David J. Pollay's Blog

Change Your Seat. Change Your Life.

Everyone in life should be known for at least one quote.  I have one that I would like to share with you.  But first let me tell you a story.

Day 1

Seven years ago I attended a three-day leadership conference in San Francisco.  The first morning I arrived a few minutes early.  There must have been a hundred people in the room.  Many people were already sitting in their seats, and others were drinking coffee at the back of the room.  But all had staked a claim on a seat for the day.  There was just one chair left; I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed for it. 

The first day of the conference was good, and it was interesting to talk with the people around my table. 

Day 2

The second day I left the house a little earlier so that I could sit in another part of the room and meet new people.  The roads were pretty clear that morning; I arrived thirty minutes ahead of time.  I put my bag down on a seat at a new table.  Then I went to the back of the room to get a cup of coffee.

Watching people arrive, I noticed that they were returning to the same seats that they had been sitting in the day before.  I thought it was a bit curious, but I kept to my coffee and conversation.  When it was time to take our seats, I looked around as I walked to my chair.  And guess what I saw?  Everyone in the room was in the same seat as they had been on day one, that is, except two people:  me, and a young man who was glaring at me for taking his seat.  Out of 100 people, I was the only one who changed his seat on purpose! 

As I had planned, I learned a lot from the people around my new table.  I had another good day. 

Day 3

Day three came and my plan was the same: I left early from home so that I could arrive in time to choose a new seat in another part of the conference room.  Unfortunately, traffic that morning was bumper to bumper; my buffer time was lost on the highway.  I arrived with five minutes to spare before the session started.

I ran up the hotel stairs and opened the door to our meeting room.  And what did I see?  Everyone in the room was back in the seat they had chosen on day one, including the unhappy young man whose seat I had taken the day prior.  He was smiling at me as I settled into my original seat.  He had the grin of victory all over his face.  And the people I had met on day one – again sitting next to me – said, “Welcome home.” Everyone was so pleased that they had kept their original seat.

It was at that moment I was reminded that most people don’t like to change.  Most people prefer to stay in the same seat in life:  They would rather be comfortable than extend themselves to meet new people and try new things. 

Quote

So now it’s time for my quote.  Here it is.  “Most people sit in the same seat and expect life to come to them.  Be different.  Change your seat and you will come to life.” 

Be willing to change your perspective.  Be interested in other people.  Be open to new ideas.  The most successful people I know constantly challenge themselves.  They talk to people with different ideas and they try new things. 

So today my question to you is, “Where are you sitting?”  Better than that, “Are you going to change your seat?”

Monday Morning Momentum™: Be Happier - Let More Pass You By

                                

Welcome to Monday Morning Momentum!  Each Monday I lay out a simple momentum plan for you to follow: I help you focus on one thing each week that will increase your momentum in your career, business, and life.  Thanks for being here!  Best to you, David 

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Be Happier - Let More Pass You ByÓ

Many people complain

If you sit in a café long enough, you will hear people complain about almost everything.  And if you listen closely enough, the complaints are mostly about the behavior of other people. 

But, if you want to be happy…

But, if you want to be happy, you know that this is not the way to go.  You know one of the most powerful keys to happiness is to follow The Law of the Garbage Truck.  The key is to let the negative things you cannot control pass you by without taking them personally. 

This week

Do two things this week.

(1)  Make it a point to focus on what is important to you.  Don’t allow anyone or anything to distract you from what you care about. 

Try not to be bothered by any of the following:

• Bad drivers
• Rude waiters
• Poorly trained customer service representatives
• Aggressive sales people
• Insensitive colleagues
• People who don’t hold the door open for you
• Bosses who aren’t friendly
• Employees who criticize your ideas
• People on talk radio
• Negative television hosts
• Telemarketers

(2)    Who else should be on your list?  How many more people could you let pass by without taking them personally?  Add these people to your list now. 

