by ColoradoCoach.

Failure: Dealing with failure is a key leadership skill. A leader needs to develop a good sense of recognizing failure and turning it into a learning experience. Failure does not have to be a big deal, but most people’s natural tendencies are the opposite of what needs to happen in order to turn a failure into a learning experience and not a confidence breaker. Too often those in leadership make failure too personal and try to cover up those failings. The road to success is paved with stones of failure.  The two truly go hand in hand.

In racquetball I often state that winning is great but it does very little to improving my game.  Losing on the other hand exposes many opportunities for improvement.  The overwhelming feedback that winning provides is that I am better than the other person.  My evaluation usually stops there. Losing causes me to examine so much more.  What did I do well?  What did I do horrible? What can I do next time to improve. what were the weaknesses in their game that I can better exploit next game. Losing creates a new passion inside me to succeed next game.

The fear of failure is ingrained in us at an early age.  We become afraid of the potential negative instead of the reward of the potential gain.  On a walk yesterday with my 4 year old I observed this practice.  He was walking along a ledge that was beside the sidewalk. There was a step up in the ledge, about 4 inches. The ledge was now about 4 feet from the sidewalk (on the other side was rocks and they were about two feet down.  My son froze.  All he could see was the four feet he would fall. When I asked him about this, he said he was afraid of falling.  When I asked him why he wasn’t afraid of falling before the step up, he replied ” I just wasn’t thinking about falling then.”

How often does this play a role in your life?  How often, after a little change or variation in your plan, do you only see the possible negative outcome?  How does this affect your results?

This is why it is critical that you understand that only through failure, will you find success.  The faster you experience failure, the faster you will discover the lessons for success. Leadership expert Robin Sharma shares that “the more you go to your limits, the more your limits will expand…The fears you don’t face become your walls.” In his book the Leader Who Had No Title one of the main characters, a ski instructor, points out that “tough runs build better skiers.”

Why does understanding this principle help to overcome the fear of failure? Basically, there is a shift in perception on the value of failure. Stop associating failure with no value or negative value. Create the paradigm shift that failure is a benefit, that it is the accelerant so that you can succeed faster. By changing this value the fear of failure is reduced.  The power is placed on the correct purpose.

Posted in Failing, Personal Development, business, success, habits, goal setting, Coaching, mindset | Print | No Comments »

by ColoradoCoach.

No matter if your final destination is the moon or the stars or financial freedom, can you imagine being off course 97% of the time? Some days it seems like that, doesn’t it. So what is the trick to staying on course? Evaluation and Correction.

Actually more accurately Constant evaluation and Constant Correction. Can you imagine trying to get better at making free-throws if you only took 1 shot from the line each month. It would be pretty hard to assess what you did wrong (or right) and make the appropriate adjustments. Yet this is exactly what most of us do in our lives and in our businesses. We check the monthly balance sheets to look at how we did. Sometimes we only take time to assess what went wrong long after we have been off course.

This video talks about establishing a daily routine of evaluation and reflection to make the necessary course corrections, so that you can arrive at your determined destination. This was shot at the Grand Canyon Sep. 2009.

Please share your comments and examples.

Posted in Personal Development, business, Failing, success, Coaching, habits, goal setting | Print | No Comments »

by ColoradoCoach.

The three most important factors in purchasing real estate: location, location, location.  I know it seems cliche’, but it an essential part of understanding how to buy real estate as an investment.  Similarly, the three most important factors in personal development are a vital piece to understanding how to make positive conscious changes in your life.

The first important factor for personal development and self-improvement is awareness.  You must become aware of how you think, your feelings, your actions & behaviors, and your habits.  You also must take time to recognize the things that you are not doing that can be detouring you from your success.  Finally you must become clear on what it is you want and why it is that you want it.  This level of awareness does not come easily.  Much of the beginning of my coaching relationships focus on this area.  I have discovered that many people believe they are aware of who they are and their problem areas, but are only aware of the symptoms of their issues.

Too often we are aware of the symptoms in our lives, like not enough money, overweight or stressed, but unaware of the true underlying problems that create these outward signs of distress.  We are conditioned and programmed to treat symptoms in this country. If you have a headache there is a pill for that.  Heartburn?  Yep there is a pill for that.  We are never taught to identify the true problems and treat that.  Absolute awareness is critical in making changes in your life.  You must know what you are up against.

The second critical factor is vision.  You must have a clear vision of what you are pursuing.  Can you imagine hitting a target you can’t see?  How about putting together a 3000 piece jigsaw puzzle without seeing the picture on the box?  Can it be done?  Sure it can.  I takes a lot longer, is way more frustrating, and completely draining of energy.

