Time to Shift from Challenges to Opportunity
Last week I was sitting in the audience of a panel discussion where the two panel guests were talking about their industries and the social and economic challenges they were facing. They were both passionate about their subject matter; however, I found myself shifting in my chair waiting for the right moment to head up to the microphone to make a comment. 
I found it difficult to stay seated as I witnessed several people getting up from their chairs and leaving. I too wanted to leave. Why? The message left with the audience was draining. The focus was one of challenges. It seemed that every second statement was about the challenges they were facing.
I wanted to jump and ask for permission to coach them. However, they may not have appreciated a coaching session in front of the audience. Instead, I sat back and wondered in self reflection. What was it about their message that was irritating me? What did I want to hear from them? What was my expectation? Maybe what they were saying had some truth.
I wanted to hear them to say that even though challenges existed that they saw them as an opportunity to dig deeper and get more creative and innovative with funding and sharing their message. I wanted to hear that they saw these economic and social challenges as a temporary setback and they were setting up for their greatest comeback. I wanted to hear that there was hope. I felt that the audience also wanted to hear -there was hope.
Hope. They wanted to see how what was said related to them and how they could see through the challenges they faced. The audience longed to hear tips and strategies of how these individuals have lead others through these challenges and came out ahead.
I left the room disappointed but on a mission to find a way to pass this message on. I sought out the most appropriate person and shared my concerns. He listened very carefully and stated he felt that he played a part in how the panel’s questioning was framed. He learned from my feedback and stated he would pass it on.
It really made me think about the power of the words we chose to communicate with. We need to think about how we want others to feel after we have shared an important message. What do we want them to walk away with? Do we want a call to action? Do we want to gather ideas and support?
Words are very powerful. When I was listening to them speak and focus on their challenges, I kept thinking about how many more challenges that were coming their way. What you focus on grows! Instead of focusing on challenges, focus on solutions and breakthrough ideas. Brainstorm ideas or ask your employees and colleagues what they would do.
I was taught to view life as a learning lab. If this is the case, I choose to help individuals and organizations to focus on solutions, opportunities, and possibilities. When you focus on your strengths and what is working, the greater the momentum you will carry through to your vision.
We are in the greatest time to dream, discover, and design what we would like the world to be. A place of possibilities and a place of hope.
In what ways can you look at your challenges and turn them into opportunities for growth?
7 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Coach
Are you ready for a change?
If you knew there was one action you could take that would accelerate your success, help you gain clarity and focus, and challenge your assumptions, would you do it? Athletes are not the only group of people hiring coaches. Hiring a coach is one of the pivotal actions you can take in achieving your goals. More and more individuals are working with coaches internally within an organization or externally so that they can get promoted, grow their business, and get unstuck where they may be sabotaging their own success.
Reasons why you should hire a coach:
1. You are more likely to achieve your goals. When working with a coach, a coach will help you create an action plan and hold you accountable to what you say you will do. A coach does not do the work, you do. The belief is that everything you need is already inside of you – you need the coach to ask the right questions. You will develop greater clarity and become more focused on what you need to do to achieve the results you want. Let’s face it. Some people are intrinsically self motivated but most people will fall into patterns of procrastination or jump into the next best thing leaving plans or projects started and unfinished or worse – not started at all.
2. A coach can offer a fresh unbiased perspective. Coaches often see what you cannot see because you are in the midst of your situation. Family, friends, and colleagues may have their best interest at heart and offer advice or share their concerns as they do not want you to fail. They may not have experienced the power of working with a coach and how asking questions can get you out of your own way when you default to old habits. They themselves may be holding themselves back by not taking a risk in their own development.
3. A coach can challenge you to stretch out of your comfort zone and help you see your blind spots. Coaches hold a safe place to challenge your assumptions and potentially challenge you to take actions that make you feel uncomfortable (only because it is against the grain of how you routinely do things). These challenges are to empower you and for you to start to discover how much more potential you have inside of you – if you would only tap into it.
4. You will achieve your goals faster than if you did it all by yourself. A coach will help guide you and help you decide what goals are most important to you. One or two sessions may work for some people but for others they may need up to 6 or more because they have new goals to work on or other issues surface that are sabotaging their success. One thing I have learned in being coached myself, you need to actively participate and trust the process.
5. Coaches can act as a sounding board or share in brainstorming new ideas. I have had clients say that it was great to have someone to share what was on their mind without any judgments and to share ideas that would not be taken for their own use and promotion.
6. Coaches create a confidential safe environment. You are able to get further ahead when you feel safe to be vulnerable enough to share your audacious goals or sticky situations that you need help with. By having this environment, you are able to dig deeper and come out stronger than ever before.
