✏ 5 Strategies to Avoid Burnout

✏ 5 Strategies to Avoid Burnout

Lately, I have made a concentrated effort to incorporate the appropriate skills, resources and behaviors necessary to not only lead with positive influence, but to be successful in my pursuits as well. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day focus on improving everything around us, yet never looking in the mirror to take care of the most important priority of all — ourselves. If we lose our energized, positive attitude and ability to persevere, we risk ruining everything we have built. But after an extended period of time not putting ourselves first, the inevitable result is burnout.

“Burnout is what happens when you try to avoid being human for too long.”

— Michael Gungor

Organizations are facing an employee burnout crisis. A recent Gallup study of nearly 7,500 full-time employees found that 23% of employees reported feeling burned out at work very often or always, while an additional 44% reported feeling burned out sometimes. That means about two-thirds of full-time workers experience burnout on the job.

The fact is, regardless of role within the organization, burnout will lead to decreased productivity, frustration with projects, peers and management, and an increase in paid time off.  It has become such an epidemic that the World Health Organization officially recognizes “Burnout” as a medical diagnosis.

All of us are working to be recognized, often to the point of exhaustion. The work week was once considered to be forty hours, but now, with so many people on salary, it is not unusual to find companies expecting at least 60 hours a week out of their employees. We go to great lengths to gain acceptance and approval, so not only is our work competitive, but our commitment – which is judged by time spent – has now become a factor in evaluating the successes of individuals in the workplace.

Work-related stress and pressure are unavoidable in most workplaces. We have now accepted this pressure, even managing subordinates to see just how much they can handle, without any regard for their input. The problem is, the pressure becomes so excessive that it results in stress. Stress does so much damage to an individual — yet too many companies have adopted a mindset that self-care is selfish.

According to the American Institute of Stress, as it relates to the workplace:

  • 40% of workers reported their job was very or extremely stressful
  • 25% view their jobs as the number-one stressor in their lives
  • 75% of employees believe that workers have more on-the-job stress than a generation ago
  • 29% of workers felt quite a bit or extremely stressed at work
  • 26% of workers said they were “often or very often burned out or stressed” by their work
  • Job stress is more strongly associated with health complaints than financial or family problems

source: https://www.stress.org/workplace-stress

The good news is, burnout is preventable. But it requires an effort to recognize the symptoms early and take action without feeling guilty for putting yourself first. You’ve heard the saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” To give your best, you must be at your best and you’ll have the ability to maintain a healthy, successful career.

It’s time to be proactive, not reactive!

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.”

— Lou Holtz

Here are five specific strategies to help you avoid burnout:

 

  1. Take Control

We all only have 24 hours in a day, so find the best way to optimize that time to create balance for the priorities in life – including yourself!  Whether it’s through establishing a few goals to achieve each day, To-Do lists, learning to say “no”, evaluating your meeting schedule or setting hard goals on what time you arrive and depart from the workplace, take control and make it a habit.

  1. Rediscover Your Purpose

There was a reason why you started working there; take time to rediscover your purpose and what your original goals were when you began. You may have to ask yourself some tough questions; it is possible that you have either outgrown your environment or need new challenges. That is all part of the journey toward fulfillment — but without a clear purpose, you’re traveling the road without a map. Once you find your purpose again, you will operate with a clear mindset and find the joy in what you do.

  1. Learn To Say No

This will be the most difficult strategy because it will feel very uncomfortable at first. However, it is critical if you are working toward decreasing the stress and feelings of being overwhelmed that you have each day. Start small — maybe you say no to a meeting that you aren’t necessarily involved in. This task may require you to meet one-on-one with your supervisor and discuss your workload. Don’t say what you think they want to hear; be vulnerable and honest. Find a way to achieve a win-win while not sacrificing your stress level.

  1. Exercise

You can always count on exercise as a way to relieve stress. Escape — if only for thirty minutes a day — while at the same time putting in work for a healthier mind and body. We all have excuses, but if you sit down and evaluate where you spend your time each day, I’ll bet you could carve out thirty minutes somewhere. It’s both a short and long-term strategy for success.

  1. Manage Your Stress

I know, it’s easier said than done, but you need to put the research into how you can better manage your stress. Remember, stress is what happens in the short-term before the burnout occurs. Get a hold of the stress early, and you will avoid burnout.This could include meditation, yoga, taking a ten minute break every hour to just walk outside, or go fill up your water bottle and say hello to your coworkers. When you get home, develop a routine to let work go. When you charge your phone before you go to bed at night, don’t do it on your night stand, put it in another room and don’t check it until right before you are heading to work.

Take back your control. Find the trigger that indicates your point of excess, and act upon it without guilt or a loss of pride. In the end, you won’t be remembered for your last project. Your legacy will be born from your character, integrity and impact you made to make the world a better place.

It all starts and ends with you.

Go do great things today and make a difference.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#ChargeUp #patience #prevent #success #leadership #RaiseTheBar

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ 5 Strategies to Avoid Burnout
More . . .
✏ 365 Days of Charge Up

✏ 365 Days of Charge Up

Being committed to something for one year can change your life — and I’m living proof of that.

Charge Up turns one year old this week, and my friends, the future is bright!

“The joy of accomplishment is the greatest joy there is.”

— R.G. LeTourneau

When I look back and think about the launch event on the evening of July 11, 2018, I can still feel the excitement from the hundreds of people gathered in that room. No detail was overlooked, and our goal was to ensure that each person there felt a connection to the purpose of the project. We were just beginning to build our community, and that day was about celebrating with family and friends.

The concept of Charge Up was actually born in September of 2017, following the sudden death of my father in late April, 2017. It would serve as my vehicle to go from grief to gratitude, by sharing the lessons and wisdom he had passed on to me during my 50 years as his son. With nine months to strategize, Charge Up went from what was simply going to be a blog-based concept to a total platform that would include blogs, vlogs, podcasts, social media posts, video-based interviews, personal videos, and community dialogue.

As we finalized the business plan prior to roll-out, each of us knew the magnitude of the commitment and investment this dream would take to become a reality. The team I had put together had strong ambition and talent, so we set the bar high. There was no doubt that each of them were the right people for the project and they each brought their own talents to the table. I had so much passion and vision that it became contagious.

But this dream wasn’t just about me. This was my way to ensure that the legacy of my father would never leave my heart, and I wanted to share it. I wanted his spirit to continue to live on through my message. Each and every day as I invest into this project, I know he is walking beside me and directing me with pride. There is an unexplainable sense of purpose in this mission of spreading positivity and gratitude, and through it I have been blessed to discover what so many others search for —  my “why.”

What is your “WHY?” First, think about some important questions. What is your gift to society and how can you leave it better than you found it? How can you be a better husband, wife, father, mother, uncle, aunt, friend, employee, or coach? How can you ensure that there is a part of your life that is selfless, rather than selfish? Where will you be able to find a true sense of fulfillment in your everyday actions? Can you be committed enough to pursue your passion and still balance your life?

These were all the questions that were running through my head as we toasted Charge Up last July 11th, and we wasted no time. Since then, our commitment to growing our community and making a positive impact is exactly where we wanted it to be – in fact, we have exceeded our projections and plan to aim even higher in our second year.

Take a look at these accomplishments in just our first year:

  • > 3,300 social media posts
  • ~ 10,000 website views
  • > 5,000 podcast downloads
  • > 6,200 minutes of content viewed on YouTube
  • ~ 3,000 followers on Facebook with more than 62,000 reactions and over 16,000 shares
  • > 39,000 likes on Instagram
  • > 1,500 retweets and more than 6,700 engagements on Twitter
  • And the one metric that absolutely amazes me, we’ve put together over 220 original blogs, podcasts, and videos!

 

However, the most important number from those first 365 days is how many people we were able to affect with our content. How many found a quote or a story that elicited an emotion that they acted on? How many discovered the leader within themselves? How many stepped outside their comfort zone? How many made a conscious effort to show gratitude? These are things that matter most to me when I look back and reflect upon the impact we have made.

