No Limits Life Coaching

Occams Razor

2012-02-06T15:39:00.000-08:00

Occam’s Razor is a 14^th century principle that should still hold true today. In its most basic form it proposes that all things being equal, the simplest explanation/solution is usually the correct one. Aristotle also proposed that "Nature operates in the shortest way possible."

Yet how often do we find ourselves distracted by the complications of our internal and external worlds. Good and simple choices are getting more and more complicated to make as each day goes by. Think about how difficult it is to choose a cell phone, the newest techno-gadget, an automobile, that ideal job the perfect mate or any other of the hundreds of things we believe or are told we must have.

Is it any wonder that many of us become so distracted by our choices and doubts that we seldom or never reach our goals at all?

Keep it simple is an adage that has been passed along for centuries but seldom adhered to.

Setting priorities and goals is something that most of us feel compelled to do. How often do we get mired down in all of our priorities and feel immobilized by the sheer weight of our responsibilities and choices.

I encourage intentional behavior on a daily basis, which will lead to successful outcomes and desired results. If you desire a less cluttered life you will need to remember that goal and act on it daily.

Focus on one or two priorities or goals at a time and start with the ones that can be easily achieved and then build on them.

A few successes can be enriching soil for beneficial habits.

Forbes Article Focuses on Professional Women with ADD

2012-02-03T08:41:00.000-08:00

I was recently interviewed by Molly Cain, CEO, of GlassHeel.com for a Forbes article about professional Women with ADD. Among my tips:

Practice intentional behavior
Don’t try to solve everything at one time

Read the complete article (I'm quoted on page 3).

Act First, Think Later

2012-02-03T08:19:00.000-08:00

Fire-Ready-Aim is a term often used to describe behavior that is impulsive and renders problematic outcomes.

Reacting hastily without considering potential consequences, difficulty stopping or altering a destructive action once it has been put into motion, blurting out thoughts without forethought of the outcome are some examples of impulsive behavior. Impulsive, unfocused behavior complicates our lives and frequently leads to conflict and/or negative consequences at the professional and personal level.

Impulsivity is something many of us struggle with at times, some more than others.

If you find yourself wishing you could be more proactive and less reactive in your thoughts and deeds I would encourage practicing the following simple exercise.

Before taking any action ask yourself these four questions:

What am I doing?
Why am I doing it?
What outcome do I want?
What outcome should I expect?

Write these questions down and keep them with you. Practice referring to the page until they become automatic thoughts.

Mastering this technique will go a long way toward harnessing impulsive behavior. Ready-Aim-Fire!

Stop Fretting and Start Doing

2012-01-15T10:36:00.000-08:00

Stop Fretting and Start Doing

How good does it have to be? This is a challenge I offer to many of the professionals I work with, who procrastinate and suffer for days and weeks, because they fear their completed projects won’t be perfect.

The fear of failure, disappointment and of disappointing others can be immobilizing and at times destructive for many of us.

In an effort to avoid this emotional discomfort, many professionals will look for something less stressful and less emotionally taxing to attend to. This re-focusing will afford short run relief, but will eventually add to the discomfort as the avoidance will inevitably raise their level of anxiety.

Each day a project or task is avoided leads to another layer of worry and anxiety as deadlines approach and procrastination increases. The beast grows until you fear it will devour you. Eventually you can’t avoid your worry as you ponder over and over the beginning, middle and end of the project that is never quite out of your mind and never quite started. As the deadline approaches you scramble, much the way fighter pilots race to their planes when a red alert is sounded. You muster all of your creative energy and work frenetically late into the wee hours and complete the assignment just as the final bell tolls. You experience a great sense of relief and feel emotionally and physically drained and promise yourself, “Never Again." You swear you will start earlier the next time something is due and complete the assignment with plenty of time to spare. And the cycle of what if and avoiding begins anew.

While this pattern of what if and avoidance can be frustrating, disheartening and destructive at times it does not have to eternally rule your behavior and moods. This pattern can be reshaped with mindful focus and a willingness to adapt new behaviors.

Here are a few tips to get you started towards procrastinating less and being proactive more.

