Category Archives: Courage

Why In The World Would You Hire A Business Coach?

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Now Hiring 91014Indeed, why in the world would you hire a business coach?  There is no simple answer to questions like these as there is for why you would brush your teeth or exercise.  To answer this question requires some personal reflection and then a certain amount of courage to act on it.  Yet business people do hire coaches.  And there may be several compelling reasons for taking that action, which is probably an atypical action for an entrepreneur.

By definition of entrepreneur, you are “one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise “merriam-webster.com

You are a risk taker, an explorer, riding into the undiscovered plains and mountains of the business world.  In other words you have courage, “guts”, and there are times when you fail.  When you fail, you are resilient—you go back at it again.  You don’t need anyone telling you what to do, “I want to do it myself—thank you very much.”

So then the question: Why hire a business coach?

  1. You are committed to accomplishing something that seems bigger than your expertise.
  2. You have reached a plateau in your business and are trying to figure out what to do next.
  3. You want to quit but feel like you still have something great to give and can’t figure out how to do it.
  4. You have tried and failed, but after the independence of owning your own business you know that you don’t want to work for anyone else.  But still, how can you make your business successful?

Hiring a business coach is an investment in success.

So, why would YOU hire a business coach?  I look forward to hearing from you.  Please comment in the space below.

What Happens When You Combine Tough Circumstances With Responsibility?

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Processed with VSCOcam with x4 presetLast week’s blog was about taking responsibility at the time you initiate an action not just when you get caught. (When Do You Take Responsibility for Your Actions?)

One of the responses to the blog was a surprising answer and it pointed to the value of taking responsibility.  Responsibility is defined as: the state of being the person who caused something to happen (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

The response was from a reader who has been very ill.  Recently, her adult daughter died.  She was communicating about that in direct response to the blog.  What she said points to the value of taking responsibility, in real time vs in theory, “I am in a place where I need to work hard in my life, and I will do it.”

Clearly, this person is willing to be responsible for her life NOW, not in the some far off future.  This type of responsibility gave her direction and the ability to move forward.  It provided a “not going to happen anyway” possibility for her life.

Does this drawing a line in the sand take courage?  Yes.  Will there be pitfalls as she moves forward?  Of course.  But, because her intention and responsibility are palpable, there will be other people standing with her. Her communication is so real and raw that there is no way that her intentionality can be missed.

I will be there cheering her on.  This is exactly what coaching and mentoring are for.  A coach is a committed listener who knows that you are totally capable of accomplishing your goal, especially at those times when you forget.  A coach is the one who stands beside you as you move forward towards a solid vision that will make a difference in your life.

Although, it took a dramatic life changing event to open up a path for this woman, a change in your life does not have to be so dramatic.  What it takes is seeing what is missing, saying what action you will take, and then being responsible for taking that action.

I look forward to hearing your comments.  Thank you, as always, for taking time to respond.

Where Can I Buy Intention

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The Creative knows the great beginnings.
The Receptive completes the finished things.

~I Ching

“And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?”

~Pink Floyd

 

ChingWe have been discussing what it takes to get out of the box that our mind puts us in. It is that box that makes us feel safe and yet keeps us small.  We discussed some of what it takes to operate beyond the limits of our box. This is predicated on the commitment to something bigger than we are, something that calls forth our re-invention of ourselves—in fact, what we are looking at is a commitment that demands that we re-invent ourselves.

Another correlated ingredient to great accomplishment is intention. Webster’s defines intention as: “a determination to act in a certain way”, but we are going to toughen it up a bit to read: “a relentless determination to achieve a certain goal or task—no matter what.”

Being intentional is a determination to act in a certain way. It is this intention that allows you to succeed despite all the challenges that would seem to indicate otherwise. It is intention that keeps you moving forward. It is intention that allows for brilliant actions that defy reality—your reality.

So, where is this intention, and where can you buy it?

Fortunately, we have intention at hand at all times. Reflect on your life. You can see, in hindsight
that you have been living an intentional life all along. You learned to walk,
dance, sing, talk, read, and ride a bike with your reserve of intention.
Unfortunately we are also very intentional about staying safely within the
walls of our box.

It is almost impossible to re-invent ourselves alone. Anything you do alone is inside the box. and did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? -Pink FloydGreat people don’t act alone. They may spend most of their time alone, but they have a world around them that is demanding they be great. How is this? They say what they are going to accomplish—before it is possible—and then they act. Specifically, they tell the people around them—but not just anybody—they tell people who will hold them to account for what they said they are going to do, people who won’t let them quit when the going gets tough. And it will get tough. That is what a coach is for.

In the comments below, please share an instance where your intentionality overcame the obstacle that you were facing.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Nelson Mandela

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Please join me in celebrating the life of Nelson Mandela and the contribution that he has made to our world.Mandela candle

Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That most frightens us.

We ask ourselves,
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small
Does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine,
As children do.
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us;
It’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we’re liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson

Thought for food?

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Mike 2 Sep 2010 (260 x 322)It is not an everyday occurrence to receive such an elegantly written, unsolicited acknowledgment about the value of coaching.

