Youth Leadership Camps Canada

Stu-Pendous Blog - Goal Setting

These are the thoughts of speaker, author and camp director Stu Saunders.
For Stu’s original blog, you may still access his archives here.

• Moments of Clarity

  Oct 23, 2009

  Have you had them? Do you ever find yourself say… “Yes! That’s it.”?

  When you do, you need to jump on those moments. You need to embrace those moments. I am searching for one right now. The winter is coming, blah, it’s a time that I always start to question my future. What do I want to do with the next 20 years. I am approaching my 20th anniversary of what I do. Working in and with schools. 20 years, 2 decades that is a long time. I am truly blessed to have a good team and a wonderful support system. We have amazing clients and even more amazing staff. This year we worked with thousands and thousands of young leaders. It’s amazing what we do. I wonder if it’s what I want to do for the next 20 years.

  This is not bad, it is a healthy question. One you need to ask frequently. Am I happy? Nothing is perfect. There are always ways to make it better. You can grow exactly where you are planted. Change can come not from always moving, complaining or quitting but from attitude and approach.

  I like that.

  I think I just a had one of those moments.

  
  

  Posted by Stu Saunders in Goal Setting Leadership Learning and Growing Motivation on Oct 23, 2009 at 3:39 am | Permanent Link | Comments (1)

• Turn the key

  Jul 6, 2009

  One of my favourite phrases that I heard from my dear friend Robin Sharma was the idea of “the power of start”.

  Simple concept but yet so true. In order for any change to happen in our lives we must simply start the process. We can hum and haw all we want. We can research and debate the pros and cons of any change, but the excitement doesn’t happen until we actually start the process. Don’t be afraid to start small. We call them 1% action steps, small, sometimes tiny little movements towards the goal. It may not seem like much but it’s the act of the start that gives us the momentum to push, to grow and to complete whatever it is that we are trying to accomplish.

  So start today, make the change, start your engine!

  PS - YLCC 2009 started today, it’s so exciting to watch the 100 new campers arrive with such energy and enthusiasm. They are about to start their journey of leadership!

  
  

  Posted by Stu Saunders in Goal Setting Leadership Learning and Growing on Jul 6, 2009 at 3:52 am | Permanent Link | Comments (3)

• Short… sweet

  Mar 25, 2009

  I am sitting at my favourite Starbucks enjoying a latte. I know all the staff, I am a regular. The manager is sitting at the table beside me. She has just promoted a young barista to a shift supervisor. I am happy to see her so excited. I open my Macbook and look at my dozen new emails.

  “I don’t know it you heard?” says the manager as she leans over to me.

  “No, what’s the news?” I reply.

  “Sandy the other Starbucks Manager, her husband passed away on Sunday.”

  “How?!”

  “Sudden, don’t know all the details. Went into hospital on Wednesday and was gone on Sunday.”

  “How old?” I asked.

  “39”

  “I’m 39.”

  We were all silent for a few minutes.

  Life is short, we need to make it sweet. Be great, be awesome. Stop complaining about silly things that are truly silly. Hug your children, love your spouse, smile at a stranger, lead without title.

  Now.

  You know this stuff. I talk about it all the time. This is not new.

  “The sad part about it is we all go back to our lives and not think about it in a few days.” the manager adds as I empty my inbox.

  True.

  Need to stop that, need to stop.

  
  

  Posted by Stu Saunders in Goal Setting Leadership Family Life Learning and Growing Motivation on Mar 25, 2009 at 1:26 pm | Permanent Link | Comments (6)

• Focus - Commit - Follow through

  Mar 9, 2009

  My dearest friend returned fro a three week life changing program at the Hipprocates Institute in Florida. She is a breast cancer survivor and went there to detox and I mean DETOX! I won’t get into the details of it, but it was serious!

  When we got together for a tea yesterday I asked what she would tell someone about what she learned if she could only tell them one thing. She said…

  “Focus, commit and follow through.”