“A life without gratitude is a life wasted.”

— Victor Pisano

There are definitely days that I wonder if all the effort will ever reap the rewards and expectations I have? Some days, I am lucky to get two or three people to view content. Other times, thousands will latch on to a particular blog, podcast or post that I didn’t even think would create much attention. The fact of the matter is, you never know. That’s the motivation for me to keep going each and every day.

Something that may surprise those that don’t know me personally is that Charge Up is not my career; it’s my “passion project.” I call it that because for some reason I naturally thrive in spending my off time writing; the same as one loves to golf, fish, travel, hike or run distance races. Think of it as a hobby — we all need an outlet to share our ideas, creativity, and happiness outside of the borders which define our lives, such as family and career.

I will be the first to tell you that my career is extremely rewarding. I have been in this respective field now for 20 years, and the company I represent, my current role, and the team I work with is extremely challenging and gratifying. There is nothing in my life that I would change.

However, my pursuit of gratitude and being an “influencer to elicit greatness” out of others provides me with fulfillment. There is a difference between feeling “rewarded” and “fulfilled”. Both are critical to our true happiness, but a strong sense of fulfillment is something you carry around on a daily basis and it is based on the opportunity to serve those who serve others.

“Life is more meaningful when our goal is fulfillment rather than gratification.”

This venture isn’t a solo act — I can’t imagine not having my team of committed, dedicated and passionate people along for the ride. First and foremost, a huge thank you the person to whom I refer to as “Wonder Woman,” and that is our Strategist/Copywriter, Andrea Frost.  She is my right and left hand. Thanks to her, I am able to do what I love most, and that is write. She uses her gifts and talents to do everything else that makes this clock tick, and I don’t take that for granted. She invests hours of her time, creativity and mindfulness into making Charge Up unique and impactful.

There is the Elvis of Central Texas, the voice heard around the world through the LA Lloyd Rock Countdown, Lloyd Hocutt. If you like our podcasts, he’s the reason. All I do is speak into the microphone and he does his magic from there. He has been a mentor, an encouraging voice and a great friend.

Then there are the boys from Zapata, Texas, the Garza brothers – who aren’t really brothers. Shout out to Abel Garza, the only man whose camera lens actually takes ten pounds off me, and Joe David Garza, who is like a unicorn. You hear about them all the time, but you never see one. When we are able to have a rare sighting, his work is second to none. Both Abel and Joe David are perfectionists and take tremendous pride in what they do. As a result, I benefit from their amazing work and I thank you both for your contribution to Charge Up!

Our newest team member is Jayden Mount, who is just getting her feet wet but already has made a solid impact on our content and marketing research.

Our goals remain to reflect, inspire and empower, with a focus on leadership, character and action.

REFLECTION…

Who do you want to be? Where do you want to go? What do you need to get there? I’m asking lots of questions, but I will also help you find the answers through our content and resources provided. Let’s figure out your destination, and what you need for a successful journey.

INSPIRATION…

Journeys are often two steps forward, one step back (and sometimes 5 steps back and a tumble to the ground before you get back up). You’ll need fuel in your tank to keep moving forward, so consider Charge Up your fuel stop (minus the dubious bathrooms). I’ll share what I’ve learned, and also bring you the best insights from those who inspire me.

EMPOWERMENT…

So, here’s the catch to all this guidance (of course there’s a catch – no free lunches here): Charge Up is a pay-it-forward concept. The goal is empowerment – and once you’ve achieved yours, don’t forget to extend a helping hand to others. The best leaders know that empowering those around you doesn’t diminish your strength; it amplifies it.

“Keep in mind that you’ll have true happiness, true fulfillment,
not living to get but living to give.”

— Joel Osteen

I can think of no better way to conclude than to sincerely thank each and every one of you that has supported Charge Up and built this community. I am humbled to have earned your trust and respect. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to speak at over 60 events in just the past year – from corporate events, to NCAA university sports programs, high school leadership groups, and high school athletics. I have traveled all over the country speaking, and it fuels me. To all those who provided handshakes, hugs and selfies, I say “thank you.” To those who were kind enough to look in the camera and say, “And don’t forget my friends, Charge Up!”, I hope you know that a few seconds of awkwardness meant the world to me.

To those friends that didn’t hesitate in allowing me the opportunity to present and work with their respective programs once we launched, and continue to encourage and support my endeavors today, including Mike Alfaro, Caitlin Bollier, D’Layne Kelly, Bill Harrison, Tom Damiani, John Carpenter, Mari Bissaro, Leticia Morales Bissaro, Maggi Welham, Penny and Roman Foore, Donna Fields, Patrick Murphy, and most of all, a very special friend that’s like a daughter to our family, Molly Fichtner and the Athletic Department at the University of Louisiana Monroe, I sincerely thank you.

But the biggest thank you of all goes to my family. To my inspiring wife, Beth, and my two beautiful, strong and successful daughters, Isabel and Catherine — I am so thankful for your support and encouragement. It has been a long 365 days for you as well. Your selflessness and kind hearts push me to be a better person. I love you. I also want to thank my brother and his family, my sister and her family, and my uncle and aunt whose love and guidance make the hard days easier and the easy days brighter. I am forever grateful for what was always my father’s number one priority…family.

“You don’t choose your family.
They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”

— Desmond Tutu

Go do great things today and make a difference.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#ChargeUp #365 #patience #prevent #success #leadership #RaiseTheBar #impact #BeTheImpact #Lead #authentic #gratitude #PayItForward #mentor #purpose #GoodToGreat #reflection #inspire #empower

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ 365 Days of Charge Up
More . . .
✏ The Power of One Leader

✏ The Power of One Leader

As we approach Charge Up’s first anniversary on July 11(!), I’d like to offer a few reflections on what’s at the heart of what we do . . .

Why me?

Why Charge Up?

Why now?

IF YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE AS IF EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOU . . .
YOU WILL BE LEFT WITH JUST THAT.
YOU.

I’ve been blessed to have so many people in my life who were willing to take the time to invest, inspire, motivate, empower, teach and push me to become successful and as a result, I want to pay it forward. Those lessons weren’t meant to keep to myself, but to share with the right intention and motivation. Charge Up was built on the foundation of a very important person in my life, my late father, Vic Pisano. He was a “Servant Leader” before it became a thing. He was the epitome of empathy, integrity, character, passion and motivation.

Questions I’ve been asked…

Why me? I was taught that leadership and success isn’t a secret code, it’s wisdom that’s meant to be shared.

Why Charge Up?  A platform like www.chargeuptoday.com that anyone can access is how I can share.

Why now?  Gratitude is key, and by taking the baton and continuing my dad’s legacy, I can uncover the GREAT in people.

I’m in an amazing place in my life, that’s not an accident.  I’ve already gained more than I have given. The world needs more leaders who understand the gift they have and the value they can bring: they need to be responsible to pass that knowledge on, and accountable for how they do it. Leadership is about more than “you”. Somebody believed in you; now it’s your turn to reciprocate. Be a part of the solution. It’s time to turn the tables.

THE POWER OF ONE LEADER.

I’m motivated to be part of the “community” that contributes, the “thought leaders” who inspire, the “innovators” who create, the “selfless” who make the impact, the “optimist” who brings joy and the “realist” who brings the truth. I commit to contributing to the momentum that others before me have set.

As long as one person is listening, following, reading and being inspired, then I have done my job. It’s a simple philosophy…

THE POWER OF ONE LEADER.

If you can change the thought pattern, and inspire or motivate just one person, imagine how many lives that one person can change in the course of their own lives. And here’s the kicker — you never know who that one person is.

“To the world, you might just be one person. But to that one person, you may be the world.”

— Dr. Seuss

No more “what if”, “I should have”, “if only”, “I remember when”, “why can’t” or “we needed to”.

