Grow Your Knowledge Regardless of Age
As an avid learner, I am always seeking ways to build my knowledge and add new tools to my toolbox. I recently left a fulltime job in December, 2021 so was actively exploring what to do next at this time of my life. I discovered a book around this time called “Positive Intelligence: Why only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential And How You Can Achieve Yours” by Shirzad Chamine. I listened to it on Audible while walking my dog everyday and was intrigued. I wanted to learn more about the Saboteurs Assessment and the research that has positively impacted over 500,000 people from 50 different countries including hundreds of CEOs and their executive teams and world class athletes. The research that Shirzad conducted was infused with recent discoveries across neuroscience, positive psychology, cognitive behavioral psychology and performance science.
After going to the Positive Intelligence website, I was thrilled to learn that they created a whole program focused on rewiring your negative thinking into a more healthy way of operating. The program helps you discover your greatest Saboteurs and teaches you how to intercept them and use techniques to refocus your brain. You learn to use short exercises that quiet your thinking brain so that you can bring on more healthy thoughts such as empathy, creativity, and curiosity. This operating system works similar to a workout program; you build your mental muscles by participating in daily challenges that are pushed out through an app each day of the week. The app is similar to a Fitbit that tracks your progress each day and shows you your results and even your mental “charge”. The challenges are broken down into a few minutes at a time so that it is easy to build them into your daily activities and establish new habits. These short Positive Intelligence Quotient (PQ) exercises are easy to access on your phone at any time and place.
The other amazing part of my journey is that Positive Intelligence was offering coaches the experience of going through their 6 week program right at the time I left my full time job. So, I considered it to be serendipitous and started the program in January, 2022. In order to participate, I had to find 3-4 other coaches that wanted to go through the program so we could support each other and serve as accountability partners. I found 2 other coaches and we all enrolled to start in January. We met each Tuesday evening of the 6 week program and it was eye opening to say the least. It was fun to discuss the videos and exercises that were shared each week. It pushed me to complete the daily challenge and to share my insights and to learn from my Pod mates.
I can honestly share that I feel like a different person after going through this program. I feel lighter and experience my day to day work with a sense of adventure and more resilience. I also experience life at a higher frequency than before which helps me to see more opportunities and gifts all around. I am continuing to build my PQ knowledge by exercising my brain each day. I also feel empowered to pursue my passions and share them with others and plan to make this a lifelong pursuit.
Now, I’m honored to serve as a coach for others. I highly recommend this for anyone that is seeking a new way of experiencing their daily life. I had the honor of guiding my first group of 5 awesome people through the 6 week program and they had their last Pod meeting on June 27, 2022. Here are a few comments about their results:
“I now know how to use PQ reps when a crazy incident happens at work and it helps bring me back to Sage. Rather than reacting in frustration or emotion, I now react with a calmer mind and can think clearly before I say anything.”
“[I’m] more aware of my primary Saboteurs. And converting negative situations into gifts.”
“I do feel that there is great value in PQ reps. They are quite effective during periods of high stress/anger.”
“I learned so much about myself through this experience and now have the knowledge and skills to have a happier future!”
“After going through it, I really do believe in the lessons that were taught and I can see myself doing PQ reps in the future to maintain my sage. I appreciated our pod groups and everyone being very open and vulnerable. It made it easier to open up and share my wins and hardships each week. I couldn’t think of a better coach to lead the course.”
“The experience is worth the time and energy. Kelly will navigate the program with great passion, optimism, and expertise.”
As a seeker of new tools and concepts, I’d love to hear from you if you have read a great book lately or learned something that added value. Also, if you are interested to learn more about the Positive Intelligence Program, please reach out to me via LinkedIn or my website at https://www.fliptoflow.org/contact.