By creating a detailed vision of what it is you are after you are more capable of seeing where the pieces belong.  It will still require putting them together in the correct way, some trial and error, but you will not be aiming blind-folded.

Clarity of a plan is just as important as a clear vision.  Once you have the picture you begin to create a structure for completion.  In completing a jigsaw puzzle, you first find all the edges and construct the border of the puzzle.  Then you begin to group the pieces by color or forms from the picture.  So it is with your vision. First create a structure and then identify the steps that will lead to putting all the pieces together.

The third and final critical factor is application, application, application.  Most people I speak to about personal and professional development have amazing libraries.  They have books from all the gurus Napoleon Hill, Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, Steven Covey, Brian Tracy and Jim Rohm. The problem is not lack of information or content, their problem is lack of application and action.  We all have access to the resources we need to create the life and achieve the goals we desire.  The struggle arises out of applying those resources effectively.  It’s like owning a Mercedes-Benz S-Class and never driving it. Instead you choose to take the bus everywhere and complain when the bus doesn’t go where you want to go.  You have the resources, apply them.

Knowledge becomes wisdom when you experience it. Applying what you learn creates that experience.  Don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself.  Go and begin applying the lessons from this post.  Become aware of yourself, create a clear vision and take action.

I hope that after reading this you realize that the three critical factors in personal development are application, application, application.

Posted in Personal Development, Vision, success, SMART goals, Coaching, habits, goal setting | Print | No Comments »

by ColoradoCoach.

It is important to develop the ability to clearly distinguish between wishes and goals. Realistic objectives can be achieved regardless of how difficult they are or appear to be. Unrealistic objectives on the other hand can never be achieved.

The degree of difficulty of a particular task does not determine whether or not it can be achieved.  What does determines whether or not a task or objective can be achieved is control.  The ability to control the variables that affect the outcome.

What are wishes? 

Merriam-Webster defines wish as to have a desire for (as something unattainable).

Wishes are objectives based on variables that you DO NOT control. For example, I wish that I could live forever. I have no control over death, in fact death is one constant in life, so it’s only a wish, it cannot be a goal.

Wishes are harmless but problems arise when we remain in wish mode, or treat wishes like goals. Often wishes are impulsive and not connected to our values and overall purpose.

Dreams are different from wishes. Dreams often are the catalyst to our ultimate goals and are connected to your mission. The big picture usually comes from a dream. Michael Phelps, Bill Gates, Zig Ziglar and Donald Trump all had dreams, which were convertered into goals and then achieved success through the goal setting process. Dreams can inspire action. Wishes on the other hand are often mere whims or wants.

Converting a dream to a goal is simple enough. Goals are based upon variables that you DO control. For example, I will lose 10 pounds in the next 60 days.  I have control over my actions and that is the key variable in this statement. If I limit my caloric intake and increase my activities to burn more calories, then I have the ability to achieve this goal. All the variables are in my CONTROL. This is an achievable  goal. Not a mere wish and not a even a dream.

If you have an idea that you intend to develop, then that’s most likely a dream. If you have a specific plan as to how you will achieve that idea, it now becomes a goal. Control is the key. Ensure that you identify the relevant variables and determine whether they are in your control.

Realize you will never have complete control over everything. Taking action over the critical variables that are in your control is what we are talking about here.

Even if other people don’t see or understand how something will be achieved, as long as YOU can map out the process and understand clearly how it will be achieved, that’s all that matters.

Simple things like creating new habits, vacations or learning new languages can be wishes if there is NO ACTION PLAN completed and followed. If you come home from work everyday, drop your bags and say I wish I could go on a vacation, there’s no action plan. If you save $150 a week, then it becomes a goal and you’ll have $10, 400 for a vacation after two years.

Remember that control is the key. Set goals and map out action plans which will enable you to achieve them by influencing the variables which you control.

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by ColoradoCoach.

In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength but by perseverance. ~H. Jackson Brown

Looking at the beauty that is the Grand Canyon it is hard to not see the value of perseverance. Plants, trees and flowers that survive desert heat during the day and cold temperatures at night to survive and create a beautiful back drop for amazing sunrises and sunsets. Then of course there is the Colorado River. The river that has helped create this miracle of nature. The lesson of perseverance is all around. Even in the history of the Grand Canyon, A quick study of Stephen T. Mather, the man responsible for the preservation of the Grand Canyon as a National Park, for whom Mather’s Point is named, shows this man learned this lesson well early and continued to succeed with it throughout his life.