  If you do that with anything in your life you can change dramatically. Think about those three simple but powerful steps today. I am.
  

  
  

  Posted by Stu Saunders in Goal Setting Leadership Learning and Growing on Mar 9, 2009 at 12:57 pm | Permanent Link | Comments (3)

• Cani

  Feb 9, 2009

  I am a lover of learning. I love to learn it’s that simple. A true leader is in constant evolution. If someone says they “know it all” then they have stopped growing, growing is all about who we are as humans. I was listening to an audio program yesterday while I was running (great time to learn) and was hit with an awesome idea. The idea of CANi. I put the I in small case because that’s what you do (iPhone, iPod). Here’s the HUGE Idea… CANi stands for Constant And Never ending Improvement. That’s what life is all about, constant improvement. If you stay the same and do the same stuff and live the same routine eventually you will get left behind, depressed, stagnant… you get the idea.

  The greatest leaders, organizations, companies are committed to CANi. In everything they do, every single day! So here’s the question, are you committed to CANi? The answer should be a resounding YES! Ask yourself these three questions before you fall asleep at night, write it in your journal or simply tell someone.

  1. What did I learn today?
  2. What made me think today?
  3. What do I want to learn tomorrow?

  I would challenge you that if you don’t have an answer for number 1… you need to think about CANi!

  
  

  Posted by Stu Saunders in Goal Setting Leadership Learning and Growing on Feb 9, 2009 at 6:14 am | Permanent Link | Comments (4)

• The still pond

  Dec 31, 2008

  When I was a child I used to live by a giant pond. It may have in reality, been a tiny pond but as a small boy it seemed giant. I used to wade in knee deep and catch frogs and bring them home to keep as pets only to be told to release them later by my parents. There was a big old apple tree that we used to climb and rip off the crab apples and see who could throw them the furthest, if you hit the pond you were king. Then there were those days when you would sit by the waters edge and be in harmony with the crickets, the bull frogs and the birds. On those days I would peer down and see the reflection of a boy with unkempt hair and dirt on his face. Sometimes I would wonder if I would ever grow up, if I would stay that boy forever.

  Reality is I grew up. We all do. Some faster then others. Now as man in my 39th year of life, approaching 40 I stop and reflect. Some people I know spend their days still avoiding the reality of getting older, they fear the idea of being more mature, or responsibility. They still drink like they did when they were 21 years old, they sleep away their days with excuses. I even have a friend who lives with his parents… 39 and still at home. He says he has it “perfected”. Maybe he does… who knows?

  I have other friends still who are executives in big companies. Making lots of money and holding great positions of power. Although I wonder if that choice has cost them some of the innocence of life, some adventure. Then there are a few people I know who travel the globe choosing to live the ways of a transient, a gypsy. Country to country living off of this adventure called life.

  As I sit in my home at 5:55 am on New Year’s Eve day and write this blog I reflect back to that pond and then travel through my life. Looking at the adventure that it has been. The places I have gone, people I have met, the mistakes I have made and the celebrations I have been part of. I wonder what will come next? I wonder where I will be in 12 months. Who will I be in one year. I will be different, but how? The amazing thing is, as opposed to when I was a child catching frogs by the pond I am in charge. Sure life can throw you obstacles and challenges but it’s how I, as an adult deal with them.

  I wonder now if I was able to look down at that reflection in the pond what and who would I see? Who would look back at me?

  At the end of each day, after spending hours at the pond I would hear my mom or dad’s voice yelling for me to come home. I would run to my house and be full of stories, many I wouldn’t tell, many would remain my own secret wondrous adventure. Then after dinner I would find my bed and fall asleep dreaming of what was next, what would happen tomorrow? Never knowing what the next chapter would hold. It’s the same thing today. I have more control of my reactions but no more control of the day, or year that shall unfold, but I shall make the most of it.

  Happy New Year to all the STUpendous BLOG readers. Thanks for your comments and thoughts. I love writing it and I love that people read it. These are just my thoughts, not always right and quite often up for debate, but they are mine.

