Denver doesn't seem all that safe of a place at night. In fact, if you regularly read the news it seems like there is nowhere that is safe. It can make some people (including me) uneasy. So I did something about it and over the weekend, I attended a class on RAD (Rape, Aggression, Defense) held by the Denver Police Department. It was an invigorating experience and when I say I practiced kicking the crap out of men, I mean literally, kicking the crap out of 3 250+ lbs. 6'4" men. What better way can you learn to gain the confidence of doing something when the circumstances require it than actually doing it? It got me thinking of all the other learning experiences I've had that made that much of a memorable impact on me and why.

1. Nothing teaches better than the real thing (or near real thing)
• When I turned 15 (waaaay back then!) my parents signed me up for Masterdrive. The most memorable thing was the 20 minutes of skid pad practice to simulate hydroplaning. The loss of control is scary! And then you can slowly work past the fear and survive. It was the same thing at RAD class: if someone grabs you, first you scream and freeze; but then you bust out your muscle memory and hit them! I don't think all of the textbook knowledge in the world can teach you how to react in those situations other than practicing the actual thing.
2. A majority of participants have to be really into it
• With over 25 attendees all shouting at the top of their lungs "NO!", there was no doubt in my mind of the skills we were gaining. The confidence in our defense skills grew because the attendees had a desire to be there. Not every class is like that (you've all probably experienced rolled-eyes or intentionally long breaks) and so I encourage everyone to be that classroom initiator. Physically and vocally display your reason for spending your weekend learning an optional skill.
3. The passion starts with the instructors
• The teachers at Masterdrive and RAD are doing this for a reason and they deserve to see #2. They truly believe that preparedness is the best way to stay safe and so they train people to be self-sufficient. It is the same philosophy of giving a fish or teaching to fish. I'm thankful for those that are passionate enough to pass along their wisdom and commit to doing these activities on their days off.

I'm prepared to knee, kick, and punch some "aggressors"!

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
by: Charles Duhigg

Did you know that Target knows when you are pregnant? Or that the memory loss victims in the movie 50 FIRST DATES could psychologically create new habits? This book breaks down the way our brains react to habits and cause us to do things methodically. We do every day things without thinking like the route you drive home, when (or if) you eat breakfast, or what you say when you hang up the phone. Our brains strive to create habits out of everything we do because then it frees up our brain to think about other things. In fact, 40% of what we do is habitual!

Duhigg talks through the habit loop that consists of a cue, a routine action or behavior, and a reward. There are tons of examples in the book, but one of my favorites was the story of how Febreze became a popular product by studying the habit loop of the house cleaning process. Taking habits a step further Duhigg applies the same concepts to noticing cultural patterns such as marketing techniques for selling shampoo. The bubble-filled orgasms in shampoo commercials are actually appealing to our neurological expectation that suds (cue) equates to clean (reward).

If you are like me, you have many bad habits that you want to get rid of. For me, those top 3 are: hitting the snooze button, nail biting, and the non-stop excuses for exercising. This book doesn’t suggest a step-wise solution to start/stop a new/old habit but it does cause you to be a bit more aware of the way you do things every day. I recommend this read: The Power of Habit!

Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace … One School at a Time
by: Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

How can you change the world? You start by finding something worth changing. This biography of the Eastern adventures of Greg Mortenson sometimes caused me to sit in my car in the parking lot to keep listening to the audiobook. It is an amazing tale of bringing education to rural villages in Taliban territories in the 1990’s and 2000’s. Education can truly change a life and whole societies as noted in my review of Half the Sky. You can hear the passion in Greg’s story of a mountaineer turned entrepreneur in three ways:

1. It comes from within
• No two dreams could be more different than walking into Pakistan to climb K2, the world’s second highest mountain, and walking out promising to build a school. Sometimes chance encounters change you for the better and take you to the next step of your life like it did for Greg. Nothing else was causing him to take this challenge except himself and that is the most powerful motivator.
2. He sacrifices everything
• Greg has the drive to keep going through every loss I know. He gives up his mountaineering passion; he loses his career, his friends, his love, and pretty much every penny to his name. It is just a heart-wrenching story that keeps you rooting for Greg like a hero.
3. It strikes a chord with his followers
• Sometimes you fight alone, but slowly people start listening. When there is a cause worth fighting, all it takes is just one person that is influenced (as Greg learned presenting at an empty auditorium on more than one occasion). That one person then repeats the story to his/her network. It becomes contagious and soon Greg is running a multi-million dollar organization!

Greg’s life story is a true story of overcoming the odds and never giving up. His frugality and perseverance were admirable traits that made his efforts successful. It is hard to imagine how he staying positive through all the difficulties and naysayers. This book left me with a new drive to demonstrate the same passion in my own efforts to “change the world”; no matter what comes my way.

Happy Fourth of July! I hope you all enjoyed a little break and some time in the sun over the holiday weekend, as did I. I find it kind of ironic that most of us dawn our red, white, and blue pride only a few times a year. What about pride for your company? Do you ever dress for success complete with insignia as a loyal employee? Maybe it is a fashion statement, or maybe you have one foot out the door...

1. Loyalty doesn't stop on the weekends
• Are you a workaholic? Why? Is it because you believe in your work, a task (any task!), or trying to escape another problem elsewhere. On the other hand, you could be biting at the bullet at 4:30 waiting for the clock to skip by the minutes. Believing in your work means you put your full time in and deliver results that matter, even sometimes above other things.
2. Pride doesn't choose its company
• If you are with coworkers, home with friends and family, or at a conference abroad, true pride shouldn't waver. If you are proud of what you do and what your company stands for, than the message should never change.
3. It is a long term commitment
• There is usually a reason you became enamored with a company, cause, or person the first time. But once the honeymoon phase wears off, true commitment is what is left. Loyalty usually means you are in it for the long haul and will stick it out through a few ups and downs.