Scare yourself…today!

Eleanor Roosevelt, who was an inspiring woman, is well known not just for her work, but also for some amazing quotes, that are still relevant today. One of her quotes that has become a mantra for me this year is:

“Do one thing that scares you every day.”

If I can scare myself every day, it means that I am pushing the boundaries of what I had previously thought was impossible. Sometimes, what I have scared myself with have ended up as some good stuff ups. Like, using a new email system, which offered so much, and yet it managed to send out emails at the wrong time…yeah not great…but no one died!

However, I must admit there have not been too many stuff ups. Which makes me realise that by scaring myself, I am achieving success that I would not have experienced, if I did not have my mantra. It has encouraged me to back myself a lot more, and that can be scary! But again, no one has died! I have been really nervous in taking on a few opportunities, and they came off with great successes.

When was the last time you did something to scare yourself?
What was the result?

Please let me know, and also, if you do have a mantra that keeps you focused and motivated…it would be great if you could share, as they could really motivate others.

So, “Do one thing that scares you every day”! Thanks Eleanor 🙂

Cheers, Andrea

#stayingfocused

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More golf and less guilt…

Is it really possible to play more golf, and do it with less guilt?
Less justifications about why playing golf is important to you?
Less sarcastic comments that you have time for golf, and no time for anything else?

Is it truly possible to achieve this balance?

Golf is a great game, but let’s face it, it is a slightly time consuming sport compared to going to the gym for a workout, or going for a run or a cycle.

I will be honest, I am a lover of golf, and do wish that I could play more, and this is coming from a slight golfing tragic (and yes, this is a photo of me), well to non golfers I am a golfing tragic, and to golfing tragics, I do not play enough (more guilt thrown in!).

Sometimes, it is not even guilt. It is knowing that you are going to have to justify why you spent part of your day playing golf, whilst others are seeking time with you for other things. It is about the occasional fabrication of the truth, so that you can get a game in, such as “I have been on a course all day!”

Let’s switch it around, and think about the benefits of playing golf, and selling those benefits to not only those around you, but more importantly, to yourself. Sell the benefits whilst standing in the other person’s none golfing shoes.

Do you get the golfing guilt’s?

Cheers, Andrea

PS. This is a post from ‘left field’, to tackle a challenge that I hear a lot. Be keen on your feedback, please leave a comment, before you leave this page.

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Envision yourself as smart, competent, articulate, poised and admired…

If you did envision yourself as all of the above, how different would your life be? 

Would you approach challenges in a different way?

Would you be the person you want to be?

Would you be achieving the successes that you desire and deserve?

We are the only people who determine how we see ourselves, and too often we down play our achievements, our skills and talents.  If we do not speak positively about ourselves, then how can we expect others to?

Many times when I work with clients on this challenge, the response is “My successes should speak for themselves, I should not have to boast about them”.  In some ways this is true, however, if you are challenged by acknowledging your successes to yourself, then how will anyone else know about them?  Also, if those around you, who are busy, end up missing your successes, then how can ‘they speak for themselves’?

We need to acknowledge our strengths, skills, talents and successes, and be able to speak about them with pride.  We need to be our own leaders of our success, and lead the success.

We need to learn how to harness your own personal power.

If you struggle to envision yourself as smart, competent, articulate, poised and admired, then come and join me at my free online session ‘Become a great leader, without throwing away the real you’, which is on tomorrow, Thursday 25^th September at 12pm (AEST), click here to book your online seat.

Hope you can make it, it will be worth your while.

Be focused, be authentic, be you, be awesome…

Cheers, Andrea

stayingfocusedcoaching.com.au

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You are a great leader…

Truly, you are a great leader.  You have what it takes, to become the great leader you want to be, without throwing away the real you…

What can get in our way and prevent us from becoming the leader we want to be, is the time we give to the ‘self-doubting’ noise that surrounds us.  These can be thoughts we have about our own skills and talents; it can be the thoughts we have about what it takes to be a great leader; it can be comments from others around you about what leadership is; it can be not having the right support to become the great leader you want to become.

To become the great leader you want to become, it first starts with you wanting, truly wanting to become a great leader.  Striving and challenging yourself, to become the leader you want to become.

If any of these points resonate to you, then join me at my next free online session on Thursday 25^th September at 12pm(AEST), to learn how to become a great leader, without throwing away the real you.

