Managing your STRESS in a crisis or if life is coming at you hard and fast, my skills and expertise are your SOLUTION to staying motivated and empowered resulting in your SUCCESS
The word coaching invokes many different definitions depending on its application and the context with which it is being used. Growing up the word coach was associated with hockey, baseball, basketball, soccer and any other sporting activity you could think of. Now the definition is being associated with a lot more than just sports. You hear the term coach being thrown around many different industries and one of the fastest growing businesses is coaching. But what it is?
Coaching as we’ve identified within the sports industry is defined as an individual who supports a group of individuals seeking to "win" at the game of their choice. The coach supports this group by identifying how they are able to "play" better together—or become a more efficient team; the coach identifies which group member has which skill set to support the over success of the team; and the coach also supports the team by putting together practice schedules and "work out" routines for the team and each member to improve their individual skill sets and the effectiveness of the team working together.
As a professional coach working with individuals to support their professional careers, their health, their personal life goals and any other aspect they seek support with, a professional coach does very much the same supporting role as a sports coach. A professional coach works to support their clients to identify which areas are in need of growth, they may brainstorm solutions to current challenges, set action items for the client to be working on between sessions, hold their clients accountable for completing the actions items. As well, coaches are much like cheerleaders.
They celebrate the "wins" with their clients when achieved, then cheer them on when life seems to through a curve ball potentially pulling the client off their desired course, and keep the momentum of the ‘game’ of life upbeat and positive. But, there are a few things a coach doesn’t do … Coaching does not replace psychotherapy, medical treatments, or any other professional health service a client might be in need of. Instead, coaches’ work in concert with these professionals to further support our client’s personal growth and success. Oh yes, there are differences between what a coach does for their clients and what consultants and mentors do for their clients.
To take a quick look at the differences:
Client Goal: Increase their level of happiness.
Coach’s Approach: A coach would ask you to complete the following sentence: “if I were 5% happier I would…"
Consultant’s Approach: A consultant would state: “My recommendation for you to be 5% happier is to ”
Mentor’s Approach: A mentor would express “If you were 5% happier your life would look like , which option would you like to try?”
A coach does not tell you what you want to hear or what needs to be done; they provide a safe and non-judgmental environment for you to explore what 5% happier means to you. A consultant you contract with wll tell you what needs to be included in your life and a mentor provides the space to hear different options that they have used and then you choose one of their ways of doing things to make your life happier. Not everyone needs a coach, some individuals actually need a consultant and others need a mentor. As an individual, business owner or industry leader which type of support do you need?
To your success!
Coach Karen K
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Life Coach and Business Coach Karen Kleinwort is the founder Therapy in Transition and is a Certified Professional Coach specializing in the integration of her clients' mind, body and spirit into her Personal Empowerment Coaching practice. For more information, visit www.coachkarenk.com. www.therapyintransition.org or contact her at success_coachkarenk.com.
Do you ever feel depressed, low on energy or lethargic after spending time with someone? If yes, then that someone can be categorized as an “Energy Zapper” or toxic person! Toxic people have a habit of passing on their negativity to others; they thrive on others’ empathy and prefer to spread their misery instead of seeking ways to get out of it. The following is a list of the most common types of toxic people and suggestions about how to protect yourself and preserve your energy levels.
The Malicious Gossip Monger
Malicious gossip mongers have a habit of bringing misery to other people’s lives. These are self-righteous, judgmental people who never have a good word to say about anyone. They see only the worst in people and have no qualms about dragging someone’s name through mud. Spending time with such people is not only detrimental to your peace of mind and mental health but also for your own reputation.
The easiest way to protect you and your energy level is to remove yourself from the situation entirely. Come up with an excuse regarding why you have to leave, then leave quickly. You can also be very honest and express your own opinion that you would prefer not to be a part of the current conversation. If you are in a position where you cannot leave, try to change the subject as quickly as possible.
