What Magic Is Made Of | Attention | Focus
Hello there! Welcome to my weekly LEAPS.
You’re receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly Wednesday feature or our mailing list. Every Wednesday, I share 5 things using our LEAPS approach:
Learn: something new or an idea
Energy: an energy (good or bad) word and it’s meaning
Action: something to do
Processing: a question to consider
Shout out: something or someone that I want to celebrate or acknowledge
LEARN
Something Worth Sharing
What Magic Is Made Of
Recently, while working with a client, they stopped and said:
“It feels like magic.”
Something had shifted. A question had unlocked something and suddenly what had felt complicated became clear. I understood completely what they were saying. I also knew what sat behind that moment they had just experienced.
Years of asking questions, making mistakes, noticing patterns, reading, testing, failing, learning and trying again. Plenty of sleepless nights too.
None of that felt magical at the time. Mostly, it felt messy and often frustrating.
We often only notice the moment something finally works. The breakthrough, the opportunity, the apparent ‘overnight success’.
What we don't see are all the tiny impacts that came before it. My dad used to say watching Torvill and Dean was like ‘magic on ice’ - same point!
One question. One conversation. One mistake. One adjustment. One more attempt. One more practice session.
Individually, they can seem insignificant.
Together, they compound.
Perhaps that's what magic really is: thousands of ordinary things becoming something extraordinary that is felt.
ENERGY
Focusing on an emotion or energy; a stand-out word / s
Attention
Attention comes from the Latin attendere, meaning “to give heed to”, or literally, “to stretch toward.”
It is an active idea. Our attention isn't simply where we happen to be looking. It is what we are continually stretching our minds towards - and what we give our attention to has an impact.
ACTION
Something small that you can do that might make a big difference
Give Your Attention
Choose one thing that deserves more of your attention this week.
It might be something you want to create, improve, understand or change.
Then deliberately give it some uninterrupted time.
PROCESSING
A question to think about and consider (you can discuss this with someone or write your thoughts down)
“What creates the biggest distractions for me?”
Notice what repeatedly pulls your attention away. What might this (or these things) be stopping you being able to give your full focus to?
This question will be added to the Community Space in the Leapers Club for you to share your thoughts.
SHOUT OUT
Who / what I think deserves recognition, my gratitude or to be celebrated.
Dolly
This week the shout out is to Dolly Parton, who sadly died last week at the age of 80.
In a world where fame often attracts criticism, it is remarkably difficult to find a bad word written about Dolly. The tributes since her death have come from across the world, not simply celebrating her extraordinary talent, but her humour, generosity, kindness and humanity. Perhaps that was part of her magic.
Behind the rhinestones were decades of writing, working, learning, giving and showing up. She wrote thousands of songs, built businesses and quietly gave millions of books to children through her Imagination Library.
She also knew loss, including the death of Carl, her husband of nearly 60 years, last year. Yet she continued to give her attention to the things that mattered to her.
A remarkable reminder that what we repeatedly give our attention to can eventually become our legacy.
Are You Busy or Effective?
WHEN: Thursday 24th September
TIME: 12noon (BST)CLICK TO REGISTER
BONUS GIFT FOR YOU
This week’s little extra for you - from me.
This week’s gift is the updated visual for a superb book: A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger.
This is available to you for free (for 7 days) using the code: WHYWHATIF when you check out. Access is via the link / button below.
Please note that if you miss the 7 day offer, we can not extend this for you. You can, however always access the download for a nominal charge.
The artwork featured in this section is all copyrighted and for private use only. If you wish to use these online, in blogs / features or in presentations etc - we are happy to discuss licences. Please get in touch. The downloads do not have watermarks.
If you’d like to discuss having your ideas, business or culture captured visually - you can also let me know via email.
Join The Leapers Club
A clear starting point for learning the GLAS Method and understanding the wider framework
A private community space
Dedicated chat areas for focused conversations
Curated non-fiction book recommendations
Themed 90 day self-led Sets with online and downloadable Playbooks
L.E.A.P.S spaces to share your Learn, Energy word, Action, Processing, and Shout Out
Specialist sector Sets for teachers, family businesses, leadership development, and professional advisers (with many more to follow)
Check in quizzes to deepen reflection
Live and recorded events
Practical visuals and tools you can use immediately
Once a member, you have life-time community access
New: Free Family Business Scorecard
A simple way to identify where balance exists, where pressure may be building, and where conversations may be needed across a family business.
Complete the quick scorecard and receive a personalised PDF report.
LEAPS is a process used by our team and clients all the time - and even my own family on a daily basis.
I’ll be sharing a set of LEAPS each week with you and encourage you to do your own version:
L: what have you learned?
E: what’s your energy / feeling word
A: what’s one thing you need to do?
P: what are you thinking / processing?
S: who or what can you shout out?
