My wife, who is typically slow to join social media trends (e.g. – she refuses to join Twitter) jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon earlier than anyone else we know. She came home raving about this “amazing website that everyone will enjoy and surely someday people will be even pinning the greatest craft projects of all-time, their Oklahoma bucketlist, and maybe even glasses from one of the most athletic point guards to ever play the game of basketball!” Well she said that or something similar, it has been awhile.

Pinterest is not just a surprisingly fun and enjoyable site that you can get caught browsing for hours if not days…it can also be a powerful tool for educators, facilitators, parents, and just about anyone who likes to find ridiculously awesome pictures, quotes, ideas, etcetera. I even found this infographic from Mashable on Pinterest explaining exactly what I wanted to blog about, and since they used pictures instead of words, check this out. (Click on the picture to make it larger)

Join Pinterest if you haven’t already. Create boards, pin new and creative information. Keep adding to your collection and share with others. This is the 21st century…join in on the fun.

Ryan Eller
Founder, Experiential Adventure

Check out my Pinterest here, I am currently adding some stuff to it…repin away.

I think Dr. Seuss was on to something…we all have mountains we want to move. Some of us have huge mountains we want to move: going to college, getting married, getting a promotion, landing that new account. Our personal mountains are those Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals that are standing in our way…the thing we really want to accomplish in life.

Where are you going?? What mountain are you going to move?? You should write that down. Actually, do it right now! Take out a pen and write that goal down. This is something you should see and review everyday.

So, now that you know your goal, how do you move that mountain? How do you get to the places you are going? These 5 steps will help you move your mountain!

Step 1 – Use your resources:

You are amazing! You are achieving great things, and some of you are doing so on your own. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You are reaching great heights. But, if we rely on each other, if we ask someone for help, we will go just a tad bit further. These resources are the little bit of difference that helps us move mountains. Maybe it is a school counselor, a spouse, a minister or a trusted friend. Whoever is your resource, use them!

Step 2 – Choose your resources wisely:

There are people out there who are not helping you move mountains, not helping you achieve your goals. They might tell you what to do and then do something else. They may even tell you what to do and never even want you to achieve your goals. These people might even seem like they have your best intentions at heart, so be wise and know the difference. Like the book says:

You’ll look up and down streets. Look ‘em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

Step 3 – Shout from the Mountain Tops:

One of the best ways to move mountains it to tell everyone you know about your goal. “This is what I am doing! This is the life I am going to live.” Tell everyone you know what your future plans are. “I am going to attend OU and be a physical therapist.” “I am going to go to Redlands and become a nurse.” Most people will encourage you, help you, and hold you accountable to your goals if you shout them from the mountaintop.

No, Really! Shout Out Your Goal! Do it right now…stand on your desk and shout out to the mountain you are going to move! People might think you are crazy, but they will know your goal.

Step 4 – Celebrate Small Successes:

To get to the places you will go you must celebrate the small victories in your life. We all love a little encouragement from time to time, do we not? Check out this video.

People will applaud your big victories, they will celebrate you when you move mountains. Rightfully so too, you deserve the recognition, you moved a mountain for crying out loud. How many times in our life do we get exulted for the small successes? How often do we do a celebration dance after completing our to-do list?? YESSS! I totally put a cover sheet on my TPS report!!!!

These small victories are not as exciting as accomplishing our huge goals, but they are necessary to complete our vision. I find it is utterly important to take a few seconds to celebrate my small victories…to do my own little ping-pong dance…to keep me motivated to move my mountain.

Step 5 – Never, Ever, Ever, Give In: 

Winston Churchill’s famous speech inspired an entire country, even an entire world to keep fighting. This speech was a pivotal moment when the United Kingdom was doomed for disaster and defeat…a moment when the whole world was changed by one man’s speech. Never, ever, ever, give in. When someone leaves you, never, ever, ever give in. When you lose all hope, never, ever, ever give in. When life is harder than you could ever imagine…never, ever, ever give in.  If you truly want to move mountains (and you 98 3/4% guaranteed), you must never, ever, ever give in.

You can do this. You can move your mountain. So…

be your name be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
You’re off the Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

Ryan Eller, Founder
Experiential Adventure
ryan@experientialadventure.com

Of all the things I like about Twitter (including all the live tweets about the OKC Thunder), my favorite aspect of this expansive social network is the ability to follow superstars throughout the world. Many Twitter users follow entertainers, and if you look at the top 5 most popular people on Twitter you easily recognize this:

I, however, follow very few entertainers (OKC Thunder players excluded, of course), but superstars in the leadership, team-building, and motivation world. People like John C. Maxwell, Tom Peters , Dave Ramsey, or even the Association of Experiential Education.