The Martyr
These are people who enjoy playing the martyr. They believe by making a decision to “sacrifice” their time or energy to do something for someone else and then complaining about it to gain empathy from others is actually serving their higher good. The exact opposite is actually true; they find it difficult to take responsibility for their actions. People with a martyr mentality tend to be upbeat but cynical and refuse to see there is a better way to support the other person beyond giving of their precious time and energy.
When you are around a martyr personality, the easiest way to protect your energy level is to turn the conversation around to show the other person was actually in choice with his decision. Support him in seeing the gift in his giving and provide him the opportunity to see how he could have made a different decision.
The Bully
Bullies are forceful, dominating and argumentative people for whom the right way is always their way. They refuse to listen to reason, are highly opinionated and have no qualms about belittling others. Spending time with such people will only leave you feeling angry, bitter and drained unless you are aware of the situation unfolding before you.
You can easily put a stop to this energy-sucking situation by establishing a mental imagery of what you are willing to “listen” to and what you are not willing to hear. This goes back to knowing your boundaries and how to best reinforce them.
The “I-Me-Myself’ People
These people are the epitome of selfishness and are unable to look beyond their own petty needs and desires. They believe the world revolves around them and tend to have unrealistic expectations for others. They will never stand by you but will expect you to go out of your way and help them.
With these types of individuals you are best to remove yourself entirely. The more confident you become with your boundaries, the less of these type of individuals you will notice hanging around you. When they run up against confident individuals they tend to move onto others who are weaker and more vulnerable to giving up their energy to them.
The Energy Vampires
Energy vampires are perhaps the worst of the lot. These people are negative, cynical and unhappy with life in general. They are pessimists, perpetually morose and see the worst in others. Spending time with them is likely to leave you feeling hopeless, listless and/or irritated.
The same energy-saving technique is applicable here. Remove yourself from their presence and their energy. Stay confident in your decisions and be sure to always look out to make decisions in your highest and best interest.
The kind of people with whom you surround yourself largely shapes your general frame of mind. It is therefore important to hang around people who make you feel happy and positive rather than those who feed on your kindness and leave you feeling drained out and depressed. Your personal wellness will be directly impacted by the energy surrounding you.
Does this sound familiar?
”There was a week this year when going in to work was like walking on egg shells. I’d go home every day drained, wanting to call it an early night and crawl into bed.”
How long did it take for your mood to lift? Did you do some serious self-talk, like telling yourself to focus on something else? Think back to the last time you were really down or angry. Very likely you will recall that it slowed you down or even emotionally crippled you for a period of time, even weeks possibly. Is there a quick fix to re-setting your emotional state?
When you are feeling upset, it seems incredibly challenging to think happier thoughts and to feel love and joy. And wherever you look, it seems like you are attracting more of the same. Esther and Jerry Hicks introduced the idea of "Moving Up Your Emotional Scale" in Ask and It Is Given (2005). The Emotional Scale invites you to:
Be aware of your current emotional state.
Take small steps to get to better-feeling thoughts.
Gain empowerment, control and connection.
Experience the things you desire.
According to the Hicks, it’s simple; there are really only two emotions. You have the good feelings and the bad feelings: good (empowerment) is positive and the fullest state of connection (eg., joy, love, appreciation, freedom, or knowledge), while bad (disempowerment) is disconnection, despair, grief, fear, or depression and disconnection. The Hicks say we can always make a conscious choice to constantly up our emotions and move on to better emotions.
Here’s how to practice Moving Up Your Emotional Scale.
Identify where you are in the emotional scale.
Make the decision to reach for an improved emotion (i.e., go up your emotional scale).
Your Emotional Scale looks something like this:
Joy/Knowledge/Empowerment/Freedom/Love/Appreciation
Passion
Enthusiasm/Eagerness/Happiness
Positive Expectation/Belief
Optimism
Hopefulness
Contentment
Boredom
Pessimism
Frustration/Irritation/Impatience
“Overwhelment”
Disappointment
Doubt
Worry
Blame
Discouragement
Anger
Revenge
Hatred/Rage
Jealousy
Insecurity/Guilt/Unworthiness
Fear/Grief/Depression/Despair/Powerlessness
Note: The Emotional Scale uses labels for your emotions which are not absolutely accurate for every person who feels the emotion; as such, the scale should be used as a guideline.