Build momentum by breaking the task into steps and start with the one that seems the least onerous. Reward yourself at the end of each step. Rewards can be something as simple as a cup of coffee, 10 minutes to read an article that is interesting to you or a trip to the water cooler or as grand as setting a day to do something that is fun for you.
Get a break from the stress by alternating the more and less difficult tasks.
Set a deadline to begin and a completion date and commit to that deadline by sharing it with someone who will hold you accountable.
Commit some period of time daily to work on the project
Review your progress at the end of the day or week with someone you trust.
Take an inventory of prior consequences endured from efforts to avoid a taxing project and determine if it is worth the same level of suffering.

Remember:

1. Be honest with yourself when setting an expectation. Don’t commit to a task if you know it is so difficult or burdensome that you will never even tend to it. You surely will never complete it.

2. That anxiety is a call to action. It will continue to grow as long as we avoid the situation and will subside as soon as we take control and become active.

3. Ask yourself, “How good does this have to be to be good enough”?

I assure the professionals I work with that few things in their lives will ever be perfect, but many things can and will be good enough.

How Long Will You Wait?

2012-01-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

Your successes will be defined by the actions you take, not by the actions of others or the fates of the universe.

I hold this truth to be self-evident. How often do you sit in your wishes, your fears and longings waiting for the universe to bring change and good fortune to your doorstep? Many of us will sit for days, weeks, months and even years waiting for a desired life change or some type of emotional or physical relief.

I believe such change and relief only occurs after we take action that is intentional and focused. The power to positively affect your life comes from within, not from outside forces.

Contact Jim today for a complimentary 30-minute success coaching session.

This is the time of year that many of us will set well-intended goals geared towards self-improving, life enhancing change. I’m going to apply for that ideal job I keep thinking about, I’m going to get in better shape, I’m going to improve my health, I’m going to take that class I always wanted to take, I’m going to get better organized, I’m going to stop procrastinating and start doing, I’m going to stop feeling down all of the time, and everyone’s favorite, I’m going to start a diet and lose weight. Often the mantra is I’m going to start at the beginning of next week or as soon as I-----. Too often we anticipate the arrival of a magical intervention that seldom arrives. I wonder how many of us will still be focused on our desired changes within the next few months.

Waiting to be rescued from inertia only assures the opportunity to continue waiting to be rescued. Success comes from focus, intention and the action that you take on a consistent basis.

If you are going to set a goal or make a resolution this new year let it begin with a commitment to take responsibility for your actions and for your successes.

Dealing with Holiday Distractions

2011-12-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

The sounds, the lights, the colors and activities, oh my!

The holiday season presents even greater challenges for those adults who struggle with the traits of ADD.

This is not a time that is merciful to someone who is easily distracted by highly stimulating activities. Getting caught up in the swirling circus of holiday parties, non-stop shopping specials and the multiple sights and sounds of holiday activities is a piece of cake for even those highly organized and well focused individuals. What chance does that leave for a well-managed, organized and balanced holiday season for someone who is easily distracted, has difficulty prioritizing and completing tasks on time and who suffers painful procrastination with every decision to be made?

Minimize your angst and grief by ordering your activities as much as possible.

Take some time to plan out your holiday agenda.

List all of your scheduled activities and identify the time frames for each one.
Discuss realistic expectations with someone you trust (folks with ADD typically set expectations that are unrealistic and unreachable and then feel frustrated and disappointed when the expectations are not met) and write them down.
Keep your to do list short. Identify 1-5 tasks at a time. Don’t add to the list until you have completed the ones already on the list.
Identify your most important goals for the holidays and the steps required to reach those goals.
Share your goals with someone you trust and review them through the week.
Set a shopping budget. Leave your credit cards at home and shop with cash if at all possible. Review your spending and your budget after shopping.
Tell someone when you have gotten off track and ask for help.
Have fun and reward yourself for being good, Santa will.

Contact Jim today for a complimentary 30-minute success coaching session.

Build It To Last

2011-12-28T17:39:00.000-08:00

Do you hate following daily routines? Are you prone to resenting structure and rebelling against the idea of “having to do something”? Do you get energized and distracted by the biggest and shiniest marble in front of you? Are you likely to race after the biggest bear in the woods before you have gathered all the tools you will need to catch the big fella? Are you likely to cut corners and rationalize your willingness to do so?

Are you as successful as you try to be, as you would like to be?

