Tag Archives: The Quotable Coach

Plan your day work your plan

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“Plan your day and work your plan.”

—Author Unknown

image of a daytimer planner

Image from daytimer.com

Many people find planning their day downright boring, preferring to simply go with the flow and see what the day brings.

The most successful and often most disciplined people, on the other hand, chart their course and prepare for their day before they venture out into the world.

Consider this statement from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll: “If you don’t know where you are going, any road can take you there.”

What payoff do you get for planning—or not planning—your own course? Some would say that unhappy people get to play the victim and blame other for their lot in life.

What does it cost you and others to abdicate opportunities and responsibility for planning your own course?

EXERCISE:

Consider posting today’s quote in several locations in your personal and professional environments. Take 3-5 minutes each day over this week to discover its benefits in creating a happier and more successful life.

Self-Improvement Review

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FRIDAY REVIEW: IMPROVEMENT

How much attention do you give to self-improvement? Here are a few posts related to self-improvement you may have missed:

Image of achieving success through social capital book

 

“Don’t worry so much about knowing the right people. Just make yourself worth knowing.”

 

 

 

Rainy window with a note stuck on about kindness

 

“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”

 

 

 

Image of a room under construction

 

“The biggest room in my house is the room for improvement.”

 

 

 

the best story

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“When I look back in five years, which of these options will make the best story?”

—John Hager, American Politician

Image from evollution.com

Image from evollution.com

Are you facing a major fork in the road in your professional or personal life?

Consider brainstorming all the possible options, and perhaps a few that are outside your current vision, to see where they lead in the near and distant future.

Which potential choice fits best with your vision, values, beliefs, skills, strengths, and personality? Pay attention to feelings stirred up by these hypothetical journeys.

What scares you?

What excites you?

What delights you?

EXERCISE:

Ask and answer the questions above, and begin telling the story you intend to write with your life.

Find Good Support

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“Don’t wait for someone to take you under their wing. Find a good wing and climb up underneath it.”

—Frank C. Bucard, Author of The Trust Puzzle

Image from Flickr by Savannah Sam Photography

Image from Flickr by Savannah Sam Photography

We all need help if we are to fly high and far.

Think back to the recent Olympics in Brazil, and consider the social supports in place for each athlete. Beyond their coaches, there were friends, family, mentors, and sports psychologists directing their efforts toward personal excellence.

In the event you do not have your own team of supportive individuals lined up to encourage and uphold you, begin today to seek them out, and choose the very best. With a champion’s spirit and effort, both you and those with “good wings” will benefit greatly.

EXERCISE:

Once your “A” team of supportive individuals are on board, take the initiative to spread your own wings for others to climb underneath.

you are what you eat

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“You are What you Eat.”

Image from eslforeveryone.com

Image from eslforeveryone.com

Most health and fitness experts would agree with the truth of today’s quote. Who would want to live their life as a baloney sandwich? Or a deep-fried Twinkie?

Based on my research, here are the foods that should be on everyone’s shopping list:

Spinach Beets Watermelon
Berries Sweet Potatoes Grapefruit
Salmon Tomatoes Asparagus
Avacado Kale Kelp
Quinoa Beans & Lentils Cabbage
Broccoli Cantalope Eggs
Almonds Artichokes Chia Seeds
Bananas Lemons Dark Chocolate
Nuts & Seeds Garlic Cauliflower
Mushrooms Coconut Watercress
Wild Rice Honey Maple Syrup

EXERCISE:

Consider going on a food safari to bring more of these life-enhancing foods into your kitchen. Even small adjustments to this part of your lifestyle can make a big difference.

 

Friday Review Learning

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FRIDAY REVIEW: LEARNING

Are you learning something new or better every day? Here are a few learning-related posts you may have missed. Click on the link to read the full message.

QC #1110a

 

“To teach is to learn twice.”

 

 

 

QC #1110b

 

“Education is not something to prepare you for life; it is a continuous part of life.”

 

 

QC #1110c

 

“Don’t think of it as failure. Think of it as time-released success.”

 

 

 

Don’t belittle yourself

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“Don’t belittle yourself. Be-Big yourself.”

—Corita Kent, American Catholic Nun

Image from fineartamerica.com

Image from fineartamerica.com

There is, perhaps, no greater destructive force in relationships than that of belittling and diminishing others. Eleanor Roosevelt gave us a bit of coaching with her famous quote, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Today’s quote points to the not always recognized inner critic and the things we say about ourselves. How often do you chastise, berate, belittle, and judge yourself, personally or professionally?

EXERCISE:

What alternative “Be-Bigging” messages can you use now and in the future to build, empower, and support your own self-confidence and self-worth?

Consider enlisting the help and coaching of others when you aren’t aware of these often hidden attempts to bring yourself down.

To Be Outstanding

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“To be outstanding, get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

—Alrik Koudenburg, Executive Creative Director at Rapt Studio

Image from Flickr by Vic

Image from Flickr by Vic

I have always been a big fan of Oprah Winfrey. Before, during, and after her highly successful television show, she fully demonstrated a passion for excellence in her own life.

During one particular episode about health and fitness, she described her own battle with weight. She viewed the occasional growling of her stomach and the slight feeling of emptiness as a sign of her commitment to eating less than was normally comfortable.

This discomfort was a demonstration of her commitment, which empowered her to continue her efforts to live a healthier life.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you embrace various levels of discomfort in your life, as a sign of progress toward one or more of your most deeply desired goals?

Never hope for it more than you work for it

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“Never hope for it more than you work for it.”

—Sonya Teclai, Musical Artist

Image from providinghopenj.org

Image from providinghopenj.org

Though hope may seem like a soft concept, it has hard edges and bottom line implications in the world of professional and personal achievement. Shane Lopez Ph.D., a professor at The University of Kansas School of Business, and a Gallup Senior Scientist, points to the following “Bottom Line” benefits of hope:

    • Hope is the basis of all positive change.
    • Hopefulness can be learned and taught.
    • Hope is different from wishing due to its active quality. Wishing is passive and undermines the chances of success.
    • People work harder, and greater resources are put behind hopeful endeavors.
    • Hopeful organizational cultures dramatically enhance employee engagement and productivity.

EXERCISE:

What are the personal or professional projects you are working on that require a booster shot of hope to help them become realized?

Consider checking out Shane Lopez’s Book Making Hope Happen if you would like to learn more.