Small steps

How I started using baby steps to bring about positive change in my life | by Adam Kruger | Ascent Publication

“Small steps may appear unimpressive, but don’t be deceived. They are the means by which perspectives are subtly altered, mountains are gradually scaled, and lives are drastically changed.”
― Richelle E. Goodrich, Making Wishes: Quotes, Thoughts, & a Little Poetry for Every Day of the Year

I think that many times, when we look at where we want to go in our lives, we can become discouraged at the GAP between here and there.

We make the HUGE mistake of focusing on the end result, way out in the distance (and many times, that “finish line” continues to move further away as our aspirations change as well) instead of realizing the only way we will get there is to put one foot in front of the other in that general direction.

I use the word general on purpose, because I also believe we make the mistake of thinking from here to there will be a straight line…

It is never a straight line…

So today, do two major (minor) things:

Take a baby step in the general direction of where you want to go, and who you want to be.
Realize you may veer a bit right or left, up or down toward the horizon

Do both of these things, and then when you lay your head down tonight, know you have succeeded this Wednesday!

-Dr. Lindeman

The Power of Positive Summit

So, if you’ve read anything I’ve ever written, you probably know I’m a believer in finding the positive, and that positivity is a choice.

That’s why I LOVE what Jon Gordon and his team put together once a year.

Check it out here: https://www.powerofpositivesummit.com

There are a lot of bite-sized inspirational talks, given by people from all walks of life (coaches, speakers, charity founders, teachers) and they are wonderful.

Some of my favorite quotes so far:

“You don’t choose your negative thoughts but you can choose not to listen to them”-Jay Glazer

“The best way to win the day is to win the moment. Moments turn into days, days into weeks and weeks into years.”-Doshia Woods

“Unshakeable confidence isn’t about the results. It’s about self awareness.”-David Nurse

“It’s not always the path of least resistance that gets you where you want to go, it’s the path that’s worth taking”-Sam Acho

“When we focus on honoring others as our mission in life, differences fade. Prejudice becomes a foreign concept.”- Miles McPherson

There are a LOT more. You should definitely check it out.

You most likely will find something there to help fuel you daily, and I guarantee it will make your Tuesday a little happier!

-Dr Lindeman

Growth not accolades

In his book, The Infinite Game, Simon Sinek discusses the ideas of constant improvement.

Too often, businesses (and individuals) look at this constant improvement in the form of procedures, policies, accolades, awards, etc.

There is absolutely nothing wrong woth all of that.

However, the true idea of constant improvement should come in the forms of improving teamwork, mindset, skills, connection with others, compassion and leadership.

These traits are more important because they drive us to create a better now, and to leave a better legacy fo the sake of our family, friends, customers, loved ones and communities. The accolades are achieved as a result of these things.

The great (and sometimes frustrating, depending on how you choose to look at it) thing about these intrinsic improvements (as opposed to accolades and awards) is that there is no “finish line.” The goal is to constantly improve, not to “arrive.”

So today, envision your life improving for the sake of improvement and any awards, goals or et cetera are just mile markers along the infinite game of life.

Have an amazing Tuesday!

-Dr Lindeman

Don’t let fear drive

This is a great statement.

I believe that fear holds so many people back from achieving their dreams. As I wrote in my book, Purposely Positive, How to Live an Intentional and Inspired Life (I don’t really love quoting from my own book, but I’ll make an exception because it applies to this quote as well)

“The flip-side of inspiration is fear, and fear keeps you stuck right where you are. I’m not bad-mouthing fear here. Fear (like all emotions) is vitally important to your survival. If you didn’t have fear, plain and simple… you’d be fertilizer by now. A healthy fear of picking a fight with a honey badger is a good thing. Don’t lose that survival fear. The key is knowing the difference between that and the nonsense voices that fear puts into your head. Fear is about withdrawing (and with good reason), but it should never lead you.”

Fear is vitally important, but is should never drive you toward improvement.
Fear is almost always about the very-short-term. Fear does not create long-term success.

Fear should not be your chauffer on the drive to realizing your dreams.

Let fear have it’s say, but focus on your heart.

Focus on your why.

Focus on achieving your dreams that have rooted in your heart and soul.

Let your love drive you.

Have a fantastic Wednesday!

-Dr. Lindeman

Play the INFINITE Game

The above was taken from Simon Sinek’s book: The Infinite Game.

I just started reading it last night, but I love it!

Simon talks about the difference between finite games and infinite games in business, and in life.

Finite games are “played” with a goal of winning, beating the competition, becoming “the best.”

In life (and in business), the best things are truly INFINITE.

You don’t truly want to be “the best” at what you do. Because, in reality, you know that being the best is HIGHLY temporary. There will always be new players, new competition, new rules, new advancements, new hurdles, etc.

Take for instance, the NFL. The NFL is most likely switching to a 17 game season as opposed to a 16 game season. Think about how many “bests” will be beaten with one more game. Passing records, rushing records, sack records, etc. all have a HUGE probability to be beaten with the addition of one more game.

Being the best, ends.

Looking at FINITE successes eventually leads to a cold-end game.

Instead, as Mr. Sinek proposes, focus on infinite successes. Fulfillment > Victory.