Some Twitterers, like Craig Groeschel post about their work in this world, some like Scott Williams, tweet about their blog, their family, and their everyday life (and love of the Thunder). Others, such as Petteri Tarkkonen, mostly share quotes about their passion.

I encourage you to use Twitter in whatever capacity you feel appropriate. To aid you in that process, I have collected some awesome quotes about leadership that are Twitter-ready. They are shorter than 140 characters, include the source, and even have some of the actual Twitter accounts of the people who shared their wisdom. Copy them, add a hashtag when applicable, and start sharing with your followership. If there is one thing I know about Twitter, the more you tweet, the more people will listen.

The Quotes

The challenge of leadership is both moral & one of developing the characteristics that make us respected by one another @LouisFarrakhan

Your greatest asset is your earning ability. Your greatest resource is your time. @BrianTracy

I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.  – Mahatma Gandhi

Everyone enjoys doing the kind of work for which he is best suited. – Napoleon Hill

Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. – John F. Kennedy

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. – Peter Drucker

It’s not what you know; it’s what you use that makes a difference. @TheZigZiglar

Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes. – Peter Drucker

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. – Dwight D. Eisenhower

Relationships are the hallmark of the mature person. @BrianTracy

Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out. @StephenRCovey

Example is leadership. – Albert Schweitzer

You don’t lead by hitting people over the head – that’s assault, not leadership. – Dwight D. Eisenhower

Absolute identity with one’s cause is the first and great condition of successful leadership. – Woodrow Wilson

Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people. – John D. Rockefeller

I have a different vision of leadership. A leadership is someone who brings people together. – George W. Bush

Leadership to me means duty, honor, country. It means character, and it means listening from time to time. – George W. Bush

Chance favors only the prepared mind. – Louis Pasteur

I forgot to shake hands and be friendly. It was an important lesson about leadership. – Lee Iacocca

Leadership does not depend on being right. – Ivan Illich

Leadership is influence. – @JohnCMaxwell

Character matters; leadership descends from character. – @RushLimbaugh

Wherever there is danger, there lurks opportunity; whenever there is opportunity, there lurks danger. -E. Nightingale

Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.  - Warren G. Bennis

Leadership is, among other things, the ability to inflict pain and get away with it – short-term pain for long-term gain. – George Will

I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying. – Nelson Mandela

Leadership is intangible, and therefore no weapon ever designed can replace it. – Omar N. Bradley

The task of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there. – John Buchan

To have long-term success as a coach or in any position of leadership, you have to be obsessed in some way. – Pat Riley

The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes. – @TonyBlairOffice

The book you don’t read won’t help. @OfficialJimRohn

The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. – @KenBlanchard

Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it. – Marian Anderson

Don’t necessarily avoid sharp edges. Occasionally they are necessary to leadership. – @RumsfeldOffice

Leadership in today’s world requires far more than a large stock of gunboats and a hard fist at the conference table. – Hubert Humphrey

There are many elements to a campaign. Leadership is number one. Everything else is number two. – Bertolt Brecht

The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership. – Harvey S. Firestone

Leadership is getting someone to do what they don’t want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve. – Tom Landry

The secret to success is good leadership, & good leadership is all about making the lives of your team members better. @TonyDungy

If there is such a thing as good leadership, it is to give a good example. – Ingvar Kamprad

The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers. – Ralph Nader

One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency. – Arnold H. Glasow

Any person who contributes to prosperity must prosper in turn. -E. Nightingale

Honor bespeaks worth. Confidence begets trust. Service brings satisfaction. Cooperation proves the quality of leadership. – JC Penney

I think the greater responsibility, in terms of morality, is where leadership begins. – Norman Lear

Without initiative, leaders are simply workers in leadership positions. – Bo Bennett

The biggest mistake that you can make is to believe that you are working for somebody else. –E. Nightingale

Leadership cannot really be taught. It can only be learned. – Harold S. Geneen

Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions. – Harold S. Geneen

Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular. @TonyRobbins

Management is about arranging and telling. Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing. @Tom_Peters

Leadership must be established from the top down. – Sam Nunn

Always render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be. – Og Mandino

