Skip to main content

Change Your Performance

In this episode – Change your Performance . . .

Hard to believe it's been over two years already; my service at Cenergy Power has invigorated me now more than ever.

Why, you ask?

To paraphrase Dr. Seuss, When you’re on your own. And you know what you know. You’ll be the one who’ll decide where to go. Employ your mind with work you enjoy, you will blossom my friend.

In January 2019, while still working at Home Depot, I realized that it was time, once again, to continue my lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and personal expression. Like many, I needed a change. My performance was suffering.

But what to do about it?

Then it hit me, stretch yourself. "Re-Fire!" Don't retire.

And what better way to do that than go back and revisit old friends. Books.

Books that made a powerful impact on my thinking and my professional behavior.

"Of course, the parables co-authored by Ken Blanchard."

But this time, as I reread those books commit to putting the learning into action. In the book, Know Can Do! "Learning is a journey from knowing to doing." Learning involves a change in behavior to be a top performer.

You see, when you delve into a book, creative ideas awaken your subconscious mind - you get excited. You pause, smile to yourself, and say, "Precisely, I agree, I've thought the same thing."

But until you can put those ideas clearly into your own words, that elusive concept never really becomes evident in your thinking or your life. So, how do you affect behavioral change? According to Blanchard;

First, identify the three factors why people don't learn and start doing what they know.

    1. Information Overload.

    2. Negative Filtering.

    3. Lack of Follow-up.


Number one is information overload, you're bombarded with data every day. Knowledge comes easy; just ask Google. No need to read a manual, attend a seminar, or even listen to an audio session. If you require instruction, it's probably available on YouTube. Just ask.


Number two is Negative filtering. When you learn something new or positive, you tend to discount its value even if it's about you! Too many suffer from Stinkin' Thinkin'.


And the third is the lack of follow-up. Changing habits requires a concentrated effort. Habits are ingrained into the fabric of our lives. For example, when you get up in the morning, what's your routine? Try altering that routine. It's not that easy, is it?


What to do?


The first step is to decide on what you want to achieve. That involves identifying your wants (future goals). What do you want to be, do, or have? Let’s not call them retirement goals; let's call them my "What's Next" goals.


But don’t make it a chore, have fun explore!


For example, what you're listening to right now is my ongoing personal expression (every week) to one of my goals. To write, produce, and deliver this Podcast.


What new activities have you thought about doing but have not acted on? Maybe it's a daily walk, play more golf - Or perhaps it's as simple as reading a book?


Think about it? Write it down. Make it a fun book.

(This week's fun book; I  Can Read with my Eyes Shut by Dr. Seuss)


So, as I reexamine books that have influenced my thinking, we will summarize how best to put that learning into action in future episodes.


My listening friends, that's what On the Fly is really all about.


Changing your performance begins with a behavioral change; action, don’t wait - Today is your day!


“So . . . Get on your way!”


I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.


* Notes from, Know Can Do! Putting Your Know-How into Action, Ken Blanchard, Paul J. Meyer, and Dick Ruhe.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular of All Time

Paris – the End of Silence

✈️  In this special episode: Paris – the End of Silence Sometimes, connection arrives in the most unexpected form—not through grand gestures, but through a quiet voice carried by technology. In a Paris apartment, I finally understood my family’s words . . . and felt my mother’s presence in every sentence. Since I was a little boy, France has been both a beautiful and frustrating paradox in my life. Every six to nine years, my mother, Mauricette, would take my brothers and me back to La Rochelle to visit our French family. The moment we arrived, the air would fill with a sound I loved but couldn’t share in—the rapid-fire, musical rhythm of French. My aunts, uncles, and cousins would warmly sweep me into hugs and kisses, their words flowing like a lovely melody I couldn’t quite catch. I’d smile brightly, trying to communicate with my eyes and hands. But as soon as we stepped off the plane, my mother and her sister-in-law, Joséan, started talking animatedly. They were gone, chatting h...
2 comments
Read more

Pushing the Pause Button

In this episode, Pushing the Pause Button: Stepping Off the Treadmill Hello, friends — If you're reading this, I'm already off the grid. Today begins a much-needed vacation, and for the next few weeks, On the Fly is taking a break right along with me. For a long time, my inner voice has said, 'Keep every commitment, no matter what.' That's meant early mornings, long days, and a calendar packed with posts, podcasts, and projects I couldn't seem to say no to. I've been trying to be the tireless workhorse—but that kind of grind doesn't end well. Lately, I've noticed I'm not quite myself—shorter fuse, louder sighs, and a few too many grumbles (Lori deserves a medal). That's when you know it's time to hit pause before the spark burns out. So, I'm stepping back to rest, recharge, and remember what it feels like to not live by the next deadline: no tech, no to-do lists, just some space to breathe. Thank you, truly, for all your support and ...
2 comments
Read more

Noirmoutier: An Ocean Between Us, Gone in a Moment

In this episode, Noirmoutier: An Ocean Between Us, Gone in a Moment. Sometimes love waits half a century for its moment — and when it finally arrives, time doesn’t stand still; it disappears. The moment I stepped off the train in Nantes, it felt like time froze. There she was — my cousin Michèle — waiting on the platform, arms waving desperately. When we finally embraced, the fifty years that had passed between us disappeared in an instant. The melody in her voice was the same, but softer than I remembered. We both shed tears of joy that only come from love long overdue. “I’m so happy you are here,” she whispered, her voice trembling.   Thank goodness for the translation app on my phone, because the conversation began immediately — fast, fluid, and unstoppable. The Frenzy of Catching Up As we drove for about an hour to the tiny town of L’Épine on the Island of Noirmoutier, the words kept tumbling out. Michèle and her husband, Alain, are the most gracious hosts — but my new challe...
1 comment
Read more

Our Journey to Avignon

🇫🇷 Lost in Transition: Our Journey to Avignon (Part 1) When everything that can go wrong—does—sometimes grace still finds you. Our Monday morning trip began on the quiet island of Noirmoutier , where salt marshes and sea breezes whisper of simpler days. From there, our early morning drive was uneventful; we arrived at the Nantes station with plenty of time to spare. From Nantes to Paris Montparnasse, everything went smoothly—so we thought, until it didn't. That's when things started to unravel. If you've never traveled the Paris Metro , imagine a vast underground maze pulsing beneath the city—corridors twisting into one another, trains roaring in and out of the dark, staircases that rise and fall like riddles. It's efficient, yes—but only if you know where you're going. We had over an hour and a half to make our next train to Avignon —plenty of time. Or so we believed. We needed to reach the Gare de Lyon station, where our TGV (high-speed train) was headed south...
Post a Comment
Read more