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Motivational Monday!

We have entered the last two weeks of "summer"—I know, summer doesn't officially end until September 21st—but we all know summer ends on Labor Day in the "regular" world. So what are your plans to prepare for the last quarter of the year (again, I know that doesn't start until October 1st, but we need to prepare now so that we're set and ready to go when October 1st rolls around)?

I wrote everything into my ginormous calendar yesterday so that I could see the next 10 weeks all laid out in front of me. It was really helpful to see it visually and to physically write it down. Tonight I will write out what I know until the end of the year (not a lot is planned yet for that time period, but I get to see how we lead up to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and 3 of our 6 family birthdays fall into that time).

This may look like a personal calendar for some of you and for others this will be how you make Q4 your best quarter yet at work—both are important! The key here is that we very often get tangled up in the day to day and then the planning stops. Planning isn’t just about managing your days—it’s about designing a life that feels successful and joyful, instead of just moving through the motions. No one likes to check things off list more than me, but when I find myself only doing that — I know it's time for a reset. Yesterday was my reset. I hope today is yours—if you need it!

Let's GO! WE GOT THIS!
Beth
www.bethfitzgerald.com
[email protected]

Motivational Monday!

Fun fact about me, I am a little bit of a nut about wearing a bike helmet, no matter how casually I am riding. I got this from my friend, Kerry, and I am very grateful for her push to make sure everyone wears a helmet. There's obviously a longer story with this, as you can imagine. Regardless, the helmet comes down to the age old "risk-reward" principle.

The world has a very distorted view of the "risk-reward" relationship in my opinion. Obviously this is most well known in finance where we would be choosing between say a stock and a bond, but we are making risk-reward decisions all day, every day, and we aren't as risk averse as one might think. While we were in France, on a group bike tour, most chose NOT to wear a helmet. One family that rode with us had four little children—all of whom got helmets , but the parents did not. Think that one through, risk—reward.

Bike helmets aren't the story here (but you should always wear one!!) The story is the risk-reward decision making relationship. You might be willing to ride a bike without a helmet, BUT you're not willing to speak with your boss or change jobs. We take HUGE risks every day but they aren't the one's that are going to make us live a better, richer, more fulfilling life. We shouldn't kid ourselves, we do take BIG risks, just not in the right areas. We ignore our health, we have poor financial planning, and we take unnecessary driving risks, just to name a few! Today, revisit your risk-reward relationship and think about taking a calculated risk that is going to actually improve your life in some way! The biggest risk is not taking any. One parting thought from Earl Nightingale:

"You can measure opportunity with the same yardstick that measures the risk involved. They go together."

Let's GO! WE GOT THIS!
Beth
www.bethfitzgerald.com
[email protected]

Motivational Monday!!

Yesterday, after church, Doug and I stopped in a coffee shop to waste some time before our brunch reservation down the block. We had never heard of Ground Support Cafe before but it was worth a try.

I'll spare you all the details, but I ordered a cup of tea which they essentially didn't have. So I passed and we moved on to Doug's order. After Doug was finished ordering, she came back to me and said, "I think I can make your special order tea happen, do you want to try?" I, of course, said "Yes, please!" Then she honestly went to the ends of the earth to make this cup of tea for me—and it was incredible!!

It's the beginning of the week. Statistically, this is not our best day of the week—tomorrow is. But what if we tried to go above and beyond with just ONE person today? Do you think this would change your day? It will definitely change theirs. Yesterday, I had no problem with her, "No," but it sure was nice to hear, "Let's try!" I'm not sure who was happier yesterday, her or me—I want the same for you today!

Let's GO! WE GOT THIS!
Beth
If you're in NYC, 399 W. Broadway!!
www.bethfitzgerald.com
[email protected]

Motivational Monday!

On Saturday morning, we decided to enjoy the beautiful day and have some cocktails at GRAND BANKS in NYC with two of our daughters. We made a reservation for 4:30 pm and started to plan our day around that. One of my daughters reached out via text and said, "If we are catching the 3:02 pm ferry, I'll meet you at the ferry." And when I read the text, which is what we all agreed upon, something in me changed—let me explain.

Prior to Clare's text, 3:02 was still our target, but if we had to catch the next Ferry at 3:22 pm, it was no big deal. We were still going to be early for our reservation and we could walk around NYC. But Clare's text put pressure on me to be on time so I didn't leave her standing around at the ferry waiting for us. This is what accountability looks like in real life—we change our behavior because there is an expectation that we all have agreed upon and not meeting the exception means we will let someone down—ourselves and arguably more important, the other person. We miss targets all the time, but no one else knows if we don't have an accountability partner.