Those are excuses, not solutions; phrases that will lead to regret as you get older. You’re better than that, you have the ability to do great things. Be prepared: this journey will require patience, sacrifice, persistence and belief. It will come with challenges, barriers, excuses, negativity and disappointment — because nothing worth having comes easy.

I want to challenge you to think. . .

Imagine a world where people accept fear, and stop.

Where people who tried to challenge themselves can’t find an answer, and quit.

Where those with strategy have no passion.

Where leaders don’t have followers.

You are the POWER OF ONE LEADER. You have the ability to make a difference. Look deep within yourself and discover your passion, that will lead to your purpose. Be the impact — even if it’s just under your own roof. Positivity and change are not defined by the numbers you affect, but rather the impact you bring. We all start small, build the foundation and as long as we are taking small steps forward, we are progressing.

As long as we have momentum, we will grow. As long as we operate off integrity and character, we will make a difference.

So -— why you?  Why now?

WE ARE THE POWER OF ONE LEADER!

Make a difference today.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#legacy  #hero  #chargeup   #chargeuptoday #lessonsinleadership   #leadership   #lead   #process   #strongleader   #patience #leadershipjourney  #resilience  #failure  #success  #moveforward  #adversity #areyouready  #leadandfollow  #mentorship  #mentor #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #buildforsuccess #motivate  #beyou #gratitude  #integrity  #starttoday  #humility

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ The Power of One Leader
More . . .
✏ Being All In

✏ Being All In

For most of the night, although eight players started at the table, the game was really between the two most experienced poker players. After a few hours, players began to be eliminated. As fate would have it, that pair of players were the final two left at the table.

One had a four of a kind following “the turn” card, and had a feeling that he had the best hand. Aware that either a straight flush or a royal flush would beat him, he had studied the cards dealt and was confident that the odds were in his favor. So what should he do?

YOU GO ALL IN

He slid all of his chips to the center of the table, his body language showing a bravado that he was willing to invest everything into this one hand. His opponent matches the bet. This was it — the final hand. The dealer threw out “the river” card and both players showed their cards. His opponent had a full house, an excellent hand to bet. However, he had four of a kind and had just won the game!

BEING ALL IN — what a great metaphor to describe the total confidence of investing all of yourself into something.

“IF YOU AREN’T GOING ALL THE WAY, WHY GO AT ALL?”

— Joe Namath, retired NFL player

There are times in our lives when we know that we are on the cusp of something big. When our knowledge, skills, relationships, acumen and leadership are in alignment and our vision and strategy is undeniable. Those are the moments that result from experience.

To be an effective leader, when your passion and purpose are genuine, you’re confident in your vision and strategy, being all in should always be your option. To achieve innovation, to be a visionary, to bring about breakthroughs, to accomplish the impracticable — there is no substitute for not embracing risk and giving it your all.

Your inward tenacity will be displayed outwardly by your excitement, confidence, passion, words and actions; you will persuade the team to follow you, even it means running through walls. Nothing less than perfection will result in a paramount outcome, and your team is ALL IN.

““TAKE EVERY CHANCE. DROP EVERY FEAR.”

True visionaries, those who have made a tremendous impact in this era of business, are defined by their courageous and innovative actions to make positive changes. These advancements required tremendous knowledge, skill and most importantly, the right people.

When you think about the visionaries over the past twenty years, names like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Beth Comstock, Mark Zuckerberg, Mary Barra, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Indra Nooyi, just to name a few, come to mind.  Each will tell you that it took an army of committed, dedicated and fully vested people to turn their dream into a reality. None of their accomplishments were overnight successes, but rather long-term investments of both time and money by a team committed to being all in.

“INNOVATION DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN A LEADER AND A FOLLOWER.”

— Steve jobs, Apple

For those of us not leading a Fortune 500 company, let’s dig into how to create an ALL-IN mindset with your team today, regardless of size.

As a leader, you can have the best strategy out there, but without passion, it’s just ideas on paper. Your passion has to be an expression of your strategy if you want others to not only follow, but to believe, in you. It all comes down to an effective, well though-out, and well-communicated mission, vision and purpose.

You must consider both the macro and the micro approach to your vision, or you risk losing momentum on a long-term goal. Keeping your team involved, empowering them to contribute and communicate, ensuring consistent feedback and reinforcing the end objective will play a key role in creating an environment of successes, fostering teamwork and cultivating a sense of purpose. That will result in being all in!

Next, encourage your team to take calculated risks, regardless of the chance of failure.  As an effective leader, you should have a general idea of the parameters of those risks, but create an environment where they step out of their comfort zone and think outside the box.  And if they do fail, encourage them and have them keep going.  Don’t show disappointment, this is where you earn your stripes, be a leader and mentor.  Remember, you are helping them grow through personal experience.

“TAKE RISKS: IF YOU WIN, YOU WILL BE HAPPY; IF YOU LOSE, YOU WILL BE WISE.”

Celebrate every small success along the way – even small steps forward are achievements. Recognize your people, talk through the actions taken and give them the attention. Being a leader can be a lonely job if you are selfish, and this exercise will reveal a lot about you. Be selfless and observe the pride your team members take. Do this right and the long-term achievements will amaze you.

Do these things, and watch your team go from good to great, with the power of the mindset of being ALL IN.

Make a difference today.

LEADERSHIP IS A PRIVILEGE.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup  #chargeuptoday  #lessonsinleadership  #leadership  #process  #action  #character  #patience  #leadershipjourney  #resilience  #failure  #success  #moveforward  #adversity #areyouready  #leadandfollow  #mentorship  #mentor  #venture  #lead  #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #buildforsuccess

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ Being All In
More . . .
✏ There’s Nothing Simple About Leadership

✏ There’s Nothing Simple About Leadership

Do you think you know enough about leadership to assume the role today?

My answer…”Be careful what you wish for!”

The life of a leader: a day spent shaking hands, delegating difficult and time-consuming tasks, and always talking about big picture projects. Going from meeting to meeting to listen, and maybe offer a quick snapshot of what’s going on within the ivory tower. Truth or fiction?

FICTION.

Leadership is a complex blend of competencies and capabilities. It is not a position or a title; it is action and example. It is not just a matter of guiding others to complete a task. The foundation of leadership doesn’t necessarily include motivation or inspiration. Those traits are earned, along with respect, trust and integrity. You see, true leadership is having the confidence that when you say, “let’s go”, the team has complete buy-in and is behind you all the way.

“A boss has the title. A leader has the people”

— Simon Sinek

The role of a leader is often a thankless, risky and lonely responsibility. You cannot lead from the crowd — you must have the boldness to act alone and make difficult decisions that will affect people. A leader must have the courage to take risks and trust and be vulnerable to go down the difficult road in an effort to achieve the greatest reward. It’s understanding that failure is part of the game, and knowing how to audit your self-awareness and move forward without fear of failing again.

“The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers”

— Ralph Nadar

You are not born a leader. People become leaders through various processes, including teaching, learning and observation. Leaders possess a specific skill set that comes from practice, application and observation over a period of time. In other words, leadership is a process, and more importantly, a commitment.  Like all processes, it is a skill that takes time to develop. Rush, and you may become an ineffective or unconfident leader. Invest in the process, believe in the system and have a genuine willingness to learn and you have the opportunity to do great things.

