Adam C. James

It’s understandable to want to be recognized for your work, but when that is your sole motivation, you’re likely to be left feeling empty and burnt out.

Seek instead to make an impact. Not for your ego and/or publicity, but because you genuinely care about the end user(s) of your work.

"While knowing someone’s occupation can undoubtedly give meaningful insights into their life, it surely does not give an accurate representation of their whole life. In order for us to get to know people, we have to spend meaningful time with them, have a genuine care to get to know them, and ask thoughtful (beyond surface level) questions.

This same formula is essential if we want to get to know ourselves, too. And, you’d think that we know ourselves better than we know others because there’s not a moment in time when we’re not with ourselves. Yet, that’s simply not the case."

Sampling of this week's challenge in Mindful Journey.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/get-know-yourself-adam-james-znqfe.

www.linkedin.com

Be patient with yourself.

"Giving yourself grace doesn’t mean that you justify or excuse bad behavior. The intention of this challenge isn’t to purposefully fall short on a goal, get off a diet, or engage in knowingly harmful behavior, and then let yourself “off the hook” with grace. Instead, it’s intended to help you be more intentional about speaking kindly to self, while bringing an admittance of imperfection and an acceptance of being human."

Mindful Journey's weekly challenge. ⤵

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/give-yourself-grace-adam-james-ql82e.

How you see yourself matters.

"Have you ever attempted to pull a paper towel from a dispenser, but when doing so, only get a portion of the towel and not the full sheet?

Of course, this may occur as a result of the dispenser being jammed, and thus disallowing the paper to move. But most often, when this happens, it’s because we’re hurriedly rushing through the task. We may be in a fearful or rushed state, filled with tension, and applying unnecessary pressure to something that would otherwise move if we just gently grasped both sides of the paper and subtly tugged downward. This finesse and delicacy would ensure a full sheet and not a ripped portion only where the pressure was applied."

Sampling of last week's challenge in Mindful Journey. These arrive to community members inbox every Sunday and are intended to give them something to look forward to and work toward in a given week.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/deploy-delicacy-adam-james-zeyte.

I’ve heard “no” well over a thousand times in my life.

It comes with the territory of being in business and pursuing dreams.

But there was a period where I heard no so frequently (and there were very few “yeses”) that I became anticipatory of future no’s.

And I believe that happens frequently with people. Their worth and identity becomes attached to that which they’re experiencing. So they continue to expect the same results.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Just because you may be receiving “no’s” in your job search, or funding pursuit, or business, etc., it doesn’t mean that you’re unable to receive a YES.

Choose to see the experiences of “no” as one off occurrences and not life defining proclamations. Remember, you’ve won before and have received yeses before. If you’re going to dwell anywhere, dwell on those wins, not the losses.

Expect yes!

When reading a book, going back through previous chapters can present great value.

It can reinforce our learnings, clarify findings, and perhaps just offer a new perspective.

Going back through previous “chapters” in our lives can present great value too (e.g. learning lessons from failures, etc.) but staying there for too long and dwelling upon what’s already been written can hinder our ability to write our story moving forward.

We often stay stuck in the past. Either hoping for things to be “like the good old days.” Or, wishing we never had the days. In either occurrence, we’re not able to make the best use of our present days.

Be reminded that your story is far from over. Learn from the previous chapters written but promise yourself you’ll let go of them so you can write a compelling story intentionally designed by you.

It's simple, really. Don't make things overly complex.

When you genuinely care about people and engage in conversation with an accompanied empathy, it's inevitable that you'll more meaningfully connect.

Find the calm in midst the chaos.

In 2014 I began working at UPS as a package handler for $11/hour. The shift was from 4am-8am. I needed a part time role outside of “traditional" business hours that would allow me the flexibility to continue pursuing my dream, while bringing me in some money so I could support myself.