The Hicks compare the Emotional Scale to a gauge like that for your car’s gas tank, so the higher your emotion or emotional set point, the fuller your well-being.
Reach for “Relief”
Think any better-feeling thought that you have access to right now. Evaluate whether you feel any relief.
For example:
Positive Expectation gives you a feeling of relief from pessimism.
Hopefulness gives you relief from pessimism.
“Overwhelment” gives you relief from blame.
Blame gives you relief from anger.
Rage gives you relief from depression.
Acknowledge your chosen thought feels better
Regain empowerment and control, and be more in connection with who you really are.
Here’s an example in action:
Let’s say you’re so anxious that you have trouble breathing. Try reaching for anger, perhaps by creating the thought, “I’m mad that I’m feeling so anxious.” And in the middle of your angry thought, you might notice you no longer have trouble breathing.
There’s great power in being able to tell yourself, “Self, don’t worry. You don’t need to jump from depressed to ecstatic in one big leap. Just go the next emotion up.” (Once there you can, of course, always choose to keep working your way up.)
One element society is beginning to understand and accept is we humans are emotional beings and that our emotions dictate our vibrational frequency in any given moment. You will attract things into your experience that match the dominant vibration you are giving out. The next time you are heading home from work and not feeling 100%, stop and notice where you are on the Emotional Scale. Ask yourself if this is what you want to attract more of in your life. If the answer is no, then move on up until you are in a place of desiring more of the same. Is it easy? No. But with practice and conscious effort it will be allow a more joyful experience.
References:
Hicks, Esther & Hicks, Jerry (2005). Ask and It Is Given.
Need an attitude adjustment? How about a confidence boost? You've heard the saying "Altitude of Gratitude"; and when it comes to getting what you want and achieving the success you desire, your attitude is the foundation on which to build the life you want. Additionally, your self-confidence will be what empowers you to step into action during those times in life that seem to be the most challenging and overwhelmingly intimidating.
Your confidence develops while you're experiencing life. When was the last time you remember holding your breath? If you can't remember, you need to ask yourself if you're worthy of the outcome your actions will bring. My professional experience has given me the perspective that so many of us work hard and take actions that on the outside indicate we should be achieving our goals easily, but we continually fall short of reaching them due to a lack of confidence and sense of worthiness.
Self-confidence and self-worth are in most instances interchangeable, but in fact there is one element that differentiates the two. That element is value. The value we hold of ourselves will impact our self-worth.
Your perspective of self is what will be used as a magnet to what you will receive in life. This results in your self-worth being one of the most essential elements of how you grow your self-confidence. Possess a belief in your abilities and begin considering yourself deserving of what you wait.
Go ahead: visualize, use affirmations, take pride in all you do. Unless you truly like who you are while embracing 100% that you're deserving of the best, you may not Improve your confidence or your abundance.
Take a few minutes and learn if you need an attitude adjustment.
1) When facing a negative situation or outcome, how do you react?
a) Do you feel yourself getting heavy and sluggish? Do you doubt yourself?
b) Do you jump right in and try to figure out to make things better?
If you chose (a), then you are "value challenged"--which results in self-sabotoge and not achieving all you want in life.
2) When someone pays you a compliment for a job well done, how do you react?
a) You say "thank you" and gladly move on to the next task at hand.
b) You responsd with "Oh, it was nothing," with a caveat that implies you could've done it better "if only" you did X, Y and Z.
If your choice was (b), then you again are "value challenged," If you chose both 1 (a) and 2 (b), then you are in a "value crisis." And there is no time like the present to jump in and begin working on your personal value, self-confidence and self-worth.
Here are two tips to improve your self-worth, but you need to remember that your self-worth is supported by how well you treat yourself. The following two elements focus on improving your perspective of self-value.
