Everything Begins Today

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“Today is when everything that’s going to happen from now on begins.”

– Harvey Firestone Jr., businessman

Image from Pinterest

Image from Pinterest

A considerable number of people who enter into a coaching relationship have a “governor” on their life and career engine that seems to be limiting them from moving forward at the speed they desire.

Their trips down memory lane regarding past accomplishments and setbacks often limit what they’re willing to do at this moment in time.

Exercise:

To minimize these journeys into the past, which may limit your orientation for forward movement, consider creating a number of Post-it notes with the following question. Place them throughout your personal and professional environments.

What is the most important thing I can do at this very moment?

Repeat this question often, to do what you can from where you are.

Thank you for being part of The Quotable Coach. Remember, you can hit “reply” on my emails at any time to let me know your thoughts and suggestions.

“One’s first step in wisdom is to question everything – and one’s last is to come to terms with everything.”

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“One’s first step in wisdom is to question everything – and one’s last is to come to terms with everything.”

– Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, German scientist and satirist

When is the last time you spent at least an hour with a young child? Parents know all too well the litany of questions that can be generated. These little ones are sponges beginning their wisdom journeys, and can renew our own inspiration to be lifelong learners.

Often our questions far outnumber our answers, and it’s not unusual to be upset or even knocked off our games because of this imbalance. Coming to terms with life seems to come with maturity and leads to far greater wisdom – which can help us experience far greater contentment and peace.

Exercise:

What is the right balance of curiosity and acceptance of the world around you that will lead you to the personal wisdom you desire?

“All meaningful and lasting change starts first in your imagination, then works its way out.”

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“All meaningful and lasting change starts first in your imagination, then works its way out.”

– Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist

Loyal readers of The Quotable Coach know one of my favorite quotes is “When patterns are broken, new worlds will emerge,” by Tuli Kupferberg. Here, Einstein is pointing to our imagination muscle as a means of creating these new worlds. In fact, the definition of imagination is the faculty or action of forming new ideas, images or concepts not currently present.

Exercise:

Select a five-minute break in your day for an “imagination vacation” to tap into your creativity and expand your resourcefulness.

“All meaningful and lasting change starts first in your imagination, then works its way out.”

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“All meaningful and lasting change starts first in your imagination, then works its way out.”

– Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist

Loyal readers of The Quotable Coach know one of my favorite quotes is “When patterns are broken, new worlds will emerge,” by Tuli Kupferberg. Here, Einstein is pointing to our imagination muscle as a means of creating these new worlds. In fact, the definition of imagination is the faculty or action of forming new ideas, images or concepts not currently present.

Exercise:

Select a five-minute break in your day for an “imagination vacation” to tap into your creativity and expand your resourcefulness.

The price of Anything

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“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.”

– Henry David Thoreau, American author, philosopher and transcendentalist

QC #1011b

One of the first quotes I ever shared in The Quotable Coach series was “time is the coin of life” – how we spend our time and who we spend it with literally has a price.

Exercise:

Examine your life domains and ask yourself if each investment of your valuable life equity was worth it.

Consider making a few adjustments by doing more of some things, less of others, and starting a few new and interesting activities – and of course stopping those intolerable ones that you regret the most.

“The potential that exists within us is limitless and largely untapped … when you think of limits, you create them.”

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“The potential that exists within us is limitless and largely untapped … when you think of limits, you create them.“

– Robert J. Kriegel and Louis Patler, business authors

Recently, I saw the new Star Trek movie, directed by J.J. Abrams. As an original fan of the series, I love the idea of boldly going where no man has gone before.

A key characteristic of Captain James T. Kirk is that he constantly challenges his limits, when those around him seem to insist on them. This quality is perhaps why we find his character so appealing. We, too, wish to have more excitement and adventure, to spice things up.

Exercise:

Where are you currently limiting yourself in your thinking and actions? If some of these limits were removed, where could you boldly go today and in the future?

“An uneasy conscience is a hair in the mouth.”

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“An uneasy conscience is a hair in the mouth.”

– Mark Twain, author and humorist

In the earliest days of my coaching career, only a couple of months after I left my job in the pharmaceutical industry, I joined a small consulting firm. Their unofficial motto regarding income generation was “you eat what you kill” – and unfortunately, I was starving. Of course, if we did “kill” anything, we had an agreement to share a portion of our income with the house.

After about 90 days with absolutely no income, my first client gave me a personal check in my name for $1,000. I literally held that check in my wallet for almost a week, unsure if I should share it with the company who – up to that point – compensated me only with a key to the door and permission to use the telephone.

To say I had an uneasy conscience was putting it mildly. I actually made myself ill to the point of vomiting due to my internal conflicts. Living by the quote “The truth will set you free”, I discussed this issue openly with my colleagues – and I was almost instantly healed.

Exercise:

Where in your personal or professional life are you faced with an uneasy conscience, where summoning the courage of your integrity will remove the hair from your mouth?

“It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.”

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“It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.”

– Sarah Bernhardt, French actress

About six or seven years ago, I attended a coaching conference where one of the keynote speakers was Lynne Twist. Lynn is a global activist and fundraiser who had the audience enthralled with amazing stories and encounters from her work.

Her book, The Soul of Money, offers many revealing insights into our attitude toward money in regard to earning it, spending it, and yes, giving it away as a means of expanding our prosperity.

Exercise:

One of the first quotes that I posted in The Quotable Coach series was “Time is the coin of life” by Carl Sandburg. With this in mind, how can you spend yourself and your time each day – and in the process, become richer for it?

Consider picking up a copy of The Soul of Money and reading it with a close friend or family member, to see what insights it may hold for you.

“You will never stub your toe standing still. The faster you go, the more chance there is of stubbing your toe, but the more chance you have of getting somewhere.”

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“You will never stub your toe standing still. The faster you go, the more chance there is of stubbing your toe, but the more chance you have of getting somewhere.”

– Charles Kettering, former head of research at General Motors

I’ve been learning about the differences between introverts and extroverts in relationship to their various routes to achievement. Given the quote above, you would be correct in assuming that extroverts would probably stub their toe a bit more often. Introverts tend to be a bit more cerebral and cautions about the steps they take, to apparently avoid some missteps.
Regardless of whether you are an introvert or extrovert, Kettering emphasizes the need to act if we wish to move our lives forward

Exercise:

Ask friends, family members and colleagues for feedback regarding your propensity for action. Are you more of a ready-aim-shoot or a ready-shoot-aim person? Hopefully you are not a ready-aim-aim-aim-aim kind of individual!

“If you won’t be better tomorrow than you were today, then what do you need tomorrow for?”

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“If you won’t be better tomorrow than you were today, then what do you need tomorrow for?”

– Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement

A fundamental characteristic about most individuals who seek the assistance of a coach is that they have a strong desire for growth and development. Being their best, realizing their full potential, and testing their limits are common values these people tend to share.

To what degree are you still a work in progress, even if you are many years beyond any formal education?

Exercise:

Explore the list of growth areas below to assess your progress or desire to work on these today to have some better tomorrows:

·         Parenting
·         Health and fitness
·         Career advancement
·         Faith
·         Hobbies
·         Music
·         Art
·         Friendship
·         Leadership
·         Emotional intelligence
·         Home repair
·         Travel
·         Languages

Please add to this list and let me know what categories are important to you, by replying to this email.