Nearing the conclusion of my first week on the job, the building supervisor approached and asked if I’d like to advance. He shared that they had been impressed with my work ethic, etc., and that the week following they would have me organizing the truck for the drivers (the next step up), and then indicated they’d have me training on a truck (to be a driver) within two months. The salary? $65,000-$70,000 (from what I recall), plus great benefits.

For context, when he approached with that offer I was dead broke. And had no benefits. I had resigned from my “career” the year prior to pursue my dream of being a motivational speaker, but it hadn’t been working out the way I envisioned. I was in significant debt and that salary would have certainly changed things.

Those closest to me at the time all advised I do it. So, I said yes. But I knew in my heart it wasn’t right. So in just the second week on the job, I resigned.

Although that role wasn’t the last of the different jobs that I would need to take on to keep my dream alive, I learned a valuable lesson in that moment; that being: we must have the courage to choose the path that feels right for us, not the one that is popular.

Taking that job would have undoubtedly lessened my financial pressures and stress. I would have likely had better relationships and had more time to do what society may deem as “normal” (e.g. take vacations, go out to dinner, start a family, etc.). Yet, I chose the unconventional path (again!) and continued in pursuit of my dream. And as Robert Frost is so famously quoted as saying: “that has made all the difference.”

Making decisions that go against the grain is not easy. But when you believe in something strongly enough, you don’t need easy. You just need possible.

Be courageous enough today to make the decision that is right for you!

Your life can change in just one moment.

Keep going & don't beat yourself up for yesterday.

"Days, months, and years tend to blend together. If someone were to ask you what you did on this very date one year ago, it’s unlikely that you’d be able to share with them specifics.

Yet, if there was a significant life event, or moment, that you experienced, it’s almost certain that you’d be able to share extensive detail about where you were, what you did, who you were with, and how you felt.

This realization personifies the power of moments. Moments do matter. And although we may not be able to incorporate what we perceive as “big” moments (e.g. a wedding, engagement, new home purchase, birth of kids, etc.) into our lives each day, we can identify smaller moments — like a Friday morning coffee shop — that make us feel fulfilled when we’re immersed them."

Below is the weekly challenge Mindful Journey members received to their inbox yesterday. These are sent every Sunday evening and just one of eight overall features in the program.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/find-moments-adam-james-eu02c

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending a beautiful event hosted by Clint & Karla Hurdle supporting the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association. I encourage you to check out PWSA and ways you may be able to get involved or contribute. Please visit: www.pwsausa.org.

It’s always a beautiful display when people come together in support of meaningful causes. In a time when it may appear so easy to look around and see “bad” in the world, I’m reminded of something a good friend previously told me, that is: “good outweighs evil a billion to one.” And events like last evening reinforce that sentiment.

Let’s double down on and continue to look for the good! It’s all around us. 😊

Be mindful of how you label yourself.

There’s a significant difference between competition and comparison.

Competition is productive. And it’s actually essential.

If businesses didn’t have competition, it would initiate stagnancy. Innovation would lag and there would be no urgency to create new products, etc. because the consumers would have no where else to go.

If university settings accepted everyone, there would be no incentive for students to push their limits.

If the outcome of athletic events always ended in ties, athletes wouldn’t train as hard, nor would we get to witness their truest talent as there’d be no reason for them to give their all.

It’s important to note, however, that although competition is productive, it shouldn’t be rooted in comparison. Because when we look to others and feel inadequate for our perceived shortcomings, or when we begin to measure our worth based off of looks, belongings, etc., it can have the opposite (and detrimental) effect of what healthy competition provides.

As it’s commonly shared, “comparison is thief of joy.” And it’s true. But not only can it steal your joy, it can steal your hope.

It’s ok to be aware of what your “competition” is doing, but rather than toxically comparing and striving to tear them down, work to build yourself up.

At the end of the day, it’s you versus you any way.

What I’ve learned about speaking, facilitating programs, and growing a business hasn’t come from books. It’s come from my failed attempts. It’s come from me embarrassing myself and having absolutely no idea what I was doing.

While I undoubtedly rely on books and other publications and resources to help me learn, I rely more heavily on the actions I take in spite of being uncomfortable, and not knowing.