Inner Voice
Your negative self-talk is one of the strongest acts you can do to devalue your perspective of self. Making fun of yourself and continiously being critical doesn't help either. We all make errors in life, and jumping in too quickly to judge yourself when you do is your opportunity for making a shift in what your inner voice is telling you to immediately begin to increase your value.
When you notice the quick jump happen, shift your focus to rephrasing the thought from a positive statement. It will be time consuming in the beginning, but be persistent and in no time it will be second nature to think positively first without judgement.
Your Attitude
Lacking belief in your skills is reflected in your actions and responses--or, dare I say, your LACK of action! When you do not believe in yourself, your confidence is negatively affected and therefore you are too nervous to actually step into taking any action.
You can begin to make a shift with your value, self-worth and self-confidence by addressing those things that scare you. An example might be if you're more of a wall flower at social gatherings, set a goal of talking to one new person. Then the next social gathering, set a goal of two new people, etc. By building slowly, you will increase your confidence.
By making a change to your personal value, you will immediately begin to improve your self-worth, which by default will improve your self-confidence. Instead of a downward spiral, you'll begin to notice that life is spiraling upward and will take on the feelings of encouragement and abundance.
Your attitude adjustment is never truly complete, and you will always need to be addressing it, improving on it and growing from it. Remember, nothing happens overnight, and it takes a while to change old habits. Continue and be persistent, and you'll ultimately succeed.
Until next time, embrace your inner wisdom.
When life throws us a curve ball we will do one of two things: 1) become paralyzed or 2) step into action. Depending upon your level of self-confidence you will respond accordingly. In the perfect world we all would step into action easily and effortlessly when facing challenge – no matter the degree. But we don’t live in a perfect world and we are not perfect. Or at least I don’t think we are perfect – are we?
When you are cruising through life, you get comfortable with your routines, your work and the expectations others place on you. You are zooming through life riding in the comfort zone. It only takes the smallest of crisis to turn your world on its side and the comfort zone you’ve been enjoying to turn into a hazard zone. So the big question is how to remain comfortable but still flexible to adapt and adjust to whatever life may throw at you? The answer is the 3C rule: Consistently Challenging Confidence. The 3C rule is: Consistently ask yourself “Am I challenging myself enough to improve my confidence?” Based on your answer you need to step into identify which area of your life is on the verge of being stagnant and which element is working overtime to compensate for the lack of activity and movement.
Your comfort zone in essence is your way of placating your normal routine which reinforces a limiting belief. While being okay with the state of your life is not a bad thing, it becomes a problem when your ‘comfort’ turns in ‘complacence’ and prevents you from realizing your true potential. Your potential to moving through life, whether it be professionally or personally a little easier when faced with a crisis. When you become complacence you respond to emergency by becoming paralyzed instead of easily stepping into action.
If you are still with me, it means that even though you like where you are, you want out, because you realize it’s the only way you will grow and work through whatever challenge is standing before you.
What does it take to move through your current space? Well, you’ve already done it – by just merely acknowledging you are feeling paralyzed, stuck or like you are moving through life as if wading in waist deep mud. To prepare you for change, there are a few actions I recommend and it is honestly answering the following questions:
• What is one goal you still desire to achieve?
• Identify how comfortable you are by rating it from 1) Lazy Comfortable meaning you are standing still to 10) What is comfort? Meaning it is you hardly see life containing any challenges.
• How would you know you’ve reached your goal when you got there?
• Build an expectation for this change by visualizing yourself on scale of 1 thru 10 of living your desired life; where are you currently at 4 or 5? Your new environment is 10.
• Start seeking out opportunities to bring about the change. What can you do to now be at a 6 on the scale, 7? 8? And so on. Each new opportunity needs to be moving you up the scale and closer to you being at 10 and in your new environment.
The key to getting out and embracing the 3C Rule is to start relating to the change with excitement instead of fear. This approach work great for all areas of your life.