And remember to breathe deeply each time you let a Garbage Truck pass you by this week.  And then congratulate yourself for doing it.

Invite your family, friends, and colleagues to join you.

Please post your experience this week, or email me at david@davidjpollay.com with your story. 

And if you want your family, friends, and colleagues to join you on your Monday Morning Momentum mission, send this post along to them.

Have a great week, and let me know how it goes!

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And remember you can sign up for my newsletter, Monthly Momentum Minutesä, right here.

Momentum Makes Life Better.©

Life is good.  We should be grateful for our lives every day.  We should find joy in our lives.  Believe this.  Remember this.

And momentum makes life better.

Momentum is powerful. Momentum requires more than just being “good.”  Your momentum depends on your ability to maintain what is good in your life and then build upon it.  The core of momentum is an appreciation of what you have, and a commitment to your continued growth.

Success and happiness depend on momentum.  Success and happiness begin with an understanding of what is right in your life, a desire to care for it, and a belief that you can do better.  Momentum does not allow for procrastination, backsliding, and giving up.  Momentum is all about action. 

Momentum requires you to use your resources to achieve more of what you value and enjoy. You must strive to learn more, love more, care more, try more, and experience more.  Your happiness and success rely on your positive momentum. Nineteenth century Swiss writer, Gottfried Keller said it best:  "We don't remain good if we don't always strive to become better."

Do you understand momentum?

Answer these questions to find out.

• Think about a game or contest you participated in – sports, school, or business – during your life.  Was it easier to score points when you were on a roll, or when you were just doing okay?
• Think back to when you were single (or if you’re single now, pay attention).  When were you most attractive to others?  Was it when you were dating regularly, or when you were not dating anyone.
• If you have ever been in sales, is it easier to make a sale after you have established relationships with potential customers, or when you are just meeting them for the first time?
• If you’re a parent, is it easier to get your children to talk about something that’s bothering them, or to keep them talking once they open up?
• If you’re a student, is it easier to start writing a paper, or to keep writing once you are in flow?
• If you have ever tried to lose weight, was it easier to start the diet, or to stick to it once you started losing weight?

You know the answers:  You do better when you’re already in action.  Getting started is always the hardest part.  Momentum makes life better.

If you’re competing, dating, selling, parenting, studying, or dieting, you want momentum.  You don’t wait for success to happen.  And you don’t sit on success once you have it: You maintain your success and you build upon it.  And when you have momentum you want people to know that you’re on a mission.  You want them on your team. You want their help.  You want their support.  And when you have momentum, people are more likely to help you.  And better yet, they want you on their team. 

Momentum feels good

Remember how momentum feels.  You feel powerful.  You feel great.  You feel confident.  You feel unstoppable.  And the beauty of momentum is that it is contagious.  When you achieve momentum in one area of your life, it is easier to achieve it in other areas of your life.  And when you experience momentum, the people around you benefit:  You give yourself, and everyone in your life, the best you have.

Einstein said, “Objects at rest have no momentum.” So, think about everything that is important to you.  And ask yourself, “Am I moving?” 

Remember life is good.  And momentum makes life better.  Get moving, and enjoy your best possible life.

Monday Morning Momentum™: Look for Beauty and Opportunity©

Welcome to Monday Morning Momentum!  Each Monday I lay out a simple momentum plan for you to follow: I help you focus on one thing each week that will increase your momentum in your career, business, and life.  Thanks for being here!  Best to you, David
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Look for Beauty and Opportunity©

A few weeks ago, my younger daughter Ariela (4) and I went to a little café for breakfast.  After our meal, I held her hand as we went for a walk in an old residential neighborhood.

And about five minutes into our walk, Ariela said, “Papi, look at that tree.”

I looked up and saw a fairly common looking tree without many leaves.

“Not there Papi,” Ariela said as she pointed.  “Look up there!”

I looked up even higher.  And at the top of the tree was a burst of orange color. 