Education is the mother of leadership. – Wendell Willkie

Leadership is the key to 99 percent of all successful efforts. – Erskine Bowles

Remember: Jobs are owned by the company, you own your career! – Earl Nightingale

We need leadership, and we need it now. – Byron Dorgan

A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. @TonyRobbins

It is the responsibility of leadership to provide opportunity, and the responsibility of individuals to contribute. – William Pollard

We need leadership. We don’t need a doubling down on the failed politics of the past. @RepPaulRyan

The art of communication is the language of leadership. – James Humes

Leadership demands that we make tough choices. – Alan Autry

Leadership involves finding a parade and getting in front of it. – John Naisbitt

Leadership requires the courage to make decisions that will benefit the next generation. – Alan Autry

Leadership is an active role; ‘lead’ is a verb. But the leader who tries to do it all is headed for burnout. – Bill Owens

The test of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there. – James Buchanan

Leadership offers an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life, no matter what the project. – Bill Owens

Leadership appears to be the art of getting others to want to do something you are convinced should be done. – Vance Packard

Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better. – Bill Bradley

The very exercise of leadership fosters capacity for it. – Cyril Falls

The best way to sell yourself to others is first to sell the others to yourself. – Napoleon Hill

Actions, not words, are the ultimate results of leadership. – Bill Owens

Leadership comes in small acts as well as bold strokes. @CarlyforCA

If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room. – Anita Roddick

Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate something people want. – Dianne Feinstein

I hope you can use these…I will post more Twitter-ready quotes from time-to-time, so follow along. What is your favorite quote? What is your favorite leadership quote? Let me know if I need to add it to my list!Tweet on Tweeters.

Ryan Eller
Founder, Experiential Adventure

Reason #1: I love this little girl.

I love spending time with this little girl. She is tons of fun and I get so much joy watching her with Kristin. She has her mother’s easy demeanor, laugh and looks, and she lights up when she sees me everyday! It is hard to spend time writing about leadership and experiential-based activities when I could be hanging out with this little one.

Reason #2: Work has had me hung-up.

I have been incredibly busy at work! I work for a brand new Educational Talent Search grant at NSU-Broken Arrow as a grant coordinator. Basically I help students who desire to pursue a post-secondary education and get them into the college of their choice. My new coworker Lindsey and I have been hop-scotching all across the state recruiting new students, meeting with administrators, and taking students on campus tours. This leaves very little time for me to blog. I have been busy, but when you are doing a job you love, busy is good!

Reason #3: Traveling the world!

I have been traveling all over the US hosting leadership camps, facilitating workshops, and delivering keynote addresses. Momentum is building, and as my good friend and personal assistant Jerrod Murr always says, “Once you get Big Mo rolling…watch out!” I love traveling, I love facilitating and meeting new people, but it makes it hard for me to blog.

Reason #4: 70.3 = busy

I am training for my first Half-Ironman. The race is in September, includes a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile cycle, and a 13.1 mile run. I recently joined the world’s nicest gym and have been pulling some two-a-day workouts. I typically workout before work and on my lunch break just so I can get my body adjusted to this type of training. I love it and look forward to seeing the tangible results of my swimming and weight training (I typically drink 1-2 gallons of water while swimming). It is hard to blog while swimming, but I may try it while cycling, 56 miles is a long way to ride.

Reason #5: I have been as tired as David Ott.

When you are going like I have been going, it is easy to get tired. It is almost as easy to get complacent and lazy as well. I have just been too tired and too lazy to blog. This stops today. I have only a few events coming up, so I plan on updating my blog consistently.

A few things to look out for in the next few weeks:

1. Reflections on my recent trainings.

2. Many pictures of Sweet Baby Jane and hilarious stories of her jovial antics.

3. A list of Twitter-ready quotes. Twitter>Facebook.

4. The latest and greatest videos YouTube has to offer on experiential-based activities.

5. Several book reviews (you know you love ‘em).

6. New (and free) activities to use with your group.

7. An update on my 2012 goals.

8. My thoughts and musing on leadership.

9. Rundowns of my happenings with TRiO, ODSA, SWASAP and ETS (and explanations about TRiO’s fascination with acronyms).

10. My upcoming Leadership Conference in Brazil, and the big news about 2014. (Huge news!)

RIP Billy Mays

I’ve missed you. Hopefully you haven’t completely forgotten me. Let’s get reacquainted over the next few weeks. I’ll send out some blog posts, you’ll read them, it will be awesome.

As always, let me know if there is something you want me to blog over. If it isn’t ridiculous (hard to get ridiculous with me), than I will make it happen. Comment below and subscribe if you are feeling frisky.

