600 Personal Development Exercises
do one a day - every day!
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FAILURE What if our failure is in reality our greatest success? What if our failure is really a jolt to get us back on track, or a blockage to stop us going in the wrong direction? What if our failure is the start of what we should be doing? You see there is no such thing as failure. There is only the elimination of an option, the opportunity to start better, or the chance to uncover more of who we really are. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. What do you consider as failures in your past? 2. How might you re-look at these now as 'the elimination of an option, the opportunity to start better, or the chance to uncover more of who you really are'. Day 494 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises PERSPECTIVE If we keep looking in the same way, we will keep seeing the same things. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. What might we be missing in the way that we look at things? 2. What is the one thing that could happen that might make everthing look different? Day 493 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises STARTING POINT Many of us see our futures as developing from here, instead of beginning with the end in sight. We need to work backwards from this new reality and we need to behave in future mode, NOW! PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. What is the end that you are working towards? 2. How are you making this real, right now? Day 492 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises BIGGER PICTURE Business owners typically spend over 95% of their energy on business growth activities. They spend less than 5% of their priorities. We end up working 'for' the business rather than 'on' the business. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. How much time do you spend working on your job and how much time on your personal priorities? Day 491 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises RETAIL THERAPY Years ago, our parents went to the local Corner shop, chatted briefly to the shopkeeper, greeted others who were there, and got all that they needed. Now we go to the supermarket with a trolley, and scan items without talking with anyone, and leaving behind, what we really need. This lack of human interaction is presented as a good thing. The lack of conversation and engagement, is apparently saving us money. But where is the welcome, the smile or the 'thank-you'? Shopping may be more efficient, but have we lost the real value of our retail therapy? PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. How can you add value with a welcome, a smile and a 'thank-you' during your shopping trips - with other customes and staff? 2. How might retailers re-discover the real value of retail therapy? 3. Where can we create a real personal interaction in online shopping? Day 490 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises BATON The purpose of life is to pass on to others all that we learn about life itself, before we finish our leg of the race. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. What have you learned so far about life? 2. How will you pass on your baton? Who to? Day 489 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises INTERNET OF LOVE Websites are now places of conversation, for helping, guiding and supporting others. Websites are our voice, reaching out to others, to make the world a better place. Some people, even today, still think that websites are for selling stuff. But we grew tired of being told what to think and what to buy, many years ago. Today, we look after each other, and share our vision for mutual success, with the world. For we know that our websites, are part of the Internet of love. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. What's the main purpose of your website? 2. How are you reaching out, answering key questions, building real relationships and offering to help? Day 488 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises LAMP If I don’t plug it in, it will never have power. If I don’t switch it on, it will never light up. If I don’t have the light, I will work in the dark. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. Imagine that you are a lamp. Where and how do you work? What is your work? Day 487 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises A DOG'S LIFE The dog finds a stick. The dog chases and fetches the stick. The dog chases and fetches the stick. The dog chases and fetches the stick. The dog chases and fetches the stick. The dog chases and fetches the stick. The dog chases and fetches the stick. The dog chases and fetches the stick. The dog carries the stick. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. Are you ready for a rest? 2. Is it time to change what you have been repeatedly doing? Day 486 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises HOMEWORK One of my colleagues always clarifies with me at the end of the call, as to what her homework is. But she is not asking me to give her homework. She is reflecting on the pages of notes that she’s already taken, and the information we have discussed. She is processing what she needs to do next. After every conversation and every interaction, we too, also have homework to do. If we could just take a moment to clarify, and write it down. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What is your homewotk from the last two conversations that you had? 2. What is your homework from this interaction? 3. How will you make sure you do not miss your homework in future? Day 485 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises THE GREAT LOVE Imagine that the Great Love is water. It is everywhere. Is in the oceans lapping up to your feet on the beach. It is flowing from our taps and carried around in bottles. It helps us to wash and keep clean. It refreshes and sustains us, for without water we would die. Imagine that the Great Love is air. It is everywhere. Invisible and yet all powerful. Above us and around us. Constantly within us. Sustaining us with every single breath, for without air we would die. Imagine that the Great Love is the sun giving us light and heat. Imagine that the Great Love is all energy. Imagine that the Great Love is all living things. Imagine that the Great Love is all humanity. Imagine that the Great Love is all of this. Imagine that the Great Love is you. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What do you imagine the Great Love to be? 2. How can you be in this, with this, apart from this - and yet, be all that this is? Day 484 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises LETTERS I re-read some of the letters my Mum sent to me when I was at college. She died shortly after I finished there, although she never told me that she was ill. I re-read some of the letters to learn more of the person between the lines. Each letter gives the latest news on what each person was up to. It was her way of connecting. And there was always money enclosed, that she earned from her part-time job as a librarian. I think now of my kids, and maybe writing some letters that will have little real news. And yet 40 years from now, my letters could be just what they need. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Have you written any letters to keep your children up to date with all that is happening? 2. What letters do you wish you had received? Day 483 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises LIFE AFTER LIFE We discuss the idea of 'life after death', when in reality we should say 'life after life'. For our lives are not defined by our final few moments. Our lives are a celebration of our stories, friendships, families, achievements, learning, moments of magic, changes and challenges, our legacy, and all those we leave behind, smothered with our love. Perhaps we should change our question and speak of 'life after life'? Let us allow each other to live every moment that they have. For this is the life, that we all continue. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Is there life after life for those who love you? Day 482 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS Our life is one pilgrimage. It’s an ongoing journey with ourselves and with others, to places and events, through activities and learning, through success and failure, and with happiness, regret and hope. Our life is one journey. It’s a pilgrimage to who we are. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Where is your pilgrimage to? 2. What have you uncovered along the way so far, about who you are? Day 481 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercise DISTRACTIONS I can only ignore the weeds on the path for so long. For as they grow, other weeds, encouraged by this success, get the same idea. Before I know it, they have now joined together to form a blanket and cover my path. It's got to be done. I’m weeding today. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What is distracting you and covering your intended path? 2. When are you going to start weeding and clear your path? Day 480 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises MEMORIES Memories, even painful ones, are prayers of gratitude. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What are your favourite memories? 2. What do you say 'thank-you' for? Day 479 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises FLYING LESSON If I can let go of all that I am trying to do, I can achieve all that I really should. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What are you desperately holding onto? 2. What are you trying to make happen? 3. What would happen if you let go of these desires? Day 478 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises NUMBER ONE Yes, at last! I’m number one on the Amazon list! It was announced to me in person today by my Amazon driver. I was his first delivery of the day, at 4:30 this afternoon. He has 75 calls to local farms with seven minutes between each call. Will you find them? I ask. ‘Easy!’ he grins. ‘All mapped out!’ He laughs and says ‘You’re number one on the Amazon list!’ PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. How well have you mapped out your day to achieve your objectives? 2. How enthusiastic are you about what you have to do today? 3. How positive and motivating will you be with the people you meet today? Day 477 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises SERIES TWO Our lives are like a play or a movie, set in a particular location, at a particular time. This story has its personalities and subplots. We of course, are the central character! All plays and movies have their allocated duration. And so, the story unfolds to its final conclusion. The happy ending, solving of the crime or that unexpected final scene, signal the end. For those of us in the movie or play, that’s it. It’s over. We are finished. We just hope that you like the play or movie enough to want more. We can only return for series two or an extended run, if such a thing exists. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. How is your life story unfolding? 2. Are you working on the plot for Series Two? Day 476 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercise PREOCCUPATION What comes before your occupation, before your work? What is within you, that drives or leads you to your work? What is it, that makes you choose the work that you do? What is it, that gives purpose and meaning to your work? What is this preoccupation, that comes before your work? PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What is your preoccupation - the driver for what you do? Day 475 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercise EVERYDAY GIFTS Life is a gift in every day, in every hour, and in every moment. A gift given to us, without expectation or cost. The purpose of life is simply to say thank you, for that gift, in every day, in every hour, and in every moment. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What would you like to say thank-you for? 2. How can we build the practice of thank-you into our daily lives? Day 474 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises CONTRADICTION Let me be old, but keep me young. Let me be busy, and yet always still. Let me reach out but stay within. Let me complete, and yet always begin. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Are you old or young? 2. Are you busy or still? Day 473 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises TAKE-AWAY A popular Coaching technique is to ask at the end of the conversation, 'What has been the biggest 'take-away' for you from our session?' In other words 'What is clearer for you?' or 'What is your priority for moving forward?' We can reverse this, and ask ourselves after every meeting or conversation 'What was my biggest take-away?' 'What have I learnt?' 'What is my key action point?' And write down our take-away notes. This is a practical way of harvesting from all our activities, as we go through our day. In this way, we become our own Coach, gathering value from every meeting, every activity and every conversation. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What's your take-away from this exercise? 2. Get a 'take-away' notebook so that you gather value from every meeting, every activity and every conversation. Day 472 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises SELF-REALIZATION I know, I know.... I know you know. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What do you now know? 2. What has brought about this process of realization? Day 471 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises LEARNING TO WALK It’s hard to walk on one leg. That’s why we learn to put one foot in front of the other. Walking become so natural that we forget about one leg leading, and then catching up with the other. Our inner learning and our daily activities are like our two legs. They lead and support each other. Our journey with love therefore, is not separate to what we do each day. It is in every step that we take. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What is your inner learning? 2. How does your inner learning link with your daily activities? Day 470 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises |
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