personal growth

How To Accept AND Excel

May 29, 2017 by Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. Leave a Comment

In my latest book, Thrive Principles, one of my strategies is Accepting What Is. Which has caused some readers to wonder how that fits into my ideas about constantly growing and changing.

They are not mutually opposed. Accepting What Is creates a beginning point, a starting line. From there, you can move toward who you want to be. You can build a life of meaning and purpose.

Many people struggle with where they are. But where we are is just that, our current spot. Not a permanent place, but a starting point.

This week, I discuss how to both Accept What Is AND plot a growth course to become the person you want to be. Make your impact with both sides of the equation.

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People Do The Best They Can

October 3, 2016 by Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. Leave a Comment

Other than a few people who were being self-critical and a bit harsh with themselves, I have yet to have someone say, “You know, I am just not trying. I am kinda sliding by, not really doing what I think I should.”

Almost everyone (other than those few who were really just sharing their personal self-criticism) tells me how they are doing the best they can. . . and not getting where they want to get to.

Over the years, I have decided that people really do the best they can, given where they are. That is a life precept for me — my way of viewing people. Admittedly, I have times when I have to remind myself of this little belief. Not because I stopped believing, but because I lost my empathy. Then I step back, see it again, and reaffirm that people do the best they can.

To be clear, that does not mean that we are all operating at optimal functioning. Far from it. “Where we are” is what keeps us from operating at a better place. It is just my belief that people are truly doing the best they (we) can, given where they (we) are.

Care to hear more? Listen to my podcast below (and just below are links to the rest of the Immutable Laws of Living Series).

Immutable Laws Of Living Series:
Life Isn’t Fair
Life Has Challenges
Life Isn’t About Happiness
A Thought Is A Thought
Every Perspective Is Limited
Change Is Inevitable

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Extend Your 3 Horizons to Thrive

September 21, 2015 by Lee H. Baucom, Ph.D. Leave a Comment

Extend your 3 horizons to really thrive. Sometimes, the horizon can seem to stretch in front of us forever. Sometimes, it seems that we are smack up against the world. We can’t see beyond where we are. We can’t see past our problems and struggles.

Time to extend and expand your horizons.

There are three horizons we can all expand: our problem horizon, opportunity horizon, and growth horizon.

When we can’t see past our problems, our problem horizon is limited. At those times, you can believe that there is nothing on the other side of a problem or situation.

Sometimes, we just can’t see any opportunities. Our opportunity horizon is too small, too close. There seems to be no options, no possibility, no opportunities. At the same time, others are seeing an opportunity everywhere. The difference is their opportunity horizon.

And there are times when we just don’t believe we can grow and change. Our change horizon is too small. Maybe you tell yourself that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” But in reality, we are ever-changing and ever-growing. The question is only on how intentional we can be about that growth. Do we embrace change or run from it? Do we see our place of growth, or hide from it?

Learn more about your 3 horizons. And then learn 5 steps to expanding and extending your horizons.

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