Tag Archives: Barry Demp

Tell me and I’ll forget

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“Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.”

– Chinese Proverb

Since my first job as a middle school science teacher in Philadelphia, I have always been fascinated by the process of learning. Back then, the old-school didactic method of teaching did not truly help children to grow in understanding, or to consistently retain information.

As a coach, I engage clients in a multitude of learning experiences, where practical. “On the court” involvement over a six month time frame is critical to long-term understanding.
You can find out more about my Personal Excellence Training here:

http://www.dempcoaching.com/personal-excellence-training

Exercise:

What professional and personal lessons do you most wish to learn that will make the biggest difference in your life?

How can you build greater involvement and real-world experience into the lessons, to support your desire for greater understanding and long term achievement?

“When a man is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package.”

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“When a man is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package.”

—John Ruskin, English artist and art critic

Image from Unsplash by Jose de la Cruz

We all know people who are self-centered, egotistical, narcissistic and arrogant. Most people have at least a trace of these attributes. A typical reaction we have with these people is to withdraw and to avoid them. When people exhibit these behaviors, their worlds become small packages.

When we become far more interested in the lives of others – including family, friends and colleagues – our world expands exponentially.

Exercise:

How many people would attend your funeral, or attend a party that would celebrate your life?

If the people in your life were to write a eulogy for you, what would you like it to say?

Forget to be Afraid

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“Become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.”

–Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady of the USA

Image from Pinterest

My journey into the coaching profession is definitely an example of getting so wrapped up in something I almost forgot to be afraid.

At the ripe old age of 35, I threw caution to the wind and left a 12-year career with a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company to sign up for the job of “coach” with:

1. No salary (You ate what you killed!)
2. No benefits
3. No coaching clients
4. No general agreement about or awareness of the profession – it was truly in its infancy
5. A wife and two young children, plus a considerable mortgage
6. Modest savings, with about 6 months of living expenses

In spite of these factors, I found myself enthusiastic and excited to partner with people and help them achieve breakthroughs in their personal and professional life – just as Olympic athletes work with coaches to achieve their full potential.

Exercise:

What can you be so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid?

Our Greatest Glory

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“Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

Image from www.imdb.com

Image from www.imdb.com

One of my favorite movies of all time is Rudy,  in which the main character is a small and very feisty football player with a passion for the University of Notre Dame. Through dogged determination, persistence, and a tenacity rarely seen, he takes quite a beating by being a veritable practice dummy for the first team – and eventually rises to glory in the final hours.

Exercise:

What are your passions and commitments to which you give your all, no matter how often you fall?

What inspiring “Rudy” stories have you participated in or observed?

What stories are yet to be written, in which you will experience future glorious moments?

“A friend is a loved one…”

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“A friend is a loved one who awakens your life in order to free the wild possibilities within you.”

– John O’Donohue, poet, philosopher and Catholic priest

QC #1016a

Someone once told me that friends are the family we choose for ourselves. That puts friendships in a very special category of relationships.

One of the key attributes of our friends is that they are tuned into our personal life frequencies. We are far better together than apart.

Exercise:

What are two to three areas of your life that need to be awakened? What would you consider to be a wild possibility in these areas?

Who are the friends that bring this special spark to your life, and how can you be this kind of friend for others?

The voyage of discovery

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“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

– Marcel Proust, novelist

Imagine seeing life from the perspective of:

  • An infant, toddler, fifth-grader, or teenager
  • A millennial
  • A Gen-X-er
  • A Boomer
  • A senior citizen
  • A person of the opposite sex
  • A person of a different religion, race, or cultural background
  • The eyes of a more analytic, or more creative, person

… you get the idea!

Exercise:

What expanded value do you discover when shifting your perspective?
How can you continue to look at the world through many sets of eyes in the future, to expand and enhance your life?

Meet The Quotable Coach [Video]

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In this 7 minute video you’ll learn some interesting facts about Barry Demp (The Quotable Coach), including:

  • What my dream job would be … if I wasn’t a coach. 🙂
  • What my favorite quote is, and what it means to me.
  • How I started my first business at the age of eleven.
  • Why I left a Fortune 500 company to become a coach, 22 years ago.

To find out more about my coaching, you can visit my site Barry Demp Coaching.

“Of all knowledge, the wise and good seek most to know themselves.”

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“Of all knowledge, the wise and good seek most to know themselves.”

—William Shakespeare

Image from Unsplash by NeONBRAND

The pursuit of knowledge is a never-ending journey. Whether we wish to win the national spelling bee or master our own vocation, the inner journey to amass the necessary amount of information is daunting.

The journey within oneself can be mysterious and enlightening.

Commit to a personal journey of inner discovery and self-awareness. Discover your strengths. If you are not sure what they are, ask those close to you. Discover your unique abilities and talents. Discover your core values and fundamental beliefs.

Exercise:

Consider creating a daily self-discovery journal or log to capture your observations once a week. Share those observations with a close colleague or family member.

Quality of Life

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“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”

– Vince Lombardi, American football coach

Image from www.transformation-catalysts.com

Image from www.transformation-catalysts.com

I have had the honor of coaching over 1,000 individuals over the past 19 years.

The pursuit of excellence in all areas of their lives is a common characteristic. I even named my six-month coaching program “Personal Excellence Training,” where each person gets to plan and execute their own personal excellence journey.

Exercise:

List five to ten of the most important areas of your life.

The list may include family, career, health, finances, community, faith, relationships, education, service, leadership, sports, skills, hobbies, travel, or other things.

Answer the following question for each area you listed:

What would I accomplish if I fully pursued personal excellence in this area of my life?

“It’s what you learn after you know it all, that counts.”

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“It’s what you learn after you know it all, that counts.”

– John Wooden, basketball coach

Image of today's quote

When you hear a person say the phrase “I know,” it means that they have stopped listening. When a cup is full, it is impossible to fill it any further.

Consider the possibility that knowledge and wisdom are vital fluids that fill your life’s cup. What if the richness of life could only be held in your cupped hands? What a waste to limit yourself in this way.

Exercise:

How can you dramatically increase the size of your learning vessel, to allow greater knowledge and wisdom in?

How can you, as a scholar of life, have more of a beginner’s mind – and make your life count even more?