 

10 SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE A COMPETENT LEADER

  1. INTEGRITY – having character, consistency and a commitment to always do the right thing
  2. COURAGE – being able to face a challenge head-on with confidence and fearlessness
  3. PASSION – a tremendous desire to contribute to the task at hand because of the buy-in you have
  4. COMMITMENT – dedicated to achieve beyond all circumstances and challenges
  5. EMPATHY – the genuine ability to understand another’s feelings and help them reach their full potential
  6. PERSPECTIVE – the ability to provide a point of view that offers solutions, yet willing to adjust if necessary
  7. GRATITUDE – an honest feeling of thankfulness for the genuine efforts of others
  8. WILLINGNESS – being prepared to act, both at planned and unplanned times, with confidence
  9. HUMILITY – the ability to be and act with sincere disregard to your title or position
  10. SELF-AWARENESS – the conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires

If you still feel confident, then the work will begin. You must be prepared as a leader to trust and serve and give those around you permission to succeed. In order for that to occur, you must be available, embrace diversity, view people in terms of their potential and challenge the unchallenged. It will be your job to raise the bar and ensure that everybody who follows understands your vision and a willingness to invest in their success.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup   #lessonsinleadership   #leadership   #lead   #process   #strongleader   #difficulttolead  #resilience  #failure  #success  #moveforward  #patience #areyouready  #leadandfollow

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ There’s Nothing Simple About Leadership
More . . .
✏ What Success Looks Like

✏ What Success Looks Like

We live in exciting times — the rapid advancements and the use of technology have evened the playing field for the start-up business vs. the major corporations to market their products and services. No longer are major production crews necessary for commercials, marketing or media. There’s an app for that!

For the aspiring entrepreneur and ambitious leader, anything is possible in today’s world. But what does success look like — really?

“PERCEPTION” OF SUCCESS:

You see them walking from their mansion to their museum garage filled with exotic sports cars, or gingerly pulling up in their Bentley, flat brim cap on with the stickers still on it, at the private airfield next to their G6 for the cameras to catch them shaking the pilot’s hand and boarding their jet for the next adventure in their perfect life.

They look right into the camera and tell you that just one year ago they were just like you, struggling to pay the bills and trying to find a way to capitalize on their marketing talents. Now, they are millionaires, and they want to help you achieve the American dream. Generous of them, right?

Time to break the bad news, this is the “perception” part.

Don’t fall victim to an over-saturated market of alluring ads all over social media where everyday people “just like you” can make millions overnight by simply following somebody’s sure-fire formula for success.

Newsflash: the only ones getting rich quick are the ones selling you their books, courses and online programs.

If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be a secret.

But amazingly, people still go deep into their website (and eventually their wallets) to learn more. Each new web page builds your confidence until finally, you’re inspired enough to bet your savings on these snake oil salesmen.

Why do they need to park four Lamborghinis in their driveway and walk past each one while talking? Why not just do the sales pitch in a studio?

They are marketing directly to the millennial who wants to see the material gratification of success. They deliver reinforcement to their audience that they are just as entitled as the next guy to earn easy money, and lots of it.

You want to get rich quick? Play the lottery.

Even doing that, your odds are approximately 292,000,000 to 1. But hey, somebody’s got to win, right?

Here’s the real winning tip: the reality of being successful lies in one secret that we all have the ability to access at absolutely no cost . . .

HARD WORK

There is no substitute for hard work — it is the foundation of every success story.

THE “REALITY” OF SUCCESS:

Unfortunately the pitch for reality isn’t as exciting as perception, unless you thrive on the challenge of success.

Fortunately, the aspiring and tenured leader completely understands the rules of reality and is willing to invest themselves completely in the process as opposed to a pipe dream.

That investment starts with a strong foundation of integrity and character.

Those two traits alone will carry you through the challenges you face as you gain experience through hard work, sacrifice, overcoming barriers, and experiencing failures, while taking those small steps forward that are absolutely necessary on the journey toward the ultimate pinnacle – earned success.

You earn your stripes along the way as a result of your courage, braveness and abundance of confidence to inspire and empower others to follow your clear vision to achievement.

Success should never correlate itself with riches. True success associates itself directly with your legacy. You are the only person that can write that story, and each page should be filled with adventures, not images of possessions.

Look at it this way, if these overnight success stories were true entrepreneurs, wouldn’t they be savvy investors, as well?  I can’t imagine an infomercial with Warren Buffett or Elon Musk in their vintage t-shirt, jeans and sandals walking down a driveway that looks like a car dealership.

IF IT SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS!

Leadership is a privilege.

 

Go do great things today – earn it – and go make a difference.

Venture + Lead + Prosper

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup   #lessonsinleadership   #leadership   #lead   #process   #fail   #learnfromfailure  #bounceback  #failure  #success  #moveforward  #patience #change #venture  #lead  #prosper #empower  #motivate  #inspire  #beyou #gratitude  #integrity  #starttoday  #humility #ambition #action #stepforward #norgerets #comfortzone #chances

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ What Success Looks Like
More . . .
✏ Adversity: That’s Not Fair

✏ Adversity: That’s Not Fair

Trigger Warning:  LIFE IS NOT FAIR!

In the 1994 Disney animated movie, “The Lion King,” there is a scene where Scar, the wicked uncle of Simba, captures a mouse that he is about to consume. He dramatically holds the mouse up to eye level, and in a Shakespearean-like tone says, “Life is not fair, is it? You see, I shall never be the king, and you shall never see the light of another day.” Oh, the irony. It may be a Disney film for kids, but the message resonates across all ages.

“Life isn’t fair. It never was, and it never will be.”

— John F. Kennedy

We so often hear children respond in a situation by saying the simple line, “that’s not fair!”. We try to explain to them that there are times we get what we want, and others where we don’t. We hope that through repetition, the lesson will be easier to interpret as they grow older.

But does it?

We are all guilty of the “that’s not fair” syndrome; it is a universal language we all speak.There will always be situations where bad things happen to good people – adversity is simply a fact of life. The opposite also holds as well — good things happen to bad people.

Maybe it’s just the way it’s supposed to be.

You know, fate.

However, as a leader, it is your responsibility to navigate situations that may seem one-sided, so as to not cause a distraction. You achieve this through connection, effective communication, clear standards, and most importantly, by setting the example. Too often in times of adversity, leaders fear being on the side of an unpopular opinion, and will support the argument that a situation or condition “is not fair.” Remember, being a leader can a lonely job. Although connecting with those under your leadership is critical, so is honesty.

You must have the courage and restraint to stand tall and represent the interest of all involved. Be brief, factual, embrace the reality, and position it as a challenge — do not allow the barrier to divert your efforts or goals. If done consistently, your skills as a confident leader — even in the face of undesirable conditions — will benefit the team. You will create empowered, no excuses, confident, critical-thinking followers.

It is time for people to understand that things are not going always to go their way. It’s called adversity, and if you can deal with it, your perspective will change as well. Instead of evaluating things as fair or unfair, you will consider it a challenge.

As for your team, instead of looking for excuses, they will discover alternative ideas. Instead of wasting time complaining, they will be timely in finding alternatives. Instead of wallowing in the “that’s not fair,” they will become innovators of adversity. Simply put, you have the opportunity to go from good to great in your leadership role.

A harsh reality is that too many disappointments may be a warning sign that your expectations are way off. When you consistently feel a lack of respect or trust, you may be right — but it also may be the perfect opportunity for you to exercise some self-awareness. Look introspectively, be vulnerable, and ask yourself some tough questions. Is your skin too thin? Are your expectations too high? Are your efforts sincerely exceeding expectation or they actually what is expected? Be truthful with yourself so you can adjust your attitude and mindset.

“Sometimes you can do everything right, and it all goes wrong. And sometimes you can do everything wrong, and it still goes right. It’s not fair – it’s just life.”

— Larry Winget

Bottom line, life is not easy. Those willing to accept the fact that things won’t always go their way have an uncanny ability to thrive in both good times and bad. Be that person — face adversity head on, and accept the fact that life is not fair. You will become more at peace with yourself!

Go do great things today and make a difference.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup   #lessonsinleadership   #leadership   #lead   #process #adversity #challenge #resilience #patience #change #venture  #lead  #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower  #motivate  #beyou #gratitude  #integrity  #starttoday  #humility

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ Adversity: That’s Not Fair
More . . .
✏ Why Be Average

✏ Why Be Average

When it comes to averages, I believe they should apply only to data, not to people. Far too often, mediocrity is being celebrated. Nobody wants to put in the work and exceed expectations because it involves too much time and effort. They want to know what the average is, and work from there to set a baseline.