Your comfort zone may not be the best situation for you to be in, but the fact that you have become used to it, makes you comfortable in that place. So, it’s important to view your situation objectively to figure out if you are really content with where you are or are simply comfortable. If you come to the conclusion, the only way for you to grow is to get out of your comfort zone, then start visualizing and taking action. Even the smallest steps towards your goal are better than no action and being left behind.
Life Coach and Business Coach Karen Kleinwort is the founder Therapy in Transition and is a Certified Professional Coach specializing in the integration of her clients' mind, body and spirit into her Personal Empowerment Coaching practice. For more information, visit www.coachkarenk.com . www.therapyintransition.org or contact her at success_coachkarenk.com.
A goal is a target on which you aim your focus and put your time and effort into the process of achieving. There are five steps essential in guiding you toward achieving and realizing your goals. Achieving a goal can take longer and require more commitment than you realize or might imagine. Self-empowerment and motivation are great tools for you to use, and they are two tools you can use as ingredients to steer yourself toward creating your vision, which will lead you to your target.
Some people believe that when they fail in achieving a goal, it ends the existence of their goal. But this is not true at all. Failing to achieve a goal provides you the opportunity to go back to the drawing board to redefine it and refuel the spirit of your motivation.
The first step you can take to improve your odds of succeeding and achieving your goal is not to allow failure to enter into your description or definition of success. Instead, replace the term "failure" with the idea and feelings associated with the term "reset": meaning, you did not fail at achieving your goal, but instead you need to simply reset the goal you had. Where you are today is not where you were when you initially established the goal. The growth you've achieved means that resetting your goal today makes it that much more achievable.
Your attitude has a lot to do with achieving your goal. A positive attitude, coupled with a few other factors like determination, always equals success. Attitude also gives you the spirit of victory, since you can make and find ways to rejuvenate and keep yourself on track in the face of adversity.
Step two for you is to keep your attitude in the upper levels of positivity, even during the most challenging of times.
You need to always believe in yourself, your capabilities and your uniqueness. This is because when you are able to recognize the ability and potential you have, there is nothing that can hold you back from your goals. Believing is just like already possessing the ability of one who has achieved the success.
The third step is belief in yourself, knowing the decisions you're making along the way are truly in support of your success. When or if the goal is not achieved, refer to step one.
Develop realistic and achievable goals; that is, the goals you need to be reachable. Having measureable objectives will act as guidelines towards achieving your goal, but you need to clearly define your steps. With clarity you are able to increase your passion and zeal, enabling you to accomplish your desired goals.
Your fourth step is to clearly define the steps you need to take to achieve your goals you've outlined for yourself.
Setting time to review, analyze and adjust your objectives as well as monitor your progress to date will support making even better decisions along your journey. With your goal you've set needs to align with your skills and capability; your readiness to edit and modify your objectives and strategies better increase your odds to realizing your goal.
Your fifth simple step is setting aside time on a regular basis for reviewing, adjusting and fine tuning your vision, milestones and ultimate goal.
Success is a strong motivator, but it is not enough. However, when you're faced with challenges or encounter problems and your feelings toward your goal becomes less passionate, don't lose focus. You need to embrace these difficulties and consider them trials and stepping stones, since they make the whole process succeed. By acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses, you are able to work on them. It is very important to remember Step 2 (rely on the positive side).
Whenever you set goals, remember it may not always be an easy process. Therefore, keep your eye on the goal and remember these five simple steps you can take to increase your odds for success: 1) Remove the word "fail/failure" and replace with "reset"; 2) Positive attitude; 3) Belief in yourself; 4) Clearly outline your milestones and steps; and 5) Set aside time regularly to review where you are and how you're doing. When you continue to do the work necessary, your path is clear and your mind is set for success. Then you need to remember to celebrate the success you experienced each day on your journey and enjoy every step along the way. Don't rush to cross far-off bridges. You need to remember how far you've come and keep what you have invested in mind before ever giving up. And if you get to that point of wanting to give up, then call me ASAP!