Do you have an accountability partner? Have you ever thought of getting an accountability partner? A coach is an accountability partner of sorts, and more. I used to meet with my accountability partner every Monday for 20 minutes. It was a game changer to keep me on track, and her, too. If you want to go from A to B or even A to Z, 99% of you (me included) need an accountability partner. Without her, we all tend to "catch the 3:22, or worse, don't "catch the ferry" at all. Are you wondering if I made the 3:02 ferry? You bet I did!

Let's GO! WE GOT THIS!
Beth

Motivational Monday!

This weekend, Doug and I went hiking at Bear Mountain State Park. We hadn't been hiking in a while and the weather was spectacular so we decided it would be a good adventure. We watched a YouTube video on the car ride up to find out which trail would be best and Major Welch was the "winner," with promises of a lake view, a tower at the top, and bird's-eye views up and down the Hudson at the summit. We agreed—this is perfect!

There was a little more that could have been mentioned about the, "bird's-eye views of the Hudson River," that had to be accomplished for this to actually happen. The trail was marked "difficult" and there were a series of scrambles that basically meant we had to climb up rocks without there really being a designated trail, so to speak. But at some point we realized that the only thing we could do was to keep going—we had to be close to the top, right? Well, no, but we kept going anyway! It was challenging, we were sweating, and very grateful for the backpack filled with water and protein bars (that Doug carried, LOL). Was it worth the effort and the exhaustion? ABSOLUTELY!

This hike is indicative of anything we really want to accomplish! Did I want to quit at certain point and take the "elevator" down? 100%! But I'm grateful that wasn't an option. Think about something you want right now that seems really challenging. Do you know what that is? Great, now what if quitting wasn't an option? What if you had to keep going because you knew there will be a great view from the top? We can do this! We can do hard things!

Let's GO! We got this!
Beth

Motivational Monday!

We were away in the charming and historic town of Middleburg, VA this weekend with friends, our daughter, and her boyfriend, exploring the wine country. It was such a beautiful weekend and the places we visited were stunning. If you have never been to Stone Tower Winery, I highly recommend it.

We capped the weekend off with dinner at the refined and rustic Field & Main Restaurant in Marshall, VA. Dinner was outstanding and our server was "a ray of sunshine!" The restaurant was 20 minutes from our Airbnb through very dark and treacherously winding roads, which we took note of on the way there. Charlie was our driver for the ride home and I was grateful for the way he carefully and slowly navigated the road and all of its challenges to bring us back to the house safely.

The road made me think of you and me and the "roads" we navigate on a daily basis. Life isn't a straight road—to say the least! Some parts are easy-peasy, and some are far from easy—but what Charlie never did on our ride home was quit. He stopped. He slowed down. He used the high beams. He sped up. And we got to the destination—not the fastest, but we got there safely. Baby steps. What does this story mean to you? Where are you stalled or stopped because you're too afraid to proceed? Where could you take a baby step? This is what we both need to hear: Charlie couldn't see the whole road home—not at all! He navigated small pieces of the journey at a time and that's how we arrived at the destination. You and I can do this, too! All we need to do today is commit to the one thing, and take that first step!

Let's GO! WE GOT THIS!
Beth
www.bethfitzgerald.com
[email protected]

Motivational Monday!

If I had a dollar for every time I asked myself, "What is life really about?" I'd be a bazillionaire. I honestly don't get it—it's like one big roller coaster. Life is great, then something goes wrong, or work and advancing your career is important until it doesn't matter at all because you have a family member who needs you—you know what I mean, right? So many ups and downs that sometimes we are grateful when things are simply going sideways!

Doug and I had a lot of family here this weekend for Father's Day. All the kids came, of course, and my MIL, SIL, and nephew were here, too. It was joyful. As I have shared, I live in a small apartment now, so this included people sleeping on the couch and on an air mattress in our 1400 square feet of space. So our "joyful" also included a little messy, chaotic at times, and definitely loud—but always fun! I would love for life to look like the movies, but it just doesn't. That's not real.

I still don't have an answer for, "What is life really about?" because I want the answer to be simple and straightforward and I don't think it is. I think we are suppose to do our best even though the road is guaranteed to be anything but smooth. I believe our expectations that life is supposed to look like something on Instagram might be causing us some undo stress. And I believe that we all have some really great relationships that are holding us up when the roller coaster takes a deep dive and I for one would like to be more grateful for these people. I am really grateful for the people I spent this past weekend with.

Let's GO! WE GOT THIS!
BETH

Motivational...Wednesday?