What does average mean?

When evaluating “average,” it is the median value in a set of data. The middle. Ordinary. Common. In school, if your grades are average, then half the class has higher grades, and half the class has lower grades. Fast-forward to your job and look at it a little differently. When you go into your manager’s office for your annual review and your overall performance is “average”, do you think management will be motivated to consider you for growth opportunities or even a raise?

“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”

— Eleanor Roosevelt

Let’s talk about the law of averages fallout that’s concerning:

–    In a recent study of 24 – 54 year-olds on the subject of donating your time or money, 61% of the participants felt that when you give something, you should receive something in return.

–    A recent study done via social media by the University of Colorado sampled over 10,000 people, asking them if opinions on social media influence their decision-making on relevant issues, including deduction, perception, and consequences. Instead of relying upon deductive reasoning, 43% of those questioned said that they lean toward popular opinion.

It’s frustrating me that independent thought, rational decision making, proper planning, and innovative perspective are fading away. Popular opinion and instant gratification have begun to replace some within the majority who choose to never settle for capacity within their lives as they pursue a life of fulfillment.

I am a firm believer that nobody tells you what your “average” needs to be — because you are capable of achieving anything you set your mind to.  It is your responsibility to set goals to exceed that average.

“Not settling is all about handing people back their invitations to the average life. Sorry, I’m going to have to decline.”

— Myleik Teele

How can you avoid the trap to be average?

Here are five ways that you can take control and live the life you deserve to live:

  1. First things first, you must change your thinking.

That means you need to take complete control of your life and start thinking for yourself. Don’t allow popular opinion to persuade you if your moral compass tells you otherwise. Build a mindset that becomes impermeable to outside influence, and instead creates confident, impactful reasoning that displays character and integrity.

  1. Live a life without regrets.

Life is too short. Make an effort to act upon the things in your life that bring you happiness and make an impact on others. Regret is an entirely controllable emotion; don’t procrastinate. Too many people live a life of regret because they were never comfortable being uncomfortable or taking chances.

  1. Find your purpose.

We all have one — what is yours? Don’t expect an invitation or instructions on this one; you have to follow your heart to discover what it is that makes you tick. Identify the thing or things that allow you to be you in such a way that everyone around you becomes a better person as a result of your attitude. Learn as much as you possibly can about what the life you want to live and invest in it. Let your passion become your purpose and the word “average” will never be used when describing you.

  1. Discover perspective.

People change, circumstances change, conditions change; and so should our perspective. At times, you may become so narrowly focused that you lose perspective. You fail to identify things right in front of you because you don’t listen to reason, have productive dialogue or are just too stubborn to change. The only constant in life is change — and with change comes perspective. Embrace it and thrive.

  1. Never stop learning.

Similar to perspective, you only grow if you are willing to invest. That means to have a thirst for knowledge and expand your views as often as possible. You have infinite resources through technology to discover answers to our questions in an instant. Learn things outside your interest. If you’re not growing, you’re dying.

Successful people don’t establish a capacity; they are always looking to lead a more fulfilled life. Become consumed with the possibilities and the drive to never to give up growth. When you realize the opportunities above the line, you will become motivated by the fear of being average.

Go do great things today and make a difference.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup   #lessonsinleadership   #leadership   #lead   #process  #patience #change #venture  #lead  #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower  #motivate  #beyou #gratitude  #integrity  #starttoday  #humilty

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ Why Be Average
More . . .
✏ What’s Really Important: Process vs Outcome

✏ What’s Really Important: Process vs Outcome

I remember it vividly. I was in the process of putting together our yearly business plan for my team before our National Meeting. I had invested three months of researching analytics, trends, input from my team, goals for the division and my personal experiences with what I felt would be a test of effort, perseverance, and commitment to achieve our goals.

In most cases, I have about four hours to present it to the president of the division and other senior leadership. Once approved, the entire division gathers at the National Meeting shortly after, and I only have a few days to sell it to my team to gain total buy-in and commitment.

However, this time there was a longer gap between the approval of the plan and the actual meeting; about a month. During that time, as I was putting my final slides together, I came to a realization that this process had become so routine and centered around only one thing – our yearly quota.

Love the process and the grind as much as the results.

I challenged myself to think outside the box and discover a new way to present this plan without feeling like I’m “selling it.”. I wanted to gain engagement and trust from the team for them to feel they were genuinely vested, and a part of the PROCESS as opposed to only being judged on the OUTCOME.

From experience, I always felt that growth, empowerment, and confidence came from the process itself. It was all of the small wins that built the real success at the end of the year. I valued that time because it exposed my ability to handle both success and failure. It allowed me to either utilize my skills to grow or sharpen them as I became more self-aware in the process.

At that point in my career, I had been in the same industry for about 15 years, and I’d always felt like that a sales quota defined me, and those I led. In my opinion, I was doing a disservice as a leader focusing on an arbitrary goal (the number) instead of the tangible qualities of my abilities, as well as those leaders within my own team.

“I am a series of small victories and large defeats, and I am as amazed
as any other that I have gotten from there to here.”

— Chuck Bukowksi, Poet & Novelist

We are at the National Meeting, and once we broke out into our respective teams, it was time to put my experiment into action. I applied something that I’ve done for 10 years that was a result of a book that somebody gave me as a gift. It’s by Jon Gordon, and it’s called “One Word That Will Change Your Life.”  It’s a simple concept, you pick one word that can guide your decisions, mindset, attitude, direction, moral compass.  Here’s the thought process behind it:

LESS IS BEST, SIMPLE IS POWERFUL

Dim the lights, start the power point and let them see the first slide. You know, it became so routine, we were all like Pavlov’s dogs expecting the same thing – that slide to show the quota for the year. Instead, I decided to change things up from the traditional format.

My first slide said:  PERSPECTIVE.

“The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective.
You don’t have control over your situation. But you have a choice about how you view it.”

— Chris Pine

The group was so confused, they kept asking me what the goal was. Even their rhetoric proved my point.  They were asking what “THE” goal was – as in a singular purpose, that dang quota!

I went around the table, and I asked them, “What was last year’s number?“ They all knew it because we not only achieved the goal, we exceeded it by double digits — which means they got an additional kicker on their bonus, so the answers came quickly and with smiles on their faces. I then asked them, “What example can you provide me off the top of your head – as quickly as you told me the net sales – that stood out to you about one person on the team you lead, who not only improved but developed skills that contributed to our success?”

I waited a few seconds and said: “time’s up.” Of course, they complained, but my point was made. My perception was that there was more pride in the number than there was in the people who achieved it.

As a leader, that’s not on them. That’s on me.

My father had a saying that I tend to overuse, but it applies to so many situations. He would say, “When the son swears, slap the father.” In other words, don’t be so quick to point the finger before you look in the mirror. In this case, the burning question was “Have we lost the value and importance of the team that commits and contributes to our goals every day in the field?”

THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSET. 

I said, “Here is how we are going to start this meeting. You have one hour, to come up with one word that will define your goals this year that isn’t associated with the quota. One word that can provide clarity and guide your decisions, mindset, attitude, direction, moral compass.”

I explained, “I take this very seriously, so don’t just throw something out there without thought because the word you choose will stick with you for the next 11 months, every day. If you give me a word that I don’t feel fits your personality or management style, we will just take more time trying to figure it out.”

Now understand, I wasn’t treating them disrespectful, or as children; some of these people had been under my leadership for a long time. They knew me, and I knew them. There was a bond of trust between this particular team that made us unique. We had a mantra, “Play hard, work harder.”

