Apr 23, 2009: Play Dirty by Sandra Brown

I have to admit, I was a bit nervous about this book topic. I mean, we had never taken up a fiction before, much less a romance novel! In the hindsight, I think Arlene Meilich made a provocative and yet a wise choice with this book. I also loved the story-telling format she chose for the discussions, which stirred up more relevant business discussion than we have ever had.

The challenge I had presented to the group was being able to stay focused with certain aspects of my business. I walked away with many important insights into that issue as well as with some other issues that had been bugging me for quite some time.

Some of these insights are:

1) We often have to make difficult choices in business and in our personal lives. In such instances, I need to trust my internal guidance system and do what I feel is right. And after having made the decision, trust that the decision I made was the best decision I made and move forward with confidence and ease. Second-guessing myself and my decision is a terrible waste of time and energy that I just can't afford.

2) With the din about economic problems getting louder, it's tempting to let some of my "terms" and rules loose. But staying true to my "terms" is even more important now than it's ever been. Instead of letting my principles and practices loose because of the "bad economy" excuses from prospects - setting strong up-front contracts, truly getting to prospect's pain, qualifying prospects for budget and decision making process - I need to commit to them even more. I need to be more gutsy up-front with such things to avoid wasting time with bad prospects.

3) There is a clear connection between being clear, being integrated (whole) and being focused. Without being clear, I can't be focused. Without bringing different pieces of my life into an integrated whole, being focused is very difficult.

Thanks group, for an insightful discussion. And thanks Arlene for leading such a thought provoking session!

Hope to see you all on May 14!

Happy Success!
Bhavesh.

Apr 9, 2009: Getting Things Done by David Allen

Thanks to Kent Howard, we had a lively and engaging session today with this book.

As I have shared with you all, my life is changing, growing, blossoming in so many ways with the lessons I have learned and insights I have gained. There is something very precious about doing this in a group. Sharing, discussing, reflecting. I don't know about you, but there is NO WAY I could have even come close to bringing about the changes that are happening in my life on my own. So I thank you, group, from the bottom of my heart for that.

I had read this book before. I have put a GTD system in place which I practice vigorously in managing my life goals on weekly and daily basis. And yet, I gained new insights today. I realized that I can either use this material to tie myself down and imprison myself in it. (I don't think David Allen meant it that way.) Or I can use it to free myself, let the system handle the details and and play my bigger game. (That's what David Allen had in mind, I think.)

In the last three or four weeks, I had detached myself from my GTD system, on purpose, so that I can gain a better perspective on my life and all the things I want to do in it. David Allen recommends, by the way, to take a break and go off the system every now and then and come back to it with a fresh perspective.

Today's session inspired me to get back to the system with this more elaborate intention of putting things in place to free myself up even more to do the things that I really want to do. To play my bigger game.

So that I can continue my process of peaceful and relaxed creation - of my business, my relationships, my health, my life.

Thanks again group, for the changes you are helping bring to my life.

Happy Success!
Bhavesh Naik.

Mar 26, 2009: Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationships by John Welwood

Thanks Werner for another powerful session where we learned not just how to show up in a sales call, not just how to show up in a personal relationship, but how to show up in a relationship that counts the most, with ourselves.

The most profound aspect of the session to me was the exercise that Werner led us through where I experienced Love first-hand, in a way I never had quite experienced before.

I learned that if I showed up with the Love, IN that Love in all my relationships, not only would each of my relationship improve substantially, but I would make much more money and be appreciated so much more.

The issue that I had put on the board was "being able to engage with my work not just cognitively but more emotionally, from my gut, more fully." I am realizing that the way to accomplish that is to show up with Love that I am capable of being. The rest follows.

Thanks Werner, for these insights!

Happy Success!
Bhavesh.