7. Coaches can celebrate your successes with you. They know how hard you have been working on achieving your goals. A coach can help you stop in the moment to “really smell the roses” and pay attention to your successes. Too often, people reach a success and they are already off and running to the next action on the to-do list. Take time to stop and acknowledge your success; it builds momentum and keep you motivated.
Coaching can be a transformational experience if you are willing and open to the possibilities that lie in store. The future is bright!
If you are interested in working with a coach or learning more about what coaching can do for you, contact Debra
9 Great Reasons to Hire a Coach
The world of coaching is a growing profession. You can hire a coach for many different areas of your life. Olympic athletes have a coach. Businesses hire business coaches to build their leadership team. Life coaches can help you through life’s challenging lessons or transitions. Career coaches can help support you in discovering a new career or changing your existing one. Coaches help you see challenges from a different perspective and see situations from a more forward thinking position.
Coaches provide a safe confidential space for you be share your challenges or barriers holding you back from the outcome you desire. They ask the right questions to help you get unstuck and move forward to get the results you want. Coaching is about working in partnership helping individuals work toward a common goal.
Coaches help you to:
- acknowledge your successes
- encourage action steps
- hold you accountable for following through on what you say you are going to do
- brainstorm strategies to move through challenges
- improve performance and productivity
- develop clarity when assessing decision making and direction
- set clear goals and achieving them faster and for effectively
- move ahead professionally
- create balance and improve well-being
- increase your income
The coaching experience is about gaining awareness about what your priorities are, creating strategies to create a life or business you want, and knowing how and when to shift gear when you get off track. The action comes from you. Coaches do not have done what you are planning to do to support you.
Coaches ask the right questions based on what you share that you want to discuss. Coaching is an investment but the return on investment can be infinite and overflow into many other areas in your life. My experience with coaching was positive. I learned to get clear about what I want, set boundaries, speak up for myself, or as Sheryl Sandberg would say, ‘Lean In to the Table” and let my voice be heard. You would be surprised how coaching sparks the motivation to go after what you want. Hiring a coach has been of my best investments in myself and my business.
What gets me is that there is so much support to be had from coaches but not everyone takes advantage of the opportunity to have someone there to help take them to the next level of reaching their goals.
What have you gained from a coaching experience?
What Is It Costing You Not to Take the Leap?
It amazes me that so many people say they want to pursue their dreams but money tends to be their biggest obstacle. I often wonder if it is truly an obstacle or an excuse to avoid going after what they really want.
Don’t get me wrong! There have been times that I have said that I didn’t have the money to pursue something but I quickly learned that the more that I focused on scarcity, the more scarce money was.
The more I focused on abundance, the more abundant my life became.
I know there may be times that you wonder if your business is even going to grow.
You also may think that any money you have coming in must be infused back into your business. You may even be frustrated that you have been implementing and acting on specific tasks but continue to feel stuck. You may even think to yourself, “How am I ever going to get ahead?”
If you’ve ever asked yourself the question, the best advice I could give to you is to hire a coach or a mentor to help hold you accountable for taking specific actions steps that lead to your greatest return on investment .
When you invest in yourself , you are also investing in your business.
The return on your investment can mean making more money, attracting more clients , greater happiness , more joy , and greater confidence . Some results can be measured whereas other results can be felt and shared with others.
What is it costing you to not take a leap of faith ? Set your priorities for your business and spend your time money and resources where it matters .
I have learned from my own business coach and others that many of us would rather choose a life of convenience, and yes that includes the grocery store and prepackaged foods and salads that cost significantly a lot more that if you prepared it yourself .
You need to put your money and your time where you feel it will matter most.
Once I made the decision to grow my business my way with the help of a coach and mentors. The money I needed seem to appear when I needed it. Perhaps I was more conscious of the choices I made about where my money went and used my skills to make the additional money I needed to make things happen.
Are you willing to do what it takes? – Put aside all excuses and just do it!
Imagine creating the life of your dreams by investing in yourself so that you can gain the confidence and the courage to take the next steps in your business to profit and prosper . What does that look like for you ?
Remember you can try and learn everything by yourself or you can have others who have experience and education to help you get ahead. Ask for guidance.
I know many people who invest in a personal trainer to get the physical results they want. Many others invest in a financial planner. Not every small business owner, invests in an advisor, coach, or mentor to help set them up for success but those who do receive infinite returns.
Save your money so you can invest in yourself and business.
Consider getting a part-time job to supplement your work so you can fund your dreams. The situation is temporary but your dream will last forever.
Would you regret not taking action and going after your dream if you knew you could had it if you only took ACTION?
If you are ready to take the next step, find a coach that resonates with you.
Learn more about coaching