Tag Archives: The Quotable Coach

Discover the Truth

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“All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered. The point is to discover them.”

—Galileo Galilei, 17th Century Italian astronomer & philosopher

Image of a boy in a science center

Image from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

What makes something real or true? Many would agree that perception is reality, and the mental models and paradigms we create throughout our lives lock in what is true for us.

The process of coaching emphasizes the examination of these views and perspectives.  It supports far greater awareness and promotes the discovery that enhances their desired outcomes.

EXERCISE:

Where and on what issues would you benefit most from a coaching process to more fully discover your most important truths?

Friday Review: Creativity

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FRIDAY REVIEW: CREATIVITY

What place does creativity have in your life? Here are a few creativity-related posts you may have missed. Click on the link to read the full message.

 

“Great minds like a think.”

 

 

 

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“Criticize by Creating.”

 

 

 

 

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“You don’t get into something to test the waters. You go into things to make waves.”

 

 

 

 

 

Unplug it

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“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”

—Anne Lamott, American Novelist and Political Activist

Image of an unplugged plug

Image from Flickr by Daniele Margaroli

How are you at problem solving and troubleshooting? When was the last time you were really grinding on a particular issue with no success?

Today’s quote points to the simple yet often effective technique of taking a break to allow a change of perspective. This gives us opportunity to come at a problem with a fresh set of eyes.

EXERCISE:

How often do you find yourself putting in marathon levels of effort with somewhat diminishing returns?

Where and when would it be appropriate and more helpful to unplug from a particular issue in order to gain greater workability?

perseverance versus obstinacy

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“The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one often comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won’t.”

—Henry Ward Beecher, 19th Century Cleric

Image of a mother holding a baby

Image from Flickr by Darren Johnson

Have you ever tried to lift a small child who did not want to be picked up? The obstinacy of these little ones makes that 35-pound two-year-old feel like a ton of dead weight!

On the other hand, what it is like when this same child wants to leap into your arms with excitement and great enthusiasm?  The child is light as a feather.

EXERCISE:

Where in your world are you experiencing obstinacy and a strong “won’t” from those around you?

How can you rework these relationships to agree and align on a common future in which all parties pursue a common goal?

Inspect what you expect

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“People don’t do what you expect but what you inspect.”

—Louis V. Gerstner Jr., former CEO of IBM

Image of military inspection

Image from Flickr by Jason Pier in DC

How often in your personal or professional worlds do people let you down by making, then not fulfilling, their promises?

Unfulfilled expectations are key reasons for the upsets we experience on a daily basis.

A simple yet highly effective strategy to bolster the odds of promises being fulfilled is to add accountability and direct inspection to the agreements you reach with others.

The knowledge that you or others will actually be checking up and inspecting the efforts and accompanying results almost guarantees the job gets done.

EXERCISE:

Where in either your personal or professional worlds would an “inspect what you expect” strategy dramatically improve the percentage of promises kept, and the results you desire?

Grab a Star

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“Most look up and admire the stars. A champion climbs a mountain and grabs one.”

—Author Unknown

Image of man on mountaintop grabbing stars

Image from CDP Safe

What stars are you reaching for these days? To what degree do you leap out of bed each morning, eager to jump into your personal or professional quest?

Perhaps you, like many, simply examine and admire the efforts or accomplishments of others through social media, or more traditional methods.

You may also compare yourself to others and get excited to summon your own “Go For It!” perspective.

EXERCISE:

What personal or professional mountains will you begin or continue to climb today, to grab your own star with the heart of a champion?

Friday Review Compassion

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FRIDAY REVIEW: COMPASSION

Compassion is a virtue we should all develop. Here are a few compassion-related quotes you may have missed, that will show you why. Click on the links to read the full post.

Image of 3 generations of Barry's Family

“How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because some day in your life you will have been all of these.”

 

 

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“We rise by lifting others.”

 

 

 

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“Love will draw an elephant through a key hole.”

 

 

 

 

Your Awakening

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“I awake each day thinking of your awakening.”

—Brendon Burchard, American Motivational Author

Image of sunrise

Image from psychicsvideokline

What percentage of people go through their lives half asleep, or awaken only for special occasions and weekends?

How bright-eyed and bushy-tailed are you in the morning? How much do you look forward to each new day?

I deeply desire my own daily awakening and have pursued my career as a coach to support others to do the same. With a “pay it forward” approach and attitude, many of my clients do the same in their communities. Most would say that is one of the most satisfying parts of the coaching process.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you enhance and improve your world, to wake each day with greater enthusiasm and vitality?

Where and with whom can you awaken the lives of others, so they can do the same?

How Big You Play

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“It’s not how big you are, it’s how big you play.”

—John Wooden, former UCLA Basketball Coach

Image of basketball players at the net

Image from Flickr by Chad Cooper

What do Keith Jennins, Isaiah Thomas, Earl Boykins and Spud Webb have in common?

Given that today’s quote is from John Wooden, the famous basketball coach, you would be correct in assuming it has something to do with this popular sport.

The athletes I listed are among the shortest professional basketball players of our time.

What made each of them special was how big they played throughout their careers. Spud Webb, at just 5’7” in height, even won the Annual Slam-Dunk Competition in 1986.

EXERCISE:

Regardless of your size, status, or position in your personal or professional communities, how and where can you step up to the line and play a bigger game?

better persuaded

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“We are generally the better persuaded by the reasons we discover ourselves than by those given to us by others.”

—Blaise Pascal, 17th Century French Mathematician

Image of quote

Image from Nonn’s

Our own thoughts, ideas, and opinions always ring true for us, having the power and leverage to move us into action. We participate in that which we create.

Leadership, stated simply, is the speaking of a desired future and engendering the “buy in” from others. Unfortunately, many of us often find that those around us are not on board with our brilliant thoughts and ideas.

A useful coaching strategy to turn things around is to elicit the thoughts and ideas of others, so that all parties can buy into a path forward that is mutually desirable.

EXERCISE:

Where would using the thoughts and ideas of those around you be a more persuasive strategy to forward a key initiative in your world?