Wise Wednesdays

A super-achiever client asked me last week:  how can I relate more healthily to goals? Great question. She’s an all-round power house running a busy life in a world capital while being a global eye-surgeon. She even takes her children with her on surgical missions in Africa – and they love it. High achievers, and those living in modern work culture in general, have a traumatic relationship with goals. We love them and we hate them. It got me thinking about the first decade or so of my career. If I really did break through one wall after another on the way from immigrant girl, to elite universities and hospitals, to rubbing shoulders with the UN Secretary General and Emperor of Japan in the corridors of global power, what was the main factor? Of course, education, upbringing and hard work had a role. But what else? I didn’t cheat, lie or hurt people (not intentionally, in any case). Was it about being super organised? Was it a talent for detecting opportunities? Or was it some kin...

Do you feel powerful? Power is such a charged word. I had a coaching conversation with one of my friends who is a senior manager in the energy industry. His company is relocating to a new city and he’s not enchanted. The funny thing is,  he said,  he knew this was coming for a long time but did nothing about it.   And now he has to make a decision with little time to investigate alternatives. As we explored what was going on, we discovered this: He’s not so comfortable taking his destiny into his own hands. Now, my friend is not a victim. He’s done extraordinary things: he moved from another country to the UK alone as a young man, gained a Master’s degree, then worked his way up the ladder in a highly competitive industry. All the while, he built a loving personal life and a vibrant social one. But something held him back from acting on what he knew. He ignored the impending change. He was too comfortable where he was. And this ki...