As you may have noted in my previous post, the physical demands of the World Scout Jamboree were somewhat extreme (at least to me). But I did prevail. That leads me to talking about how the way I think changed due to the jamboree (what I learned will come after although it is related to this post). So, how my thinking changed. First of all, I’ve never been in an environment quite so multi-cultural before. Granted, Calgary is an international city (I may have mentioned before how on any given day I hear more than a dozen different languages spoken by residents) but it isn’t quite so international as the jamboree. There were something like 143 countries and territories attending […]
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World Scout Jamboree – Awesome Adventure Pt. 1
I attended the World Scout Jamboree (in Japan) with some of my Scouts and I have to say, it was an awesome adventure. It was by no means a holiday or relaxing vacation but I expected that going in. It challenged me in so many different ways, testing both my physical limitations and how I thought and saw the world. Let me begin with the physical limitations, since those are the easiest ones to articulate. I had several preconceived notions of what I was capable of withstanding. Most/all of those were wiped out by this sometimes grueling trip. Let me list them: Heat – I come from a climate north of the 49th parallel. I don’t particularly like excessive heat. […]
Read moreOne Step Forward, Two Steps Back
I don’t know how many times I’ve either said or thought, “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back.” I know every time I have, it was not a positive thing. But yesterday that changed. You see, I was having lunch with my friend, Leah Crichton and we were talking about various things. Leah said those very words and I had an epiphany. I realized right then that feeling that way was actually a very good thing. I suppose it may have been the context of the conversation that did it. So here is my rationale. When you take a step forward, you are making progress. Maybe you have been trying to find a publisher or agent or a new job. When […]
Read moreKnow Thyself – Steps to Creating a Brand
I have been trying to create a “Michell Plested” brand for some time now. To date, that has included being active on social media, having a website and a podcast. It has also included the several books I now have available. But yesterday when I asked the question on Twitter what else I should do, @KevinWohler asked me who I was. He wasn’t asking the question as in, “Who are you? I have never met nor heard of you.” Instead, he was asking, “Who do you think you are and how do you want people to perceive you?” This is when I admit that I am lousy at self-evaluation and even worse at seeing myself through any lens other than […]
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