It's Not Just Athletes That Need A Coach

There was a time when if you had a coach... you played a sport. Basketball, football, baseball etc.; coaches were for athletes. Today coaches are not just for athletes. Tony Robbins, professional coach, speaker, best selling author of "Awaken the Giant Within" has coached actors, entrepreneurs, CEO's, politicians and presidents of countries and has been credited with having started the industry of life coaching. Now there are schools that teach the art of life and business coaching. There are great coaches all accross the country and there is probably one in your town or city.

The idea of having a personal life coach or business coach is becoming more mainstream and lots of people are taking their lives and careers to the next level with the assistance of personal coaching.

Personal business and life coaches are a great asset to those who wish to live more effectively, efficiently and with more joy and harmony.

To help answer a few of the questions that people tend to have about the benefits or process of working with a personal coach I spoke with business owner, speaker and personal coach Kay Wilson and here is what she said:

(D)Why would someone hire an executive coach?
(K)Because of a strong desire to make rapid progress. A coach is able to help the client see patterns and make connections that enable conscious creation – the creation of what the client consciously wants. Whether it be improving the managerial relationship with subordinates, or improving public presentation skills, the coaching process accelerates change.

(D)What can a coach do for me that I can’t do for myself?
(K)If the coach is able to develop a relationship with the client, the coach can notice things the client isn’t noticing and reflect them back to the client. People get stuck because they are blind to an aspect of their situation. A coach works with you to get some insight and help you take the blinders off.

(D)How does coaching work?
(K)Coaching is a relationship in which the coach is devoted to the development and progress of the client. Through a series of coaching conversations or exercises, the coach is able to draw out of the client what the client wants and values. Next, the coach works with the client to develop strategies for obtaining what they want and typically a goal will be set with a deadline or time frame. The coach then serves to hold the client accountable for taking on manageable tasks to get into action. Clients report that they made rapid progress through the trust and openness of the coaching relationship.

Kay Wilson is an attorney, coach and motivational speaker. She coaches executives and professionals to help them increase effectiveness and play a bigger game. For more information about Kay Wilson and Business coaching check out http://www.blogger.com/www.KayWilsonCoaching.com


Looking for Success? Balance vs. Harmony

More and more people are looking for success in all areas of life, personal relationships, financial and business. This is where a coach is key. Granted success means different things to different people so when I inquire further a lot of people tell me that they want "balance". Ah, balance. Dictionary.com defines balance as a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc. The battle to equilibrium between good & bad, the yin & yang, the elusive 50-50 meaning the perfect blend of work and personal life. I have great got news for you...it doesn't exist so you can stop looking. Think about it, there is always a sacrifice; work, money, family, personal time. We are always choosing in favor of what is priority for us in that moment.

If you think about it, this should start bringing you more peace and happiness right away which, is ultimately what we want when we search for balance. Basically I'm saying your normal, be happy. Now I know what I have just said goes against what many others believe is possible but don't misunderstand me. Although a perfect 50/50 balance may not realistic, you can have "Harmony". You can have joy in your life at all times. You can have good healthy relationships, financial and business success, health and personal time. But because one of these areas in your life always takes priority, rather than balance you can have harmony.

Dictionary.com defines Harmony as a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts; congruity. Consistence, order and congruity thus every part of your life working together to serve another part all in harmony. This means the absence of guilt that your not spending enough time with your family. You won't feel disconnected and stressed at work and you'll have enough personal time to renew and recharge.

Bigger is Better

One thing Kay Wilson mentioned that is BIG, literally, was playing a "bigger game". From past experiences and what I see in too many lives is people playing small. Playing "Big" means expanding your comfort zone, taking risks, working towards a goal that may seem impossible at first but doing it anyway. Playing big may be scary at first, that's natural. We all experience fear, a lot of people have this lofty notion that having major talent or success means the absence of fear but that's not the case. They Act "in spite" of fear! People who are truly talented and successful have simply learned to deal with the fear and figured out how to overcome it. This is another area where a coach is great.

A coach can help you recognize when fear is a factor and how to handle it. Often when we feel like there is nothing more we can do or we've tried everything , a coach will ask the right questions and offer guidance that could help you find an inner strength you didn't know you had or an answer you wouldn't have seen otherwise.

Playing bigger is important. We can be better to our families, ourselves and do more for the world when we play bigger. If you get use to thinking bigger and acting bigger it will become a habit and then one day you'll realize you're truly making the most of your life and then everyone wins.

Playing bigger is a self-less act. If you're a giver and have a philanthropic nature, than think about how much more you could give as a multi millionaire. If you're a business owner think of how many more jobs you could create by growing your company beyond what you think is possible. If you're a real-estate agent think of how many more people you can get into homes helping them fulfill their dreams.

Another key about playing bigger is that when you shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land amongst the stars. Remember this, failure doesn't exist, there is meeting your goal and then there is just an opportunity for learning and personal growth. Not achieving a bigger goal just gives you a chance to learn a bigger lesson which, you will certainly find helpful the next time you play big. Because what doesn't kill us makes us stronger; cliche' I know, but it doesn't make it any less true!

Get a coach

Different coach's have different methods and styles in which they work. A lot of coach's have a niche' where they specialize in a specific area. There are spiritual coaches, personal life coaches business coaches and more. If you wish to accelerate growth in any area working with a coach can be just what you need. Accountability, suggestions and clarity, inspiration, personal discovery and much, much more; all of these are things a coach can help you with. When looking for your coach I would suggest you interview a two or three and find one that suits your needs and you feel compatible with. Your coach is someone you should feel very comfortable with allowing you to be truthful and open and allowing them to help you as much as possible. To find a personal coach you can call Kay Wilson (see link above) or check out this site http://www.ipeccoaching.com/.

This post and the next post is dedicated to the memory of Lori Woodhouse. Lori was my life coach for over a year. I learned so much from her and am forever grateful for the opportunity I had to work with her and be blessed by her wisdom and light. Lori passed away suddenly on December 17, 2007. Lori was much loved, and she is sorely missed.

Peace & Prosperity,

Dallas M Cyr