Turning New Year Resolutions into Reality

At this time of year many people seek to get the New Year off to a great start by making New Year resolutions.  Sadly, for most people, these resolutions don't last further than the end of January.  However, the fact that we set goals and targets for the year ahead highlights the fact that we are not satisfied with where things are at currently.  We want to stretch towards new levels of achievement, we want to realise unfulfilled potential, and we want to address unresolved issues in our lives.

Rather than repeat what happened this time last year when the list of goals was soon forgotten and our lives slipped back into the familiar routines and habits without seeing the desired changes, why not do something different?  Suppose for a moment you could identify the key areas where you wanted to see change take place and then you set a clear and achievable action plan that would bring about the results you desired.  For some, this part isn't where things get unstuck, it's the follow-through which becomes the challenge.  Here is where life coaching can really be of benefit.  Not only is it a process where you can identify and be proactive in how you would like your life to improve, it also provides a way to keep you accountable to the goals you want to achieve, and help you accelerate the changes and personal development in ways that wouldn't have been possible by yourself.

Now I recognise that even thinking about using a coach will be a barrier for some people.  To them it seems like admitting to needing help which indicates weakness.  As a Brit, I know in my own culture we have an underlying belief (or is it just pride?) that we should be able to solve our own problems.  To have a coach is like going to see a counsellor.  It means we have issues and can't manage by ourselves.  Let's be truthfully honest, this is just pride and deception.  Coaching is not the same as counselling, but utilising the benefits of either process actually shows strength, not weakness.  The greatest athletes, sportsmen/women, musicians and performers may have already reached the heights of their chosen field, but they also recognise they can still improve.  They know they didn't get to their current level without the help of trainers and coaches along the way.  They recognise that they don't have all the required resources themselves.  They need others to help bring the best out of them.  To imagine them trying to succeed by themselves without the support of a coach would be ridiculous.  Why then do we we think we can succeed in life without others who will champion our cause?!

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Do you know your Natural Abilities?

The famous management consultant, Peter Drucker, once said, "Most people think they know what they are good at.  They are usually wrong."

Please can I take a few minutes of your time to let you know the benefit of knowing how you've been "hardwired"?

Think about when you last chose a holiday, a car or bought a new computer.  You probably spent a great deal of time researching and gathering information, speaking to experts and friends, weighing up different options to try and ensure you made the right choice.

However, when people choose a career, whether it be their first job or a career change, they can restrict their choice to what they think they can do based on looking at adverts.  They do this without really knowing whether this is a job that matches their natural abilities and will fit with their personality, personal work style and values, not to mention their lifetime goals.

We spend 50-75% of our waking hours and 60-90% of the years of our lives working.  Yet many of us never invest even a fraction of that time exploring the vision that drives our lives and work.   Similarly, many of us have not discovered our true natural abilities and talents, which if never used can cause a great deal of dissatisfaction at work.

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