Wise Wednesdays

Have you ever been asked about your five year vision and thought: “I have no idea”? Do you find yourself gazing at others and thinking: “I wish I knew what I wanted, then I would have their drive, clarity and confidence”? If you work with me you’ll know that saying “I don’t know what I want” is not an answer you can use for very long (read on or see the video for a bit more on what's behind "I don't know what I want"). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ_R5Vf-QWk You see, it’s impossible not to know what you want. At the very basic level, bringing it back to the present moment, you at the very least know that you want to take your next breath. The cells in your body want to use energy to function, repair themselves and do their job. Your conscious mind isn't thinking about it, the life impulse is just there wanting to live. At any given moment, you could be of some use to your ecosystem. Heck, you could just pick up the phone to tell someone how much yo...

Have you ever thought of how change happens in your life? Have you noticed how it can be painful sometimes, especially if the goal is worthwhile? We all have a zone of genius. I’m good at seeing people’s blindspots and what’s holding them back from what they want. It requires giving hard talk and tough love sometimes; and of course, it's not for everyone. If you want (deliberate) change in your life, you have to be ready. You wouldn't go on an expedition to the South Pole or climb Everest, if you're in a phase of life where you need a beach holiday, right? People normally come to me when they sense it's time for change and they’re ready for the climb. But even if they think they know what to expect… …there will come a point at which they will hate me! And that’s OK. Why? Because at the point when they want to give up, they think it's all too much and perhaps they should just go back to their old life, I will call them out. I’ll remind them of what they’re capable ...

This week we witnessed profound ignorance, bigotry and racism in Charlottesville, US. Cycles of violence and hatred are part of our human condition, unfortunately. However frustrating this is, we do have control over how we conduct ourselves and we can ensure that our own judgment is not clouded by ignorance and hatred so that we act appropriately. Which brings me to today’s topic:  motivation . Someone booked an initial consultation with me last week, who is highly competent and successful in their field. They want to create something new in their career with more fulfilment and reward. The most common reason people approach me. They found themselves procrastinating and wanted to know how to “increase their motivation” – a notion that I quickly had to disabuse them of. As some of you may know, I’m not your typical career and leadership coach. What I’d like you to understand is that, it isn’t possible to manufacture motivation or willpower.  But you can ...