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My Word(s) for 2012

January 1, 2012 in Family, Personal with 2 Comments

This will be my fourth year of doing three words. Chris Brogan inspired me in 2009, and I have been “all in” since. This exercise, and time to reflect and focus on three words, has proven to be really useful and fruitful. Here is a look back at my previous years’ words:

However, 2012 is going to look a little different. As I have been praying and seeking God I couldn’t settle on three Words…only one word is jumping out. It is much more of a theme that will become the vision and direction for the year.

The Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25:14-30 has been a huge focus of my prayer time, and reflection these past few days and weeks. Learning more about what Jesus was talking about when he referred to the talents has been eye opening…seeing the talents as EVERYTHING we are. What are we doing with it, how are we being good stewards of all we have and all we are? Learning that with great stewardship we will grow and be blessed, and our capacity will grow. With greater capacity stewarded appropriately, we will grow more. However, the opposite is true as well. And so you have it…

My Word for 2012 – Stewardship

The stewardship word and theme will be focused around my wife, family, expense of time and all our resources.

I am excited to step in to 2012, and see where and what God does! It is my humble prayer that the verse below will be a reflection of my year.

“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ – Matthew 25:21

Ok, your turn. Share Your Three Words

2011 – My First Year Racing [recap]

October 2, 2011 in Cycling, Personal with 4 Comments

Well, the 2011 cycling season is over…and wow, it was awesome, but a lot different than I had originally imagined. I wanted to take a quick moment and “remember” the season so I can document some great cycling progress. Personally for me, I am so about forward progress I hardly ever look back…and that can sometimes be a bad thing.

To get started I should by saying that “racing” was never the goal. Simply put, the goal of the 2011 season was to have my first century ride at the Hotter’N Hell Tour in Wichita Falls, Tx. 2011 was my 3rd season on the bike (2nd yr), and I was really looking forward to progressing towards being a solid recreational rider.

The 2011 season opened in April with the Red Bud Classic…a great 50 mile event [Garmin details] that set the season off on the right peddle. April, May and June included 4 good events that lead me into a strong summer. By late June I was really feeling strong, down around 10lbs and was talked into my first “race” at the Jenks Criterium (Crit) [details]. The race environment was amazing…and really freaking HARD! I finished 10th, and being honest it was all I needed to be hooked on racing.

July was a huge confidence booster for me with another Crit race where I placed 4th, and two really strong events…the Norman Conquest, and the Duncan Dehydrator. At the Conquest I was able to hang with the lead out racers group for 66 miles and end with a nearly 23mph avg in some serious hills [details]. The Dehydrator is an actual “race”, but not an official USACycling, and I finished 3rd in my group, just behind 2 outstanding local riders, Jeremy Miller and Paul Bonds [details].

August was ridiculous HOT, just like June and July! Seriously…100+ days, day after day, after day! Let’s call August 2011 the month of the Century. My goal starting the season was the HHH Century…but by now my goal had shifted, and was focused around becoming a better racer. My first Century started with the Spin Your Wheels 100. With a crazy turn of events, I was able to rock the SYWs 100 in 4hrs, 24min [details]. Not to shabby for my first 100 miles. :) Then, 2 weeks later in Wichita Falls, the HHH 100 was even faster, with a 4hr, 18min time…finished with a standing sprint finish and coming in 4th with the lead out group [details].

August and September were all about category 5 racing, so I joined the BEST local racing team – Team Undiscovered! Coming into the Oklahoma State Road Racing Championship (Sept 24th) I had completed 7 races, and had learned a lot. After a solid effort, and minimal rookie mistakes, I had a solid podium finish[pic] at the Championship and placed 5th as a category 5. Immediately following the Championship I requested an upgrade to Cat4…and it was approved! Woot.

I started the season as a solid recreational rider with a goal of doing well in a Century…and ended the season as a Cat4 racer!

Where do I go from here? Well…it’s training time now. Off season has started, and its time to get stronger, and better on the bike. I have so much to learn, and really look forward to going into the 2012 season stronger, lighter, faster and much better on the bike. I am sure they will change as the off season progresses…but right now my goals are: keep learning, support my team well, get much stronger to be a better sprinter, and WIN a Cat4 race! Yea, I don’t think that is asking to much.

