JAMES McPARTLAND'S BLOG

"Presence is the art of showing up like you are supposed to be there." James K. McPartland More often than not we arrive at our intended destination, conduct a telephone conversation, participate in a meeting, and make important decisions in spite of being distracted. Autopilot gets us through a workout, reading or writing an email, interviewing a candidate, eating a meal, and spending time with our family. We are in survival mode and have become accustomed to feeling special

"It is far better to be wounded by the truth than consoled by a lie." James McPartland People can deal with the truth. While we may not like what we learn, once the truth is distinguished our uncertainty no longer rules us. Transformation begins when we move from awareness to acceptance, and then shift into action. Facts do not cause stress, it's the stories we make up about the facts that create drama and cause stress. Finally, it is well worth noting that one point of view

"Our authentic self knows that the only way out is through -and- that the only way through is in." James McPartland One defining quality of authentic people is the character trait of personal responsibility. As such, these folks work harder on themselves than they do on their job. For them, self knowledge is self empowerment. Authentic people are trustworthy because they trust themselves, believable because they believe in themselves, and are credible because they are genuine

"Trying is wanting recognition for something you are not fully committed to." James McPartland If you are truly interested in understanding what you are committed to - look at your results. Whether it be weight on the scale, money in the bank, the quality of a relationship, or the obstacles that consistently appear, we get what we focus on and little else. While we may speak a good game, it is our consistent and deliberate actions that add up and generate the outcomes that ap

"Be extra good to your children for they are the ones who choose your nursing home." James McPartland Life is a never ending series of boomerang tosses, and what we throw out will ultimately come back to us. Life does not happen to us, life occurs to us. In other words, life is us. We are surrounded by the reflections of how we show up, who we are being, and the intentions we set forth each and every day. If you seek to acquire the skills to become the type of person that you

"The pursuit of mastery requires deliberate practice. It is not about reaching your potential, it is about building it." James McPartland Mastery requires far more practice than most people are willing to devote time to. Our brain and body have the needed capacity, however most of the population are satisfied to live inside of their comfort zone. Far too often we opt to live in a world of good enough. With focused and deliberate practice, learning becomes a way of taking cont

"Where we place our attention maps our destiny." James McPartland People who excel in the game of life maintain a dedication to self awareness and are passionately committed to knowing themselves. These individuals regard mostly every event and interaction as an opportunity to learn. Further, these leaders believe that the results in their life is a reflection of what they are committed to. Their outcomes are proof of their devotion. #personaldevelopment #executivecoach #brea

"The great game of life shifts when we realize that we are creating our own experiences and that someone or something is not doing it to us." James McPartland Becoming responsible means locating the cause and control of our lives within ourselves and not in external events. There is no one to blame. We strive to understand what we are to learn and how we can grow, especially when we are in the midst of a setback or major disappointment. If I am responsible, I retain my power.

"Life does not come with labels. We create the labels and thus define our own life experiences." James McPartland The people and events of our life do not come with descriptions until we give them one, and these words define the meanings that become reinforced as our beliefs. Absent any new way to refine our worldview, we limit what is possible in people and in what is available to us in life. A good test is to ask yourself if the label you have given is true, and is it an un

"Action is the ultimate expression of thought." James McPartland We are walking, talking declarations of our deepest convictions. Like clay, our thoughts give rise to our possibilities as well as to our accepted limitations. Creating a future far bigger than ourselves requires a daily practice of what we need to do and more importantly, who we need to be. We must take radical responsibility for our lives so that in our weakest moments we don't talk ourselves out of greatness.

"Stress is not a result of receiving all of the facts, it is the stories we create about the facts that cause the drama and stress in our lives." James McPartland Relationships get damaged when we confuse the facts with opinions, judgments, assumptions, and a manufactured story. Once we learn that we make up stories all of the time, and that we believe the stories to be true, we are freed up to return to the facts and pursue a new and empowering result. There is nothing wrong

"You are the only teacher that you will ever have." James McPartland When you think about what you have learned, and what you can easily recall from your life, there was likely a subject of intense interest or a highly emotional experience involved that easily triggers your memory. The subject could have been an academic or professional requirement to advance your career, whereby the emotional experience could be the joyous birth of a child or devastation of an accident or a

"The diamonds are in the details." James McPartland Developing a new habit, improving results, creating new products, cultivating relationships, or achieving meaningful and inspiring goals requires a process. To that end, a commitment to the process is far more important than the result we are after. Outlining our plan and fitting it into our day to day life requires deliberate thought and precision. New results require a new approach; if nothing changes, nothing changes. #pe

"There is a price we pay when we don't pay attention." James McPartland Many of us are addicted to distraction and engulfed in a myriad of choices that are competing for our attention. Cultivating meaningful personal and professional relationships, playing with our children, making important business decisions, experiencing great food, enjoying music, or simply appreciating the beauty of the day passes us by when we are busy being busy. While it is difficult to be in the pres

"When it comes to experiencing emotional growth, "good" and "easy" are not barometers of success. They are usually indicators of avoidance, resistance, and denial." James McPartland The phrase "growing pains" is what it is for a reason. Growth requires a certain level of discomfort. The pursuit of mastery is simultaneously fulfilling and frustrating. We consistently advance on our climb, however we never arrive. Growth is a mountain with no top. An authentic journey will not

"We write the daily script that reinforces our beliefs, frames each situation, molds our mindset, profiles the people, and paints the environmental canvas that we operate in. The feature film that we star in is our script showing up on the big screen of life." James McPartland Our power is a thing of wonder, yet many of us never come to realize our full potential. We are shaped by the beliefs of those who have helped us to emerge from childhood to adulthood, and it is quite n

"To create something far bigger than ourselves requires us to endure a journey of self discovery along the path to our destination. And, in pursuit to our ultimate goal, we usually find that the only available method of transportation is a leap of faith." James McPartland A hero is an individual who believes in the future more than the past, who sees what is on the way versus what is in the way. Each of us will never know how great we are until we step into the unknown. The r

"Curiosity is the art of mastering the questions. The longer we linger inside of the questions, the closer we come to discovering meaningful answers." James McPartland It has become apparent to me that it is far more important to have a well thought out question than to come up with the right answer. We tend to hear, see, and experience, that which validates what we already know or that which has already been answered. In order for us to to truly learn, we must be willing to

"When we sacrifice a future goal for immediate satisfaction we are putting our future up for sale." James McPartland We all have a discount rate, it is the deal we make with ourselves when we give in to the urge of immediate satisfaction over the steps required to live the life we have imagined living. Our future self, the idealized version of who we believe we can be, is always someone we can start working on tomorrow. We all have self control, until we need it. Take a momen

"If you truly want to master happiness - go ahead." James McPartland Happiness is not an amorphous state outside of our control, it's a trainable skill. Most of us look to the future when seeking happiness when it is right here in our own backyard. These three steps - call them "Happiness Systems" - can lead you to that seemingly elusive happy place in an attainable and sustainable way. Try the following daily for the next 30 days: * Exercise the muscle of GRATITUDE - 10