I have worked with many professionals who claim to have traits of ADD and who have answered yes to all of the questions above except the last one.

What we have discovered through our work together is that the development and adherence to a “system” is critical to their success. What we have also learned is that following a system can be a painstakingly slow process for a good number of them.

It seems that the one critical factor in building a workable and valuable routine is the need for each person to claim it as their own. Folks who typically resent being directed or told what to do will instinctively react by doing the opposite, finding a distraction or do nothing at all, which severely impedes their effectiveness and productivity.

Successful activity often requires persistent repetition of mundane steps that may not be fun, may require focus and concentration and may not be easy. While these steps may not immediately lead to the shiniest marble or biggest bear in the woods they will, if adhered to consistently, lead to successful outcomes. I often hear one of my thriving business clients offer this refrain “when I follow my system everyday I do the things that grow my business and when I am distracted by that potentially huge sale (bear in the woods) my routine and business suffers”. This successful business person fought against many ideas/systems that various professionals offered to him for years. He eventually learned to embrace a routine that he identified as one that made sense to him and one that he could own as his alone.

If you want to be more successful make the challenge personal by developing your own routine and following a system that fits the way you work. Remember to be honest when identifying steps that lead to your success rather than looking for the quickest or easiest fix.

Identify your desired outcomes.
List all of the steps you will need to take to reach this outcome
Prioritize these steps. What is the order they will need to follow? Which steps will need to be performed most often? How often? Which steps will offer the greatest discomfort and thus lead to the greatest resistance? When would be the best time to attend to these tasks?
What time of the day are you most productive? Which steps should be performed during those times?
What type of support/assistance will you need? Who will you turn to for that assistance?
What rewards will you gain from following this routine?
Identify all of the reasons why you would not want to follow your routine?
What outcome should you expect if you stop?
Are you satisfied with that outcome?
How will you know when you have stopped following the routine you have developed?
Who do you want to share your activity with?
Who will hold you accountable when you are getting off track?

Remember! Each time you join the rebel forces and attack the bastion of “you have to”, you are assailing the foundation of your own kingdom.

Letting Go

2011-12-28T17:37:00.000-08:00

“Letting go” is a frequently used concept, I have heard addressed many times in the world of therapy and coaching that I have inhabited for eons and eons. I have often wondered what does “letting go” actually mean? There are numerous physical and mental exercises that are geared towards helping us “let go” but the end result has not always been clear to me.

I had a recent experience that helped clarify what this concept truly means to me. I was out to dinner the other evening and as the bill was presented I reached into my pocket to remove the fold of money I had placed there before leaving home. To my surprise and dismay the cash had flown the coop. I frantically searched all pockets even though I was aware that I had never stored the money in any pocket save one. My wife and I retraced our steps trying to think through how I might have lost that valuable wad of painted paper. For several minutes I agonized over my misfortune and then a light went on.

I finally realized I had no way of knowing how or where I had lost the money. If I did, it wouldn’t be lost. I no longer had the means to retrieve the wayward dollars. I could not replace them as I sat in that cozy establishment. It suddenly dawned on me. I could only do one thing in that moment. I needed to figure out a way to pay for the meal my wife and I had just enjoyed and accept what I was experiencing at that moment as best as I possibly could.

Contact Jim today for a complimentary 30-minute success coaching session.

And there it was for me! Letting go is really accepting what is happening or what has happened without judging, negotiating, bargaining, redefining or trying to alter the outcome to our satisfaction.

We may not always welcome the experiences we have but we can choose to either obsess over them, close our eyes and wish very hard for a different outcome, live in regret with tons of draining negative emotions or accept it as an event that has occurred and one that does not have to rule over our emotions and destiny. Acceptance is an understanding that we will have good and bad experiences on a daily basis. We frequently do not have control over when and where bad things occur and often cannot comprehend why they happen. We can have control over the attitude we carry forth and the actions we take following any experience.

I believe when you are faced with an unsettling event you will be infinitely more satisfied when you focus on what you have control of in that moment, what action you can take to affect your life in a positive manner and what can be gained; not what has been lost or what should have been.