It may sound like an oxymoron, but entrepreneurs can be the best at two things: procrastination and motivation! Entrepreneurs are entrepreneurs for the simple reasons they are passionate about what they are doing, get a thrill or high from stepping out into the unknown, have a higher level of tolerance for risk, and love to start projects. As an entrepreneur, you started your business because you were passionate about the product or service you were providing, and you were motivated by the energy of potential change and sharing your passion.
In business you always have to be moving and in action not only to become successful but to gain your initial foothold in the market place. It takes an even larger commitment to become an "influencer" in your business or industry and ultimately become an expert. So why are there only a few entrepreneurial businesses that truly "make" it? Procrastination!
As an entrepreneur, you are in charge of your own business and hold the desire to make it the market. You know there are few qualities you need not just to possess but have processes put into place to help keep you moving as you build your business. You will find thousands of articles, books, blogs, tweets and posts to help you, but a key quality I see missing in all of this is awareness. It's your awareness that will keep you moving and in action when procrastination hits – and it will!
Procrastination hits everyone, no matter if you are a business owner, stay-at-home mom, Fortune 500 CEO or superstar athlete; we all deal with the devil we know as procrastination. It's why I like to refer to us entrepreneurs as "Motivated Procrastinators"; and yes, I include myself in the description. As entrepreneurs we don't believe we're procrastinating since we're spinning so many plates in the air or burning the midnight oil and thus think we're just working on a task that caught our attention instead of another and not actually procrastinating.
Let's take a look at this a little more closely so you can more clearly understand my meaning. As entrepreneurs we're responsible for more than just coming up with an idea and putting it into action; we're responsible for developing new products and services to ensure we keep our edge fresh and desirable: marketing these great items, selling them, branding, advertising, public relations, budgeting, financing, human resources, customer service, and so many other elements that go into building and running a business. We can have the greatest organizational tools, wonderfully implemented policies and notable procedures but will eventually face a time when procrastination hits – and we will embrace it without even realizing it.
Today you're spending time reading and collecting valuable knowledge to help you become a better leader, CEO, entrepreneur and so on, and reading this article is a great example of how you're doing just that. If you looked at your list of tasks that need to get done not just today but were also left over from yesterday or the previous weeks (as well as what needs to be done in the next few weeks), which task has been rescheduled with a new "due date" the most?
Take a few moments and think about it.
So which one? Yep, that's the one from which you're redirecting your attention or procrastinating on completing. Why? Well, unless I know the specifics, it's hard to predict a personal reason for you as to why you're shying away from completing it. But in general terms, it might be due to a fear of what happens when you do complete it: fear of success. (Yes, you just read that right.) It might be that it's a "job" you're not really passionate about doing.
This is the reason I refer to entrepreneurs as Motivated Procrastinators. We have so many responsibilities that we're highly motivated to complete the tasks that are fun or provide an immediate feeling of success or source of income. But we procrastinate at those tasks that take us outside our comfort zone, challenge us and can sometimes actually feel like a waste of time.
This is where your awareness is important. When you've rescheduled a task with a new due date more than twice without a seriously great reason, you're procrastinating and need to take a few minutes and figure out the reason you're procrastinating. Once you can identify the reason, you're increasing your awareness; as a result, you're decreasing the amount you're procrastinating. Once we gain the knowledge of why we're doing an action and recognize that it's not supportive of our business goals or success, then a repeat performance is lessened.
Today I challenge you to increase your awareness, decrease your procrastination and increase you overall business wellness by going through your task list and addressing the one task that truly needed to get done yesterday.
Life is full of roles, responsibilities and consequences; therefore, being able to stay focused is important when seeking balance in any overwhelming experiences life decides to throw at you. Success in life is nothing without being able to share it with others, and having the ability to focus will allow you to stay present when working and playing with others. In life there are believed to be three states of focus in which you can be engaged: 1) being in focus; 2) lacking focus; and 3) being focus obsessed.