I am sharing it with you not as a shameless self-promotion, which it is, but also as a commentary about what happens between a coach and the client.

It is my intention that it sparks you to look at the relationship that you have with your coaches to see if you are encouraging them to be your GPS.  If you are, bravo!  If you are not, perhaps you can dial it up a notch or two.

My coach is my GPS.

Sometimes I don’t know where I am and she helps me find myself.

Once I know where I am, she asks me where I want to go.

She never says, “Really” Are you sure you want to go there?”

But she often asks, “Why do you want to go there?

Then, she asks if I want to get there by way of the fastest route, or the easiest route, or the safest route and if I want to avoid toll roads.

I always chose the fastest route and am willing to pay the tolls.

Sometimes I get lost along the way and have to ask her to recalculate my route.  She never complains.

Sometimes I ignore her recommendation and take a short-cut.  That never, ever works!

Thanks to my coach GPS, I am fully prepared for the journey and able to deal with any traffic jams and detours I encounter along the way.

My coach is my GPS and all I have to do is ask for directions!

Mike Altman, CEO
PV-Health.com
MikeAltman@PV-Health.com
www.PV-Health.com
Health Insurance for Mexico and the World

Pretty cool analogy eh?  I am looking forward to reading your comments!

How to Escape the Crab Pot

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Crab BucketID-100133778When a single crab is put into a lidless bucket, it surely can, and will, escape.  However, when more than one crab share a bucket, none of them can get out.  If one crab elevates itself above the others, the others will grab this crab and pull it back down into the pot to share the fate of the of the entire group.

~Urban Dictionary

You have heard this story and perhaps like me you smile at it and then move on.  Recently I have witnessed this effect with some regularity both in business and in my personal life.  Since my business is about helping the people create lives and business that they love, I find the “crab bucket” effect to be alarming.  Not only that, I find it puzzling as well.  Why do good people do this?

I am bringing this up so that you will become aware of it and put a stop to it, if this is happening to you.  It usually goes like this: someone decides that he wants to start a new business, one that will be fun and profitable.  He talks to his friends about it.  They think his new business is a fool’s folly.  They spend time telling him how it won’t work.  They wear him down with all of their evidence that the new business is an awful idea.  He leaves the conversation defeated and gives up the idea.  The crab bucket won!  Another crab is pulled back into the pot.

If this is happening to you, I recommend that you stop putting your self in the crab bucket. You have some great ideas and you can achieve what you want to do.  Surround yourself with people who you trust and want you to succeed.  Be selective about who you talk to you about your idea.  Walk away from the naysayers.  If you have no one like that in your life then seek some outside assistance.  The best and easiest way to get support for your idea is to talk with people who have already forged new businesses, people who went outside the norm to create something.  Research your idea on the internet, read everything you can about it.  Talk to your future customers to hear what they have to say about your idea.  There are also professionals who can help you develop an action plan.  One of the best organizations in the U.S to offer you support is your local SCORE chapter which offers free advice and mentoring to entrepreneurs.  To find out more about it and to locate a Score chapter in your area, click here http://www.score.org/

If you are in Canada look here http://sbinfocanada.about.com/

Now, its your turn.  What has happened to you when you found out that you were in the “crab bucket” and what did you do to get out?  I look forward to hearing from you!

 

What Benjamin Franklin Taught Me— Yesterday

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Are you angry that others disappoint you?
Remember you cannot depend on yourself.
~Benjamin Franklin

I get on my high horse at times about things people do.  My latest rant has been about people who don’t return calls or answer personal emails from me.  Maybe they have asked me a question, or even asked me to do something for them.  I respond and then I don’t hear anything—nothing.  I am left with not only not knowing the ultimate outcome, but am also left resenting that I put my self out for them.

Last night, I was in full rant mode about this, and then I received this quote:

Are you angry that others disappoint you?
Remember you cannot depend on yourself.
~Benjamin Franklin

Hmm, its true, I am sometimes undependable.  I do not keep my word all of the time.  How I interpret the quote, is essentially, clean your own house before you criticize another.  Now that is humbling.  It was also a wake up call for me.

I am now on a mission.  I am looking to see, checking myself out, to find those things in me that I criticize others about?  Am I doing the same things they are?  If I am, I am cleaning it up.

I bring this up to you because it may be useful for you to take a look at yourself.  It may make a difference to you as it has for me.  If this seems not very important to you, that’s fine too.  Who am I to criticize?

In the space below, please share about some of your aha moments and what you have done to bring them into being a lasting part of your life.  I look forward to hearing from you!

We Remember

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The RoseOn September 11, 2001, terrorists launched attacks in the United States. 2,977 people were killed.

Today is the anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Please join in remembering the victims by observing a moment of silence.

“The Names”

for the victims of September 11th and their survivors

Billy Collins, Poet Laureate

Yesterday, I lay awake in the palm of the night.

A soft rain stole in, unhelped by any breeze,

And when I saw the silver glaze on the windows,

I started with A, with Ackerman, as it happened,

Then Baxter and Calabro,

Davis and Eberling, names falling into place

As droplets fell through the dark.

