Why Get Coaching?

Why Get Coaching?

Coaching, like therapy, and forms of self-improvement has it’s detractors or skeptics who question the need for coaching and the benefits. In fact, EVERYONE benefits from having a coach because no matter what kind of genius you are at what you do, a coach can offer you perspective, support, advocacy and accountability like no one else. People who get coaching and stick with it are generally more successful and more satisfied with their success, their progress, and their lives than their counterparts who do not receive the same benefits. I won’t bore you with a ton of statistics proving this. Not surprising, many of the best coaches have coaches themselves and pay dearly to be coached by top coaches.

Myself included. Each year I invest thousands of dollars into seminars, coaching programs and expert consultants. I once heard a top consultant suggest that one invest at least 3% of their earnings in themselves. I invest more than 3%.

So why do I do that?

1. I am the most important and valued asset I have. I want to be the best I can be, learn as much as I can, and be in a position to offer as much as possible to clients so I continually uplevel my awareness, skills, techniques, and knowledge.
2. I am sure to produce a much more substantial return on investment than any stock, bond or other traditional investment. This investment in myself will not only yield more financially, but it also gives me much greater satisfaction and delight!
3. I get to meet and hang out with amazing people, be exposed to their mindset, their energy, and their inspiration; and increase my awareness, motivation, and wisdom. Priceless. Gee, sounds like one of those commercials for a credit card…

12 Steps to Become Wealthy

12 Steps to Become Wealthy

I was looking through some papers in my office for something else and I came across these steps:

1. Define wealth for yourself; make it believable to yourself. Not everyone wants the same degree or experience of wealth. For some, wealth is more about free time and options than about luxury and opulence. For others, it has to do mainly with being able to use their wealth to effect change in the world. Write out in detail describing with all 5 senses what it will look, feel, smell, taste, and sound like. This is your target.

2. Don’t change your target.

3. Start where you are right now. Take action. It doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to get going. Keep taking action.

4. Take the biggest step toward your target that you believe you can achieve; repeat repeatedly. This will build self-confidence and positive reinforcement.

5. Make it imperative. This is key. If it would just be nice if it happened, then it probably won’t happen. If it’s imperative to you for a specific reason that would motivate you to succeed at all costs, then you’re far more likely to hit your target. Marshall your intent, your will and your focus in the same direction. View all obstacles as challenges to be overcome. Expect the challenges and expect to overcome them. Regard this as a skill-building opportunity. Understand the emotions that get in the way. Release them. Get help with this as necessary.

6. Going back to #1,2,3: be realistic, have a realistic plan. Model others who have been successful. Use your intuition.

7. Follow your realistic plan.

8. Get advice, get coaching. Take action, take responsibility. Delegate where possible, but remain responsible.

9. Face challenges. Get creative in addressing them. Keep going.

10. Use Quicken-type software for personal and business finances. Keep track of what’s happening.

11. Get coaching, but also listen to your intuition. Don’t be unduly influenced by everyone else. You are under no obligation to do what others tell you.

12. Read. Train. Have mentors.

Habits, Character and Success

Habits, Character and Success

I’ve been reading Stephen Covey’s Daily Reflections for Highly Effective People for a few years now. Each Jan. 1, I start over. The introduction is jam-packed and again reminds me of the overall purpose of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. If you’ve not read it yet, I recommend it quite highly. I can’t begin to say how much I’ve gained and continue to learn from these 2 books. Each year as I read the Daily Reflections (actually snippets from the 7 Habits book), I’m able to see and feel how much I’ve integrated in the past year and also what is STILL challenging for me. Reading it continuously keeps me on track, keeps my intentions fresh and in the forefront of my mind.

One of my biggest challenges is habits. Stephen calls adhering to habits a “private victory” that makes public victory (success) possible. I concur. He also talks about how challenging it is to adhere to habits in those moments when we don’t feel like it- To execute the habits around doing the things that allow us to feel our best, perform at our peak, and bring the quality of energy we want to our day and to our lives. Although this is getting easier for me as I mature, it continues to be a real challenge. Here’s one of the Daily snippets:
“Our character, basically, is a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character and produce our effectiveness…or ineffectiveness.” So well put! I see that my understanding and acceptance of this truth has deepened tremendously in the past year. amen! progress! Previously, there was a disconnect between what I thought my character was and what I actually did. Now, I understand that they cannot be separated, that my habits are what define and build my character, and make the vision that I hold a real strong probability. My habits are the daily proof of my character; they are the ways that my character manifests through my behavior. Grokking this on a deeper level has made it somewhat easier to uphold habits. I look forward to it becoming even easier over time. Baby steps and big shifts.

Martin Luther King

Today is the birthday of Dr. King.
I’m reflecting on this quote of his.

