Seek and you shall find

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Barry

“Seek and you shall find.”

-The Bible, from the Gospel of Matthew

Image from dpselfhelp.com

When I explore possible quotes for The Quotable Coach series, I always consider impact, imagery, cleverness, and word length. Today’s quote from the Bible hit the mark on numerous fronts.

What are you looking for? Are things like success, peace of mind, balance, love, job satisfaction, and extraordinary relationships on your list?

If, for some reason, your greatest desires appear out of reach or elusive, consider the strategies you employ. One twist that often works magic is to give what you are seeking in order to find more of it for yourself.

EXERCISE:

Where and how can (and will) you passionately offer and generously share what you most sincerely desire?

Friday Review #1

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Barry

Starting this week, Friday’s message will include links to a few relevant posts you may have
missed. Simply click the image next to the quote to read the message. Feel free to comment on any of the posts, and of course, on this message.

“It is hard to fly when something is weighing you down.”
https://www.thequotablecoach.com/what-weighs-you-down

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
https://www.thequotablecoach.com/do-what-you-can

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the
seeds you plant.”
https://www.thequotablecoach.com/seeds-you-plant

”It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”
https://www.thequotablecoach.com/conquer-ourselves

“Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising
every time we fall.”
https://www.thequotablecoach.com/our-greatest-glory

The Stream and the Rock

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Barry

“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins – not through strength, but through persistence.”

—The Buddha, Indian Spiritual Teacher

Image from Flickr by Nicholas A. Tonelli

Most of my elementary school teachers would have described me as an average-to-good student with a bit of an attention problem.

Starting in the eight grade, I realized that although I was average-to-good on the standardized tests, I was able to outwork others to achieve what I wanted.

This “magic quality” has been a key to success throughout my life.

EXERCISE:

Where can you apply the power of persistence to outwork others and achieve your goals?

In the Real World

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Barry

“In the realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm. In the real world all rests on perseverance.”

–Johann Wolfgang Goethe, 19th Century German writer and statesman

image from iRuler.net

Who doesn’t admire and become inspired by the enthusiastic leader with a great idea? It is pretty easy to get caught up in the possibilities of some new and better future.

When reality sets in, we all would note that only a very tiny set of these ideas ever come to fruition. Rigorous execution of a great or even good idea is priceless in our world of metrics and quantifiable results.

EXERCISE:

How can you use a “what gets measured gets done” perspective in your personal and professional world? Consider generating the necessary perseverance to have your best and most enthusiastically shared idea become real.

Focus

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Barry

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not in fighting the old, but on building the new.”

—Socrates, Classic Greek Philosopher

image from bigfishmedia.ca

When I consider the idea of fighting the old ways of doing things, I think of the phrase, whatever we resist persists. Notice how some of your own less-than-desirable habits or behaviors seem to stick around no matter how much you try to fight them off. The act of building things is much like a replacement strategy where we insert what we desire into our lives instead.

EXERCISE:

What would be the biggest difference in your personal or professional life if you stopped fighting the old and started building the new?

“You can either throw in the towel…”

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Barry

“You can either throw in the towel, or use it to wipe your sweat.”

—Author Unknown

Image from getyourbridebody.com

When was the last time you had a really rigorous workout? You know, the kind that makes your muscles burn, makes you gasp for air, and drenches you in sweat?

Where do you, or have you, demonstrated similar efforts in your personal or professional life?

How often do you give things your all? With what frequency do you merely put in enough effort just to get by? How often do you throw in the towel and give up completely?

EXERCISE:

What are the key tasks or priorities in which you could dig deeper, make a stronger commitment, or break more of a sweat?   With whom can you partner to coach, encourage, and challenge you to give these goals your very best?

“I alone cannot change the world…”

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Barry

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.”

—Mother Theresa

image from www.marclangloisconsulting.com

Take a moment sometime today to reflect on your most satisfying and deeply felt moments of personal fulfillment. Make sure you look at your personal and professional worlds.

Examine what percentage of these highlights occurred as an individual versus within a larger group or community. Consider, also, to what extent you were operating in an area of strength or unique ability.

EXERCISE:

Where can you make more ripples, or even waves, in your professional and personal worlds by casting more of your special stones across the waters you come upon today?

“Each of us is born with…”

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Barry

“Each of us is born with a box of matches inside us but we can’t strike them all by ourselves.”

—Laura Esquivel, Mexican novelist, essayist, and screenwriter

Photo from changingmydestiny.wordpress.com

I must admit that I watch reality TV shows. I enjoy those that involve living in remote areas of the world, where there are little or no creature comforts.

The fundamental necessities for survival include food, water, and shelter. Without exception, fire is another essential resource, needed to cook the food and sterilize the water. Achieving a successful fire is often a significant challenge and hardship for would-be reality show survivors. Almost always, success comes from the collective efforts of numerous individuals.

EXERCISE:

How can you spark and ignite the potential of others to more fully realize the fires that burn within them?

Who are the people in your personal or professional worlds that can and will play this valuable role for you?

“Coasting only happens when …”

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Barry

“Coasting only happens when you are going downhill.”

—Mike Rayburn, one of the youngest inductees in the Speaker Hall of Fame

Photo from dimitri.co.uk

When was the last time you took a bike ride outdoors? Try to remember a specific ride with many hills. Close your eyes and visualize the effort and “burn” it took to climb the steepest and longest hills. Experience the relief of going over the crest, when you began coasting, allowing gravity to make your journey far easier.

EXERCISE:

Examine some of the current professional or personal hills you are on, or intend to climb. How will the pursuit of reaching the top make you even stronger for future challenges?

If you happen to notice that there are very few or no hills ahead, perhaps you are coasting, and headed downward. Make a point, once you have relaxed or recovered, to find the next hill worth climbing.

“If it scares you, it may be…”

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Barry

“If it scares you, it may be a good thing to try.”

-Seth Godin, American Author

QC #803

As I examine my own life and identify its highlights, I realize that many of them involved overcoming a fear in order to achieve some form of breakthrough. Among them are:

Starting my first business at age eleven!
Risking rejecting in applying to a highly competitive high school.
The “What Ifs” of resigning from a secure yet unsatisfying Fortune 500 career to enter the coaching profession when it was in its infancy.
The fear of judgement as I began speaking to increasingly large groups of people.
Risking potential criticism and judgement in writing and publishing my own blog and book.

EXERCISE:

Examine the things that have scared you over the years, and look at what scares you today. Where would giving some of these things a try help you overcome the fears and bring you even greater rewards and life satisfaction?