DREW SIMMIE

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September 28th, 2017

The Value of Self-Esteem

Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out that they’ve got a second. Give your dreams all you’ve got and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you. William James.

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The ability to know your perceptions are accurate has to happen without the validation of others. Intuition, a gut feeling, a voice whispering in your ear… whatever term you choose, is real.

It’s not the result of some secret potion or something in the water. It’s the natural consequence of having strong self-esteem.

Coupled with your courage and hope, self-esteem is the greatest power you have. It continually fuels the flame of the great adventure that is your life.

In these challenging times, as you navigate your future, is your current plan the right one? Could a recalibration be in the cards? I would love to hear from you. Like me to speak to your group? I am easily reachable. Text/call 416.450.8867 or email drew@drewsimmie.com

September 24th, 2017

Turn Your Back to the Audience

Belief is a truth held in the mind. Faith is a fire in the heart. Joseph Newton.

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In a world that continues to grow increasingly distracted, selfish, totally out of whack and hyper-competitive, vying for success and some kind of personal equanimity takes courage and not being afraid to sometimes fail.

In such an environment, as you strive to stay ahead of the game, going along to get along, sometimes you have to double down and turn your back to the audience.

In these challenging times, as you navigate your future, is your current plan the right one? Could a recalibration be in the cards? I would love to hear from you. Like me to speak to your group? I am easily reachable. Text/call 416.450.8867 or email drew@drewsimmie.com

September 20th, 2017

People are waiting for you.

Argue for your limitations and sure enough they are yours. Richard Bach.

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It isn’t enough to have learned something. It’s who you have grown into and where you can do the most good with what you have learned that counts.

Keep on keeping on. People are waiting for you.

In these challenging times, as you navigate your future, is your current plan the right one? Could a recalibration be in the cards? I would love to hear from you. Like me to speak to your group? I am easily reachable. Text/call 416.450.8867 or email drew@drewsimmie.com

September 18th, 2017

Adapting to Change

There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it is going to be a butterfly. Buckmaster Fuller.

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I have felt for the longest while, as I continue to add on the years, central to my way of thinking is that the idea of self-concept is best defined as an organized, consistent set of perceptions and beliefs about how we really are as a person.

That said, life isn’t static. We are living in a time of enormous economic and social pressure and unease. The shadow of apprehension, disenchantment and negativity conflicts with the bright lights of hope, amazing discoveries and new opportunities.

We know we must adapt to change but many of us have difficulty doing so. Even when presented with a seemingly endless array of logical arguments and data that should convince us, still we don’t.

1. We are trapped in a box, a paradigm filled with a countless number of rules, assumptions, regulations, beliefs, experiences and strictly prescribed ways we have come to believe hold the keys to personal and professional growth and success.

Taken together, they become our personal software operating system. To change them is to court failure. We don’t ask questions from inside the box. We don’t just believe that all the answers lie inside, we believe the box itself is the answer.

Armed with that certitude, our habits and thoughts become locked in. Our inquiring mind slowly withers away. We become emotionally and intellectually closed to the outside.

We join the silent majority and so lose the ability to be spontaneous and different. Deep in our hearts we know we that we are living a lie but are afraid to say so.

2. The second reason concerns our ego. Each of us has a unique personality and an ego that competes with our soul for the general direction of our life paths.

Our ego’s job is to protect us and make sure we stay on track. Our unique ego is constantly competing with other unique egos in a zero sum, “I win, you lose” adversarial game. It is always seeking dominance and control. There is no give and take. The ego is about having it all.

The soul side, on the other hand, is at direct odds with your ego. It is a kinder. more human side, professing a caring view that advocates love, consideration, sharing and being fair to others.

If you are primarily identified with a centre of interest in your life, to the exclusion of others – your work, for example, your possessions or your place in society, you are allowing your ego to be the driving force that determines your every move.

If you are attached, though, to always being right or always needing someone or somebody in order to be at peace or to feel successful, you never feel a sense of contentment.

Tackling your ego-driven needs and your attachments isn’t easy. It takes your willingness to suspend disbelief, be vulnerable and admit past misadventures. It takes strength of character to take whatever actions are needed to address the issues and seek practical solutions.

When you do that, your view on life dramatically alters. Aware of other people and their needs and concerns, you become more compassionate. You stop objectifying people and become more human.

3. The third reason is the contradiction manifested in the conflicting values of society. We all claim to love one another, be truthful and considerate. Many claim to live that way. Indeed, all the great religions and faith based philosophies direct us to do so. A majority claim to follow a religion or an ancient wisdom and its attendant beliefs but these spiritual values hardly have a place in the real world of our political, social and economic practice.

While our spiritual values encourage and foster a greater good, our daily quest for power, personal success and the bounty of the “full life repudiate and make a mockery of those goals.

Thus we find our personal values in direct competition with the values of society. In the process we are condemned to live inauthentic lives at home and at work. The result of all of this is a stream of toxic energy that can easily alienate us from each other and from our work. Worse, it saddens the soul.

But like much in life, we do have a choice. If you can beat back your ego and keep in it check, to allow your soul to take the lead, or at the very least, to have an equal voice, you can add immensely to the flow of joy in your life.

It takes a lot of unlearning of what you have learned, and tough, self-critical introspection, but it is doable.

It all starts with acceptance, a quiet talk with yourself, the willingness to do the hard work and adapting to change.

In these challenging times, as you navigate your future, is your current plan the right one? Could a recalibration be in the cards? I would love to hear from you. Like me to speak to your group? I am easily reachable. Text/call 416.450.8867 or email drew@drewsimmie.com

September 13th, 2017

The 7 Be’s of Leadership

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more you are a leader. John Quincey Adams.

Leadership is something you can’t always describe in so many words but you can always tell a leader when you see one.  There are many key factors or traits. If you want to be a leader, here are seven to get you started:

Be real.

Be bold.

Be open.

Be curious.

Be tenacious.

Be a teacher.

…. and be there for others.

In these challenging times, as you navigate your future, is your current plan the right one? Could a recalibration be in the cards? I would love to hear from you. Like me to speak to your group? I am easily reachable. Text/call 416.450.8867 or email drew@drewsimmie.com

For more information, rates, or to set up a meeting:
Email drew@drewsimmie.com or call direct 416.450.8867.