“We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Of course this brings to mind the obvious: war vs. non-violence; and then there are the ways that we ourselves operate to achieve our growth and our goals. Although we need to be ruthless and relentless in our pursuit of the truth and yet we need to also be cognizant and compassionate about where we are and about what’s involved in the journey to where we’re headed (if we have a sense of where we’re headed).

This means that we need to be completely honest with ourselves about doing what needs to be done in a consistent and timely fashion for us to get where we want to go/be. This means not letting ourselves off the hook with excuses; rather, discovering what’s stopping us from taking necessary action and addressing that so we can continually move forward. Coaching is invaluable in this regard to have compassionate yet firm support to discover your dreams and goals and for your consistent progress towards fulfilling them. Previously, I reviewed Dr. Fiore’s book on my Book Review page, The Now Habit; I again refer you to this valuable and compassionate book.

In our culture there is much violence on a personal level in how we treat ourselves: depriving ourselves of adequate sleep and restoration, nutrition, and hydration, pumping ourselves full of caffeine and other stimulants alternately with depressants to unwind. Most of us want a peaceful life, but we go about achieving it with great violence to ourselves and sometimes to others as well.

So, at the outset of this new year, on the day we remember Dr. King, we can take some time to reflect on this and decide how we want to move forward. Want support? Contact me.

Self-Development

“The aim of life is self-development. To realize one’s nature perfectly- that is what each of us is here for.”
Oscar Wilde

Mary Schapiro, Barack Obama, the S.E.C., Madoff, and you

Mary Schapiro, Barack Obama, the S.E.C., Madoff, and you

Mary Schapiro, a veteran and diligent regulator if ever there was one, is Barack Obama’s choice to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is a choice that should please those who hope the S.E.C. can recover from what must be the worst year in its history.

Ms. Schapiro has been around Wall Street regulation for decades. She worked at the Commodities Futures Trading Commission as a staff member in the early 1980s, then became a member of the S.E.C. and chairwoman of the C.F.T.C. She helped clean up Nasdaq and now runs Finra, the industry self-regulator. She has been appointed to jobs by Republicans and Democrats.

She will have to take a leading role in shaping the new regulatory system to replace the one that failed so badly. The bank regulators also have much to answer for, and it was the Federal Reserve that championed doing nothing about the shadow financial system that has now brought down the economy. But somehow the Fed has emerged as likely to take control of the regulatory apparatus when it is redone, while the S.E.C. has lost clout and reputation.

Ms. Schapiro showed herself a skilled infighter when the regulatory operations of the N.A.S.D. and the New York Stock Exchange were merged into Finra, a deal designed in part to reduce overlapping rules that raised costs for Wall Street. She emerged on top of the combined organization.

Unfortunately, I have no positive news on the matter of Madoff’s enormous Ponzi scheme that caused investors to lose 50 billion dollars. This one leaves many shaking their heads as to what they might’ve done differently as Madoff vetted out extremely well as the advisor to President Bush and having excellent credentials.

The same is true, sadly, for most investors right now: wondering what they might’ve done differently investment-wise to possibly have minimized their current losses. Going forward from times such as these, the “herd mentality” prevails where people’s confidence in themselves is shaken to make good decisions as well as their confidence in financial institutions. Thus, people want to “follow the herd” and do whatever most others are doing right now investment-wise. This behavior actually goes all the way back to our caveman roots. We stood a much better chance of bringing down a mastodon and having food for the winter if we banded with others and hunted as a herd. Please check out the impulses of your survival instincts with your investment advisor. Need a referral to an investment advisor? Contact me.

Authenticity and Resilience- key to Surviving and Thriving in this or any Economic Climate

Authenticity and Resilience- key to Surviving and Thriving in this or any Economic Climate

The topic of surviving in this market is getting more airtime and web time right now than any other topic I can think of. I find that I am staying relatively calm and confident although there is a tsunami of fear and doubt out there. Why am I able to do this? Because the fear remains out there, NOT inside me! I’m steering clear, as much as possible, of those with a mindset oriented to fear, scarcity and doubt. I honestly don’t feel I’m being in the least bit unrealistic or Pollyanna-ish. I’m maintaining my belief, for which there’s much historical basis, that some people thrive in such adverse times. I intend to be one of those people.

