Latest Posts

Are you losing your mind?

Published by Colin Nanka

Are you losing your mind? 

 

In this great episode Dr. Michael Gervais interviews Nelson Dellis, a Grand Master of memory.

 

If you are finding it difficult to keep things straight in your mind these days, this episode is for you.

 

Since covid, and working a ton on zoom meetings (maybe from getting a little bit older), I find the memory recall is not as good as it used to be!

 

How to Master Memory

 

Nelson is a 5X USA memory champion. He’s an athlete of the mind! He has remembered up to 907 digits and 9 decks of cards!

 

A very unique dialogue and I think you will enjoy it.

Defeating Average.

Colin

You win the day by winning the night before

Published by Colin Nanka

“You win the day by winning the night before.”

This includes:

  • Putting clothes out for work and workouts the night before
  • Packing your lunch and your kids lunch (if you have them)
  • Planning and preparing for obstacles
  • Thinking about what meetings you can change if a big priority comes up

 

A smart leader I know recently said, “the higher you rise in an organization, the more you need to be prepared for unexpected change to come at you during a week.”

Winning the day the night before, insulates you against unforeseen obstacles in the morning.

Defeating Average.

 

Colin

Opportunities are multiplied when seized 

Published by Colin Nanka

You often hear “crisis creates opportunity” or don’t waste a good crisis.

Like an iceberg, what you see above the water line is the initial opportunity, and as the first one to put up your hand, as you invest in solving the problem, the chunk under the ice reveals itself as the long term opportunity.

Being the first one on the ship to survey the ice, gives you the opportunity to multiply the size of the impact and reward.

Defeating Average.

Colin

Re Showing Up in Person

Published by Colin Nanka

We need to relearn how to present ourselves.

 

I was part of a company program recently where our sales people had to stand and deliver a pitch. I’ve been at Salesforce 17 years and we used to do this all the time. I saw so many people using crutch notes on computers, iphones, etc, who did not trust their skills to present without notes.

 

We hired many people during the pandemic, young in tenure who have not had to do it. I am rusty, others are rusty and need to relearn. 

 

I’ve got used to preparing for meetings with notes and having them available on my computer as a crutch. Even the difference between driving a meeting on zoom or in the office hybrid with a couple people live is a challenge to prepare for. I am rusty, others are rusty.

 

I have heard many people say, we are going back to 2019 both in how the world works and how work is most effective. It’s a reset. 

 

Think about the skills that were critical in showing up in 2019:

  • Good eye contact
  • Good posture
  • Projecting your voice
  • Good tone modulation 
  • Pause to make impact 

 

It’s time to dust off these skills and reset.

 

Defeating Average.

 

I will only be writing Monday this week. Have a great US Thanksgiving for those celebrating.

 

Colin

Open Hands 

Published by Colin Nanka

I was sitting on a park bench doing an exercise from a health practitioner.

One hand, palm up on each leg.

Breathing in and out and feeling where stress was resonating which for me was in my chest.

In each hand I would imagine an intention that would serve to reduce the stress. Looking at it like a dial I could turn up or turn down.

In the left hand was acceptance.

In the right hand was presence.

Turning up acceptance and proactively visualizing my way over and through the obstacles.

Turning down multi tasking and dialing up prioritization and presence.

Focus on the triangle of energy between mind and body.

Defeating Average.

Colin

Have you recharged your batteries lately?

Published by Colin Nanka

We got off the boat in the national park of Canada on Maligne Lake and stepped onto spirit island on the last full day of our vacation (picture above). It’s been a long time since I was back around Jasper, AB. The first for Blake and the first in the mountains for my daughter Tess.

 

One third of Americans have not taken a holiday in two years! We all have been locked in through Covid and many people have told me “they feel limited by where they can go with the amount of delays and cancellations (up to 20% of flights are delayed on average 48 minutes in 2022).

 

We’ve taken two driving holidays in the last two months, one in the north fork of NY (2.5 hours away) and the latter on the back end of a flight home to see Mom, and in the mountains (Banff and Jasper 4-5 hours drive).