  Each year at this time I write my top ten wishes for the year so hear goes my top ten for 2009:

  1. A cure for Cancer.
  2. My dear friend Laura to get better.
  3. A cure for MS.
  4. Strength for my sister in law Arlie.
  5. Patience and understanding. We all could use more of that.
  6. For all of my family to all have a healthy and happy year.
  7. For my nephew CJ as he embarks on his new journey to the West. Be safe and be wise.
  8. For Brenda and Rich’s baby. May it be healthy and full of joy!
  9. YLCC, OSLC and the YLCC LTC to have another great year!
  10. I wish for PTY to be a success and that I have the strength to live the life I know I can.

  What are your wishes for 2009? Share them here on the STUpendous BLOG!

  Talk to you next year!

  
  

  Posted by Stu Saunders in Goal Setting Leadership Learning and Growing Motivation on Dec 31, 2008 at 4:44 am | Permanent Link | Comments (10)

• Your children

  Sep 26, 2008

  I have three amazing children. Got thinking this morning while I was journalling. It hit me like a bucket of COLD water. When my kids are reflecting on my life after I pass what will they think of me, my life, goals, accomplishments, how I chose to treat people?

  So I wrote a list of the qualities that I would love them to say when asked… “What was your dad like?”

  Even if you don’t have children you can benefit from the exercise. Picture you have lived a full life and your future children are sitting around having a coffee with a reporter. The question is “Tell me about your dad/mom, how did they live? What did they teach you?”

  Take the time to write this list in your journal and share your list here on the STUpendous BLOG!

  Here is something else to think about when you finish the list. What if it all ended tomorrow? What would they say now? Don’t wait to create the life that you want to live! Don’t wait to treat people with kindness, love and respect! Don’t wait to care about a cause bigger then yourself. Don’t wait to get up and see the sunrise, play in a puddle or work harder at something you love! Don’t wait!!

  
  

  Posted by Stu Saunders in Goal Setting Leadership Learning and Growing Motivation on Sep 26, 2008 at 8:35 am | Permanent Link | Comments (5)

• The flower between the rocks

  Aug 27, 2008

  I am taking some time to unwind and reflect on my wonderful summer. I am trying to get back into my routines that exist for the ten months of the year that I don’t work at our leadership camp. I am so positive about the future of our programs and where we are going as an organization. I believe we have gathered the best team we have ever had and I try and celebrate them every day. In fact today we will have our annual end of summer celebration at my cottage in Georgian Bay.

  I was talking with a friend of mine who is planning a huge conference in Quebec City. I am one of the speakers and couldn’t be more excited. While we chatted she was concerned about the slow arrival of registrations. We were also talking about a dear friend who is battling cancer and doing it with a very positive attitude. As we were ending the call she said that her challenge didn’t seem so bad compared to cancer.

  I hung up the phone and looked out into the Bay and noticed a lone daisy rising up from the rocky shore. It stood strong in the wind, the waves lapping against the rocks. Got me thinking, we need to put our life in perspective more often. Not dismissing our challenges and failures but celebrating the 1% actions we take towards our goals, the good stuff that we have done.

  That flower represents to me the strength of the positive, the perseverance of the human spirit, the light of a true leader. So grow where you are planted, learn from your mistakes and remember that someone else is watching how you handle your challenges. Is it with grace or negativity?

  Here is today’s question… Read it, write it, answer it and share your thoughts here on the STUpendous BLOG!
  
  How do you celebrate your challenges? What have you learned from your failures? How could you handle the next road block differently?
  

  
  

  Posted by Stu Saunders in Goal Setting Learning and Growing Motivation YLCC on Aug 27, 2008 at 8:32 am | Permanent Link | Comments (5)

• Dream - Dare - Do

  Aug 5, 2008

  Had a great few weeks. I apologize for being away the past couple of weeks. Camp is so busy! So full! So fun! I truly love it. In fact the more I get into the summer the more I realize that it’s almost over and I need to cherish these last few weeks. It is a long 10 month “off season”!!