I am an Emotional Expression Idiot!

August 12, 2011 in Personal with 5 Comments

This week I had the great privilege and opportunity to walk through a 2 day class at LifeChurch.tv about Emotional Intelligence (EI). Personal and spiritual development as well as self awareness are essential on the LifeChurch team, so this is a big part of our culture…and I love it. You may be asking yourself, what is Emotional Intelligence or EI? Well, here is the definition from the resources we use:

“a set of emotional and social skills that influence the way we perceive and express ourselves, develop and maintain social relationships, cope with challenges, and use emotional information in an effective and meaningful way.”

A core value of mine personally is “beta – because I am not there yet”! This reminds me simply, I am not finished – and have a lot to still learn and grow. Well, the results of the test were very clear of a glaring issue with me…nothing new if you really know me. I am an Emotional Expression Idiot! I truly do not have any idea how to express my emotions, and frankly I do not even really know the right emotion. Crazy right? Well it’s true. So, I have decided to list them here from Wiki so I can reference them, and try and improve in this area.

Source: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emotions

I have a lot to learn, and I know it will not be easy. However, I am committed to continue to grow and develop because I know…I am only in beta! The best is yet to come.

Should I stay or should I go now?

August 11, 2011 in Leadership, Personal with 11 Comments

What do you do when work just really sucks…again, and again? Your boss or the environment are just wearing you out, and you “feel” like it’s a horrible episode of groundhog day? Should you stay or should you go?

This is not always cut and dry, and there are so many different factors – but from my personal experience and mentoring many others throughout this have found that staying has typically been the right first choice.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. -James 1:2-4

We live in such a feel good, no commitment society that often times the first response to trials is run. The book of James really hits this perfectly, talking about perseverance doing it’s work in us. Personally speaking, the most growth as a leader for me has come from the hardest and worst times…and has shaped who I am today. If I would have run away when the going got really tough…or things just were not how I thought I wanted them, then I would have missed the best growing opportunities.

Back to WordPress vs Tumblr

August 7, 2011 in Personal, Technology with 2 Comments

So, after a long stent with Tumblr I have moved back to WordPress. I really enjoyed Tumblr, and love some of the simplicity…but WordPress just seams to have more “things” I was wanting. So, hello WordPress again.

3 words for 2010…Healthy, Flexible, Inspire!

January 1, 2010 in Personal with 9 Comments

Last year I kicked off the year with my 3 goal words inspired by Chris Brogan. It was a big help for me to step back, and think in broad terms. So here we go…2010.

…think of how you want to be successful in 2010. Then, try to think in even broader terms. Extrapolate on the broader terms, and find one word to hang the idea on. -Chris Brogan

Healthy | Flexible | Inspire

Healthy
Healthy is such an over used word in my opinion. Seams like every other commercial this time of year is some type of weight loss program, or a silly piece of equipment that makes promises that it will never deliver. However, to me, healthy has nothing to do with this silliness. Healthy for me will be the big 3…mind, body, and spirit. Might sound a bit mystical or new age…but it is not. I am not going to go in to much detail here…but some examples look like: Mind- being where I am. Body- continue cycling, and a healthy lifestyle that treats the body as a temple. Spirit- feeding on God’s Word regularly…YouVersion reading plans will be a part of this.

Flexible
This is a bit more challenging to explain…but I will give it a quick try. I expect and anticipate big things in 2010, and have more faith than ever that God is going to deliver beyond my imagination. Scripture says “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” – Eph 3:20 Flexible comes in because I have a gut feeling that this is going to come in a way that I am not expecting…and frankly one that is going to stretch me, challenge me and push me like I have never been before.  I am praying for flexibility in “my plans” so I can give them up for “His plans”.

Inspire
As I become more and more self aware of who I am: my strengths, weaknesses, talents, gifts and bag-o-sucks* I have realized that my gift of leadership is best used via inspiring others. I do not take this lightly, I believe God holds us accountable for stewarding the gifts and talents he blesses us with. So this year I will spend more time focusing on leading through inspiration…and praying God shows great favor and is glorified in it all.

Ok, now it is your turn…share your 3 goal words!