A Life Less Valued

2011-12-28T17:27:00.000-08:00

How often do you embrace your life’s most cherished moments? What are the simple things in life that bring a smile to your face? What are the gifts of life that bring you the greatest sense of contentment and satisfaction? You know those precious experiences that breathe energy into your spirit and fill your life with meaning and purpose. Our core values remain fairly constant but they can easily be misplaced or lost as we traverse through the pathways of our hectic lives.

Would your choices be different if you were mindful of those experiences that brought the greatest value to your life? Perhaps you might start pursuing personal passions and dreams, engage in meaningful activities with family and friends more often, join a grass roots organization, extend a helping hand to a stranger you pass along the way, join a barber shop quartet, quit your job of 20 years and start that business you have always dreamed of, volunteer time and energy for a cause you embrace. How much more fulfilling would your activities and experiences be if they were aligned with your core values?

You get the idea

It is easy to lose our connection to those internal prizes that bring us great rewards. There is the living of life that can derail us within the blink of an eye. There is so much to do, to accomplish in such a short period of time. And what do we have at the end of that time?

There are many reasons why we end up distanced from those values and beliefs that hold great power and rewards for us? We are driven to succeed in a frenetic and ever changing world. We are apprehensive of stepping off course, of making changes and of letting go. We are fearful of failing, of disappointing others. We are distracted by the maelstrom that is our daily life. The end result frequently leaves us feeling short-changed in satisfaction, sense of purpose and inner peace.

There is always opportunity to reset your focus and action towards activities more aligned with what you truly value. Greater mindful awareness of what motivates the choices you make will be required. You will need to take the time to reflect on what you do, why you do it and what your rewards are.

Identify and write down your core values
Note how often your choices are guided by these values
List experiences that have brought you the greatest sense of fulfillment throughout your life. Record any that you have lost sight of along the way that were particularly important to you and that you would like to build back into your life.
Develop a plan of action that allows you to maintain awareness of what you value most and identify how you will build in more experiences that follow you core values and beliefs.
Identify the benefits you will reap by following this action plan. You are much more likely to adhere to a new activity when the benefit is clear.
Schedule time to review choices you make to assure that you are adhering to your action plan.

The quality of life is determined by the choices we make and we thrive or suffer based upon them. If your choices are determined by your core values, you are destined to thrive.

Contact Jim today for a complimentary 30-minute success coaching session.

"I’ll Do It Later. I Have Plenty of Time"

2011-12-28T17:22:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderful rationalizing and self-defeating phrase used by many of us but much more frequently by those professionals who struggle with traits of ADD. Folks who struggle with organizing their work and schedules, prioritizing, focusing their efforts, staying on task, completing tasks on time, completing tasks at any time, following through with commitments and feeling competent in their endeavors.

Too often” later” gets here way before it is expected and the project, assignment; task is late or never completed. These are well intentioned people who will tell me that they often overestimate the time they have available to complete something and underestimate the time it will take to get the job done.

Contact Jim today to learn how coaching can benefit your career and your life.

Many of my coaching clients fall into the “I have plenty of time” or “I do my best work when the pressure is on” mind-trap. My customary response is how much later and at what cost?

Along the road to “later” we suffer through days of increased worry, anxiety, anticipation and fitful or reduced sleep as “later” approaches ever closer and still we remain frozen in our inactivity.

There is typically an adrenalin rush during those last hours as we are faced with a sense of urgency and dread. We rally to the cause, too often working for hours under intense stress to complete our task on time. While we may feel successful with our outcome, we are unaware of the price we have paid with our overtaxed emotions and physical well-being.

I encourage the professionals I work with to stop overpaying their emotional pipers:

Build and maintain a system of accountability that allows you to begin working on priorities earlier in the process.
Identify unpleasant aspects about the project that leads you to delay or avoid it.
Identify aspects of the project that you embrace or enjoy. Make it fun wherever possible.
Be realistic when setting expectations of time needed to work on the project and time available to do the work.
Be aware and honest about your patterns of work and look for ways to build in new habits.
Break the task into smaller parts.
Schedule a time to focus on an initial part of the project and set a time or date for completion. Completing parts of the task on time will allow you to build a sense of mastery and the confidence to keep going.
Maintain accountability to your project and timeframe you have set. Tell someone what you are working on, how you are working on it and when you intend to finish. Keep them in the loop as you move forward or if you fall behind.

