by ColoradoCoach.

Success can be defined as breaking through your personal barriers.

When you set a goal say it out loud. Say it with conviction–emotion. Stay focused.  Celebrate your achievements and appreciate your efforts. Smile to show yourself you are celebrating and truly appreciative of all your efforts.

Do you even know what your personal barriers are? I believe that your #1 personal barrier that is preventing you from success is that you are FINE! Stop being fine.  Choose to be honest with others and yourself and start being amazing!

Mel Robbins covers this exact topic of breaking through the F*@% barrier here at Tedx SF

Make today the day you stop being fine! What will you resolve to stop being fine with in 2012?
Post your comments below. Make a public declaration to STOP being FINE!

Posted in success, expectations, Coaching, goal setting, mindset, perspective | No Comments »

by ColoradoCoach.

By Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in you own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love; for in the face
of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe, you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
Be careful. Strive to be happy.

*side note* Max Ehrmann (1872-1945) was from Terre Haute, IN,  where my Alma Mater is located.  Go Sycamores!

Posted in mindset, perspective, Uncategorized | No Comments »

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 difficult 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 | No Comments »

by ColoradoCoach.

I discovered an amazing teacher that has taught me to look at how I view the world and how I engage every aspect of it. Now, like most of my learning, the lessons I learn rarely become evident as my teacher is speaking, but rather after I have had time to process what I have learned.I have only known my teacher for about 3 1/2 years.  And after years of formal education, countless seminars & workshops and hundreds of books, I have found my greatest professor when I wasn’t even looking. I was infatuated with him when we first met. He wasn’t so sure of me.  He was very quiet, taking in each moment of our time together.  Even though he didn’t talk much, his simple wisdom was difficult to misunderstand.  He took his time giving me my first life lesson: We each need each other.Simple.  To the point.  Easily missed in the hustle of our everyday lives, especially in this day of texting, emailing, and tele-commuting.  But this basic lesson is important to understand as foundational to all his other lessons.  WE EACH NEED EACH OTHER!Part two of this first lesson is about application.  My teacher began to show me that we each need each other by the simple gesture of a smile. Looking someone in the eyes and smiling quickly reminds a person that we need each other.  It also taught me that a smile can change the world. Wayne Dyer stated, “When we change how we look at the world, the world changes.” A sincere smile can change how we look at the world. It changes our affect, which changes our effect.Now after 3 1/2 years, my lessons are more frequent and my conditioning has made me more aware.  Even though we do not spend as much time together as we once did, the lessons are more obvious-if I take the time to watch and learn from him.

1. Arise early, start the day with a fresh attitude and a morning routine.
2. Life is meant to be filled with action, not sitting to read the newspaper or watching TV.
3. A kiss has magical powers.
4. Ask lots of questions.
5. It is OK to toot your own horn.  Celebrate your accomplishments and share them with others.
6. Have heroes. It is important to have people with strong character to look up to.
7. Believe in miracles.
8. Express authentic emotions. When you are happy-be happy and dance and cheer. When you are sad, cry and asked to be held. When you are angry, yell and scream to let it out.
9. Say I love you. Say I am sorry. Say thank you. These statements are powerful to the people you say them to, but more importantly, they are empowering to your spirit’s well being. Love, Forgiveness and Gratitude.
10. Read positive stories that allow your mind to create powerful lessons and visions, especially before bed.

As you can see his simple lessons are all about getting back to basics. As we grow older it seems most of us clutter our lives and complicate things. We believe that buying things will lead to happiness or a better life-WRONG. Instead these same items actually rob us of a small portion of our life.  What are the basics for you to have a happy life? Friends? Family? Income? Love? Travel? Figure out the “things” that may be weighing you down and simplify.  Back to basics.As I stated in the beginning, a culmination of my teachings so far have led to a better understanding of perspective, how I view the world. As the Wayne Dyer quote speaks to, we must become aware of the lens through which we see the world. And if we take time to change that lens, our reality of our experiences changes. My guru of life’s lessons have not come from a man of many years, the type of mentor I have wished for, but rather from my 3 1/2 year old son, Jackson.Jackson has helped me reverse my perception of roles and preset assumptions.  He has helped me realize that broadening my awareness and not trying to fit my reality into my own expectations, opens many more opportunities, and many more classrooms. Jackson has shown me that By learning you will teach and by teaching you will learn.

Posted in Communication, expectations, success, Coaching, perspective | No Comments »

by ColoradoCoach.

When I was a kid I was exposed to the following story by Loren Eiseley.  I remember it as a lesson in the importance of character.  I also remember learning the value of doing what is right, not because someone is watching or to be recognized, but rather to do what is right because it is the right thing to do.

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”

“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, “It made a difference for that one.”

As we get older our focus becomes more global and we forget the power of helping one.  We forget the impact small actions can have on another.

My challenge to you is take pride in the small actions of your life.  When you think it doesn’t matter, change your approach.  Act like it is the only thing in the world that DOES matter.  This week, practice random acts of kindness, or Doing Small Things
with Great Love.

“We cannot all do great things,
but we can do small things
with great love.”
- Mother Theresa

Posted in gratitude, perspective, Uncategorized | No Comments »