Goals With No Net

Hey Gang,

I don't know if you know, but my journey to stalk and meet Tony Robbins has been complete! For those of you who didn't know, the finale of my big journey is documented in the following video: https://youtu.be/5LjErxqIAGk

Now that I am back home, safe and sound in my Gremlin that I live in at the Walmart parking lot, I wanted to take some time to reflect on this crazy adventure!  Some may think, 'Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer, you traveled for miles and sacrificed so much just to get to the same stadium that Tony was in, but you only met his staff that he hired to keep people like you away from him.  What did you really gain?'

Great question!  I gained a lot.  I gained more debt, several travel blisters on various body parts and a few marks on my rap sheet for loitering in a public place. (Once I got to the venue Tony was at, I didn't leave...for weeks. I was hoping he would forget his watch or briefcase and would have to come back for it. He never did.)

The most important thing that I gained, though, was a completed goal.  I had told myself that I would someday be near the greatest motivational speaker of all times and I did it.  Should I have set my goal higher? Maybe.  Should I have planned on at least attending the seminar that I went to? Possibly.  Did I take a trip that cost me the rest of my money and dignity? Perhaps.  The bigger question really is: Did I promise myself that I would achieve a promise that I made to myself? YES I did!

I also learned something very important about goal setting, every goal doesn't have to be perfect. Goals are like basketball posts, some are high and shiny and have a painted-on square while others are shabby, crooked and have lost their netting...but each is still used to play a game. A game I have never understood. (I just confused myself with that sports analogy.)

My point is, keep trying!  Keep dreaming! Find your own hero to stalk and scour the country for.  In the end, it is something you can blog about!

Stay Awake Kids.

Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer

The Journey's End

Hey Gang,

It's all over. My quest to meet Tony is complete. It couldn't have turned out better. (Unless of course, I actually met him, but I got awfully close.)  Enjoy!

Pointing With Power...The Video!!!!

Hey Gang,

My last blog was so popular (with me) that I thought it warranted its own video! (Also with me!)

Leave Tony Alone!!!

Hey Gang,

It's been a dark week.  You may have heard that my Tony got in some trouble. Here is my heartfelt response!

Thinking By Design

Hey Gang,

Design Thinking is all the rage in Corporate America.  From what I understand it helps businesses prosper,  makes customers happy  and obstacles are magically conquered with this technique.  The problem is, I don't know what that technique is.  

One article I read said that design thinking, "Design Thinking is a design methodology that provides a solution-based approach to solving problems. It’s extremely useful in tackling complex problems that are ill-defined or unknown, by understanding the human needs involved, by re-framing the problem in human-centric ways, by creating many ideas in brainstorming sessions, and by adopting a hands-on approach in prototyping and testing."  Hhhmmmm...as much as I understood that super-easy-to-follow blob of words, I decided to give it another Gainer-Go and look for a second definition.

My next web search found this explanation, "In its simplest form, design thinking is a process, applicable to all walks of life, of creating new and innovative ideas and solving problems; it is not limited to a specific industry or area of expertise. It can be as effective in technology or education as it may be in services or manufacturing."  Ok, finally, something I can grasp... it is applicable to all walks of life.  I have always hated the processes that only catered the working class...what about the fancy people?  They need a process too!

In my research, I realized that there are some exact steps in Design Thinking...kind of.  One sources stated that the steps are:

• Step 1 - Empathy. Any social endeavor begins with the human element. ...
• Step 2 - Define. ...
• Step 3 - Ideate. ...
• Step 4 - Prototype. ...
• Step 5 - Test.

Interesting, but as I continued my learning quest, I also found another website that stated the steps could are:

• Gather Inspiration
• Generate Ideas
• Make Ideas Tangible
• Share The Story

I guess my purpose of this blog-post is to explore the corporate buzzwords and HR-Trends. I may not understand them all.  I may read and research countless articles and still be confused, but at the end of day... I comprehended nothing. (And that's what it is all about!)

Stay Awake Kids,

Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer 

Escape From Which Mountain?

Hey Gang,

Escape rooms seem to be the hottest craze!  It is a business that takes your money, locks you in a room and doesn't let you out until you have solved a puzzle.  It is a lot like growing up with my family, they would also lock me up but there were no puzzles and I would be confined for days.  Grandma's visits were fun!

Some of the escape rooms have themes like zombies, mysteries or awkward conversations.  I wanted to check one out for myself so I went to a place that advertises escape rooms.  I wasn't sure of the theme so I decided to dress like a pirate... just in case.

When I got there the other participants seemed nervous, I figured they were as eager as I was to start the game.  The room was very small and the first challenge was a math problem with numbers on the wall.  All of the other people there were quiet and looked uncomfortable, so as a trainer, I stepped in and took control.  I yelled, "I need numbers, people... numbers!"  At first everyone just looked at me, until I continuously screamed and repeated myself. Finally, the other participants started calling out numbers.  I feverishly inputted them into the key pad on the wall when presto...the escape room door opened!

As it turned out I was just in an elevator.  The escape room was merely in that building. Most of the people I was riding with worked in unrelated office jobs.  Once everyone exited the elevator (some ran) a nice security guard escorted me to his office where I tried to explain the whole misunderstanding.  I  did end up spending the afternoon in his office, unable to escape.  So I guess I had my own adventure for free! (Plus no charges were pressed if I promised never to return to that building!)

Stay Awake, Kids!

Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer

Multi-Level Motivating

Hey Gang,

Like most people I have tried to make my fortune selling protein shakes and vitamin fizzy water to my friends and family.  It's appealing on so many levels.  You are told that you can work from the comfort of your home, buy yachts and vacation homes just by persuading other people to start selling protein shakes and fizzy water to their friends and family.  It's the circle of dreams that ends with someone's garage being filled with boxes of expired products.

Even though this has bankrupted many people and left some in financial ruins, I think the concept of multi-level marketing is nifty!  It basically says that all you have to do is recruit 5 people who then recruit 5 people and so on.  It's a never-ending cycle with limitless potential! (Unless you believe in the math that proves you can only repeat the cycle thirteen times, because that would encompass the population of the world.)

Instead of using this concept to peddle powdered supplements, soap and cosmetics, why not use it for generic motivation?  It would be like an Amway meeting where we can sell positivity rather than 10 lbs of detergent.  Just think, I tell 5 people that they are full of unlimited potential and goodness, then they inspire 5 people until we have 13 cycles of a grass-roots motivation.  It may not make anyone rich, but neither do the multi-level marketing schemes!

Have a great day!

Cathy Gainer Corporate Traner

Procrastination Brackets

Hey Gang,


Many people follow March Madness, for me it's more like March I'm Not Mad, Just Disappointed.  I don't dislike basketball, I just don't understand the game, know the rules, or are familiar with any teams, players or coaches.  I do, however, like everything else about the sport.

I know that March Madness has brackets that people will talk about, argue over and bet with one another on.  The brackets are organized and the winners and losers are clearly defined.  It's a chart that is easy to understand.  I have started using these brackets to help me with every day decisions.

If I need to blog, but I also have the desire to do nothing I will put both those decisions in competing brackets.  It turns out that nothing wins! It gets to go on to the next level.  Now doing nothing will be competing with showering, as it turns out doing nothing won that round too!  Finally doing nothing has came to the final bracket and is now competing with doing something, once again, doing nothing wins.

It's a fun way to spend the day, every day.  It's fun and it's like almost like playing sports.

Go Team! Stay Awake Kids!

Cathy Gainer Corporate Trainer