With the help of The Quotable Coach readers (thank you!) I have come up with two “finalists” for the title of my upcoming book.
They are:
Which do you like best? Just click here to vote.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Image 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.
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.
Image 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.
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?
Image from Flickr by phalinn.
A major paradox in goal achievement is the premise and practice of working to improve our weaknesses. We often spend too much time focusing on weaknesses at the expense of strengths. Who hasn’t, as a child, had a parent review their report card and make strong suggestions to improve the Ds and Cs toward As and Bs?
Unfortunately, this produces a double-whammy for the student. They usually lack the desire to work on these areas, and this parental feedback fosters their belief in their inadequacy and even stupidity regarding the subject.
Instead of working on our weaknesses, we will achieve much more by playing to our strengths and fanning the flames of a fire that’s already burning.
If fish gotta swim and birds gotta fly, what areas of natural talent and ability can you develop in yourself to realize your own genius?
Image from Flickr by Kathryn Yengel
Starting each day with a hopeful mindset is very important – just as many nutritionists indicate that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
If hope, however, is all we have to keep us going, we’ll feel that grumbling sound in our stomachs at supper time.
What other factors constitute the meals and fuel that keep you going throughout your day, to move you from hopeful intentions in the morning toward goal realization by bedtime?
Image from Flickr by anieto2k.
One of my favorite phrases about coaching is “coaches let their questions do the heavy lifting.” If this is true – and I assert that it is – then we can all coach others, be coached by others, and even coach ourselves. We need only ask the right questions, then relax as our answers reveal themselves.
It is through this personal inquiry that our question-answering muscles do the work and allow us to grow and evolve.
What one or two important questions do you need to ask and answer for yourself today?
Image from Flickr by InExtremiss
Recently, I attended a webinar on how to write a transformational book and earn beaucoup dollars before it’s even published. The webinar was chock-full of free tips and techniques … which eventually led to the not so free stuff!
Explore your own expressions of art in your life, whether they are professional or personal. What autobiographical pearl can and will you offer the world?
Image from Flickr by Abee5.
Thomas Carlyle was born in 1795. He was a Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher during the Victorian era.
What do you think Carlyle’s quote might say if he lived today in the era of Google, mobile apps, and voice recognition software? He would undoubtedly have included blogs, audio, video and a host of other modalities from which to choose.
Consider watching the 1959 Twilight Zone episode “Time Enough at Last” where the main character, the coke-bottle-glasses wearing Henry Bemis, explores his voracious appetite to read and learn.
What are your preferred methods of educating yourself in this time of such variety?
How can you make a bit more time for your own pursuit of continuous learning and take a self-declared advanced degree in any subject you choose?