Napoleon once said, “Victory belongs to him who has the most perseverance.”
It is a statement that is as true today as when Napoleon first said it. It is a statement that can be examined throughout this spectacular park. Watch the hikers as they stumble back from hikes that were testaments to perseverance and little to do with strength. These worn out hikers kept placing one foot in front of the other, despite heat, despite blisters, and despite their inner voice telling them they weren’t going to make it.

The truth is that only a small percentage of people ever achieve their full potential - and those who do are the ones who persevere toward their goals.

“Success isn’t something you chase. It’s something you have to put forth the effort for constantly. Then maybe it’ll come when you least expect it. Most people don’t understand that.” - Michael Jordan

Dictionary.com defines persevere as a verb meaning to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.
Watching the Colorado River one cannot help but notice that it rarely takes a straight path. It constantly zigs and zags and takes long bends around the natural formations. It looks as if it naturally finds the path of least resistance, but upon further inspection you can see that the river is constantly changing its path. It is always adapting to new obstacles and challenges, yet it continues its journey. That is the grace of success. From the untrained eye, it appears as though it is effortless, but the truth lies in it perseverance. The river acts naturally, discovering the path of least resistance, pooling only momentarily until overcoming the obstacle. It keeps moving.

“I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.”

                                              ~John D. Rockefeller

Perseverance is not only critical in nature and in business. Perseverance is a value to be appreciated and experienced in our personal lives and our families.  Where in your life can perseverance be practiced?  Maybe it is giving that exercise program another try.  Perhaps it means keeping in touch with friends and family.  Parenting is nothing more than perseverance in practice, maintaining a purpose in spite of difficulty.

Keep your purpose in the forefront of your mind as you continue steadfastly.  The purpose gives meaning and focus to the action. Persevere.

Posted in decisions, Perseverance, success, habits, Coaching, perspective | Print | No Comments »

by ColoradoCoach.

All right, so last night I attended a Boulder Entrepreneurs Meetup group and we spoke about blogging. It made me realize how delinquent I have been. I have been writing down new ideas in my journal about topics that I want to blog about, but have not been developing them here. So I am doing it now. A question came up last night about how often to blog and being that I talk a lot about communicating expectations I thought I should lay out what my expectations are for this blog.

I plan to write here once a week. But that is a goal, and I will be working to create that habit. Sometime after I get into the habit of sharing my thoughts and ideas here I hope to increase that to about 2-3 posts a week. The more feedback I get from others and subscribers I get, I am sure my commitment will increase.

Goal Setting Basics

So there it is. Step one in goal setting, write it down and share it with others. Sounds easy. Blogging sure helps with the share it with others part. This one is obvious though, you will easily be able to check on my progress and hold me accountable.

Goal setting is such an interesting skill. We all say we know how to do it, but many of us choose not to do it. Or we only do it half committed. I asked a friend of mine if she has goals that she is working on, and her response was “well yeah, sort of.”

“Sort of” having goals is like being a “little pregnant”. Either you are pregnant or you aren’t. You either have goals that you set and are taking steps to reach them, or you aren’t. Pretty simple.

As a coach I remind people to set goals. I help them develop a plan to accomplish those goals. I support them in becoming aware of and overcoming what Zig Ziglar calls “stinkin‘ thinkin‘. ” And I help them celebrate their accomplishments. These are all little steps in goal setting, but essential steps. After working with many clients I have come to realize, most people do NOT have the skill of goal setting.

Most people have dabbled with the resources of goal setting, but they have never learned the skill of goal setting. No different then, I own a harmonica. I have instructional books and DVDs on how to play the harmonica. I can even play some notes on the harmonica and can string enough notes together to play simple tunes. I cannot play the harmonica. I have all the necessary resources to play and some people might watch me play a simple tune and believe I can play a harmonica. I am not playing the harmonica. I am playing with the harmonica, just as my son plays with his toys.

Now that is not to say that I cannot learn to play the harmonica and develop the skills to play. I simply have not done that yet. The same is true for most goal setters. The resources are there, they just haven’t developed the skill set to be a goal setter. So how do you get there?

What is the quickest way to Carnegie Hall? Practise, Practise, Practise. As any good musician will tell you, practise makes all the difference. Many take lessons to learn from a teacher or mentor. They practise chords in their head (visualization) and hear music in their dreams. And they screw up a bunch before getting it right.

So it goes with goal setting. Learn the chords, find a mentor or coach, and practise, practise, practise. And remember it is OK if you don’t get it right each time, that is why we are practising. A great place to start is one of my favorite books on goal setting is See You at the Top, by Zig Ziglar. Don’t have enough time to read it get the audio book.

Posted in blogging, habits, Zig Ziglar, goal setting | Print | No Comments »