Most of all be honest with yourself. Can you really afford to do it later? Do you really have plenty of time? Really?

Contact Jim today to learn how coaching can benefit your career and your life.

My Perspective on Coaching

2011-12-28T17:20:00.000-08:00

I have worked with a wide variety of professionals who span a broad spectrum of service areas: business executives, attorneys, medical practitioners, educators, authors, clergy and entrepreneurs. While their roles are diverse and unique, their professional and personal needs are often similar. Periodically I am asked, “What do you know about the business I work in?” I typically respond by saying, “I am most valuable to you when I understand how you work rather that where you work.”

My observation has been that professionals in leadership roles do experience some unique circumstances. They feel a need to present an image that is calm, in control, stoic, and ever self-assured.

This in turns leads them to feel some emotional and personal isolation, and the need to distance themselves from others. I have found their need for support, assurance, accountability, goal setting, and honest feedback, to be just as critical as they are for other professionals.

It is my firm belief that intentional behavior is the key to success in all areas of life. I coach with this belief in mind. Many of my clients have lost their sense of purpose and, because of the fast-paced society in which we live, have lost their focus in setting personal goals and plans. When this happens, they often become reactive, responding to events rather than maintaining their focus. I encourage my clients to become intentional by developing a personal plan of action that will enable their personal and professional lives to be aligned with their core values and beliefs.

Accountability to a plan is critical to its success. Through my role as coach I assure that this accountability is maintained. In addition, through my coaching I serve as the eyes and ears that provide an early warning system that helps detect misdirection and self-defeating behaviors.

In my coaching, I provide a supportive relationship that fosters, energizes and nurtures intentional behavior. This results in enhanced performance, a greater sense of purpose and achievement, and an increased ability to sustain effort and attain goals. This also results in greater self-awareness and personal satisfaction on the part of clients.

In our sessions, I help clients explore, assess and clarify goals, patterns of behavior (both productive and counter-productive), and identify pathways (and roadblocks) to success. I help keep clients on track by challenging perspectives, alerting them when they drift off course, and pointing out when their behavior is counter-productive

Some of the benefits of the coaching relationship that clients have reported to me include:

Develop and adhere to consistent patterns of productive behaviors leading to successful achievement of personal and professional goals.
Expanded vision and creativity
Develop talent from within the organization
Put goals and ideas into action
Improved focus, organization, time management and follow through.
Achieve a greater sense of competency and mastery.
Fewer roadblocks and self-defeating patterns of behaviors.
More skillful and effective communication. with internal and external customers
Sustainable, consistent and successful activity through goal completion.

Contact Jim today for a complimentary 30-minute success coaching session.

The Power of Persistance

2011-12-28T09:58:00.000-08:00

I was working strenuously to build at least a semblance of a muscle at the gym the other day when I noticed a young man working a seemingly uninspiring exercise. This gym-master simply shrugged his shoulders while holding a barbell at the end of his arms. I wondered what would drive someone to do this tedious exercise even just a few times. It wasn’t exciting. He didn’t look like the Incredible Hulk when he was finished. He looked just the same as he did before he started.

I decided this fellow would need to replicate this routine many times before any observable result would be achieved. Yet here he was repeating this movement over and over no matter how dull it appeared to me.

The thought that this man had patience, persistence and trust in what he was doing immediately crossed my mind. He persisted in this activity despite the presence of any immediate reward. He knew if he maintained this routine he would reap the reward of a stronger and healthier body over a period of time.

How many of us are willing to persist in any routine that doesn’t offer an immediate return on our investment? To trust that our replicated actions are leading to enhanced health, wealth, professional and personal performance, quality of life?

"Achieving long-term benefits takes persistence, patience and trust."

This is the era of immediate stimulation and reward. You want to feel better? Take a pill, put on your headphones and blast music into your brain, call a friend while your are driving on the expressway at 75 miles per hour, get on line and socialize with two thousand of your closest friends, gulp a Grande Mocha-Ole-Latte-Light with a Red Bull Chaser and feel the immediate rush. Everything is in the moment, with little thought about the outcome of our actions or a willingness to defer immediate gratification for a longer lasting reward. No time to think about what I am doing now. I got things to do and I want to feel a rush of energy and emotion at every turn of my life.