I had never seen anything like it before.  It was absolutely beautiful.  It looked like a giant bouquet of orange flowers perched on the tree’s canopy.

With enthusiastic prodding from my daughter, I saw beauty I had not seen before. 

This Week

This week at work let my daughter prod you too.  In each of your meetings, telephone conversations, and hallway chats, look for one thing of beauty, novelty, or curiosity to you.  Be on the lookout for things you have not seen or considered before.  Think of yourself as an explorer this week; keep your mind open and nimble.  Be the one to look for the opportunity in your interactions.  Be the one to see color when others might only see black and white.

And remember to post the results of your experience this week, or send me an email with your story.

Invite Your Family and Friends to Join You

And if you want your family, colleagues and friends to join you on your journey, send this post along to them.  Have a great week, and let me know how it goes!

And remember you can sign up for my newsletter, Monthly Momentum Minutes™, right here.

A “Gratitude Moment:” The Letter

I checked on Dawn and the girls.  Dawn was sleeping.  And Eliana and Ariela were sprawled across our bed fast asleep.  We let them stay up a little later than usual (sometimes we let them fall asleep on our bed, and then I carry them upstairs to their rooms).

As I was heading from our bedroom to the kitchen, I stopped in the foyer to look at two pieces of mail that were opened and sitting on a shelf.  I reached for the one on top.  It was a letter.  It was addressed to Dawn.  I read the first two lines.

“Thank you for your recent visit to our facility.  Your digital mammogram shows no evidence of cancer.”

I stopped.  I didn’t read the rest of the letter.  I just thought about what it could have said.  And then I thought about all the other letters that were opened today, and the letters that would be opened tomorrow.  Many thousands of women would be blessed with good news.  I also thought about all the women around the world who had received or will receive the news they fear most.

Then I had what I call a “gratitude moment.”

I stopped what I was doing and I headed to a window.  I looked outside and took in the big world.  And I said thank you.  Thank you for blessing the health of my wife, children, parents, and all of my family.  Thank you for caring for my friends and colleagues.  And I said thank you for everything that is good in my life.

I know letters and phone calls could come at any time with news I would never want to hear.  So, when I am reminded of the good in my life, I stop and say thank you.  I want to always appreciate the abundance in my life.

Would you join me this weekend on a special journey?

This weekend look for the reminders of the good in your life.  And when you find them, stop and say thanks.  You have much to celebrate in your life.

And let us all send our blessings to the people who opened a different letter.

Even in Tragedy: The Power of Positive Triggers

Even in Tragedy: The Power of Positive Triggers

You know my “Sticker Story” (Read it here if you don’t.)  You understand the power of positive emotion: It can help you in most every circumstance in life, even in tragedy.

A Brave Example

In a New York Times article, “Survivors In China Sift Rubble for the Past,” Edward Wong wrote about the survivors of the Chinese earthquake and how they were trying to piece their lives back together.  He wrote:

Sang Yuping spreads out a half-dozen photographs on a mattress in the tent that was given to her by the government.  Across the road lie the remains of her one-story home.  Long wooden planks protrude from the pile at every angle like whale bones.

There on the mattress is a photo of her daughter, her son and his wife.  It is April. They are smiling and dressed in Tibetan robes and dancing at a festival at a primary school here, weeks before the school is to collapse and kill most of the children inside.

“This is the thing I was happiest to see,” said Ms. Sang, 54, a corn and soybean farmer.  “I lost everything in the earthquake, and when I found these photos, I felt better.  Because from these photos, I can see what life was like before the earthquake.”

She added, “I look at these photos when I’m sad.”

In the aftermath of a horrific tragedy that no one should ever have to face, Sang Yuping teaches us again about the power of what I call “Positive Triggers.”  Her brave example reminds us that there is always something available to us to help give us courage and lift our spirits.

What Are Your Positive Triggers?