After an hour, I asked each of them to stand in front of the team and tell us their word, being as specific as they could. I also asked if they would provide the reasoning they choose that particular word and how they intended to be held accountable for it. What was funny was that a few of them said, “When we are done, are you going to tell us the number?” They laughed, and I did on the outside, as well, but internally, I realized that this was going to be a huge responsibility for me because I needed to change their mindset.

The good news is everybody had some great words . . .

PRESENT

BALANCE

PASSION

TENACITY

LOVE

EMPATHETIC

DRIVE

CULTURE

Their definitions, explanations, and application were spot on!

When the exercise was complete, I asked that they get their computers out. I asked them to go to their email and open their “signatures” in Outlook. Once they did, I asked them to please put that word below your name in all caps and bold. I asked that they talk with their respective team and explain the rationale and the exercise we just completed. Share with them why you choose that word and tell them that you need their assistance to hold you accountable for it.

Moving forward, I asked that every time they put an email together for distribution or were responding to another person, read it before you send it. Were they conveying the intent and meaning of your one word in that communication? I told them that when I read each of your emails, I will do so with a new perspective this year. I want to challenge you to not just write it down and talk about it. I want to see action. Even if it takes you away from the objective at hand, it doesn’t matter because we will still win in the long term.

I then asked, “What do you think I mean when I say long term?”  It was quiet for a second, then I heard a voice…” our quota.”  She said it without any doubt in her mind. She got it!  I said, “EXACTLY!”

We were so focused on the GOAL that we were missing out on the excitement of the PROCESS. We became obsessed with a number instead of obsessed with our people. I told them, “I am as guilty as each of you, and I apologize for that. I haven’t been doing my job and that I would change along with them.”

WE ESTABLISHED A NEW MINDSET.

Somebody asked me, what’s your word?  I said, AMPLIFY.

I want to AMPLIFY my commitment

I want to AMPLIFY my gratitude

I want to AMPLIFY my empathy

I want to AMPLIFY my relationships

I want to AMPLIFY my health

I said, “If you focus on that one word, live it every day, guide your team with passion and empowerment, you will hit the number. It will be the OUTCOME of a successful process.”  What followed was the infamous slide with one number on it. I asked them if their perspective was a little bit different. They all nodded.

. . . . . .

So now I want to challenge you.

Are you willing to approach your objectives a little differently this year, or a particular goal?  Can you commit some time to find that one word that will be clear to you in guiding your decisions, mindset, attitude, direction, and moral compass?

Remember:  LESS IS BEST, SIMPLE IS POWERFUL

Do great things today and make a difference.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup   #lessonsinleadership   #leadership   #lead   #process  #patience #change #venture  #lead  #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower  #motivate  #beyou #gratitude  #integrity  #starttoday  #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ What’s Really Important: Process vs Outcome
More . . .
✏ Grow Like the Bamboo

✏ Grow Like the Bamboo

GROWTH.

It is something we all strive to achieve. We look for growth in so many areas of our life: personal, spiritual, relationship, and career. I tend to be realistic when discussing growth because the speed of technology has put us in a position where we lack the skills to develop our sense of patience and no longer respect the process. We live in a society of instant gratification; however, some things can’t be rushed. Success is like Rome — it wasn’t built in a day. Nor was it ever intended to be.

“Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave
while we we’re waiting.”

— Joyce Meyer

When I talk about success, I am talking about achieving your purpose. It goes back to growth, finding your true meaning in life whether personal, spiritual, relationship or career and building it to prosper, as well as sustain adversity. Real growth will require work. It will demand the best out of you every day. You will be responsible for your own integrity, morals, values, and perseverance to establish as a foundation for a fulfilled growth to actually occur. Once this is formed, your individual character is displayed. It is done so because what we believe and is passionate about “inward” will be displayed “outward,” and that is why others can sense the type of person we are from our words and actions.

There is a parable about the Chinese Bamboo Tree that explains the lessons of growth through patience, faith, and perseverance. No different than any other plant, the Chinese Bamboo Tree requires the perfect conditions: water, fertile soil, and sun. What is distinctly different, however, is after one year, there is no sprouting. The second year passes, and there is still no visible activity. The third year looks no different than the first two. The fourth year arrives, and the farmer sees nothing. One would expect despair, frustration, or anger. But to grow the Chinese Bamboo Tree, one must be patient, because it is in the fifth year that the miracle of growth begins, and in a radical way.

The farmer has nurtured this plant for four years, investing time, resources, money and most of all, patience, in not rushing the outcome, but rather respecting the process. The rewards are amazing. The Chinese Bamboo Tree will grow up to 80 feet in just six weeks! Numerous culms, or small hollow shoots, will grow in an entire field. Four years of being stagnant only to flourish in the fifth year? How is that possible?

We tend to judge growth by what is visible and tangible, but does all growth show outwardly? We may spend years developing a skill that is not necessarily one that is required in our current environment, but we are building ourselves up for success in the future. Think about things like integrity, character, knowledge, faith, perseverance, gratitude — all of these are traits that require the same nurturing process of the Chinese Bamboo Tree. That tree didn’t lie dormant for four years. Below the soil was an explosion of roots growing wide and deep, capable of supporting its outward growth once it sprouts.

“Without patience, we will learn less in life. We will see less. We will feel less. We will hear less. Ironically, rush and more usually mean less.”

— Mother Theresa

The lesson lies in patience. When are you building your dreams, goals, and purpose, you must have the patience to overcome the adversity, barriers, fear, and doubt that will accompany the process. The Chinese Bamboo Tree requires a stable base of roots to sustain its height and weight; imagine if it did grow after just one year. The first strong wind of the season would destroy the entire crop. The same goes for each of us as we build our character. We can look for shortcuts and excuses to portray a person who is prepared, but unable to sustain the confidence that they start with. Or, we can trust the process, stay in the present, develop ourselves and grow through experience and lessons learned to  and establish our own roots. Remember, what we establish inwardly will be exposed outwardly. If you live by the mantra, “Fake it until you make it”, I have bad news for you — you will never make it.

Personal growth is not natural; it takes time, focus and a commitment to better ourselves. It is a slow process — in some cases, we won’t see the results immediately, but anything earned is worth it in the long run. If you are willing to be patient and persistent, I assure you the reward will far outweigh the investment. Too often people allow “the process” to frustrate them to the point that they want to move on to where “the grass is greener.” Whether it is a relationship, a job, a team, or school, if we don’t get what we want now, then it’s on to the next.

“Patience is not passive waiting. Patience is active acceptance of the process required to attain your goals and dreams.”

— Ray Davis

Success is easily defined – it is a series of small steps forward. It isn’t leaps and bounds. If you are committed to this process of growth, and if you respect the investment of time and patience, you will develop leadership qualities which will be displayed and reinforced by your confidence, character, and understanding of what it takes to be successful.

Growth is not associated with luck. Growth is an outcome of becoming comfortable stepping outside your comfort zone with a passion and zest to be the best you possible.

Do great things today and make a difference.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup   #lessonsinleadership   #leadership   #lead   #process  #patience #change #venture  #lead  #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower  #motivate  #beyou #gratitude  #integrity  #starttoday  #humility

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ Grow Like the Bamboo
More . . .
✏ The Prevent Mindset: Avoiding Average

✏ The Prevent Mindset: Avoiding Average

For those who are football fans, you have most likely heard the term the “prevent defense”. It’s used late in the 4th quarter when a coach feels like they have a safe lead, so they adjust into a defensive formation to prevent the opposing team from scoring a field goal or touchdown by giving more space to receivers and pushing the secondary a few yards back so they don’t give up the big play. For those who may not be familiar with what I am talking about, an easy way to think about it is the defense is in a formation to “prevent” the big play from happening – which could threaten the lead, or even risk the loss.

Most fans don’t necessarily agree with this approach. In fact, on numerous occasions, you will see that the offense is prepared and have worked on this “prevent” formation and it becomes a game of chess. The problem is, the defense is playing checkers. This is where the phrase “All the prevent defense does is prevent you from winning!” comes from.