Achieving long-term benefits takes persistence, patience and trust. Sometimes the activity will not be glamorous or exciting, but if it is well designed you will reap sustained benefits and rewards. When you set your sights on the Golden Goose be ready to replicate behaviors that work, trust that what you are doing will serve your best interest and be willing to wait for the return on your investment.

Contact Jim today to your complimentary introductory coaching session.

Why a Coach?

2011-09-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

What’s the big deal about working with a coach?

What’s in it for me? I’m a successful professional and I manage my life pretty well.

What’s the value in taking time out of my busy schedule to talk with someone about the quality of my life, my career performance, goals, and ambitions and have to pay them to listen? I have done pretty well on my own so far.

This is an incredibly fast-paced society we inhabit. How often does anyone take the time to pay attention to their thoughts and feelings while trying to navigate through the hectic world around them? How much do you miss simply because you don’t have time to pay attention? How often do your habits rule your behavior? How often do you wish you could be more efficient, more effective, and more successful in your life? How much more could you accomplish and experience if you stopped getting in your own way?

Would you be more likely to reach the goals you set, appreciate the way you live and reap the fruits of your labor if you had someone paying attention to you even when you are not? Someone, who is a vigilant attendant to your thoughts and actions. Someone who is aware when your thoughts and actions are in sync with your goals and when they are not.

I often find that hearing what is not being said is more valuable than what is. If it is true that 70- 80% of our behavior is dictated by our unconscious mind then it must be true that we are often not completely aware of why we do what we do.

A skilled coach will hear what is not being said and provide clarity to the action and to the mission of the behavior.

A skilled coach will hear what is not being said and provide clarity to the action and to the mission of the behavior. An awareness of all driving forces is critical to a successful outcome in most life areas.

Accountability to a plan is critical to its success. A coach assures that this accountability is maintained. More importantly a coach is the eyes and ears that provide an early warning system, which allows for the detection of misdirecting and self-defeating behaviors.

I have worked with professionals from a varied range of career sectors. Periodically I am asked “what do you know about the business I work in”? I always respond by saying, I am most valuable to you when I understand how you work rather than where you work.

I adamantly believe that intentional behavior is the key to success in all areas of life. I coach with that belief in mind. To be intentional one must be mindful, focused and determined to effect change. Coaching assures a focus on intentional behavior, a challenge when it is not, and support to achieve the desired result.

So why a coach you may ask? The answer lies within you.

Contact Jim today to learn how coaching can benefit your career and your life.

Benefits of Coaching

2011-08-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

“I never cease to be amazed at the power of the coaching process to draw out the skills or talent that was previously hidden within an individual, and which invariably finds a way to solve a problem previously thought unsolvable,” -- John Russel, Managing Director, Harley-Davidson

Benefits of Coaching

Encourages you to identify your positive characteristics and your strengths
Provides consistent accountability and motivates you to take action.
Focuses on personal values
Challenges you to raise your expectations
Increases skill base
Encourages you to design a life you love
Develops effective time management and improves organizational skills
Enhances ability to prioritize
Explores options that will lead to success
Improves listening and communication skills
Develops stress management skills
Maximizes productivity and job satisfaction
Leads to a balanced and more fulfilling life
Helps to identify their positive characteristics and their strengths
Provides consistent accountability and encourages individuals to take action.
Leads to a balance and fulfilling life
Challenges individuals to raise their expectations
Support to gain necessary skills
Moves you to create the life you love
Develops effective time management and improve organizational skills
Encourages you to explore options that will lead to success
Guides individuals to appreciate and adhere to their personal values
Improves listening and communication skills
Clarifies personal values

Contact Jim to learn more about how you can achieve what matters most to you and begin living your "no-limits" life.

15 Reasons to Hire a Coach

2011-08-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

“I absolutely believe that people, UNLESS COACHED, never reach their maximum capabilities.” Bob Nardelli, CEO, HOME DEPOT

15 Reasons to Hire a Coach

Increase productivity and job satisfaction.
Expand vision and creativity.
Develop talent from within the organization.
Improve teamwork.
Increase employee retention.
Enhance utilization of training experiences.
Improve time management.
Assume ownership of behaviors and performance.
Emphasize the unique potential of individuals.
Facilitates the building of a shared vision.
Creates a common language which everyone can relate to.
Puts goals and ideas into action.
Enhances communication with internal and external customers.
Forms a basis for career advancement.
Creates a platform for organizational evolution.

