Category Archives: Change

“The world is full of…”

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“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

—W.B. Yeats, Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature

Image from freger.weebly.com

Image from freger.weebly.com

Take a moment to examine your current ability to see, hear, feel, taste, and smell.

Did you know that:

      • A Silvertip Grizzly Bear can smell you from 18 miles away?
      • Jumping spiders can see four primary colors versus the three that humans see?
      • Some birds have an internal GPS that acts as a compass, to help them find their way home?
      • The bat uses echolocation to navigate and catch its supper?
      • Catfish have 10 times more taste buds than humans (100,000 versus 10,000)?

EXERCISE:

How can you capture more of the magic life has to offer by sharpening and focusing your senses? One way to develop these capacities is to focus on each sense separately, whenever possible.

“People change and forget…”

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“People change and forget to tell each other.”

—Lillian Hellman, American dramatist and Broadway screenwriter

Photo from onthejob.45things.com

Photo from onthejob.45things.com

Coaching as a profession has been around for over 20 years, and is estimated as a two billion (or more) dollar industry. Fundamental to the coaching process is the desire for both individuals and organizations to change for the better.

Rooted in this change process is the strong desire for a better future, and in particular, a high level of social support by friends, family, colleagues, and of course, coaches.

Open communication and clarity around this desire, along with some description of what behaviors are to be expected, are critical for optimal success.

EXERCISE:

Where are you currently trying to change something in either your professional or personal life? How can you communicate this intention to those around you to rally the social support necessary for this change to occur and be sustained?

“You can’t start the next…”

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“You can’t start the next chapter if you keep re-reading the last one.”

—Author Unknown

Imagine a book based on  your life, with a Table of Contents that looks like this:

QC #826How likely would you be to keep reading the same chapter over and over again?

Although the answer seems obvious, many people live their lives this way, where “today” looks a great deal like many of their yesterdays.

EXERCISE:

If today’s scenario is even a bit familiar, consider telling a new life story by using Stephen Covey’s “Begin with the End in Mind” habit. Work your way backwards to write about the page-turning journey that got you there. I hope it is a best seller!

“When nothing goes right, go left.”

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“When nothing goes right, go left.”

—Author Unknown

Image from www.picturequotes.com

Image from www.picturequotes.com

Not long ago, I attended two separate conferences with almost 500 coaches from around the world. One common quality among many, if not most coaches, is a positive attitude and the ability to influence their world for the better.

Common to many coaching sessions are situations where the client’s professional and/or personal worlds are off track, or headed that way. Many times a shift of perspective or a view through a more useful lens is all it takes to make things right again. Other times we must choose a more dramatic course of action by going outside our usual “go to” strategies.

EXERCISE:

Select a single area in your professional or personal life that is not going right at this time. Consider some alternative, “left turn” strategies or actions that you can—and will—take to set things right.

Consider posting one of my favorite quotes in a place where you will see it frequently, to remind you of this concept:

“When patterns are broken, new worlds will emerge.” (Tuli Kupferberg)

“The life you have led doesn’t…”

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“The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have.”

—Anna Quindlen, American author and journalist

QC #788photo from www.lionsroar.com

One of my favorite movies is Ground Hog Day with Bill Murray. I always laugh as he lives February 2nd over and over again.

Through countless chances, he tends to make many of the same mistakes over and over, which leaves him in the same place as the previous day.

Eventually, he learns that his future can be altered for the better.  By choosing actions that are consistent with his commitment, he takes new and better actions that lead him to a different future, where in the end, of course, he “gets the girl.”

EXERCISE:

Take the time today to examine the life you have lived and determine what you wish to continue and what you wish to change. Select a close friend, family member, mentor, or coach to examine what you discover. Consider developing a plan over at least 90 days, to make the coming years more fulfilling and remarkable.

“Change Before You Have To.”

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“Change before you have to.”

-Jack WelCh, retired chairman and CEO of General Electric

Click on the image to order from Amazon.com

Click on the image to order from Amazon.com

The current U.S. unemployment rate is in the area of 5.5%. Given the numbers from the past 5 – 7 years, this is a vast improvement.

Despite the multiple thousands of available jobs, many organizations are experiencing tremendous difficulty finding qualified individuals for the positions they have open.

