Most of us, at some time or another in our lives, had big ambitions. Maybe you’re remembering being a fresh-faced college student with dreams of fancy degrees and big earnings. You might think about that big promotion and living in a beautiful house. I think we often confuse ambitions with dreams. Ambitions are the things we set out to accomplish — we make moves and game plans and strive. Dreams are those things we would like, but we either never pursue or never make real plans to get there.
It’s that time of year again. While we’re still feeling the warm glow of the holiday spirit and ringing in not just a new year but a new decade, new year’s resolutions will be more ambitious than ever. It’s almost a joke now to talk about resolutions, knowing that in a few week’s time we’ll be right back to our old habits. We fail to see the possibility of our own success, believing that we’re set up for failure every time.
Running doesn’t seem like a winter sport, does it? When it’s cold and blustery, it’s not attractive. It gets dark early. It doesn’t feel right! You should be inside sipping on hot cocoa, not braving the elements. As an avid endurance runner, I enjoy running just about year-round. It can get tough during these humid Tennessee summers, but generally speaking, I see it as an all-year event.
As we live in a capitalist society, there is often an assumed correlation between success and making lots and lots of money. I think we all know, however, that wealth doesn’t fix everything. While we all strive for financial security, there are some things in life that are more valuable than profit. If we wish to be the best employees, entrepreneurs, and executives out there, we have to recognize what is and is not worth it to us in the pursuit of success.
Thanksgiving is barely passed and I already feel as though I’m overwhelmed by a slew of decadent treats and warm, fattening meals around the dinner table. As much as we want to eat healthily, the holidays bring out all of the temptations that can disrupt your stomach and your progress towards a goal weight.
Reputation builds influence. The better our reputation, the more sway (and respect) we will have. In leadership, a solid reputation is absolutely essential. Building a reputation starts when you’re hired, but it will always follow you whether you change careers or rise to the top. Building a reputation doesn’t happen on its own, either. For us to shape a good reputation in the workplace and in leadership, it takes conscious, consistent effort.
The idea of hating our jobs is ingrained in our culture. Only recently has the tide shifted to encourage people to do what they’re “passionate” about (though I would argue that passion isn’t enough). We still live in a “working for the weekend” world that dreads Mondays, sees the workweek as a slog, and can’t wait for five o’clock on Friday.
The statistics around childhood obesity are not encouraging. When we look at the statistics provided by the CDC, we see that obesity affects some 13.7 million children between 2 and 19. That’s over 18 percent of American children and teens. Even when we’re not talking about obesity, the food choices we make for our children impacts more than weight. The consumption of junk food and fast food lead to attention and focus issues, mental illness (including depression), as well as the risk for long-term illnesses and obesity.
Back in college, I had a friend who got fit through running. He got in great shape, but I noticed he was eating meals sized for a linebacker. He wasn’t a big guy — and when asked, he’d bring up how great his metabolism was because he was a runner. That he could eat anything he wanted to and burn it off fast.
Whenever I think of wasting time at work, I picture time spent idle — lingering at the coffee pot, checking social media, or having prolonged discussions with coworkers. Our time-wasters aren’t always obvious, though. I think it’s easy to target habits of procrastination. What is harder to pinpoint and correct are our internal habits that waste time and stunt our careers.
Listen. I like my job. I do! I get to do some awesome things, whether it’s working with my Memphis Invest family or pursuing my own entrepreneurial ventures. Because of this, I have to be critical of my habits. I can fall into a workaholic lifestyle if I’m not careful!
I’m passionate about leadership. It’s one of the primary topics I write about on this blog. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about leading from the top, leading in a managerial position, or leading to inspire others. Regardless of the type of leadership, I really do love all of the ins-and-outs of leadership.
According to Psychology Today, emotions will drive our decision-making whether we like it or not. As inherently emotional creatures, it’s impossible to separate feelings from our decisions. The difference between making good and bad emotion-driven decisions is our ability to interpret and understand the emotions that drive us.
If you work a desk job, you know just how difficult it is to find time for healthy habits, particularly exercise. At the same time, we know that sitting all day is inherently detrimental to our health. When you sit for prolonged periods, you use less energy and, in turn, burn fewer calories. This increases your risk for several diseases and health problems: obesity, high blood pressure, heart conditions, and high cholesterol.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m a big fan of podcasts. Whether I listen on a long commute or while doing a monotonous task, there’s no better pick than a good podcast. What I appreciate is that this type of media isn’t a distraction. It’s actually enriching me with greater knowledge. For professionals who want to push themselves into new areas of growth, podcasts are an easy way to do it.
When I think about my dad, Kent Clothier, Sr., I think about the legacy he’s building. Because we’re all together in the family business of Memphis Invest — my father, myself, and my brothers — I see every day how he conducts himself with integrity, service, and grace. I’m thankful for his example in my life and how he’s impacted me.
Running has grown into a popular sport in the past few decades. As a result, running coaches have also grown in popularity. But do you need a running coach? No, not necessarily. However, just like hiring a trainer for the gym, a running coach can help you master your technique, propel your growth, and better enjoy the run.
No matter who you are, I think we all want to live long, healthy lives. Whether by genetics or lifestyle, lifelong health can seem like a distant pipedream. It just doesn’t seem possible for everyone, and certainly not for yourself. However, we can all work to optimize our health and long-term wellbeing.
Traditionally, we think of retirement as being a goal to reach by the time you’re 65. For an increasing number of Americans, true retirement seems more and more like an impossibility. Between wage stagnation and a deep debt crisis, it seems like you’ll never be able to save enough for the next year, let alone find the resources to invest in the rest of your life.
