Great ideas, no action?

Have you ever had lots of dreams about the future? Great, they're really important; have more!! BUT unless you make some come true they'll only ever be dreams.

The key to happiness is having dreams;
the key to success is making them come true. Claude M Bristol

Get out, do something about your dreams and move your life on. If you want some help think about our workshop on September 14th.

Jon

Great ideas, no action

The long summer is nearly at an end; did you spend time reflecting on your life, while sitting in the sun? I'll bet that some of your thoughts were the same ideas you had at the beginning of the year. This month's quote is to remind you to get out and do something about them!

Ideas won't keep, something must be done about them - Alfred North Whitbread

Get out, do something about your great ideas and move your life on. If you want some help think about our workshop on September 14th.

Jon

Just do it!

This is a great time of year, watching all the crops get harvested and knowing the farming cycle moves on from here to work on next year. Whilst thinking about this and discussing taking action with somebody, I used this quote.

You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind; nothing happens without action.

Enjoy your week, and get out there and DO those things, don't just think about them.
Jon

Where do you want to go?

A conversation with a client recently was centered around setting goals for oneself and achieving ones true potential. It's easy to set a low target and achieve it, but it doesn't get you close to your real potential.
It seems this was a problem not just in the 21st century, but in the 15th century too! So think about an old view on the problem, which is still relevant today.

The greatest danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high & falling short:; but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark" Michelangelo

Have a great week, stretch out and move towards your true potential.

Jon

You know you ought to say it.....

I know some people that spend ages avoiding the "difficult" conversation and it develops into a fear. There are times when you really need to say what needs to be said; saying it may seem hard initially, but you'll feel better for it and you'll be more respected by other people for doing so. There are of course ways to have the conversations, more of that another day.
This week there are two quotes, one to remind us to have those conversations, the other warn of the dangers of leaving it too long.

"Never grow a wish bone where your backbone should be"
Clementine Paddleford

"Speak when you are angry and you'll make the best
speech you will ever regret" Ambrose Bierce

Enjoy your week, don't worry about those conversations, have them!

The good things in life

Sometimes it's all too easy to notice the bad things in life, when there are many more good things around us all the time. This week's quote reminds us to pay attention to the good things, rather than the bad ones.

"The bad things in life open your eyes to the good things
you weren't paying attention to before." From the movie Good Will hunting

Pay attention to the good things this week, at the time not after the event. Have a great week.

The important things in life

Last week I had a couple of interesting conversations with people about what's important in life. Often the important things are not what they first seem to be.

"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not
everything that can be counted counts." (Sign hanging in Einstein's office at
Princeton)

So remember to make space for the important things this week.
Have a great week.
Jon

Making mistakes

A client recently made some changes to her life that didn't work out quite as hoped; she wanted to go back and change some back, but felt too embarrased.

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new - Albert Einstein

We thought about it some more and she did go back to amend some of the changes; to do so wasn't a problem.

Just plain daft

I thought it was time for a daft thought this week.
Do hungry time-travellers ever go back four seconds?
Have a great week,
Jon

Hidden strengths

Talking to somebody last week I used an extract from a book, which gave them some interesting reflections. There are many things you can read from it. In this case it was about the value of things that don't look shiny and new, and the strength of deep roots.

All that is gold does not glitter, not
all those who wander are lost, the young in the old does not whither, deep roots
are not reached by the frost. J.R.R. Tolkien

What do you get from this weeks thought (add them to the blog)?

Have a great week,

Jon

Get your dreams

Last week I had a lot of conversations with a friend of mine who was having a really hard time deciding what to should do about something. In such cases it is often simple.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the
things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore,
dream, discover... " -Mark Twain

I'm proud to say that as hard as it was for her, she threw off the bowlines. Last time I saw her the real sparkle of happiness in her eyes was wonderful to see; so look for your dreams, where do they guide you?

Jon

Remember your goals

Summer is nearly here, with the longest day of the year coming up soon. Many people are having a quick check back at the promises they made themselves for this year (you remember those new year resolutions) and finding lots of reasons for not having achieved them yet.

"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take
your eyes off your goals." Sydney Smith

Have a great week and keep focussed on what you want,
Jon

Sky's the limit

I was talking to a client last week about what they're trying to achieve. I questioned why they kept under- rating themselves and their answer reminded me of this weeks quote.

