“Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you will land among the stars.”

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“Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you will land among the stars.”

– Unknown

479Image from Flickr by dingopup.

Have you seen Westerns, military shows or movies which included the phrase “ready, aim, fire?” Whether it is shooting at the moon or focusing on a critical goal, your desire to take each of these steps is necessary.

Some people and organizations suffer from the paralysis of analysis where the phrase might sound like “ready, aim … aim … aim …”

The act of taking the shot or taking action allows us to see what happens when we miss the mark, and also allows us to adjust our aim to hit our target the next time around.

Exercise:

How can you take more shots today toward your intended target? Look for ways to learn what there is to learn when you miss – and also adjust your aim to hit the mark on your next attempt.

“Knowing where you’re going is the first step to getting there.”

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“Knowing where you’re going is the first step to getting there.”

– Ken Blanchard, American author and management expert

478Image from Flickr by malfet_

About ten years ago I had the opportunity to meet Ken Blanchard in person at a coaching conference where he was the keynote speaker. He has co-authored over 30 books including his famous The One Minute Manager. After his keynote, he had a separate breakout session with a smaller group of coaches to conduct an open forum on topics of interest to the group.

Surprisingly, he brought his coach Shirley with him to the discussion. During our session, she made a statement about Ken that left a lasting impression on me. She said, “When I coach Ken, I need to both remember who he is and at the same time forget who he is.” This way, she would be an advocate for his greatness, and not be intimidated by it at the same time.

Exercise:

How can you, like the accomplished Ken Blanchard, keep setting your sights on your personal and professional goals as the first step in achieving them? If you’ve already read The One Minute Manager, consider reading some of his other books: three of my other favourites include Raving Fans, Gung Ho! and Whale Done!

Take Another Step

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“If you take another step, and another, you will be surprised to know how far you can go from the point you thought was the end.”

– Marc and Angel, personal development writers

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Image from Flickr by Bods

Whether it’s taking one more step or going the extra mile, the power of persistence is without question a key to success. Being persistent helps build self-confidence. Once you know you can make it through one struggle, you’re more likely to take that next step in other areas of your life.

A good friend once told me that what stops most people is … stopping. What if we simply didn’t buy in to a life of ease and convenience, and tapped into our own personal grit and character to keep going, stay the course, and finish strong on those things that matter most?

Exercise:

What issues, challenges or struggles are you currently facing that would most benefit from taking the next step and then another until you arrive victorious?

“It’s always better to be at the bottom of a ladder you want to climb than at the top of the one you don’t.”

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“It’s always better to be at the bottom of a ladder you want to climb than at the top of the one you don’t.”

– Unknown

476Image from Flickr by gosheshe.

A fundamental concept I refer to often in the process of coaching is “creative tension,” first described to me in Robert Fritz’s book The Path of Least Resistance. Stated simply, creative tension is the gap between the current reality and some desired vision for the future.

In the case of the quote above, someone at the bottom of the ladder is looking forward to taking each and every step to reach their desired summit. But for someone already at the top of the ladder they didn’t want to climb, there is simply nothing to look forward to – they are at a dead end with no hope or aspirations to drive them further.

Exercise:

To what extent are you climbing the ladders of life to your personal and professional peaks of achievement?

Where are you currently at the top of life’s ladders with nowhere to go?

“Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.”

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“Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.”

– Plato, Ancient Greek philosopher

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Image from Flickr by wwarby

Who doesn’t recall the story of the tortoise and the hare, or the phrase “slow and steady wins the race”? Yet in the world today, moving fast is often seen as a critical part of success.

In terms of the coaching process, each individual and organization needs to be treated uniquely and define their own standard of success. It troubles me when people place their own definition of success and achievement on others – often invalidating, judging and diminishing the efforts and progress of those around them.

Plato is suggesting that we support and celebrate others’ effort and progress, no matter how slow, in order to be supportive coaches, mentors and colleagues to those we care about.

Exercise:

How will you be an encourager and not a discourager of others in your personal and professional lives today?

“Sometimes in the winds of change, we find our true direction.”

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“Sometimes in the winds of change, we find our true direction.”

—Author Unknown

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Image from Flickr by epSos.de

Here in Michigan we pay particular attention to the weather. January was the snowiest in history and the temperatures were as cold as I’ve ever experienced. The weather forecast includes a metric called “wind chill” or “the wind chill factor, which is a combination of the actual temperature along with the wind speed, to provide a measure of how cold it actually feels.

Today we are all experiencing the winds of cultural and political change at a far brisker pace – personally, professionally, and perhaps even globally.

Exercise:

In the coming days, how can you either lean into or go with the winds of change to find your true direction? Consider the possibility of adding your own breeze to sweep you toward your destiny.

“Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity…”

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“Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.”

—Don Miguel Ruiz, Mexican spiritualist author

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Image from Flickr by Brisbane City Council

We have all heard the phrase “the pen is mightier than the sword.” Our words have the power to tear down and destroy – or in the case of truth and love, to bring the world together.

We rarely hear the word “impeccable”. It points to an exemplary standard of excellence seldom seen today, and yet it can be the basis of character that we can all aspire to (and choose to follow in our leaders).

Unfortunately, more often than not, we see only rare glimpses of this impeccability – and even then, the actions we observe fall short of the mark. Take heart, however, in the fact that truth and love are two of the most powerful forces in humanity, and that fundamentally, we all strive for them every day, despite our shortcomings.

Exercise:

How can you and will you raise your own standard of impeccability of your word to forge all the wondrous benefits that truth and love provide?

A simple way to begin is with a promise you make to yourself and others. Feel free to let me know your intentions in this area and the results which you discover.

“When you’re presented with the opportunity to improve someone’s life…”

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“When you’re presented with the opportunity to improve someone’s life, to help them go through a particularly difficult challenge, to engage with great comrades and achieve a noble mission – what could be luckier?”

– Unknown cadet, quoted by Jim Collins, business consultant and author

Fort Pickett hosts air assault courseImage from The National Guard.

Today’s quote is a call to action. It is a call for you to channel your inner coach. It’s a call to help those around you realize their most cherished goals or simply navigate their worlds a bit more smoothly.

To begin with, view this supportive process as a personal scavenger hunt in which these individuals already have the answers or resources they require within them.

Should you discover that what they need is not within arm’s length, please do help them find the missing pieces outside of themselves. These may well include what you can bring to the situation.

Exercise:

Select one person in your personal or professional world to help achieve their most noble mission. They will be lucky to have your support and I bet you will feel lucky too.

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

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“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

– Thomas Edison, inventor

471Image from Flickr by Marion Doss.

Whenever I think of the term “invention”, “innovation” or “imagination”, Thomas Edison comes to mind. During his life, over 1,000 patents were attributed to him.

But what about us? I personally do not hold a single patent. On the other hand, if there is validity to his quote and we can martial our imaginations as he suggests, perhaps there is hope for all of us to be future inventors.

Exercise:

Consider using a word such as “resources”, “assets” or even “belongings” in place of the word “junk”.

How could you apply, combine, blend or piece together these items with a healthy helping of imagination to bring something new and valuable into your world?