  One of the highlights of the past few weeks happened last Monday. We were blessed to have two amazing individuals visit us at camp! Steph and Matt are two West Coasters running around North America for the environment. Each of them running their own marathon every day, 42 kms each… 26 miles. They have a DREAM… Run around North America, raise awareness and one million dollars to help the environment. They are DARED themselves to do it… After thinking of the idea they got the people needed to believe in them and put it together. They had more then enough people tell them they were crazy (that will happen with any big dream you may have). Then they actually got themselves to DO it! They took what we teach each day at our camp and in our leadership programs… To Dream, Dare and DO!

  Is it easy? NO! Does it make life harder? YES! That’s the beauty of truly living isn’t it? You can spend your life as the passenger in the back seat of life or you can be the driver! The very real possibility of failure exists everywhere and with everything we try that’s new! We need to understand and accept this. If we don’t we will simply become the rock that gathers moss not the rock that is carved into the beautiful statue! It’s ok to be afraid, just don’t let that fear stop you. If I had you wouldn’t be reading this BLOG right now on this website and I wouldn’t have ever met Steph and Matt!

  
  
  This is me running with Matt and Steph for the Run For One Planet DREAM!

  For more information PLEASE check out their website and see how you can help!

  What is your DREAM? I DARE you to DO it!

  
  

  Posted by Stu Saunders in Goal Setting Leadership Learning and Growing Motivation on Aug 5, 2008 at 7:49 am | Permanent Link | Comments (4)

• A vision

  Jul 22, 2008

  Can you trust me on this one? Can you stand outside of reality for just a few moments and pretend that you have boundless possibilities in front of you? You could grab them, any of them, anything you want is right there… waiting for you. Isn’t that a brilliant idea? I know, it’s hard, in fact I bet when I asked you to do it, many of you laughed at your own ideas and dreams. It’s the way we are brought up, most of us anyway.

  “Be realistic!’

  “Don’t be silly”

  “Stop dreaming!”

  “Come back to reality.”

  “That’s a dumb idea!”

  If I could get a dollar for every time I was told that I would be able to vacation for a few weeks in an exotic place… I truly believe that you can do anything you put your mind to. If you push out the voices of doubt, yours and those around you, whatever you conceive can become reality.

  I heard a great story yesterday about former US President, Bill Clinton. When he was a young teenager he toured the White House and told the then President “I’m going to have your job someday!” I am sure thousands of children have said that, many have truly believed it but then most come back to “reality” and move on.

  Last summer I was driving through Algonquin Park and saw a legendary camp… Tamakwa. If you have ever seen the movie “Indian Summer” you may recognize the name. It’s been around for a long time. Many famous people have attended the camp. There is a sign at the boat dock that is made out of Birch that simply says, “Tamakwa”. You have to drive through it to get to the camp. I love that sign. When I drove past the camp last summer I stopped and got a picture of myself just underneath it. It was kind of cool.

  On Friday, while I was away in London, Ontario, the campers and staff did something that I am SO proud of. They built me (the camp) a YLCC entrance just like Tamakwa… but better. I have had many visions of events that will happen in my future. I dreamt once of this happening, I could see it. When I arrived back at camp at midnight I was met buy a bunch of campers, staff and senior staff. They stopped me on the road and asked me to get out of the car. I was then blindfolded and walked down to the entrance. They removed the fabric from my eyes… I was in awe. I was in tears. I was proud. My vision had become reality. I feel good about it, the campers and staff that built it feel good about it and in the end a new piece of the YLCC quilt has been sewn into our story.

  What is your vision of the future… what do you see happening to you? Remember to let go of reality and write a list… you just never know what will happen.

  

  
  

  Posted by Stu Saunders in Goal Setting Leadership Learning and Growing Motivation Team Work on Jul 22, 2008 at 7:16 am | Permanent Link | Comments (9)

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