Names printed on the ceiling of the night.

Names slipping around a watery bend.

Twenty-six willows on the banks of a stream.

In the morning, I walked out barefoot

Among thousands of flowers

Heavy with dew like the eyes of tears,

And each had a name –

Fiori inscribed on a yellow petal

Then Gonzalez and Han, Ishikawa and Jenkins.

Names written in the air

And stitched into the cloth of the day.

A name under a photograph taped to a mailbox.

Monogram on a torn shirt,

I see you spelled out on storefront windows

And on the bright unfurled awnings of this city.

I say the syllables as I turn a corner –

Kelly and Lee,

Medina, Nardella, and O’Connor.

When I peer into the woods,

I see a thick tangle where letters are hidden

As in a puzzle concocted for children.

Parker and Quigley in the twigs of an ash,

Rizzo, Schubert, Torres, and Upton,

Secrets in the boughs of an ancient maple.

Names written in the pale sky.

Names rising in the updraft amid buildings.

Names silent in stone

Or cried out behind a door.

Names blown over the earth and out to sea.

In the evening — weakening light, the last swallows.

A boy on a lake lifts his oars.

A woman by a window puts a match to a candle,

And the names are outlined on the rose clouds –

Vanacore and Wallace,

(let X stand, if it can, for the ones unfound)

Then Young and Ziminsky, the final jolt of Z.

Names etched on the head of a pin.

One name spanning a bridge, another undergoing a tunnel.

A blue name needled into the skin.

Names of citizens, workers, mothers and fathers,

The bright-eyed daughter, the quick son.

Alphabet of names in a green field.

Names in the small tracks of birds.

Names lifted from a hat

Or balanced on the tip of the tongue.

Names wheeled into the dim warehouse of memory.

So many names, there is barely room on the walls of the heart.

Going Pro

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When I saw this definition of “Going Pro”, I knew that I wanted to share it with you.  I think that it nails what we, as entrepreneurs are about.  I contacted the author, Stephanie Pollock and requested her permission to use it.  She generously said yes!

Stephanie Pollock 516ae5ef84c49f1e24968632

Stephanie Pollock is a Business activator + leadership coach she is devoted to helping talented women in business GO PRO with their dreams, stepping into the spotlights – and revenue streams – they so richly deserve.

She’s the publisher of Going Pro Magazine, a Top 40 Under 40 change maker and author of the forthcoming b

ook: Claiming Greatness – How to Stop Hovering Around Your Potential and Actively CLAIM it!

You can check out her magazine here: http://goingpromagazine.com/

This is Stephanie’s definition of Going Pro:

“GOING PRO is about treating your business like an empire-in-the-making -not a half-hearted hobby.

It’s about carrying your best & brightest ideas to market – without any excuses.

It’s about knowing your value, owning your authority, and taking your own breath away.

It’s about stepping up as a true leader – taking personal responsibility for your message, your revenue, and your potential.

And ultimately, it’s about moving beyond the daily demands of running your business.

Stepping into a space where you can experiment, innovate & re-imagine your whole lifestyle.

GOING PRO is a mindset, a personal commitment, and a business revolution.

You in?”

 

In the comments below, I would love to hear your thoughts on Going Pro.  Have you Gone Pro yet?  If so, what has happened?

How To Re-imagine Part 2

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Apparently, I hit a nerve with the last newsletter, Re-imagine Your Failure.  Some readers commented on it and others just called to tell me what they saw about re-imagining.  What struck me as the most was that their reactions pointed to who they are as entrepreneurs.  Yes, they have failures.  Yes, they do NOT like failures, and YES, OF COURSE, re-imagining is what must occur.

Here is what one highly successful entrepreneur said: “When asking yourself Man Creatingthat important question, ‘What could you do differently that may make the project succeed?’… it is also important to realize it was YOUR SCENE…Re-Imagine the SCENE…you may not have failed, even though you FEEL that way! Re-imagining has you get out of the grief a LOT faster!”

I think it’s a brilliant response to the inquiry.  Taking the comment apart, here is what inspires me about it.  It is where this person is coming from, this person is totally taking responsibility for her reaction to the failure.  In being responsible for the reaction then she can re-imagine it and give herself an alternative to experiencing failure.

She pointed to a very important trait of successful entrepreneurs, the art of being responsible.  Responsibility is perhaps a unsung positive trait of entrepreneurs.  In the true meaning of the word, being responsible is not blame or guilt, shame or any such demoralizing explanation.  Being responsible is “liable to be called on to answer, being the cause or explanation, able to answer for one’s conduct and obligations.”  Notice that the word “being” is used.  Being meaning, at least to me, who we are on the playing field of business.

An entrepreneur who is being responsible can re-imagine effortlessly, as the commenter said: “it is also important to realize it was YOUR SCENE”.  She takes responsibility for the scene and then, since its hers, she can re-imagine it.  And, that ability, is the key factor for being a successful entrepreneur.  No one else did it to you, or even for you; you and you alone are the one.  There is so much power in that way of being that you cannot fail.  You can only re-imagine and move forward.

I look forward to hearing your comments about this way of being.