Don't Tell Me the Sky is the Limit . . . . . . There Are Footprints on the Moon!

So get out, don't accept the limits that others put on you and go for it!
Jon

Change

I love this time of year it's when nature reminds us that life is all about change, go away for a weekend and the garden bursts into flower. Change is normal and this is true in our lives as well; to progress means change and change means learning something, if we knew exactly what would happen it wouldn't be change.

If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called
research, would it? - Albert Einstein

Which brings me of this weeks quote, reminding us that sometimes we have to take a chance and see what we can learn. Change is all around us, and a great opportunity to learn. Experiment this week, see what happens when you try to change something.
Jon

Go mad, be somewhere else, see what happens

Have you ever had one of those conversations that really made you think, where you started to really explore possiblities with somebody? It can be really motivating and powerful; but often people stop short of really getting the benefit of them, because they're scared.

Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore. Judy Garland (Dorothy) in
Wizard of Oz (1939)

OK now you think I'm completely mad, but go out and enjoy being somewhere else - it can help you move to where you want to go.

A great coach

I was talking about coaching to a friend, whilst sitting on the beach at the weekend (yes it's warm, sunny and very nice in Egypt at the moment). This quote is one I used to explain coaching, maybe it'll help explain it to you as well.

"A coach is someone who tells you what you don't want to
hear, who has you see what you don't want to see, so you can be who you have
always known you could be." Tom Landry

You can be who you want to be, have a great week,

Status quo

An interesting conversation this week led me to think about the fact that we're always more protective of the status quo than of what we could have, which is odd as we always moan about the status quo!

You see things and say, why? But I dream of things that
never were and say, why not? George Bernard Shaw

So ask why not, what have you go to lose?

Fear and courage

Spring starts to unfold as Easter disappears behind us, it's a time of change and a great time to focus on personal development. I had a conversation with a client last week week about change, and they said they didn't have the courage to go through with it.

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence
of fear." Mark Twain

They have pursued the change they desire, they had the courage, so have you.

Questions and answers

There are times when we all feel that we want to move forward; being able to help people move on from there is one of the great things about being a coach. This week's thought is simple, and can help refocus the thinking.

Are you searching for the answer without understanding the
question?

Have a great week looking to understand the question instead of the answer!

A child's view

Children are great aren't they, they make you realise just how much rubbish we adults put in the way of life.

A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of
wonder and excitement - Rachel Carson

Look at things through a childs view this week, enjoy and have fun!

Leadership

A wonderful sunny and warm weekend and it really feels as if the seasons have changed, excellent news indeed. I was having a conversation with a friend last week about leadership. It's easy to think that leadership is something in business, or that "I don't do leadership"; not so. A key thing about leaders is that they help others to grow, something that we can all do.

"A leader is not known by the number of followers, but the
number of leaders he creates "

Enjoy Easter, help create some leaders

Although last week it didn't seem likely, but it was the beginning of spring. This week seems much better, sunnier, lighter and much more pleasant. Spring, the season of rebirth and new vigour is a good opportunity to bring out all those plans you never quite round to doing. Yes, the ones to improve things, so forget yesterday and move forwards.

Yesterday ended last night. Every day is a new beginning,
learn the skill of forgetting and move on. - Norman Vincent Peale

Look at things differently this week, and enjoy.

Fantasy and living

Well you already know that Dr Seuss is one of my favourite authors; this week I've had to laugh at lots of things, it's a great way to get a different perspective and learn something more.

Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope and that enables you to laugh at all of life's realities.

- Dr Seuss

Look at things differently this week, and enjoy.

It's fun to have fun

I met that group again, still working hard, but now starting to have some fun at work as well. It's improving things, but they needed some more help. Guess what?

It's fun to have fun, but you have to
know how - The Cat in the Hat

So keep on working at having fun, especially for Mothers day. If you, or someone you know, need some help getting more fun into your life, or getting things going, see the coupon at the bottom of this email.

Success and fun

I was working with a group of people recently that were certainly dedicated to what they wanted to do, had all the skills they needed and had a wonderful environment to work in. BUT, they weren't delivering the goods. I struggled with this one as I thought how can I improve things here. Later that night it hit me, they weren't having any fun.