What might the unemployment rate be if every open position were filled? What would it take for people to be qualified for such careers?

Unfortunately, because people can be resistant or reluctant to change, many discover that their previous “valuable” skills are either less valuable, or considered irrelevant in the current business world. Technology, outsourcing, and off-shoring are three factors among many that contribute to the elimination of many positions that were once considered good jobs.

The classic little business book, Who Moved My Cheese, by Spencer Johnson, M.D., points to this all-too-frequent occurrence, which is now happening at unprecedented speed.

EXERCISE:

How can you embrace and proactively generate the needed changes in your skills and abilities to not only remain relevant, but to be uniquely qualified and highly desirable for the jobs of the future?

Where can and will you change and evolve in your personal life to keep up with and stay attuned to the world around you?

“Instead of wondering when…”

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“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.”

-Seth Godin, American author, entrepreneur, marketer, and public speaker

photo from addictedtosuccess.com

photo from addictedtosuccess.com

The point of today’s quote is the main reason I am a coach today. Over 23 years ago, when I was working in sales and marketing for a well-known pharmaceutical company, I realized my inner voice was saying things like:

  • Thank God it’s Friday!
  • I don’t want to wake up and go to work!
  • When will this be over?
  • I can’t wait to go on vacation!
  • Oh, No! Monday is coming!

Of course, I’m being a bit dramatic. Still, as many as 70% of working professionals feel and say similar things to themselves and perhaps to others in their lives.

EXERCISE:

Should you see yourself or others in the thoughts above, find the courage to challenge yourself to redesign your life and career. You may find yourself looking forward to getting home from vacation, so you can get back to the exciting life you have designed.

Feel free to reach out to me if I can be of assistance. Write to me at: barry@dempcoaching.com

“Less is the new More”

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“Less is the new more.”
-JP Chartier, Canadian Author

The words “less” and “more” are among the most powerful terms used in a coaching discussion. When explored in depth, they have the power to transform your life.

You’re probably familiar with the metaphor of life being a jar that contains all our “stuff.”

Chartier’s quote suggests that we take a hard look into our jar and take the necessary steps to remove items that are no longer of optimal service to us.

When we do this, we experience the freedom and greater maneuverability this less-cramped space provides. Should we choose, we now have more room for the great stuff we desire.

EXERCISE:

Look into your own “life vessel” and create a list of things you would like to have less of in order to make room for the things you desire.

Feel free to reply to this post with your own less/more list, and share this intention with a friend, family member, or coach to support you in fulfilling this intention.

“Awareness is the greatest agent for change.”

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“Awareness is the greatest agent for change.”

-Eckhart Tolle, Canadian Author and Spiritual Leader

 

Photo from Flickr by Miguelanger Guedez

Photo from Flickr by Miguelanger Guedez

Although we live in a world that is constantly changing, I would suggest that much of our internal worlds remain the same.

Examine your own attitudes and beliefs about the world around you and you will likely notice that most have remained relatively constant for years, and perhaps throughout your entire life.

Examination and internal exploration are key in enhancing our journey of self-awareness. This  allows us to determine if and to what extent our long-standing beliefs and perspectives serve us optimally.

In the event they do not, this new awareness can act as an agent of change as Eckhart Tolle suggests.

EXERCISE:

What daily habits, rituals, behaviors, and practices can aid you in the development of your awareness muscles, that support positive change in your professional or personal life?

Here are some strategies to consider:

  • Journaling
  • Meditating
  • Prayer
  • Reflective walks in nature
  • Reflective forms of exercise, such as Yoga
  • Deep Breathing

Feel free to reply to this message to share your own self-awareness practices.

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

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“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank, diarist and Holocaust victim

Photo from Flickr by Symphony of Love
Photo from Flickr by Symphony of Love

If you happen to watch the news these days, it sure looks like the world could use some improving. You might ask yourself, “Who am I to tackle such a matter? I am only one person in the world and its challenges seem infinite.”

One strategy that comes to mind is related to that old saying, “How do you eat an elephant?” If you’ve never heard this before, the answer is, “One bite at a time.”

Exercise:

Examine the areas of your own life, including your health, your family, your local community, your workplace, and others that come to mind where you can seize this moment to take a small or big bite and improve your piece of the world.

If we all did this together each day, imagine how much the whole world would improve.