What positive triggers do you have available to you to help you make it through the worst of times and to thrive during the best of times?  Use Positive Triggers everyday to help you live your best possible life.

My prayers are with Sang Yuping and with all those that are suffering around the world.

Monday Morning Momentum™: It’s Your Turn to Let a Garbage Truck Pass By

Welcome to Monday Morning Momentum! Each Monday I lay out a simple momentum plan for you to follow: I help you focus on one thing each week that will increase your momentum in your career, business, and life.  Thanks for being here!  Best to you, David

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It's Your Turn to Let a Garbage Truck Pass ByÓ

When you let Garbage Trucks pass you by, you become happier and more successful.  And when you stop spreading garbage to others, your relationships improve, your business grows, and your family thrives.  If you have not yet read “Beware of Garbage Trucks!ä - The Law of the Garbage Truckä,” read it here.

Last week our Monday Morning Momentumä mission was to observe someone else stopping the Cycle of Garbage by letting a Garbage Truck pass them by.  Now it’s your turn:  Help stop the Cycle of Garbage and feed the Cycle of Love.

This Week

Look for at least one opportunity to let a Garbage Truck pass you by.  And then do it: Let the Garbage Truck pass by.  Then learn from your experience by answering these three questions:

·       How did it feel to let the Garbage Truck pass you by?

·       How did you benefit by letting the Garbage Truck pass you by?

·       How did you help your business and your family by letting the Garbage Truck pass you by?

Congratulate Yourself

Remember to congratulate yourself for letting a Garbage Truck pass by.  Feel good in knowing that you stopped the Cycle of Garbage and fed the Cycle of Love.

Please post your experience this week, or email me at david@davidjpollay.com with your story.  I want to recognize you.  I may include your story (with your permission) in my syndicated newspaper column, or in my book due out this fall, Beware of Garbage Trucks! – The Law of the Garbage Truck™.

Together we can make the world a more beautiful place.

Thanks for your help!

Invite your family, friends, and colleagues to join you.

And if you want your family, friends, and colleagues to join you on your Monday Morning Momentum mission, send this post along to them.

Have a great week, and let me know how it goes!

And remember you can sign up for my newsletter, Monthly Momentum Minutesä, right here.

Part II of the Interview

Last week I told you about my interview on the Google/YouTube news program, The Watercooler Diaries with Kate Bohner.  Kate is a former CNBC Journalist and co-author with Donald Trump of the best-selling book, The Art of the Comeback.  She did a two-part series on my company, The Momentum Project.

In the second part of the program, Kate asked me to talk about The Law of the Garbage Truck™.  So, I shared with her a short version of my story.  Here’s the full article:  Beware of Garbage Trucks!™ The Law of the Garbage Truck™.

You’ll also see footage of my leading the great teachers and leaders of The Village Academy School in Delray Beach, Florida, through the first part of The No Garbage Trucks! Pledge.™  To see the entire No Garbage Trucks! Pledge™, check out the short clip from my television program, The Happiness Answer™.

Here’s Part II of the interview.

And if you missed Part I of Kate’s Program where I tell my “Sticker Story,” watch it here.

Thanks for watching!  I hope you like it.

* Remember to check out Kate Bohner’s new series based in L.A., Profiles In Courage.

Monday Morning Momentum™: Spread Love, Not Garbage!™

Welcome to Monday Morning Momentum! Each Monday I lay out a simple momentum plan for you to follow: I help you focus on one thing each week that will increase your momentum in your career, business, and life.  Thanks for being here!  Best to you, David

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Spread Love, Not Garbage!™

Based on The Law of the Garbage Truck™

I recently took my little girls, five-year-old Eliana and four-year-old Ariela, into Blockbuster Video to rent the movie Ratatouille. We found the movie on the shelf and took it to the counter to pay. And then we waited. And we waited.

