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

Your light, not someone else’s

Too often we can find ourselves comparing our lives, our successes, our failures to the lives/successes/failures of others.

We can and should find inspiration/motivation from others, but we CANNOT and SHOULD NOT define ourselves that way.

Our lives are our own.

Your light is your own and it is very different from the light of every single other human being on this planet.

The only “people” we should compare ourselves to is who we were yesterday, and who we want to be tomorrow.

Don’t compare your light, SHARE your light!

Happy Thursday!

-Dr. Lindeman

Listen to learn, listen for success

“Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones who do more listening than talking.” —Bernard M. Baruch

How annoying is it when you are telling someone something, and they keep interrupting?

How annoying is it when people listen to respond, rather than listening to learn?

How often are you that annoying? 🙂

I am guilty of this at times.

Sometimes it is because we are bursting with excitement, eager to contribute to the conversation. That in itself isn’t a bad thing.

The problem arises in that when we listen to respond, we aren’t actually listening at all. Instead we are formulating what we want to say, rather than learning from others. We aren’t opening our minds nor our hearts to them, instead we are solely focused on allowing our brain to flex it’s muscles.

Leading with love is always the best choice.

There is a book I read a while back: Listening is an Act of Love. It’s a great book, and the title is poignant.

When we TRULY listen to others, we open our hearts, souls, minds and our worlds to possibility.

When we TRULY listen, we gain experience and insight that can lead to success (no matter how you define it) in our lives.

So on this glorious Wednesday, take time to LISTEN to others. Or in other words:

Have a fantastic day!

-Dr. Lindeman

P.S. Check out this blog for more insight on this topic: https://www.becomingminimalist.com/shhh/

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

Toxic positivity

I recently discovered the term “toxic positivity.”

Toxic positivity is the belief that no matter how dire or difficult a situation is, people should maintain a positive mindset. It’s a “good vibes only” approach. (Taken from http://www.verywellmind.com)

I choose to be positive, and I write about positivity not because I see the world through rose-colored glasses, but because I decide to realize the world is a beautiful place.

I whole-heartedly believe that when circumstances are awful, we should recognize that, allow ourselves to grieve, mourn, cry, get frustrated, angry and lash out some even.

It is always ok to not be ok.

However, I also believe that it is up to ourselves to change our situation for the future. It is up to us to learn from any challenge and apply it toward a growth mindset.

The only way positivity can be toxic is in the absence of empathy. If someone (even if it is yourself) is going through some horrible situations, I don’t believe we should talk to them (ourselves) about maintaining positivity without acknowledging THE SUCK of the situation. First and foremost, be kind, listen, hug, comfort.

Also realize that part of the comfort is the belief/faith that all things pass and life will move on and in fact can become better, eventually.

Have a blessed Tuesday!

-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

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

UKNOWN IMPACT

Thank you to Jessica, my amazing office manager for sharing this today.

The truth is you NEVER know how much of an impact you make on someone’s life.

Another truth: usually the little things make a much BIGGER impact than you think they will.

Don’t for a second, make the grave mistake of thinking that the little things you can do for others will not add up to a larger impact.

Your smile, your kind words, your compassion MATTER WAAAAAAAY more than you will ever measure.

Have fun making a positive impact today!

Happy Wednesday!

-Dr. Lindeman