I was talking to a client yesterday who is looking for a job. She mentioned a few places that she was interested in—and one even had a friend from high school working there. I suggested reaching out to the friend, but I was immediately shut down. She said, "I'm sure it's a job she's interested in, too. There's no way she will want to help me get that job."

I paused for a second, and then I said, "You have no idea if she wants that job. Maybe she does or maybe she doesn't, but you just closed the only door you have to this place with a made up story about a friend you haven't seen in years. What if it was she who wanted a job at your company? Would you want her to reach out to you? Would you help her if you could?" She aquiesed and said, "Of course." I continued, "If she does want the job, let her throw you resume in the trash if she wants, but I wouldn't close your only door on some story you created in your head that may or may not be true—especially while searching for a job at a company you want to work for." She readily agreed.

We do this ALL the time. We decide, right or wrong, what other people are thinking and unfortunately we rarely approach it with a positive slant—we almost always think of the worst outcomes. It's that self-protective thought process that is our go-to. What if today, all day long, we assumed the best case scenario? Imagine that the unreturned email isn't a brush off, it's because it's buried under 200 emails and he really would benefit from you sending another email (no you're not being annoying)! And what if the prospect isn't ghosting you, they are actually trying to have discussions about moving forward but it's taking time to align calendars to actually meet? Stop closing doors that weren't meant to be closed; this isn't helping. What if the only thing standing between you and your next opportunity isn’t someone else’s decision—but a faulty assumption made by you?

Let's GO! We got this!
Beth

www.bethfitzgerald.com
[email protected]

Motivational Monday!

Rory McIlroy won the Masters Tournament yesterday in Augusta, GA—and if I left it there, and you aren't a fan of golf, you would be so misled. There is so much more to, "Rory McIlroy won the Masters yesterday," that makes the story that much more exciting as well as meaningful to us, even if you don't know who Rory is.

This was McIlroy's 17th attempt to win the Masters. He came close before, but there is no trophy (or jacket) for coming close. He has also had the added pressure of trying to win golf's most coveted Grand Slam, of which he had won 3 of 4 tournaments by 2014, only the Masters remained—until yesterday. And yesterday wasn't a slam dunk either! McIlroy said after the tournament, “I didn't make it easy today,” The whole day ebbed and flowed, but he went to the 18th hole with a one shot lead. He wound up missing a 5-foot putt for 1-over 73 and the first Masters playoff in eight years. Fortunately for him, he was able to seal the win on the next hole when Justin Rose missed his putt. Unbelievably exciting Masters!

At the trophy presentation, McIlroy said, "My dreams have been made today!" And then moments later, he turned to his daughter and said, “Never give up on your dreams. Never, ever give up on your dreams.” McIlroy has been dreaming of winning the Masters for probably 25 years, maybe longer. What's your dream? Dreams don't just happen—we have to dream them first, then take action to make them happen. Some people don't even dream! It's true. So if you haven't thought about your dream recently, I encourage you to do so! I will, too. Here is the truth: We can't live the dream if we've never dreamed the dream!

Let's GO! WE GOT THIS!
Beth Fitzgerald
WWW.BETHFITZGERALD.COM
[email protected]

Motivational Monday!

Saturday night, Doug and I stayed in to watch the NCAA Final Four. Doug has the Florida Gators Men's Basketball to win it all, so of course I was rooting for them—although I knew nothing about the Gators before the 6 pm tip-off. The game was incredibly exciting, with Florida down by 8 at the half, and it wasn't looking so good for them.

But...it was Walter Clayton Jr., the Gator, who stole the show. He had 34 points that night, which is mind-blowing at any level, and he averages 88% at the free-throw line—or as one of the broadcasters called it, "The charity stripe." It may be "free" or it may be "charity," but it's very often where accomplished basketball players go to choke. There is an added level of pressure in this situation, forgetting for a moment that the NCAA championship berth is on the line, with the entire stadium watching you trying to execute this shot(s). Energetically, there are two questions: "Are you confident? And are you relaxed?"

Watching Clayton Jr. play the other night reminded me so much of Patrick Mahomes. There’s this playfulness in both of them that seems to rise above the pressure—even in the biggest of games. Yes, they’re both incredibly talented, but it’s more than that. There’s a joy in how they play that keeps the stress at bay. You can see it—it’s like choking isn’t even on the table. If you're watching tonight, look for it. And if you want to know how this applies to you and me—when the FUN is gone, stress, pressure, and fear show up. We all want to be confident, but maybe we should look for the fun first. Maybe confidence follows fun—not the other way around.

Let's GO!! WE GOT THIS!
Beth Fitzgerald
www.bethfitzgerald.com
[email protected]