3 questions to help you get started on the path to helping you identify and achieve your personal and professional goals.

Tame The Beast That Runs You Ragged

2011-08-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

Does it ever stop?

Your boss’ last-minute emergency that has to be tended to before we can escape into the darkness of night.
Never-ending demands on our all-too-limited time.
The relationship that needs our attention and nurturing.
Family time, family crisis.
Soaring expenses and plummeting cash flow.
Gridlock, medical bills, national, political and financial meltdowns.
Emotional overload and dare I say it? The end of Two and A Half Men as we know it, (yikes could the end of our civilization be upon us?).

In this helter-skelter world that we live in constant transitions is the rule. How we thrive through these transitions is critical to a successful and a valued existence.

Great value is attributed to human resiliency, the innate ability to rebound from devastating life experiences and to succeed against all odds.
There are a multitude of historical accountings of individual and community devastations and recovery that support our remarkable ability to flourish during incredibly dire circumstances.

But, how do we flourish during persistent and enduring change and daily stressful experiences? I believe mindful awareness and conscious proactive choices are critical if we are to flourish during these never ending transitions.
It is imperative to have awareness of your external as well as your internal worlds. It is easier to see what is before you than what lies within you and yet both are critical to our well being. Our internal world is filled with thoughts, emotions and fears that we are all too often unaware of or tend to avoid paying attention to.

Take note of what you are experiencing throughout the day. Ask these critical questions whenever you feel your actions aren’t leading you towards desired outcomes or when you have lost control of your focus, time and activity

What am I doing?
What is motivating me to do this (planful/mindful focus, strong emotions, a need for immediate gratification, distractions, fears, outside demands, feeling tired and needing a break)?
What outcome am I seeking?
Is what I am doing critical to this outcome?
Will this outcome allow me to flourish?
Have I lost my focus?
Am I in control of my actions or am I being controlled by them?
Do I need to change my behavior?
What is one thing I can do or stop doing quickly that will improve my situation?

Contact Jim to learn more about how you can achieve what matters most to you and begin living your "no-limits" life.

We frequently do not have control over what happens to us on a daily basis. While we seem to put forth great effort towards controlling our environment, it is quite common for universal forces to exert unexpected events upon us.

What we can control more successfully but not completely is how we face these events and the attitude we maintain during each experience. Being aware of your thoughts, feelings and actions give you an opportunity to make proactive choices that engender positive outcomes.

We typically do not step back to ask mindful questions as a part of our daily routine. This will take time and practice. Make an effort each day to step back and ask a few mindful questions when you are faced with a difficult transition or experience.

Remember, good choices typically lead to good outcomes.

What people say about Jim Sobosan and No Limits Life Coaching

2011-07-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

"He has taught me to be mindful of all my decisions that relate to me, my team that supports our practice and the services I offer my clients. Jim is holistic in his coaching. I am more productive in my business and have more peace of mind personally as a result. I look forward to what is next in my growth plan!" -- Trish Moll, Financial Advisor

Schedule a conversation about your achieving your what's most important in your life. Contact Jim today.

"Jim helped me to grow professionally and personally. His executive coaching enabled me to stay focused on my goals; live up to my own commitments; and keep me working on my identified important tasks. Whether a small business owner like me, a major corporate executive or somewhere in between, I recommend you talk to Jim to see if he can help you make the positive change in your career advancement that he did in mine."

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"Over the past several months I have had the pleasure of working with Jim Sobosen, a management coach. I cannot fully express my appreciation to you for arranging for me to work with Jim. He consistently challenged me to look at my supervisory and management challenges in new ways and to address my areas of weaknesses in systematic ways."

Keep track of your accomplishments to fuel future success

2011-07-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

How often do you question your efforts to make any progress towards personal or professional goals you have set?

Many professionals I have coached initially find themselves bogged down in self-doubt and negative focus. When asked to review their progress they will list a litany of all of the things they have not done and note how discouraged they feel.

When asked to identify what they have accomplished over the past week they struggle to recall any positive actions.