Because when I take action in spite of this, it’s inevitable that I grow. Even if I look foolish or even if I fail, I’m gaining (real-time) invaluable information about what the market needs now, about what I need to adjust, and most importantly, about myself.

Knowing yourself and learning through your actions is easier said than done though. Many never take time to do this because it doesn’t come naturally. It’s not easy to look introspectively and admit shortcomings or potential weakness. It’s not easy to replay situations in your mind in an attempt to recount what went wrong and why, and it’s certainly not easy to sit in solitude and openly reflect without bias or attachment.

Doing so is essential for learning, however.

Be willing to separate who you are from what we do, ask intentional and reflective questions, and have the courage and humility to confront the “tough stuff.”

Keep learning & keep growing!

"Dreaming is the catalyst for and the prerequisite to creation."
�Yesterday was our 138th challenge in Mindful Journey: Dream Again!

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dream-again-adam-james-yqkee

These are sent to community members every Sunday. For more info, visit: www.journeymindful.com.

Constantly beating yourself up over past mistakes, and/or speaking unkindly to you, is surely not helping you.

Be kind to yourself!

If you want to learn about the brain and neuroplasticity, and be a part of an inspiring and thought provoking conversation, then join us tomorrow for a Mindful Journey guest interview when we welcome in Dr. James Doty.

Dr. Doty currently serves as the Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University and is the Author of “Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain & the Secrets of the Heart.”

REGISTER: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_baez6ZZpQuWg79d7s4mLFg

Enjoy your life!

You have to be bold in life.

Take risks.

Get out of your comfort zone and do things you don’t know how to do.

People have often asked me what program I completed to become a speaker.

And the truth is, there was none.

I don’t have formal “speaker” training and I didn’t have a clear blueprint for how I would get started.

I just started.

I’ve delivered a few hundred presentations at this point in my career, and there has yet to be one where I’ve walked away saying: “that was perfect.”

Because there is no perfect. But that’s what has allowed me to continually evolve and improve: the embrace of realizing that we’re always in pursuit. And that there will always be things that we can adjust and tweak.

This pursuit is what makes life exciting too!

However, we don’t get to feel that excitement if we always stay in a place of comfort.

Be bold today and take a risk. Your future self is counting on you.

I’ve been around plenty of “leaders” throughout my life who talk the talk, but never walked the walk.

Not only does this type of behavior initiate a disconnect in a relationship, but from an organizational perspective, it diminishes trust in a culture.

I recognize there are one off occurrences where leaders have to make decisions in real time that may counter their initial intent, however, a leader who consistently says one thing and does another, is not truly a leader.

Leadership is more than plastering a mission, vision, and values throughout an office. It’s even more than speaking them. It requires a deep care for who and what you serve. It’s about doing what’s right even when doing what’s right is the tough thing to do.

If you’re in a leadership role, don’t overcomplicate things. Just care for people!

If you’ve not joined us for a guest interview yet in Mindful Journey, this is one you will not want to miss!

So excited to be featuring Dr. James Doty next Wednesday, 3/13, at 12pm ET. A portion of his more formal bio & link to register is below.

James R. Doty, M.D. is an adjunct professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University School of Medicine and the founder and director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University of which His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the founding benefactor. He works with a variety of scientists from a number of disciplines examining the neural bases for compassion and altruism.

Through CCARE, Dr. Doty has overseen the development of a variety of techniques, apps, and programs to address issues of mental health, stress, anxiety and burnout. He is also the founder and CEO of Happi (happi.ai), a healthcare company focused on creating a digital platform that uses artificial intelligence combined with a human avatar to treat mental health issues. He is also the Senior Editor of the “Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science”.

REGISTER: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_baez6ZZpQuWg79d7s4mLFg 

Separate who you are from what you've experienced.

It’s time to let it go.

You get to control how you respond.

Just hang on for a bit longer. It will be worth it!

Don’t delay your gratitude!