Objective: As a group, rank a list of reasons why someone would attend college.

Group Size: You can use this activity with any size group, but to help with ease of communication, try to limit the group size to fifteen. If you have a larger group, separate the group in to several smaller groups, even groups as small as two to three people.

Props: Type of a list of factors that any student would consider when choosing post-secondary education. Place these terms on their own piece of paper. It helps to have each term on their own paper so that the participants can move them around and actually rank them on the floor or table.

Set Up: Simply place the factors on the floor or on a table so each participant can see the different words.

Description: The rules for this activity are very simple, tell the group that they should try to come to a consensus and rank all the college admission factors from most important to least important. This means that they will all agree to the final rankings. It is often hard for the group to come to a consensus, and it is more important that they begin talking about these factors than if they come to an actual consensus. Feel free to put a time-limit on this activity to keep the activity from lasting several hours!

Debrief: Take notes during the activity to some of the things the participants are saying to each other as they rank the college admission factors. Use your experience as a TRiO professional to help guide them after the activity to the most important factors in their own individual college admissions decision.

Variation: Have the participants view the factors and then write their own rankings on a piece of paper. They can then share their list to the group and explain why they ranked them.

College Admission Factors:

Price
Location
Size
Type (Private or Public)
Academic Rigor
Campus Life
Campus Aesthetics
Your Friends Go There
Your Family
Majors Offered
Athletics
Greek Life
Setting (Urban, Suburban or Rural)
Admissions Criteria
Housing Options
Religious Affiliation

I love watching cats and their shenanigans, but I love a great experiential-based video as well. YouTube is packed with informative videos that highlight different group activities. I have been ransacking the world web for the best videos covering team-building activities, name games, icebreakers, chants and jingles, and so much more. I created a YouTube channel that highlights my favorite videos, displays my personal videos, and even has playlists of different activities. I tried to find videos that were fun and clear, but also included explanations and instructions to facilitate the activities.

Here is one of my favorite icebreaker videos, Human Javelin, by the fine folks at Ultimate Camp Resource.

Take some time, check it out, and see what other experts around the globe have displayed on YouTube. I will be consistently adding videos to the playlist, so please let me know what you think and tell me if you have any good videos I have overlooked!

Have a great day!

Ryan Eller
Founder, Experiential Adventure
ryan@experientialadventure.com

Influences, you got to love them. Sometimes influences are positive, they can push you to achieve new heights and reach your goals. Jerrod Murr, my personal assistant, is a solid influence in my life. He has inspired me in so many ways, and I am glad to have him in my life. Other times influences can be negative. I try to avoid negative influences like the plague.

Influences are the premise behind this classic and easy team-building initiative I first learned in Boston at Project Adventure. Step back to your childhood and buy the only prop needed in this activity, a new or gently used set of Don’t Break the Ice.

Don’t Break the Ice

Number of Participants: 10-20
Time:  10-15 minutes
Activity Level:  Low
Props:  Set of Don’t Break the Ice

Objective: To lift the ice cubes higher than the group’s head.

Set Up: Set 3 ice cubes on the floor in a straight row in between two participants.

Rules: A participant can only use the tip of their index finger on one hand.

Description:

Find a creative way to pair up the group members. I usually ask them to find the person in the group with an index finger similar in size to theirs. Placing the blocks in between two participants, challenge the dyad to raise the three ice cubes above their head only using the tip of their index finger.

Enjoy watching the teams push the cubes back and forth, up and down, and even upside down to achieve their goal. After the team has reached new ice cube heights, encourage the teams to pair up with another group, combine the cubes, and try it again. Then double the group size again, and again, and again…or until the entire group is lifting their cubes into the air!

Variation: Challenge the participants to use their non-dominant hand.

Questions for Discussion:

1. How did you get influenced to accomplish your goal?
2. Are influences negative or positive?
3. Did you “give in” to the influences, or did you “push” against them?
4. What types of influences do you have in your life?
5. Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt influenced? Was it negative or positive?

Facilitator Notes:

1. Sometimes it is easier to accomplish this task if the teams are lifting an actually cube of ice cubes. (Not a 3D cube, but a flat cube of ice cubes on the floor…more like a square. Definitely a square. I should have used that in the example.)
2. Sometimes it is easier to accomplish this task if the teams are lifting a square of ice cubes. (Made more sense, huh?)

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions either leave a note below or email me!
Ryan Eller
Founder, Experiential Adventure
ryan@experientialadventure.com