In a recent conversation with a client, she mentioned that she and her team were in a "wait-and-see" mindset as it pertained to budgets and projects for next year. Given the current market, I could understand where she was coming from. However, I sensed a certain lethargy that I knew would put them in a bad spot in the months and year to come if not addressed. As I probed deeper, it became clear that the current environment had zapped their energy. "I'm embarrassed," she said, "I've never been one to sit on my hands, but that's exactly what I feel I've been doing. I feel the fear in my team and I'm not sure how to get us back to a more productive mindset." I said, "Let's start with what's on your plate today."

Consider This:

What you do today lays the foundation for what you do tomorrow, next week, next year, and the rest of your life. It's not an issue of results. It's an issue of momentum. When you believe you can have a positive impact, others believe it too. Everyone's inspired to action. And you build momentum. When you vacillate in that belief, others vacillate too. Action starts and stops. Momentum never comes. And you get resignation and exhaustion instead. In this way, delivering your best is not something you can turn off and on depending on circumstances. It must be a daily habit. It must be a manner of traveling.

Try This:

1. Look at what's on your plate today or this week.
2. How do you feel about it? Does it inspire you, bore you, depress you? Be honest with yourself.
3. If it's not a productive mindset, find a way to shift it. Projects themselves are rarely boring or depressing, it's usually the approach to them that is.
4. If you work with other people engage them in the process of shifting this mindset together.
5. Remember, you can always have a positive impact on yourself and the world around you - it's merely a state of mind.

"Now is the only time. What we do everyday accumulates and creates the future."
-- Paraphrased from Pema Chodron, (1936 - ) American Buddhist Nun

Doug Sundheim is an executive coach & consultant based in NYC -http://www.dougsundheim.com