My girls and I waited as the sales clerk handled a customer service issue on the telephone. The sales clerk signaled with her eyes that she knew that we were there. Her message was that she would help us as soon as possible. And so we waited. 

I could tell that the customer on the telephone was being difficult and would not let the sales clerk off the phone. This was putting even more pressure on her because she was the only one working in the store and customers were lining up behind us. 

So I turned away from the counter and started talking to my girls about the popcorn we would make when we got home.  Just then the sales clerk hung up the telephone and invited me to step forward. 

“I apologize for the wait,” she said.

I said, “It sounds like you had a tough customer on the line.”

She said, “Yeah, but that’s OK. It’s all right.”

I knew she was frustrated, but she was doing her best not to let it show. I handed her my money for the rental. She put the movie in a bag and handed it to me. I said thanks, and my girls and I walked to the exit.

Stopping the Cycle of Garbage.  Feeding the Cycle of Love.

And before we reached the door, my little girls started to debate who would get to carry the bag. I stopped. I knew the drill. I had to break the impasse. When I was just about to tell them how we would decide who would have the honor of carrying the bag this time, the sales clerk came out from behind the counter, and walked over to us. She was carrying another bag in her hand with a catalogue tucked inside. The sales clerk leaned down, smiled at my girls, and said, “I have another bag for you girls. One of you can carry the new bag and one of you can carry the bag with the movie. You both get to carry a bag. How’s that?” 

My girls looked at each other, smiled, and said, “Ohhhhh…thank you.” The sales clerk gave me a big smile, and said, “I have two girls. I know about these things.” She proudly walked back to her next customer. And I walked my girls to the car feeling grateful.

Our sales clerk had a choice to make. She could either have fed the Cycle of Garbage in the world or she could have fed the Cycle of Love. Our sales clerk chose to stop the garbage and feed the love. She followed The Law of the Garbage Truck. She let a difficult experience with a customer pass her by. She focused on what she could control. With that decision, our sales clerk made the world a more beautiful place. 

Good people like my sales clerk are all around us. Let’s find them together. Let’s acknowledge them and recognize them.

This Week’s Monday Morning Momentum Project

This week let’s help stop the Cycle of Garbage and feed the Cycle of Love.  Look for at least one instance that someone in your life let a Garbage Truck pass him or her by.  Then take note of three things:

(1)    How did it help the individual to let the Garbage Truck pass by?

(2)    How did you benefit when that individual let the Garbage Truck pass by?

(3)    And how did the world become a better place when that individual decided to let the Garbage Truck pass by?

Finally, remember to tell the person who stopped the Cycle of Garbage how much you appreciate what he or she did.

Please post your experience this week, or email me at david@davidjpollay.com with your story.  I want to recognize the people who are stopping the Cycle of Garbage and feeding the Cycle of Love.  I may include your story (with your permission) in my syndicated newspaper column, or in my book due out this fall, Beware of Garbage Trucks! – The Law of the Garbage Truck™. 

Together we can make the world a more beautiful place.

Thanks for your help! 

Invite Your Family, Friends, and Colleagues to Join You

And if you want your colleagues, friends, and family to join you on your Monday Morning Momentum mission, send this post along to them.

Have a great week, and let me know how it goes!

My “Sticker Story” on YouTube

Do you know my “Sticker Story?”  I tell this story in my speeches and seminars to help people understand the power of positive emotion in their lives. 

Recently I told the story in an interview on the Google/YouTube news program, The Watercooler Diaries.  The show is hosted by Kate Bohner, a former CNBC Journalist and co-author with Donald Trump of the best-selling book, The Art of the Comeback.  Kate did a two-part series on The Momentum Project and my work.  The program is just about 4 minutes long.

You can watch Part I here.

Let me know what you think.  And if you’d like to post a comment and rate Kate’s program, click here.

P.S.  You can read my original Sticker Story and the Power of Positive Emotion here.  Make sure to tell me if you need some stickers!  Have a wonderful day!