* (Define bag-o-sucks= that bag we carry around with us that is full of the things we really suck at.)

3 Goal Words for 2009

January 1, 2009 in Personal with 15 Comments

I was inspired by Chris Brogan’s post “Your 3 Goals for 2009″.

If you want to try the process, it works something like this: think of how you want to be successful in 2009. Then, try to think in even broader terms. Extrapolate on the broader terms, and find one word to hang the idea on. -Chris Brogan

So here we go:

Fun
I am married to an amazing woman, that loves to have fun, I have 2 wonderful girls that are 7 and 4 and they love to play and have fun…As I look back on 2008 I really think I missed out on having as much fun as I should. Of course work is busy, live is hectic, but there is no excuse to not have fun! In 2009 I am committed to having more fun with my 3 girls!

Global
Global is a word that I use at work and a home a lot. At LifeChurch.tv we are really focused on global ministry and trying to reach all ends of the Earth. And at home we talk often of global for a lot of reasons…but mainly because we feel like the Storch Family will be moving internationally in the future. I use future because I have no idea how, or when or even why…but I feel pretty sure it is in God’s plan for us. The word Global is also critical for me in 2009 because my world view is so, so SMALL! My goal in 2009 is our minds will be opened, and our world view will be stretched!

Leadership
Everything. Everything. Everything…rises and falls on leadership! EVERYTHING! I am blessed with an amazing family, an amazing job, and an team of all-stars at work. All of these need my leadership! No, all of these DEMAND my leadership. Even more, all of these will rise and fall based on my leadership. Looking back on 2008 I am sad to say, leadership took a bit of a back seat. My goal is to see my leadership stretched, challenged, and for it to grow well beyond my own abilities while God is glorified.

Ok, your turn. Share Your Three Words

7 Day Cleanse and Liquid Diet

December 30, 2008 in Personal with 40 Comments

Monday Robin and I started our 7 day cleanse and liquid diet. To give credit where credit is due, the plan came from a friend and trainer of mine a few years back (Dana Parker).

The Cleanse (Complete Body Cleansing Program, GNC)

The Liquid Cleanse diet

Monday
Grapefruit for breakfast
Lactose free, organic Milk (8oz) every 1-1.5 hours
Grapefruit for dinner

Tuesday
Grapefruit for breakfast
Lactose free, organic Milk (8oz) every 1-1.5 hours
Grapefruit for dinner

Wednesday
Grapefruit for breakfast
Lactose free, organic Milk (8oz) every 1-1.5 hours
Grapefruit for dinner

Thursday
Eat every 1 – 1.5 hours
Eat/Drink veggies, fruit or Lactose free, organic Milk (8oz)
Keep calorie intake for each meal around 100-150 max.

Friday
Eat every 1 – 1.5 hours
Eat/Drink veggies, fruit or Lactose free, organic Milk (8oz)
Keep calorie intake for each meal around 100-150 max.

Saturday
Eat every 1 – 1.5 hours
Eat/Drink veggies, fruit or Lactose free, organic Milk (8oz)
Keep calorie intake for each meal around 100-150 max.

Sunday
Eat every 1 – 1.5 hours
Eat/Drink veggies, fruit or Lactose free, organic Milk (8oz)
Keep calorie intake for each meal around 100-150 max.

Strengths Finder 2.0 vs. 1.0

April 23, 2008 in Leadership, Personal with 17 Comments

Back in 2004 I read the book Now Discover Your Strenghts by Marcus Buckingham and loved it. If you have not read the book, I do highly recommend it.

Today I got the updated, or new version of it Strengths Finder 2.0. Not a Buckingham book, but still a good read, and abbreviated. Here is the outcome.

Terry Storch 2004
Strategic
Significance
Relator
Deliberative
Futuristic

Terry Storch 2008
Command
Futuristic
Maximizer
Significance
Strategic

Here are the 08 details if you care.

What about you…..Have you taken the test?

New Look at www.TerryStorch.com

April 21, 2008 in Blogging, Personal with 14 Comments

There is a new look over at http://www.TerryStorch.com.

You might want to stop by and see what all the talk is about. You could even comment if you like. Bottom line….the look, feel, and layout is much more “where I am right now”.

I love Twitter!

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