3 Questions to Help You Decide

As you think about the new year and reflect on where you stand personally and professionally at this stage of your life, how do you feel you’re doing? On a scale of 1 – 10 how would you rate yourself when it comes to: personal and professional goal achievement; work and career fulfillment; family life; relationships / social life; spiritual growth; community impact; optimal health and fitness; financial peace of mind? What areas need the most improvement? What do you need to change to get on track? Are you doing the same things over and over but expecting a different result? If you’re frustrated with how things are going as you rate yourself and not sure what to do about it, the best next step might be to consider hiring a coach to help you make this the best year ever.

Here are 3 questions to help you decide:

1. What do I really want, when do I want it and what am I willing to do to get it?

One of the things we all know about successful people is that they have goals. But don’t make the mistake of thinking those goals should just be about your job or career. The people I’ve most admired in my life have goals that go well beyond their work and material possessions to include areas like family, faith, fitness, friendships, causes etc…And they know their “why” not just the “what”. Its vital you set goals that are deeply personal and meaningful to you (as opposed to those just based on the expectations of others) because that’s essential to leading a balanced, truly rewarding life. If we don’t take ownership of our own goals in all these areas, we begin to ask ourselves “what’s the point?” leading to burnout. And that can feel very demotivating and dis-empowering. Working with an experienced coach to identify and explore your most meaningful goals to achieve real clarity in your life can lead to lasting breakthroughs in thinking and results.

When you think about a goal you really want to achieve, how are you feeling about the pace of your progress? Are you wasting time trying to hit the goal by “reinventing the wheel”? What is your time worth or better yet what do you want it to be worth? Would you prefer to get results faster? One of the most compelling benefits of working with the right coach is help developing the right strategies to get you moving in the right direction quicker to accelerate your progress.  

How badly do you want a particular goal? Its important you have some emotional intensity behind the goals you pick because you’ll need it when you encounter the inevitable obstacles along the way. My favorite quote on this subject comes from Winston Churchill: “success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm”. Having a coach by your side to keep you focused and motivated can make all the difference as you persevere to do what needs to be done without excuses.

2. What is preventing me from getting the results I want?

We all have “blind spots” when it comes to our own lives and the problems we face. Just like there are patterns of behavior that lead to success, there are also patterns of behavior that can assure our failure. Are you aware of all the threats to your success? You don’t have to go it alone! Working with a coach one on one can bring perspective and objectivity which can dramatically improve results. Over the years I’ve worked with coaching clients who unknowingly had developed habits of sabotaging success in various situations in ways they had never even considered. Once they gained that awareness, they suddenly had the breakthrough they needed. After all, we don’t know what we don’t know, right?

Some people aren’t getting the results they want because of a reluctance to invest in their own personal and professional development. There is a reason many top performers use coaches – because it works. But like other things worth having, those results come with a price requiring an investment of your time and money. The good news is that from my experience when someone invests in coaching, that act of commitment in and of itself can serve as the catalyst to get you going. Having more “skin in the game” may be just what you need.

3. How can I go from knowing what to do to actually doing it consistently?

Have you ever learned something new at a conference; gotten some valuable advice from a peer; or read a great book chock full of new ideas but never actually implemented any of it? If you said yes, trust me you’re not alone. Its one thing to “know” what to do but another to take action. The big missing piece for many people is having a real accountability partner to increase the odds of following through. Why do people hire personal trainers? For many its more than just being shown what exercises to do and how to do them correctly. The fact is that its easier to follow through and actually do what we need to do consistently when we feel accountable to something or someone. I’ve had coaching clients confess to me: “Bob, some weeks its just knowing we have our scheduled coaching call coming up that gets me to make that prospect call I know I need to make.” Have you been guilty of “talking a big game” about what you need to change but find yourself not following through? The answer may be hiring a coach to bring that critical element of accountability. Remember: even the best action plan is meaningless if there is no actual action taken.

One on one coaching isn’t for everyone but if you’re serious about your success it could be just the thing to make this your best year ever.

Bob David – Business and Life Coach

[email protected]

For more information and videos about Bob’s business and life coaching services and book “The Undaunted Life: How to Succeed No Matter What”, please visit www.bobdavidlive.com or contact Bob directly via email at [email protected] or via phone at 804-719-9046