Each month, our President and CEO Michael McMahon gives his key insights; five tips, tricks, or words of wisdom on a topic that's prevalent to the industry, his experience, or a current trend. Read this month about the importance of being deliberate with your actions, and knowing the difference it can make on your impact on work and those around you. 

Many of us have had an experience in life where a coach or a mentor has used the phrase “be deliberate!” The intention is obvious, and centered on motivating a player to act with a more focused state of mind. Goals are often used as a driver, and we all know how easy it is to get off our game and fall short of a goal. This is precisely why so much time is applied to fundamental skills, both in the early stages of learning, and throughout subsequent levels of aptitude and ability. Being deliberate is a skill, and mastering that skill will create the space for a higher level of performance when either the game, or life, presents challenges. Every successful person that I have encountered has mastered their ability to deliberately apply themselves toward an intended goal or outcome.

The real challenge isn’t in getting agreement that, “being deliberate produces results,” it’s in motivating ourselves to transition from a place of “knowing” to “doing.” Taking action is where everything happens, which is why objects in motion stay in motion. Just because someone has aptitude and experience, doesn’t mean that they will act deliberately and apply themselves consistently. This is why professionals across any and all disciplines in life seek out coaches and mentors. Too many of us simply stop being deliberate and focused in our actions, which often results in a lower level of integrity applied to the work that we do.

To be deliberate, you have to actually make a choice and choose to act. While this action is “centered on self,” it is rarely selfish because deliberate and passionate action is contagious. Those who choose to be deliberate in life often begin to see their actions transform the experience of others.

Deliberately Raising Our Game: 

1. All of your experiences have one thing in common...YOU! So choose wisely.
2. ALWAYS seek to raise the integrity and intensity of your efforts…people will notice.
3. COMMUNICATE intentions and seek to enroll others, because you can’t go it alone.
4. Choose to make a POSITIVE impact on the way you occur for others…be true!
5. Be open to your role as a catalyst for POSSIBILITY…and you will attract just that!

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Truly deliberate activity on your part will generate an effect that essentially deadens the noise of life. Distractions will have no place or space to thrive, and your activity and actions will quickly begin to attract anything you set your mind toward.