Liz Cassidy, founder of Third Sigma International is an author, Speaker, Trainer and Executive Coach dedicated to facilitating results in the businesses, professional and personal lives of her clients. For more information http://www.thirdsigma.com.au
Twenty years ago when I left the Ireland, known as the Emerald Isle, I was looking for the place where the grass is greener. We all know that faraway hills are green, and back then I was searching for my greener pastures so I looked faraway.
With a few detours, I arrived in Australia; the Sunburnt country, dry, arid and drought ridden, looking for prosperity. I was looking for the good life of opportunity, beaches, yachts and barbeques.
When I had left Ireland, in the days before Viagra and computer chips were the national exports. Before the Celtic Tiger and double digit economic growth, Ireland's significant exports were its most highly educated and talented doctors scientists, engineers, artists and writers. There weren't many greener pastures in Ireland back in the early 80's, before the Northern Irish Peace initiative and its attendant changes when Guinness was still marketed as the drink of choice of old men in the darkest corners of dark pubs.
But in the arid country of Australia I came to, in the droughts and El Nino weather patterns; there were golden sporting heroes, golden beaches, golden sunshine, golden chardonnay and no one who knew me.
So in this arid land - my adopted home; I gradually learnt to plant seeds, I got a job, travelled, started my first, second and third businesses, continued to travel, made contacts and learned to network. I learned to sell and planted still more seeds.
I continued to cultivate my skills, grow my knowledge and my network all the time planting seeds. Some of the seeds I planted over the years fell on desert sands and died, some fell on fertile ground and began to sprout. The tender young plants getting stronger and gradually the growth seemed to be independent of me, but still I worked at nurturing and tending - feeding and watering - what I had created. I tended to my business and slowly imperceptibly it took root, and grew. With continued careful nurturing, watering and care it flourished.
It wasn't overnight. In many ways it crept up on me....I looked on the garden I had created, the fruit on the trees, the flowers blossoming and the lushest greenest of lawns, soft and spongy underfoot.
I compare the lush and bountiful green I have created in this most arid of lands to the Emerald Isle I left 20 years ago, and I ask - So where is the grass greenest....?
Simple really;
The grass is greenest where you plant the seeds and where you water it.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
Help Friend Cope With Break Up
By: Kim Clay | 04/01/2010May be you were going out for a couple of days, in a long relationship or married, break up is painful to do. The good news is that life does get better. Eventually, you will be able to get away of your gown without choking in crying. Few individuals know just how you feeling right now. Read their tips on getting over him and getting along with with your life.
~~the Best Way To Get Over A Break Up~~
By: Kim Clay | 04/01/2010If you were going out for a couple of days, in a long relationship or married, breaking up is awful to do. The good news is that life does get better. Eventually, you will be capable to depart of your gown without breaking down in crying. Few individuals know precisely how you feeling right now. Read their tips on getting over him and getting on with your life.
How To Help Someone Forget A Break Up
By: Kim Clay | 04/01/2010May be you were going out for a couple of days, in a long relationship or married, break up is painful to do. The good news is that life does get better. Eventually, you will be able to get away of your gown without choking in crying. Few individuals know just how you feeling right now. Read their tips on getting over him and getting along with with your life.
~~*~~ Get Over The Break Up ~~*~~
By: Kim Clay | 04/01/2010Whether you were seeing your ex for a few years, in a long relationship or married, breaking up is fearful to do. The good news is that life does get better. Eventually, you will be capable to escape of your robe without going in crying. Few know exactly how you sense right now. Read their tips on getting over him and progressing with your life.
Cope With A Break Up Fast
By: Kim Clay | 04/01/2010May be you were dating for a few weeks, in a long-term relationship or married, break up is challenging to do. The good news is that life does get better. Finally, you will be able to withdraw of your drape without crumbling in tears. Few people know exactly how you feel right now. Read their tips on getting over him and advancing with your life.
~~steps To Forget A Break Up~~
By: Kim Clay | 04/01/2010If you were going out for a few years, in a long-term relationship or marital, break up is challenging to do. The good news is that life does get better. Eventually, you will be able to depart of your robe without crumbling in tears. Few individuals know exactly how you feeling right now. Read their tips on getting over him and getting on with your life.
Get Over Break Up
By: Kim Clay | 04/01/2010May be you were dating for a few weeks, in a long-term relationship or married, break up is challenging to do. The good news is that life does get better. Finally, you will be able to withdraw of your drape without crumbling in tears. Few people know exactly how you feel right now. Read their tips on getting over him and advancing with your life.
~~*~~ How Do Forget A Break Up ~~*~~
By: Kim Clay | 04/01/2010Whether you were dating for a few weeks, in a long relationship or marital, break up is fearful to do. The good news is that life does get better. Eventually, you will be efficient to exit of your robe without dying in crying. Few people know exactly how you sense right now. Read their tips on getting over him and getting on with your life.
How to Improve Communications between Extraverts and Introverts using Myers Briggs
By: Liz Cassidy | 03/12/2009 | LeadershipCommunicating with Other Personalities can be a fun and rewarding experience or it can be an exercise in frustration and futility creating conflict and havoc. Using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator can make communicating with other personalities a lot simpler and creates a map forward out of potential confusion.
Developing Effective Communication Skills - Don't Interrupt
By: Liz Cassidy | 03/11/2009 | ManagementSo many times I see frustration on faces of people being interrupted. I hear potentially useful channels of communication being shut down. All for the sake of getting a point across. Don’t interrupt - again so simple and so obvious. We have all seen the couple who finish each others sentences because they are in tune. This is not what I am talking about.
Developing Effective Communication Skills - Listen
By: Liz Cassidy | 03/11/2009 | LeadershipI have long been an observer of people, and whenever I get the opportunity I also eavesdrop on their conversations. So if you see me hanging out in a coffee shop at the table next to you, be prepared for me to listen in! One of the things I love to listen to is how people just don’t listen to each other. They talk at, over and around each other but miss the deep in-the-moment opportunities which cement and advance relationships.
Passive Assertive or Aggressive – What’s the Difference?
By: Liz Cassidy | 02/10/2008 | Self HelpWe can define assertiveness by placing it on a continuum between passiveness and aggression and making a contrast with them.
Leading or Managing?
By: Liz Cassidy | 14/09/2008 | Leadershipt is too easy to forget that there are times to lead and times to manage, and it is too easy to slip into management mode when under stress. If you or your team are experiencing "people issues" look for this rule of thumb: Manage the processes and the procedures, but, Lead, guide & teach the people.
Facing Reality – Handling Disappointments
By: Liz Cassidy | 17/08/2008 | Goal SettingLike many of you I have been relishing the feats and records at the Beijing Olympics this last week. The results have been a Goal Setting 101 course on focus, action; repetition, and celebration.
Maybe Tomorrow?
By: Liz Cassidy | 03/08/2008 | CoachingWhat is your unique offering to your client base or to your organisation? How do you stand out from the masses?
Maximising your Communication When Replying to Emails
By: Liz Cassidy | 12/04/2006 | BusinessAnswering emails has the same importance as answering telephone messages. Usually an email may more usefully be replied to with a phone call rather than another email (think about that)