Any given Sunday, you may see this ploy, but I want you to think about it through a different lens.

For leaders, there are times where we feel things are going according to plan, our teams are meeting expectations and there is a momentum occurring — and we don’t want to break the stride. Instead of raising the bar to see if the team can achieve a little more, we subscribe to a “prevent mindset,”  which in essence is just a comfort zone. But let me challenge you . . .

Which is the better time to show those your team that they are capable of achieving more than they think they can, in good times or in bad?  Would you raise the bar when the team’s goals become so unattainable and their attitudes reflect discouragement, or when they are on a roll and things are falling into place as a result of the business plan, effective leadership and a synergy of accomplishment? Obviously the second choice.

“Leadership is the challenge to be something more than average.”

— Jim Rohn

Don’t fall into the prevent mindset, if you do, you may fall into the trap of accepting the status quo. I believe the status quo is average people leading average lives with average fulfillment and average accomplishments.

You are not average. 

You are not working to achieve average. You lead with a goal of making an impact and eliciting greatness out of others. That will not occur with a prevent mindset. Raise the bar, push those you lead to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Use their current state of success to drive them to the next level. Here are a few examples of what makes a strong leader:

  • Strong leaders work directly with their teams in highlighting respective strengths to identify specific goals that push their efforts in such a way that it elicits excitement
  • Strong leaders get involved in the solution rather than just identifying the problem
  • Strong leaders are optimistic that those they lead will be successful, and are willing to empower them to build the confidence they need to exceed expectations

If you are midway through an objective, and not only do the analytics support a successful approach, but the enthusiasm and buy-in of your team reinforce it – then raise the bar. Be specific in your communication why you are doing it. Challenge your team to exceed expectations at every opportunity that presents itself. Not only will it raise the morale of the team, but the confidence it instills in the individual is priceless. There is no training that can replicate the improvements in the fundamental skill sets that happen when you turn up the speed from a comfortable pace. You do it gradually — never accelerate to a point that the distance between where they are and where you intend to take them becomes a struggle. Otherwise, you risk burnout.

As a leader, you will need to have the Plan A (what you are currently a part of),  a Plan B (the acceleration), and even a Plan C (the control plan to ensure you find equilibrium).

It’s the leadership equivalent of always playing offense – control the ball, dictate the momentum, control the timing, and be proactive rather than reactive. These are the teams that are successful because they play with the advantage. If you are on the defensive side, you are forced to react. In some cases, there may not even be a chance for adjustment before you realize the loss.

Eliminating the “prevent mindset” shows a proactive approach to success. If you train and communicate it effectively, you will in turn create better leaders. After all, that is the goal? A successful leader’s intent is to always to build more successful leaders.

Don’t PREVENT it from happening!

Go do great things today and make a difference.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#ChargeUp #patience #prevent #success #leadership #RaiseTheBar

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©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ The Prevent Mindset: Avoiding Average
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✏ Table for One

✏ Table for One

In the quest to become a successful leader, certain lessons along the way come as a surprise to some. You are confident in your education, have built skills around your strengths, have developed strong relationships with your mentors, have led by example and you have respected the process of perseverance and patience.

In other words, you have earned the opportunity and privilege to lead.

“Respect is earned. Honesty is appreciated. Trust is gained. Loyalty is returned.”

What you can’t prepare for is how lonely leadership actually can be. In times of adversity, standing your ground for what may be perceived as unpopular opinion will define your character. It may also be intentionally lonely if you sincerely treasure the role because your goal is to always allow your team to be in the spotlight. Whether it is adversity or by plan, it can catch a new leader off guard until they experience it firsthand. It is an extremely valuable lesson, one that over time will build you and your reputation as an effective, respected, and trusted leader.

Don’t let this deter you from your goals if you have a desire to lead, it will be the most rewarding experiences of your life. To be the lead in representing a culture of values and integrity with a team of eager, enthusiastic and committed people is a privilege. To witness the dynamics of a team’s chemistry work; to put a vision into reality and see those you support grow and prosper into their own is fascinating to witness. In other words, the most rewarding aspect for a leader is to develop other leaders and witness their success. This is your primary job, preparing others for success through connection, inspiration and clear and concise plan of development.

What I have personally found in my own leadership journey is that sitting at a table for one is not always a bad thing. Being selfless and praising those who are committed to the big picture should become your routine. Timing is everything, knowing when to teach and when to praise is critical. Giving the proper attention to each is imperative. The bigger the team, the more effort it will require on your part to find a connection with each member of your team. Gone are the days of “cookie cutter” leadership. Effective leaders don’t cast a net — they have a personal touch for the individual, and focus on the respective development based on the respective strengths their team members hold.

The behaviors you model will determine the results. In other words, it is not just your responsibility to lead effectively. It is your obligation.

Go do great things today and make a difference.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup   #lessonsinleadership   #leadership   #lead   #process  #patience #change #venture  #lead  #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower  #motivate  #beyou #gratitude  #integrity  #starttoday  #humilty

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

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✏ Attention, Future Leaders

✏ Attention, Future Leaders

Have you ever caught yourself saying, “if I only knew then what I know now…”?

What if you could do something about it?

If you are a parent, grandparent, coach, teacher or friend and you recognize certain leadership traits in a child, you have an opportunity to do three simple things right now:

ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT & TEACH

All of us have the potential to lead. There is no certain age that defines when we can begin our quest to gain the skills and competencies necessary to start the journey. By reaching out to adolescents who feel the gift of leadership inside them, you have the ability to become their first mentor — because most simply don’t know how to act upon it.

“Our children are only as brilliant as we allow them to be.”

– Eric Micha’el Leventhal

When you see the unwavering passion and belief that anything is possible from a child, and they communicate excitement and vision as they discover and learn more, be humbled and accept the responsibility to steer them in the right direction.

It’s teaching them that leadership is simply when one feels compelled to achieve things by being courageous and bold. What an amazing role you can play by encouraging them to step out of their comfort zone and discover all life has to offer.

Good habits formed during youth make all the difference.

The world needs a new set of eyes, a big heart and an open mind filled with endless possibilities for the next generation to be the greatest that ever lived. 

“The youth are the hope of our future.”

– Jose Rizal

How can you help a child discover their potential?

  1. Be the Example – Display the traits necessary to be a successful leader in everything you do. You have the capability to play a key role in the development of their potential.  Show them what’s really important in life and not to sweat the small stuff.
  1. Show Them How to Succeed – Whether through simple exercises of goal setting, or working through a challenge, provide them the chance to witness and feel the thrill of being successful.
  1. Allow Creative Thought – Encourage them to create their own path to solutions without persuasion, even if you know they may fail. Simply encourage their passion and self-esteem and show them failing isn’t the end of the world.
  1. Emphasize the Importance of Character and Integrity – Show them the importance of never wavering on their core principles or sacrificing the right thing for the easy solution. These lessons will last a lifetime and earn them respect from the beginning.
  1. Teach Them the Importance of Teamwork –Help them understand the importance of working with others, being respectful, encouraging those around them and being a good listener.
  1. Help Them Understand How to be Bold and Courageous –It’s the willingness to step outside of their comfort zone to be innovative and create new solutions. Reward them for going beyond the norm in their thought process. Help them discover leaders who were doubted at first, but then lauded for being pioneers. Show them anything is possible.
  1. Encourage Them to Be Involved in Their Community – Help them research to find a cause or a non-profit that excites them. This will shape not only their mind, but their hearts, as well.
  1. Find Other Mentors – Don’t just stop at what you can contribute, reach out to others that may share the same interests as your future leader. The more people they are able to interact with, the better they become at communication skills and learning. I am confident that if you reached out to a friend and asked for help, they would be humbled.
  1. Read, read and read some more – The importance of reading is critical for one to understand what knowledge can provide them, along with the creativity, and critical thinking, that will unlock the door of endless possibilities.
  1. Teach Gratitude – We all need to be reminded of the importance of being grateful and that there is so much good in the world. Do not allow them to become distracted by the enemy, which is negativity. Remind them each day of the gifts they possess.

