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

Worthy of the Miracle of Life

“Because, once we have overcome the defeats-and we always do-we are filled by a greater sense of euphoria and confidence. In the silence of our hearts, we know that we are proving ourselves worthy of the miracle of life.”-Paulo Coelho, Rio de janeiro, Novemebr 2002 (from the forward in The Alchemist)

I love this book!

I have read it a few times already and am re-reading again.

Such a simple, but moving story about following your soul’s purpose, especially when you aren’t even sure exactly what that purpose is. As long as you are doing things in life that light you up a bit, that make you feel antsy inside but also warmth, you are on the right track.

The key is to do something, anything that lights you up a bit inside. Follow the “omens” as Paulo describes them, and you will find happiness, in fact you will CREATE happiness, in your life.

I highly recommend this brief read (multiple times).

Have a fantastic Tuesday!

-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

“Maybe Happiness is Sometimes.”

I just finished the book, “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” by Lori Gottlieb. It is a great book!

I loved the statement one of her patients made to her “Maybe happiness is sometimes.”

Too often, we humans think in absolutes and extremes.

I am happy or I am sad.

I am “all in” or I am doing nothing.

I am successful or I am a failure.

Life doesn’t work that way.

In fact:

————————————-The spectrum between extremes is long and beautiful—————————–

I believe that when we focus on the extremes, it gives us a reason to gravitate toward one end of that spectrum, and more often than not, it’s the side we want to be on.

The truth is, life is full of ups and downs, big wins, small failures, big failures, tiny victories, extreme jubilation, crippling depression, laughing out loud’s, chuckling very quietly’s, overwhelming fear, extreme confidence… and everything in between.

When we give too much power to the extremes in life, it renders our true existence powerless.

We need to realize that life is a conglomerate. And it is ok to be happy or victorious or depressed or successful SOMETIMES.

We can even substitute “sometimes” for “most times” on many of these things (and if we looked at our lives, we probably would realize we gravitate more toward the positive side than the negative) and that is truly O.K.

In fact, that is why we are alive.

So, today, try not to focus on extremes. Realize that being somewhere along the scale is where we are supposed to be that moment, and that we can tip the scales in the direction we choose.

We don’t have to be successful or happy all the time (in fact, if that is our goal, we are doomed for failure).

Realize, life is a journey and no matter where we are right now, we can choose to get back on the ride and enjoy ALL OF IT.

Have a wonderful Wendesday!

-Dr.Lindeman

Fulfillment > Achievement

Thank you for this reminder, Simon Sinek.

The true joy in life comes not from the accolades, finish lines or etc.

True joy is found on the journey toward our goals.

We may not realize it at the time, because putting in the work to get to where we want to go, is hard.

However, without the “struggle”, our achievements would be far less meaningful.

The award you win for completing a 10k would be a glorified paperweight if it was easy to achieve.

Even an Olympic medal would be just another shiny object if winning it was easy.

So, no matter how hard the struggle is now, realize that in the end, this time, this toil and this work you are putting in will truly lead to a more fulfilling life.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

-Dr Lindeman

You cannot be too big to do the small things…

A little tongue-in-cheek but the message rings true.

If you have big dreams and aspire to accomplish a lot, you most definitely need to pay attention to how you do the “little things.”

In fact, the path toward a huge success is over with hundreds/thousands of small steps.

And if you can’t devote attention, drive and passion to the little steps, the big success will always remain just a dream.

Get busy on the little things today 🙂

Happy Monday

-Dr Lindeman

Friendly reminder

You are NEVER given anything you can’t handle.

Proof? You are reading this right now.

You will always presented with obstacles, or as my brother likes to call them “hurdles” in life.

They key is to just keep jumping. (Or in some cases, if that hurdle is meant for a giant, find another way around, under or through)

I truly hope you are not in the middle a huge tumultuous storm in your life right now, but if you are, I also hope you realize you have exactly what it takes to overcome, and to get to the calm on the other side.

You are THE ONLY person capable of living your amazing, exciting and challenging life.

Have an amazing Monday!

-Dr Lindeman