Focus on fulfillment for you, your family, your friends, your community, and for future generations and you will lead a much happier life, and your “victories” will go on in the future, rather than being the used-to-be best.

Lead with inspiration. Focus on doing what you love for the betterment of others (and in return, you will reap rewards yourself-that’s the way this amazing universe works), rather than short-sighted gains of trying to get ahead.

Live a life focused on fulfillment and we WILL ALL benefit.

Have a fantastic, fulfilling Monday!

-Dr. Lindeman

You matter more than you know

I read “The Five People You Meet In Heaven” by Mitch Albom last weekend. It was a great, quick, and impactful read.

The premise is that a man (who doesn’t think too highly of himself) dies and when he gets to heaven, he meets 5 people.

Some he expected to meet there.

Some he most certainly did not.

Each person’s life intertwined with the main character’s at some point in a way that was much more profound than he thought.

In the end, Eddie (the main character), looks back and realizes his life impacted so many more people than he could fathom.

We are all connected, in some way. And what we do (our actions, our jobs, our attitudes, who we are) affects A LOT of other people.

The great news is that when you DECIDE to lean more toward the positive, you infect others with that positivity.

When you try to look at solutions rather than focus on the problems, others will do the same.

When you smile at a stranger, more than likely they smile back (and then they pass it on).

When you are INTENTIONAL about living your best self, you cannot help but make the world a bit better as well.

Which reminds me of one of my favorite pieces of writing by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

So go have a SUCCESSFUL Day!

Happy Tuesday!

-Dr. Lindeman

All Right

“I hear people keep talking, they saying I’m crazy
‘Cause I believe in myself and the way that I feel, yeah
But I know I’ll figure it out some day, ay
And everything will be okay
(Ah, ah, ah)
Some days I begin to forget
I’ve gotta begin to forget
The voices I hear in my head
And listen, give love and respect
To the feelings I feel in my chest
They say I know it’s all gonna be okay, ay
Yeah I know it’s all gonna be okay”-All Right by Cisco Adler and Gnash

Great song with a great vibe for this Wedensday!

Play it, listen, jam out and realize

It is all gonna be ALL RIGHT :)!

Happy Wednesday!

-Dr. Lindeman

Be Excellent!

Too often, I believe, we humans strive for “perfection.”

That trip is a fool’s errand. There is no “perfect” at the end of the journey. Perfection is in the eye of the beholder for one, and for two: true perfection doesn’t exist.

And you wouldn’t want that anyway.

If you could achieve the perfect (INSERT SOMETHING HERE), where would you go from there? The only way forward is to reverse.

And if you achieved perfection and just wanted to stay there, that would be incredibly boring, cold and NOT meaningful.

Instead, strive for excellence.

The journey toward excellence seems to be filled with a lot more joy, and that needle will constantly be able to be moved more to the right.

When you strive toward excellence, you will achieve much more satisfaction, the journey will never end, and you won’t give up in the pursuit.

Excellence is where it is at my friends!

Have an EXCELLENT Tuesday!

-Dr. Lindeman

Everything around you…

“That’s what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”-Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

TRUTH!

When we strive to improve ourselves, the AMAZING “side effect” is that we will improve those around us as well.

When you shine your light, you brighten everyone else’s day.

Don’t make the (all to common) mistake of thinking that moving toward your goals, your successes, somehow lessens those around us. That is a HUGE falsehood, and unfortunately, stifles so many people from achieving their goals.

Abundance is not limited.

If you are working toward improvement, and you do so with compassion, love, grit and not by stepping on those around you, you will help, not hinder others. On that note: If you achieve any success by pushing others down so that you may gain ground, that success will most definitely be short lived and shallow. (Most people do not fall into this category. I truly believe most people want to improve their lives, and not hurt others in the process).

So, today, work toward achievement, and take comfort in the FACT, your success only HELPS those around you.

Happy Thursday!

-Dr. Lindeman

Better Man

I have a real fond-ness for Judah and the Lion.

Their music always seems as if it comes directly from their souls.

Many songs are uplifting, and all of them seem to tug at heart strings (at least a little bit).

One song I have recently discovered is “Better Man.”

I love this stanza:

“Oh my hands to serve and love
My eyes to see and not to judge
My spirit now to rise within
And reign over my carnal skin“

As a chiropractor, any song that alludes to my hands serving already has me listening, but this stanza to me could be a meditation phrase, or a prayer for life.

And the chorus:

“And oh I just want to be a better man
And oh I just want to be a better man, yeah
And oh I just want to be a better man
And oh I just want to be a better man
As I go“

The chorus is pretty great too! I like to change the last line though from “As I go” to “As I GROW.” (I don’t think Judah nor his lion would mind me singing that to myself in my car).

As a business owner, especially as a chiropractor, I can tend to think of growth in #s, volume, etc. But this song reminds me that the true GROWTH I am looking for is growth from within. I want to grow as a person, father, husband, doctor, friend. I want to improve in all aspects, and the pacing of the song reminds me that growth is not meant to happen RIGHT AWAY.

I truly do want to grow to be a better man, and that growth feels best (and lasts) when it comes from my desire to serve, love, see and not judge, and when all of that combined comes from my spirit. So that is what I am going to work on daily…

So happy growth (from within) today people!

Happy Wednesday!

-Dr. Lindeman