The benefits of being focused in life could almost be considered unlimited. One benefit is the confidence you feel, and with increased confidence you're given the ability to step out of your comfort zone and make improved decisions. With improved decision-making capacity, you are able to find purpose in your life, have the passion to take on life’s stresses as they come your way, and ultimately improve your overall well-being. So simply putting focus first helps you live life to the fullest and allows you to experience the best in everything you do.
Life is short, as they say, and there's no time to be wasted being unfocused. But how do you stay focused or engaged? For some staying focused on tasks and current situations can prove difficult, and doing so thus takes practice to improve. A great tip for learning to increase your ability to stay focused involves giving yourself a reward for meeting "being present" goals. For one week keep track of how well you stay focused on tasks. For example, say you need to write a blog that is 500 words in length. Look at the clock when you sit down to begin writing. Note the moment your focus wavers from this task, and look at the clock to note the time. When you're able to refocus on the task at hand, note the time again.
Continue keeping track of different tasks – including those you really enjoy doing as well as those that are on the "need to do" list instead of the "want to do" list. At the end of the week, look at what your average length of staying focused might be. So let's say, for this example, you can stay focused for 10 minutes before your focus wavers. Your goal then is each week to increase your average focus time by one minute until you reach your next desired interval level. In this example it might be 30 minutes. Remember that the goal is to set yourself up for success and not to set the challenge so high that you don't reach it or so low you do not challenge yourself to improve.
As you track your time, you want to be sure you're not tracking 10 hours a day of tasks. Instead, pick a two- to four-hour window at different times of the day so you don't find yourself in the "obsessed" segment. And remember, a few days a week are meant to be "play days"—so take a few days off from working on improving your focus to just play.
Increasing your ability to stay focused is not something achieved overnight or over a week, but rather with time and patience. Your motivation and enthusiasm to stay focused is part of how you will improve your ability, but remember not to deny yourself the element of play and fun during the process. If your stress increases due to trying to improve your ability to stay focused, you will end up spinning your wheels with no movement.
Your life's purpose is not always fixed; it can evolve with changes in your life. You need to be able to adapt your focus to feel empowered to embrace the flexibility needed not only to survive but thrive during times of change. You do not need to be fully focused 100% of the time; be patient as you begin to prioritize your desire for improved focus. Your overall success and well-being will be supported by your ability to focus; how you prioritize improving your ability to focus remains with you.
Motivation is a key ingredient to success. This is not a news flash by any means, and all managers and good leaders embrace some degree of motivational program for their employees; whether they do this consciously or subconsciously, they all do it. Motivation is not some secret society either, but the secret to motivation is the "what" behind it. So what is the "what" anyway?
It's a great question and one that every great leader seeks to answer—although the answer is never the same twice! So that is what makes motivation part of a secret society, remembering and understanding the same employee will have different motivators at different times of her life? And yes, different times can be as often as yearly, monthly or even daily. This is the "what" behind keeping your employees motivated and feeling empowered.
Now that you're a part of this secret motivational society and you’ve been let into the inner sanctum, you're reading this and still thinking, "What? That isn't a news flash, either!" And yes, you would be right—but the news flash is the remembering that translates into engaging in some form of communication with your employees regularly to ensure you're in the know of what their current motivator is or might be. Regular communication is the real secret ingredient to realizing your success as a great motivational leader.
Think about the great leaders you know. They succeeded due to the fact they never stopped communicating, even when faced with difficulties. They, like you, have invested time, money and energy into inspirational literature and lectures, trying to properly identify role models who will help them lead their employees to success by providing their own sense of inspiration and motivation. It all sounds circular and somewhat confusing, doesn’t it? But as a great leader you have and will have clear-cut goals to reach. You'll also need to have various sources of motivation yourself (regardless of the price tag), empowering you to forge ahead, ready to make tough decisions that might not be so warm and fuzzy or well-received. Knowing what motivates your employees to empower them to be on board with your difficult decisions will be what sets you apart from the rest.
