Elevation Corner – 7 Personal Elevation Tips to Practice while you are on holiday

Holidays are a good time to start to change habits and reflect on the past year. Here are some ideas to help you have a more relaxed, enjoyable and more constructive holiday.

1. Take a break from complaints and excuses

Every time you find yourself wanting to complain or make an excuse change your perception of the situation. Look for any benefits or opportunities in it. See a delayed flight for example as an opportunity to read more of a book or poor service as an example you can use to demonstrate a point in your work.  Avoid getting worked up and you will enjoy yourself more and those around you will enjoy you more. People gravitate to those who can stay calm in a crisis. A holiday is a great time to start to change habits that are not helping you. I once found myself in a general store in Wales. The owner was explaining to me angrily from behind the counter of his untidy shop that business was really bad. So bad in fact that his wife had just put a handwritten sign in the front window. It read ‘If you do not start using this premises it will be withdrawn from you’. Bet that did the trick!! Notice what you say and where the root cause is coming from. You!

2. Pay Attention to Nudges

Jo Simpson mentioned this in her interview with me on ‘The Restless Executive’. When you are relaxing have a think through whether there are any re-occurring themes. over the past year or so. One of my friends who has recently found himself between roles keeps getting told by people that he would make a great teacher/lecturer. Time to listen? A holiday is a good time to reflect on where you are and where you wish to go with your career or business.

3. Make your holiday an adventure.

My good friend Neil Laughton who is an adventurer and leadership expert recently invited myself and family to stay over with his family for a short holiday. Neil is someone who knows all about adventure having climbed Everest, built a flying car which he drove and flew from London to Timbuktu etc. From the moment we arrived to the minute we left we had one adventure after another. We played archery, pool, touch rugby, board games, croquet, go-karting, went swimming etc.I even road a penny farthing and drove his flying car! My 5 year old son told me he will never have a better time in his life ever!. What I came back realizing was that we can be more adventurous in what we do – and it is the small things. On holiday having more fun with the children rather than lying on our backs soaking up sun. We can also the take this habit back in the workplace. By the way, Neil is a great person to work with if you want an adventurous team building day.

4. How BIG can you dream?

In Jack Canfield’s book ‘The Success Principles’ there is the following quote ‘Always dream big dreams, big dreams attract big people’ General Wesley Clark – former supreme Allied Commander NATO’. The thing I notice about extraordinary high achievers is that they are generally just like you and I . They simply dared to dream bigger and followed through on it. While on holiday write down what you really want out of your career and work and all other aspects of life. While doing this myself this week we decided we wanted to one day have a holiday home in Dartmouth a seaside town we love in Cornwall.

5. What do you know that is not true?

One to reflect on. It’s not what you don’t know that holds you back but what you do know that isn’t true (Jack Canfield). I have spoken to several people this month who know a lot of things that are simply not true! They are falsely limiting their horizons. Get rid of ‘I can’t’ for example. Henry Ford recognized this when he said ‘I am looking for a lot of men with an infinite capacity to not know what can’t be done’ – Henry Ford

6. Worry less about what people think

If you are away and worrying about what someone is thinking of you then reflect on Dr Daniel Amens Rule 18/40/60 – At 18 you worry what people think, at 40 you don’t give a toss at 60 you realize they were not thinking about you at all.

7. Avoid newspapers and the news while on holiday

Have a break from it. You are unlikely to be able to do anything with the information and is it really going to contribute to you having a good time? Spend the time keeping the focus on what you do want. Keep it positive
and if you are going away have a wonderful time.

Elevate the value of your holiday by acting upon these. And by the way you do not need to be on holiday to practice any of them!

Have fun,

Chris