We are taking a little break for the holidays. Please come back right after the New Year for new blogs and much more as we revise StageClimbing.com and give you new tools to help you reach your potential in any area of your life that you would like to work on. Look for our blogs to resume on January 3, 2012.
Category Archives: Stage Climbing
Is Giving to Charity Always a Stage Seven Endeavor?
Since your view of charity (giving/receiving of time, money, or other tangibles to/from others) is a very personal matter, the short answer is no. Contributions of time or money to charity or a cause you support is a situation where your unique values prevail. Your true motive is what tells the story. For example, at Stage Seven, your contribution may be a result of your inspiration to benefit the world or a certain deserving subset of it for a cause in which you believe. At times, this could even make your own life more complicated or difficult than it would be otherwise. At Stage Six, it could be the opportunity to do some type of work that you enjoy doing for a charity, which you don’t have the opportunity to perform as a part of your career or regular life. At Stage Five, it could possibly be to fulfill the expected role of giving back (and besides, giving tangibles to charity is tax-deductible). At Stage Four, it could be to receive the praise and recognition that often comes from others as a result of giving (many charities even publish the names of their donors, partially for that purpose). Another way to put it is that Fours (as well as Twos) can act like Sevens when the “cameras are rolling.” At Stage Three, you may be giving merely to stay out of hell; Stage Two, to convince others that you have pure intentions, so that they fall prey to a scam of yours; and/or Stage One in order, somehow, to actually receive that charity’s help.
Sevens need no recognition for their acts of charity and kindness. When you are operating at this highest stage, the ability to move the world or a segment of it (perhaps just one person) in the right direction with respect to something you feel strongly about—where nothing extrinsic for yourself is expected in return— is all the motivation you need. Only you know your true motivations. However, no matter what stage you are starting from, take a moment to visualize the impact your contribution it will have. When that vision can trigger a feeling of true satisfaction, you are definitely in the Stage Seven zone.
The Season to Use Our Stage Seven Hooks Is Here
You are operating at Stage Seven—the highest stage to aspire to in the Stage Climbing model—in any area of your life when you are choosing to be benevolent and are truly motivated by the satisfaction you feel by making a contribution to the world outside of yourself. This can be one person, a group, society itself or anything in between. The Stage Seven club is always open to you. As you operate in the Seven zone, you will quickly discover that when the forces of gratitude and passion work together, practically anything is possible.
What Is Happiness?
Happiness is the one goal that just about all of us has in common. However, the definition of happiness varies so much from person to person, that it can be hard to get a handle on. So as this holiday season unfolds, now is a good time to think about what happiness actually means to you. Let’s look at this by the stages:
What is a Truly Mature Marriage or Love Relationship Anyway?
No matter where you are in your own personal development, the right relationship for you exists. The question is, what are you really looking for in a life partner and what— emotionally —do you have to give in return? A bit of self-reflection and mutual clarification here can go a long way toward spotting some potential red flags in your relationship as well as permanently raising the bar for both of you. And if you are still looking, let this help to guide you in finding the right spouse.
Don’t Let Breast Cancer Keep You From Reaching Your Highest Potential
October was a great month; we started seeing fall foliage, the temperature was mostly bearable, and it was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We celebrated all those women [and men] who are courageous enough to fight the fight against breast cancer. You saw all your favorite sports teams strutting around in hot pink, your favorite brands and foods were covered in that pink ribbon we have become so familiar with, and every weekend there was a different walk or 5k to support our beloved women [and men] with breast cancer. The support is overwhelming. But most importantly, let’s remember not to confine our commitment to beating this disease to October!
How you Feel about Yourself In Connection With an Area of Life Is Often the Best Litmus Test
There are many definitions of happiness and success as they apply to your career, relationships and other important areas of your life. Let’s look at this by the stages:
Understanding Our Politicians by the Stages
We used to talk about political seasons; but it seems now as though the political season never ends! So let’s take a non-partisan look at the players who—for better or worse— make this possible. After all, we are only one week away from an off-year general election and a year away from the one that may be the most important election of our lifetime.
Motivation is Never a “One Size Fits All” Process
Whenever I speak on the topic of motivation or coach managers on how to motivate subordinates, I emphasize what I consider the most important, yet overlooked fact: That motivation is never a “one size fits all” process. Whether you are simply trying to nail down what motivates you or how to motivate someone else in order to be maximally effective, it’s crucial to understand and acknowledge the stage from which you (or whomever you wish to motivate) are starting.
My Plight
It was my 24th birthday, a day that should have been a day filled with elation.
However, I was displeased and angry, angry with myself. I guess you could say I was
having a quarter-life crisis. It had been 24 years since I made my entrance into the world
and what did I have to show for it?