“Things With Paul Ippolito”
This is my occasional brain dump—a collection of thoughts that I believe may be useful to you.
I hope they resonate with you.
Meditate With Me For A Moment
One of the biggest challenges for professionals is avoiding constant distractions, interruptions and maintaining focus on the task at hand.
It results in fatigue and a lack of concentration.
I've started meditating again to improve my focus.
It's tough, but sitting somewhere quiet for 5 -10 minutes daily helps me clear my mind and push away the busyness.
I must admit I do feel a bit more calmer and more collected since starting it a few weeks ago.
It will be interesting to see what else happens over the next few weeks and months.
I honestly believe it will benefit me in the long run so I am going to do my best to stick with this routine and gradually increase the time I spend on it.
Just Walk
Make time for a daily walk, no matter how or where.
This simple habit promotes physical health, clears your mind, and improves your overall productivity and well-being.
Start with 15 minutes a day.
If you don’t have 15 minutes, well it is probably time to reassess your priorities and set up a consultation with me to plan your life a bit better!
Don’t Listen To Most Of The Feedback You Get
Only value feedback from those you love or respect.
That goes for positive as much as negative feedback.
I have come to this conclusion after a long time of listening to everyone’s feedback and people pleasing.
Listening to everyone I find invariably leads to unhappiness.
Be really selective about whose feedback you act upon I say.
Trust and respect the opinions of those who genuinely matter to you, and let go of the rest.
You Don’t Have To Read Everything
Aside from work matters, I now skim more and more, and only read what truly interests me.
I have no compunction about stopping reading a book I am not enjoying.
I’m also happy to skip through the chapters I really want to read and focus only on those.
My time is precious, so I focus on quality over quantity.
I have noticed this approach has also positively impacted my own time management and increased the enjoyment of my overall reading.
Life is just too short.
Discover Our New High-Performance Coaching Programs
We have been busy lately putting together a stack of high-performance coaching programs for you.
They range in topics designed to help you excel, grow and alleviate the issues you experience every day as a professional.
We just added one recently on “Transitioning Into Retirement”.
These topics have been carefully selected based on the common challenges professionals face today.
The next ones in the series we are currently developing are “Minimising Imposter Syndrome” and “Not Quitting In Your First Year Of Practice”.
I Think We Should Leave The Place Better Than We Found It
Each day, I strive to improve my surroundings with small, sustainable actions.
I believe they make a difference.
Whether or not you believe in climate change, I think we can all agree on the importance of a better environment,
I recall reading writer Nigel Marsh saying he picks up three pieces of rubbish every day. Simple, effective and cumulative. I liked that.
Simple steps matter as much as bigger picture responses.
Get Yourself Out There
Building a business and maintaining business relationships requires face-to-face interaction.
Online just does not work as well, in my opinion.
Post-pandemic, I think we need to be be more intentional about reconnecting.
I recall nearly getting caffeine poisoning from all the coffees I had while meeting people during my first year of practice.
It worked. I built a formidable network of invaluable connections and relationships that I still have today.
Even now, I make it a point to meet clients and colleagues in person whenever possible.
Speaking of fostering good relationships, I also make it a habit to return phone calls and emails by the end of each day. This simple good business practice builds trust and shows my clients and colleagues that they are valued. This also works as well in terms of generating goodwill.
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No Is A Favourite Word of Mine
For me, saying "no" is one of the best ways to balance current commitments with future opportunities.
I believe it's really important to be prompt, upfront and honest when saying no, especially if an opportunity doesn't align with my passions or falls outside my area of expertise.
I simply say no, explain why, but also make it clear that I am open to further approaches.
Yes, I am sometimes worried it may mark the end of potential future opportunities, but most times, people respect openness and honesty.
This approach also reinforces to me that relationships are meant to be long-term, not just one-offs.
Ultimately, the value is reflected when I do say "yes," and in the quality of both the work and relationships that I truly have an interest in.
Until next time, stay safe
Regards,
Paul Ippolito
Principal – Ippolito Advisory