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing." - Dale Carnegie

It's obvious really, but we often forget. So have a great week, and remember fun is a key item in success.

6/3/07

All the answers?

Last week I spent some time with a couple of people that continuously knew the answers to everything, and were very happy to tell me all about them. After a few minutes it became very frustrating, it seemed as if I didn't need to open my mouth to be given the answer. I vowed to ensure I don't become like that.

"The person who has all the answers understands none of the
problems." Unknown

Ask good questions, listen to the answers, try to understand and then see if you have any answers.

Listen to understand

One conversation I had last week made me reflect on understanding. It's not always easy to achieve, being quiet and trying are the beginning and sometimes are in themselves pleasing to the other person.

"I'm very hard to understand but extremely easy to please."

Nathan Gilkarov

So listen, try to understand and see how much pleasing you can do.

"You don't understand me"

As we approach Valentines day I was thinking about the way people sometimes act. It is easy in the busy lives we lead to run around trying to ensure that other people understand us and what we want. Is this missing the point?

"Do not worry if others do not understand you. Instead worry if you do not understand others." (Confucius, Chinese philosopher, 551-479 BC)

This is true whether talking about the special person in your life, or all the people you deal with. This month enjoy understanding others, see what a difference it makes,

Jon
12/2/07

Self belief

I, like you, could hardly have failed to notice that Valentines day is on the way. Like so many other things today it seems to have been overtaken by commercialism, but underneath it is something important.

An opportunity to remind somebody important in your life how important they are to you. But if they are to believe in you, firstly you must believe in yourself.

When people believe in themselves they have the first secret of success - Norman Vincent Peale

This week remember the good things that are you, remember where you are going and how good you can feel about that.

Jon
5/2/07

Be yourself

Have you ever wondered why so many people around you are trying to be somebody else, ever thought they'd be better off as themselves?
They, like you, are unique and incredible. This weeks' quote is from my favourite author, so I hope you enjoy it.

Today you are You, that is truer than true.

There is no one alive who is Youer than You - Dr Seuss

This week go out, be yourself, enjoy it and be proud of it.
Jon
29/1/07

Failure

Suddenly the month is flying by, it's nearly the end of January; our first workshop of the year went really well and I hope all is going well for you too.
One last thought before we move on from the new year and the new start that many people make at this time of the year.

Failure lies not in falling down. Failure
lies in not getting up." (traditional Chinese proverb)

So if you should ever fall, don't worry about it (and a great tip about this to follow soon). Have a great week,

Jon
24/1/07

Keep attempting

Whilst on a long drive at the weekend I was listening to the radio and learnt that last Sunday was the day people were most likely to break their new year resolutions.
This weeks quote is longer than normal, but stick with it and if you want help keeping that resolution going, call me or consider our coaching workshop on January 20th (a couple of places left if you act quickly)

"Everything you accomplish you must first attempt. So get busy making those attempts. Procrastination and excuses do not lead to achievement.The way to make it happen is to make the attempt.You may very well fall short on the first few attempts. There may very well be plenty of good reasons to give up. Even so, keep making the attempt. Action and persistence will get you everywhere. How do you get yourself to make the attempt? By connecting that attempt, and the achievement it will ultimately bring, with a real and meaningful purpose deep within you. When you are clear about why you must do what you must do, you'll have no trouble finding the will and the commitment to step boldly forward. Make the attempt, as often as necessary, and you will surely make it happen."

- Ralph Marston

Don't procrastinate, find the meaningful purpose deep within you, do keep attempting - you can get there.
17/1/07

Dare to fail

Welcome to the new year, and all the best for 2007. This is the time when many people have set new year resolutions and are starting to waver, perhaps you chose something you're now thinking was too brave?
So I have two thoughts for you this week, firstly consider our coaching workshop on January 20th and secondly this weeks quote. You were daring enough to start your resolution, I know you can see it through.
Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.- Robert F. Kennedy
12/1/07

Trying to please everybody

All ready for what seems to have become the season of eating and drinking? Are you looking forward to having lots of relatives to visit for the weekend? This time of year can often get tense, because we have loads of people round and try to please them all; so don't!!

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is
trying to please everybody." Bill Cosby

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas

20/12/06