Here is a simple action that can be invaluable when you fall into this trap:

Take an inventory of your accomplishments each day. Set aside a few moments each day to identify successes and positive steps you have taken that you find noteworthy and write them down, then review your inventory each week.

It is easy to get distracted by all of the things that go wrong in your day and week. You never want to lose sight of your accomplishments and significant efforts. Your ability to be mindful of what you have achieved will provide impetus for continued effort and ultimate success.

Need help identifying your current and future goals? Contact Jim to learn more about how to begin living your "no-limits" life.

Write it down: Keep track of your successes each day

2011-06-29T06:43:00.000-07:00

How often do you question your efforts to make any progress towards personal or professional goals you have set? Many professionals I have coached initially find themselves bogged down in self-doubt and negative focus. When asked to review their progress they will list a litany of all of the things they have not done and note how discouraged they feel.

When asked to identify what they have accomplished over the past week they struggle to recall any positive actions.

Here is a simple action that can be invaluable when you fall into this trap.

Contact Jim to learn more about how to begin living your "no-limits" life.

But I never planned on being a hat check girl in a Chinese deli!

2011-06-29T06:34:00.000-07:00

So how did I get here?

By luck? By accident? By trusting in the good intentions of others?

If you believed you were going to be an astronaut and ended up working as a Hat Check Girl in a Chinese Deli, chances are you never designed and followed an action plan that was based on your skills, your values, your goals.

Mindless focus and behavior often places us at the mercy of luck, accidents and the good or bad intention of others.

Take a moment to identify a personal or professional goal. Identify the steps it would take to reach that goal. Commit to taking the initial step towards that goal and set a completion deadline. Share this deadline with someone you trust. Periodically share your progress towards this step with that person to assure accountability.

Three questions to help you get started on the path to helping you identify and achieve a personal and professional goal.

Use It Or Lose It

2011-06-29T06:32:00.000-07:00

How many times have you sat through an exhilarating and compelling presentation/self-help workshop and walked away motivated and self-assured of achieving success?

You may try out a few learned techniques/strategies for a few days or weeks, but if you approximate the typical adult you will quickly fall back into long held patterns of behavior.

Habit will dictate what we do in a variety of settings over the course of our lives. We are often unaware of how comfortable these habits are. They often go unnoticed in the work place as well as in our personal lives. They lead us towards behaviors that are automatic and based in comfort rather than behaviors that lead to success and productivity.

If you want to implement new and improved behaviors follow the answer to the question,

"How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?"

"Practice, Practice, Practice!"

If you are excited by something you have learned and you feel it has value in your life, make it a habit. Create a new habit that offers higher returns on you efforts.

Three questions to help you get started on the path to helping you identify and achieve a personal and professional goal.

Commit time and effort each week to practicing the new pattern of action. Schedule it into your weekly routine and adhere to the schedule. Make sure to review and assess your progress and the overall value of the new behavior. We are more likely to continue a behavior if we are clear of what the benefit is.

We will quickly extinguish a behavior when it has little reward.

Contact Jim to learn more about how to begin living your "no-limits" life.

How Do We Change?

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Often, with resistance and resentment, cautiously, slowly, apprehensively and with uncertainty and confusion. Productive change comes from commitment and resolve, from intentional activity, energy, enthusiasm and resilience.

The process of change is packed with a multitude of emotions and behaviors that are both beneficial and detrimental. Ah the Ying and the Yang of life.

Yet we change because we must on occasion, because we can on others. More importantly we change because we have the opportunity to choose and affect a better way of living and thriving.

There are experts who believe they understand the process of change and suggest that following their guide exactly as they direct it will lead to successful and rewarding change and they are probably right at times.

I work from a belief that we are more likely to act upon and sustain productive effort when we respond to ideas, structures and values that we embrace as our own and hold to be true.

As a coach, I embrace this principle and encourage individuals to explore and develop goals/aspirations/dreams and action plans that emanate from their own driving principles, passions and views of themselves and the world they live in.

My role as a coach is to walk along as a part of the journey, stimulating thought, creativity and intentional behavior, problem solving, exploring and removing road blocks and celebrating the successes along the path rather than directing the steps.

Change is process of time and movement and must be embraced.