 

I have also had a good stretch not taking a vacation. The thinking being, if you can’t go anywhere fun, it’s not worth taking. I am someone who likes to work, and likes to contribute, but I can tell you, turning all the tech off, and turning your out of office on is the only way to truly recharge.

 

Many of us think, the work or our team mates will miss us while we are gone, but most people love when the boss is away (especially if you are an idea fountain like me) and are happy to back up a colleague when they are away with their family.

 

As my old team would say, before you get “crispy”, the beginning of getting burnt out, take yourself off the chess board, and hit your happy place and fill the battery back up.

 

Tess kept dragging me out on the back of the cruise boat, as we went to spirit island and back. She likes to look at the water and feel the wind in her hair. She just may be a chip off the old Canadian Iceberg after all.

 

Defeating Average while not working.

 

Colin

 

Children are listening…are you?

Published by Colin Nanka

I was listening to my meditation last weekend when my daughter asked, “can we listen to one of mine.”

We started six months ago listening to some children’’s meditations on the Calm app, including Poppy the Troll, Thomas the Train and others. They are four minutes long. The one she loves the most is “Gratitude Scrapbook.”

We listen for a couple minutes and then she will tell me to pause it so she can share what she is grateful for, and then I do the same.

Tess’s are simple:

I am grateful when Daddy plays with me
I am grateful for my friend William
I am grateful for mommy reading me books
I am grateful for ice-cream (aren’t we all)

It’s a reminder of what it’s all for.

Connection, friendship, love, learning and snacks.

Children have a lot to teach us, if we are listening.

Have a great weekend.

Colin

Ukraine Strong

Published by Colin Nanka

My grandfather on my Dad’s side died when I was 12. My middle name was named for him. My Grandmother and his wife died a number of years later. They grew up in the farming community in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The breadbasket of Canada.

I remember getting my first tool set just a couple years before he passed. He had an old shed he worked out of just like my dad would for most of his life.

He fixed things that were broken. He repaired trucks, cars and items in and out of the house. He lived a simple life. He was grateful for what he had and to live in a country where you could carve your own path based on hard work.

My grandfather is Ukrainian. My Dad is Ukrainian

Two of the biggest communities of Ukrainians are in Manitoba and Edmonton, Alberta where I grew up.

In 1997 and one of the biggest floods since 1950 in Winnipeg, my dad traveled to help his brother to build a fortress of sandbags around and save his house. The community worked together to defend their lively hood.

Ukrainians are gritty, prideful and don’t give up.

Defending Democracy and Defeating Autocracy.

Colin

This is a story that is just beginning 

Published by Colin Nanka

50 percent of people are re-examining there lives 

 

40 percent of people are experiencing some sort of mental health impact from the Pandemic 

 

Employees satisfied with their work life balance attend 25% few meetings 

 

We are on a long journey that is just beginning. 

 

How can we all help one another?

 

Listen

  • Be curious a little bit longer when people are sharing with you 

 

Learn

  • Be willing to relearn how to live in this environment 
  • Ask more questions 
  • Be more selfish with your well-being 

 

Live 

  • Focus on what is best for you and your family 
  • Find the best way to recover 
  • Answer: what is something that would bring me joy today?

 

Be well

Which Wolf Are You Feeding?

Published by Colin Nanka

There is an old parable that uncovers how I have felt over the last couple years, and maybe you too. 

The conversation is between a grandfather and his grandson and does like this:

“I have a fight going on in me,” the old man said. “It’s taking place between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

The grandfather looked at the grandson and went on. “The other embodies positive emotions. He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. Both wolves are fighting to the death. The same fight is going on inside you and every other person, too.”

The grandson took a moment to reflect on this. At last, he looked up at his grandfather and asked, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee gave a simple reply. “The one you feed.”

This parable serves as a powerful reminder of the fight that every human being must face. Regardless of the type of person you are or what kind of life you lead, you will find yourself battling two conflicting emotions at some point in your life. 

They can be between anger, angst, frustration or calm, peace, passion and many other emotions.

I find I am coming in contact with both wolves.

It’s important to be conscious of which wolf you are feeding.

Defeating Average.

 

Colin