it.

You see he avoided seting a small goal within his comfort zone, he set a HUGE goal that many laughed at as being crazy and unachievable. But we know its the crazy ones who change the world. Think Einstein, Jobs, Ghandi, Mandella….

•His passion for his goal drove him to overcome all of the challenges and hurdles
•he had positive control of his attitude and did not give up
•he accessed both sides of his brain to think creatively around challenges
•he visualised the Future.

At Mindstore we specialise in sharing with people simple tools to enable everyone to access these same qualities. Those that empower us to improve our performance from ordinary to extraordinary.

And finally……………..

Thanks for making time out to read this. We always endeavour to make it motivational and give you some food for thought.

Trust you are having a Marvellous March.

All the Best

Damian and the team at MindStore Australia.

Last month was about Embracing 2013 along with its changes and challenges. Little did we expect the challenges that ex tropical cyclone Oswald unleashed last week!

Our thoughts are with all of those individuals and organisations affected by the storms and hope that they can muster the strong positive mental attitute we all have in us to go forward tackling the challenges faced.

Thanks for making time out to read this. We always endeavour to make it motivational and give you some food for thought.

Have a fabulous February from Damian and the team at MindStore Australia

Ex tropical cyclone Oswald was pounding our roof, lashing our windows and snapping trees all around us. Amongst this I was reminded of the above quote from Vivan Greene.

We can choose our attitude we can have negative thoughts like: what a waste of the Australia Day holiday weekend, “being stuck in the house or we can choose to have a more positive grateful attitude ” we needed this rain” or ” with the power off I have to think of imaginative ways to entertain the kids without TV or Xbox”

Everything in life requires us to have the correct attitude.

Take 2m 45 seconds to watch this youtube clip of the appropriately named poem “Weather Report” by BJ Gallagher.
Enjoy.

A final thought………..

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it” Henry Ford

In case you needed help with the translation this traditional Scottish greeting says ” A good New Year to one and all, and many may you see!”

As you will remember Decembers newsletter was about Walt Disney embracing changes in the movie industry seeing the change as an opportunity while others saw it as a challenge.

This month in our later than normal edition we pick up on the Sydney New Years Eve Fireworks theme of “EMBRACE”

Thanks for making the time to read this, I appreciate it’s one of many in your inbox. We always aim to make your time reading it inspiring, motivational, worthwhile and give you something to think about and hopefully take some action too!

Have a wonderful January, embrace a can do attitude and unfold a fantastic 2013 for yourself.

All the best from Damian and the MindStore Australia Team

Embrace 2013 and the Changes and Opportunities

As you will all remember the Sydney New Years Eve Fireworks theme was EMBRACE.

Embrace:
•the moment
•the possibilities
•new ideas
•change and opportunities
•the potential that tommorrow holds
•love

I think we should add another one that enables you to achieve the others embrace a “can do” attitude. Because by developing that mindset, you open your mind up to focusing on the opportunities that are there for you.

Why not make some time to think, to envisage what Goals you would want to embrace for 2013 and beyond. This is a fantastic time to take time out, and commit to writing some inspiring goals for yourself both professionally and personally to work towards this year. Embrace the amazing potential you have to be, do and have more in 2013.

Finally on the topic of goals, remember extraordinary people write their goals down, less than 4% of the population. Be one of them in 2013. If you think your goals are challenging think of President Obama as the inauguration happens on the 21st of this month, he has set a goal for a 2nd term and I bet you he mentally visualised daily being sworn in, even when all the negativity around him told him he could not win. That’s the power of a winning can do attitude.

If you fancy a quick two minute break , instead of grabbing another coffee, pour yourself a glass of cool, refreshing water and click this link below to watch the fireworks and be inspired to think about what embracing a positive “can do” attitude would do for you and your colleagues at work as well as your family and friends.

Book Review Corner

WINNING ATTITUDES, sports wisdom for achievement in life introduced by Herb Elliott

This months book is filled with inspiring positive attitude messages from legendary Aussie sports stars. It’s only 150 pages and pocket book sized, it makes for a great book to have in your office desk for moments when you need a boost. Here is a link to the book:http://www.booktopia.com.au/winning-attitudes-herb-elliott/prod9781742704289.html

As many of you know, at MindStore we fundamentally believe that “All performance is due to the quality of our thinking”. If you would like to find out more about having us deliver our fantastic goal setting tools and techniques in your organisation drop us an email or call Damian directly on 0438058160.

Until next time, thanks again for taking time out in your day to read this newsletter or share it with colleagues, we trust you found something of interest.

Have a Fantastic January!

And Finally………..

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal. Nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”

Thomas Jefferson (3rd President of United States of America)

Yet everytime it raises its head we find people and organisations either hide in the sand or get creative, meet it head on and use it to their advantage.

An example of this is back to 1927 and Hollywood, when great change came upon the industry and its stars. The advent of sound in movies. No longer silent movies the “talking pictures” had arrived. For many in the industry it was an unsurmountable challenge. Stars like Charlie Chaplin refused to have his character speak and he was left behind. He couldn’t or wouldn’t make the transition from Silent to Sound. He couldn’t or wouldn’t change.
However in 1928 just one year later a small mouse made its debut in the first talking cartoon the world had seen (and heard) “Steam Boat Willie” it amazed the movie industry and audiences alike. With Steam Boat Willie – Walt Disney had seen an opportunity and grasped it. He saw the change in the industry and changed with it.

Disney had a knack for sensing change, getting creative and turning it to his advantage.

In the 1950′s another change rocked Hollywood -Television. Once again Disney was there ready to take advantage of the change, see it as an opportunity. Some resisted the change saying it would destroy the movie industry, why watch movies when you could see shows in your own home?
But Disney like many of the extraordinary people through history saw the opportunity.

Thinking differently to everyone else he had an creative idea.

He wanted to create “Disneyland” and needed the finances to get it established- he saw TV as the fundraiser and a promotional tool for his new project. He agreed a deal with a major network, then provided an exclusive weekly show called “Disneyland” and got the funding he needed. At the same time viewers all over USA tuned in to watch and he would show them snippets of the park being built. This built excitment and anticipation in his growing market of potential guests.

You can see in the above story that the changes in Hollywood some survived, others didn’t, those who saw the change as an opportunity, got creative and took control.

The questions to ask are:
How do we deal with change? Do we hide or do we reinvent ourselves?
Do we have the skills to be creative?
Do we have the ability to focus on the opportunities not the dangers?
Do we resist change, prefering the good old days, or do we embrace change with a positive “can do” attitude?

It is the creative companies, the ones where people are empowered to be creative that are best placed to deal with change, to see the opportunities the change brings and maintain their competitive edge.

Now more than ever, as we head into 2013, is the time to start thinking creatively and have creativity flowing in your organisation and its people. It is more than just a culture statement on your website, it is visable, palpable when you walk into your premises or meet your people.
Creativity is not just a fantastic insurance policy against change- but a huge driver to maximise from it.

We can provide tools for improved Creativity in your organisation if you are interested in finding out more contact us on enquiries@mindstoreaustralia.com

Sources: The man behind the magic, the story of Walt Disney – Katherine and Richard Greene, Viking 1991.

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