Go do big things today and make a difference . . .

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup   #lessonsinleadership   #leadership   #lead   #process  #patience #change #venture  #lead  #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower  #motivate  #beyou #gratitude  #integrity  #starttoday  #humilty

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

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✏ Always Getting Ready to be Ready

✏ Always Getting Ready to be Ready

To-do list – ✓

Weekly Calendar – ✓

Appointment Schedule – ✓

Goals for the week – ✓

Everything seems to be in order, and I am prepared to tackle the week ahead. I’ve put the time in to ensure I am organized and efficient. My lists are specific and ranked by priority; this is going to be a great week.

Wait, let me change my To-Do List to add deadline dates. I should probably add in more time for traffic on my appointment schedule. Are five goals too many for the week? Maybe I should list three? Oh, and I’m going to add my personal commitments to my weekly calendar.

SOUND FAMILIAR?

“Focus on being productive instead of busy.”

– Tim Ferriss

Too often we focus so much on the preparation that we waste precious time that could be devoted to attacking the tasks and being productive in a much more simplified manner. In other words, getting organized has made us less productive. We are always getting ready to get ready.

There are hundreds of planners on the market today that are designed and marketed to make our lives more efficient so we can accomplish more.  They have an area for our projects, our goals, a quote to motivate us, habit tracking, a journal, wins for the week, lessons learned for the week, milestones, gratitude lists, and even online support! Do you really need or use those areas? Are you using the kind of planner that works for you?

I SPENT THREE DAYS GETTING READY FOR THE WEEK!?!

My weekly preparation begins each Sunday evening, a ritual I’ve had for years. First, I prepare my calendar for the week. I look at the meetings planned, and on a notepad, write down exactly what I need to prepare for each meeting at least a day in advance.

I add any weekly reports and note any requirements that may necessitate time and outside resources from other departments. At this point, I list the items that I would like to accomplish, by priority, in a simple list. I combine my list to the notes and just like that, and I have a master project agenda. It takes about 30-45 minutes, but when I start my week on Monday, I begin with confidence and a plan.

In some cases, if I require resources to aid me in preparation, I send those emails out to various departments on Sunday evening outlining my specific needs and the ideal date to receive them.

However, I still see others in their “planners” constantly tweaking this and that and trying to make it something it isn’t. They don’t need the habit-tracking section, so they write notes in that area. The lessons learned for the week – not a chance: phone numbers and addresses fill that box.  They spend $100 on a planner that doesn’t serve a purpose!

Does your system work for you, or are you working for it? Could it be better? If so, how? You have the ability to create your own planner that fits your needs.

“Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.”

– Coco Chanel

We all have our systems, don’t let the lure of a custom leather binder with the promise of helping you optimize your day and making you happier detour you from what already works. Preparation and planning should be a simple process.

It should only require a pencil and paper. Once you feel comfortable with it, type it, print it and put it to use.

I have a separate journal I utilize, but that is not a part of my actual project agenda each week. That journal is for me to write my thoughts, ideas for self-improvement, personal goals and ambitions as well as my gratitude list. I feel much more comfortable separating the two.

My point is, don’t complicate something that is rather simple. You have the knowledge and capability to design a roadmap for your efficiencies and effectiveness. Overcomplicating it merely leads to wasting time and . . .

Time is the most valuable resource you have!

NOW, I’M READY!

 

Do great things today and make a difference.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup   #lessonsinleadership   #leadership   #lead   #process  #patience #change #venture  #lead  #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower  #motivate  #beyou #gratitude  #integrity  #starttoday  #humilty

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

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✏ Take Action Now

✏ Take Action Now

Today is the day you take a step forward. No more “letting” things happen in your life . . . it’s time to take control and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. Take control of your future and let today be the day you begin your courageous effort to lead!

LIFE IS WAITING TO BEGIN!

Passivity is the enemy . . .

Personal change is an active process. Take the first steps now to act and be bold.

Let’s get all of the excuses out there. If you need to, make a list. Write down every excuse that you can think of. We tend to always focus on why we “can’t”, so this shouldn’t be too challenging.

  • I’ve got too much on my plate right now
  • It’s not the right time
  • I’m not ready for change
  • I’m afraid of what I might be getting myself into
  • I don’t think I will be successful

All done? Now, it’s time to change your mindset. Ask yourself one simple question:

IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

Today is the day that you have the clarity and courage to listen to that inner voice that wants to break out of its shell, to change your mentality from a follower to a leader. Build the confidence to overcome that self-doubt. Develop a “no barriers” mindset and face your fears head-on.  It only takes one step forward to begin.

Here are the 5 things you are going to do today to prepare for action:

  1. Write down your action plan, and include your “why” and purpose.

Writing down what you are going to do versus just saying it is the game changer. The next step is put those words into actionable phrases. How are you going to reach the objectives you identify, step by step? NOTE: This can only be done once you establish your “why” and your “purpose”.

Your “why” will give your life clarity and purpose — and as a result, it will shape who you are. You will clearly know what you want out of life. When you know your perspective about life, you can achieve amazing things. This will be the foundation of your growth as you climb the ladder to success. To find your why, dig deep and reach for a high level of self-awareness. What are your strengths? What can you contribute? What are your core principles that make you unique?

 

  1. Find somebody to hold you accountable.

Find a mentor! Find somebody who believes in you as much, if not more, than you do in yourself. Success cannot be obtained without the willingness of others to contribute their passion, and empower others to feel inspired and motivated to be the best they can.

Where do you find a mentor? If they aren’t right in front of you, then do your research and find the person who is where you want to be. Thanks to social media, most of us have a friend, or friend of a friend, who can make the introduction and get the process started. The process is up to you.  If you are willing to do the work, and have the passion to drive you, your mentor will be the difference in building yourself in an efficient and successful manner.

There is a catch here. If you find that person and you get the motivation and inspiration you need, it is your responsibility to pay it forward!

 

  1. Set realistic goals and establish a workable timeframe for each.

Now that you have an action plan and you understand and believe in your “why” and purpose statements, the next step is to set realistic goals for yourself and establish a timeframe for each. For example, based on the profession you are in, what skills do you need to sharpen to be at the top of your game? Do you understand the value proposition (what specific benefits you offer that bring value) for your product and company? Do you have a firm grip on the competitive landscape?

Answer these questions and begin to establish each of your goals. Research, read, and navigate the influential thought leaders in your profession (people whose opinions are valued). Via social media, talk with your mentor(s) and/or expand your knowledge of the market.To the right of the column with your goals, put a firm deadline to hold yourself accountable on achieving each and hold to it. Don’t give up, stay the course.

 

  1. Align your values with your actions.

Make sure that your core foundation is built upon integrity, character, courage, inspiration and gratitude. If you are built in this fashion, then your actions will reflect it in everything you do. These are the traits that define the best leaders, because they consistently show others their belief in them, and in turn, empower them to succeed.

Without values, your leadership will be meaningless. It will be hollow, uneventful and even worse, those whom you lead will gain nothing from you.

 

  1. Spend more time developing YOU.

Most important, don’t ever stop developing you. Success is a journey, not a destination. Your advancement is also a journey; there is no end. The most important investment you can make in your success is in YOU. 

Self-development means creating successful habits, employing patience, growing your professional circle and building your confidence every day.

 

Inspire action by painting a vision of what success looks like to you. Let this be your alarm clock to tell you it’s time to wake up and change the world. Become a visionary and eliminate passivity as an excuse. The world is yours — make a difference!

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup   #lessonsinleadership   #leadership   #lead   #process  #patience #change #venture  #lead  #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower  #motivate  #beyou #gratitude  #integrity  #starttoday  #humilty

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The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

Victor Pisano✏ Take Action Now
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