When I discovered that my purpose had clarified and shifted to include coaching, mentoring, and training others, I educated myself about the realities of entering and succeeding in this business and approached it as I would any other business. I’ve availed myself of a lot of the training and information available; I feel that I’ve gotten the equivalent of an MBA but without the student loans and without the degree. One of the keys to success that I discovered is also serving to maintain my sense of calm and confidence: when you brand your business according to your unique gifts and your purpose, there ceases to be much competition if you’ve done it well. Who else can compete with you at being you and doing what only you are uniquely able to do because of who you are and the life you’ve had? Authenticity is a powerful marketing tool. Not only does it distinguish you from others in your field, it allows you to communicate what you do in a far more compelling way. Any marketing efforts you engage in will necessarily be more effective as a result. Of course, it feels soooo much better too. Marketing and positioning are KEY in any market and especially so in adverse markets. Those that survive and thrive in adverse times are those who were either positioned well to begin with or were prepared to be flexible and adaptive to circumstances and change. Resilience is one of the most important character traits for success in business and in life! You’ll likely hear more from me on resilience as you stay tuned.

Authenticity and Resilience – key to Surviving and Thriving in this or any Economic Climate

Authenticity and Resilience – key to Surviving and Thriving in this or any Economic Climate

This topic is getting more airtime and web time right now than any other topic I can think of. I find that I am staying relatively calm and confident although there is a tsunami of fear and doubt out there. Why? It’s out there, NOT inside me! I’m steering clear, as much as possible, of those with a mindset oriented to fear, scarcity and doubt. I honestly don’t feel I’m being in the least bit unrealistic or Pollyanna-ish. I’m maintaining my belief, for which there’s much historical basis, that some people thrive in such adverse times. I intend to be one of those people.

When I discovered that my purpose had clarified and shifted to include coaching, mentoring, and training others, I educated myself about the realities of entering and succeeding in this business and approached it as I would any other business. I’ve availed myself of a lot of the training and information available; I feel that I’ve gotten the equivalent of an MBA but without the student loans and without the degree. One of the keys to success that I discovered is also serving to maintain my sense of calm and confidence: when you brand your business according to your unique gifts and your purpose, there ceases to be much competition if you’ve done it well. Who else can compete with you at being you and doing what only you are uniquely able to do because of who you are and the life you’ve had? Authenticity is a powerful marketing tool. Not only does it distinguish you from others in your field, it allows you to communicate what you do in a far more compelling way. Any marketing efforts you engage in will necessarily be more effective as a result. Of course, it feels soooo much better too. Marketing and positioning are KEY in any market and especially so in adverse markets. Those that survive and thrive in adverse times are those who were either positioned well to begin with or were prepared to be flexible and adaptive to circumstances and change. Resilience is one of the most important character traits for success in business and in life! You’ll likely hear more from me on resilience as you stay tuned.

Recession/Depression PANIC vs. The Law of Attraction and proactivity

Recession/Depression PANIC vs. The Law of Attraction and proactivity

We lose our ability to think clearly when we’re in a panic and when it wins over reason, we’re plunged into a non-resourceful state. Good news doesn’t sell newspapers, so spin doctors make things out to be worse than they are to stir up fear and sales. Remember this daily. Adjust your media consumption accordingly. There’s never been a better time for a media fast or at least a diet.

See that scarcity storm coming your way, and recognize that it doesn’t help you. This is important: even if it’s true, scarcity doesn’t assist your decision-making. Our rational mind has a hard time with this, but being “realistic” is a slippery slope when we’re freaking out. Scarcity makes reality get bleak very quickly and a downward spiral ensues.

Abundance-minded or sufficiency-minded thinking puts you in a far more resourceful state. This is directed by your internal dialog negotiating what actions you’ll take. Coming from abundance, decisions are about investment, potential, doing more, growth and success. The questions change drastically as well. Rather than first asking “what can we do without?”, we first ask ourselves “how can we do this?” This prioritizes the answers to those two questions, to first look at what you want to do, and then how to do it. Furthermore, it communicates your desire to the forces in the universe; this is the first step in The Law of Attraction.
Creative solutions will then be mobilized.

A few things to remember in these challenging times:

1) Remember who you truly are

You are in this world but are not of it. Your thoughts, words, emotions, and desires are highly powerful tools to create your present and future. We are not our minds, we are not our bodies, we are souls: a divine slice of the omnipotent power that makes life possible.

2) Understand that there are universal principles and laws of life. And if used wrongly, gives us negative results.

We co-create our experiences. All negative words and thoughts are destructive. What you do is always going to cause an effect. What we think about and focus on is what we create. What we give out we are going to get back — so choose wisely and focus on what you want and not on what you don’t want. Everyone has the same power but it’s what we do with it that counts.

3) We need not believe the minds, thoughts, and mindsets of others who do not know who they truly are and what is truly possible regardless of the economic climate.

You can have a fabulous future; what it is going to be is up to you and our Divine Source.

“You were born with potential. You were born with goodness and grace. You were born with dreams and ideals. You were born with greatness. You were born with wings. You were not meant for crawling, so don’t. You have wings. Learn to use them and fly.” — Rumi, Sufi Mystic and Poet