All posts tagged: personal growth

Stew in Uncomfortability

Published by Colin Nanka

A Friday throwback post from the summer of 2009. The first time I can truly say I stretched my limits is when I trained for the NYC Marathon in the fall of 2002 with one of my best friends from Edmonton. We took what traditionally is a four to six-month training window and cut it down to three so we could hit the Nov 2nd competition date. There is something about the unknown, fear of failing, that drives you. Unsure if you will be able to complete the goal and in a measure of time that lives up to your standards.  It was hard work! Six runs per week, three hour runs on Sunday afternoon, and when adding in post-recovery time (stretching, soaking, eating, nap), it turned into an all-day event that finished with an early bedtime. We had hilarious side stories and lots of learning that developed through the challenges overcome. The next challenge for me was a move from Edmonton, AB (the prairies) to Toronto, ON (the big urban city) the following year. …

10 Things That Bring You Joy

Published by Colin Nanka

An old classic from 2010 Many of us do not take time to appreciate what brings joy into our life. We are consumed making a living, paying the bills, taking care of kids/family, obligations, and keeping our head above water.  Have you ever thought, if you could take an unplanned day, what you would do?  There are many successful entrepreneurs/executives and executive coaches that believe the time to rejuvenate the spirit is absolutely essential to their success. Some take personal time every 2nd week, take a 5-day extended weekend every month or take an adventure/relaxation trip once per quarter. Many of us in corporate land may find a challenge in those scenarios, however, there are creative ways it can be done. Think about it for a few minutes, what is it that brings you joy? Take out a pen and write down ten things that bring you joy (or for those of you reading on the blackberry/iPhone, create a task and type it in).  Some will come from times in the past when you were …

101 Things to do before you die

Published by Colin Nanka

I recently read an article that referenced this story about Ted Leonsis’ brush with death back in 1983 and how it transformed his life. http://espn.go.com/page2/wash/s/020312leonsis.html “Ted Leonsis, the owner of the Washington Capitals and an Internet multimillionaire, may seem like a guy who has it all. But he hasn’t done it all. When he survived a plane crash landing in 1983, he made a list of 101 things he wanted to do in life. “ I was fortunate enough to be able to meet Mr. Leonsis back in 2000 when I was visiting a friend in Washington, DC. At the time one of my friends had been traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Washington Capitals and was a third line winger, and one of the hardest working players on the team. That particular time I attended, the team was retiring Dale Hunters #22 Jersey and my friend got me invited upstairs to the party. The entire team, families, and friends of Dale Hunters were there. It was quite a night. At one point in …