Click here to book your online seat.

In this online session, I will share with you how to move from not really knowing and appreciating your true strengths, to being able to say without arrogance, who you are and how you add value.  Also, we will cover off on not waiting, but having the self-confidence to get the rewards, results, and recognition that you truly deserve and are capable of getting.  To achieve these results, it is time to stop letting things happen to you, but take ownership of your future and make it happen!

Give room in your world to the positive thoughts and support, and become the great leader you want to be, without throwing away the real you…

Hope to connect on Thursday 25^th September at 12pm (AEST), so click here to book your online seat.

 

Be focused, be authentic, be you, be awesome…

Cheers, Andrea

stayingfocusedcoaching.com.au

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Who allows you to be happy?

YOU!!!

I could finish the blog just here, because YOU are the only person who allows YOU to be happy, no one else.

YOU are the only one who decides to laugh at a joke, smile at an event, or to enjoy the moment.  YOU are the one who determines your thoughts and feeling.

I noticed the other day, that I let the ANTs get in (Anti-Negative-Thoughts), and I was very annoyed at myself for allowing them to get into my being.  I then challenged the moment that I was in and asked myself, why was I allowing these ANTs to even exist?  (It was an interested conversation I had with myself as I was walking down the street!!)  There was no substantial reason, except that one or two small things did not go my way…and so the ANTs saw an opening and they rushed in!  By acknowledging the situation and challenging and stamping on the ANTs, they went away.

I gave myself permission to destroy the ANTs and be happy.

If you are letting the ANTs in, shut the gap and STAMP on them, exterminate them.  ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE HAPPY.

Cheers, Andrea

Want to know more about me, drop over to my website www.stayingfocusedcoaching.com.au

When was the last time you scared the Sh#t out of yourself?

So, when was the last time you scared the Sh#t out of yourself?

When did you really challenge yourself, such as:

• Applying for a new job and resign,
• Go skydiving
• Start writing a book
• Say to someone, I love you

Some of these are challenging to us all, and some are not. But can you remember the last time you really challenged yourself, you might have thought “no not going to do or say that, what happens if it back fires on me!”  How did you feel after you took that first step and did it?

When this has happened to me, sometimes I will admit is has backfired, but then on reflection, I thought, well at least I tried, and what could I do to make it work next time? Other times it has worked out really well, and I have been angry at myself for doubting myself and waiting so long to do it!!! Really, I just should have done it.

My latest challenge to myself, and it is scary for me, is that I am writing a book, why, because I know I have information to share about coaching, and I am not a natural writer. From my regular readers, you would know that I am not a natural writer. So, I am writing a book, have just started, and the journey so far has been awesome. I have loved the research, and the actual writing of my thoughts, it is actually quiet refreshing. I have taken the leap, as I got some great advice about writing, and that was, JUST START, start anywhere, beginning, middle, finish, just start writing.

I have shared this action with a few people, and now it is out there on my blog, which is great, because it means I have to go through with my actions. OMG, I am actually going to have to produce a book. It does scare the Sh#t out of me, but excites me at the same time.

So, go on. Scare the Sh#t out of yourself, do something you have been putting off for ages.

Cheers, Andrea

What is your authentic narrative?

It is a slightly strange way to start a blog, but how do you want to be remembered?  I am not saying that you are about to drop off the perch or anything, however, as a leader at your work or even in your personal life, how do you want to be remembered?  By definition, a narrative is spoken or written account of something.  So, what spoken or written account would you like to be told about you, as a leader?

When I think about my narrative, I look at people who I have worked with and for in the past, and the awesome experiences that I have had, and how I would love to mirror some of their behaviours, and make them mine.  At the same time, I also think about some very “average” people who I have worked for and the invaluable lessons of what not to be, that I have learnt as well.  These thoughts all start to take shape, when I think about what authentic legacy and narrative that I as a leader would like to leave, when I move onto a new role.

How close are you now, to being your authentic narrative? 

What are you doing now to make your narrative become real?

If you want to be really brave, ask your boss, trusted peers and friends, about how they would describe you.  It might surprise you, with what you hear, I am hoping it is a nice surprise, I must add.  In turn, think about doing the same back to your peers and friends.

As we approach the weekend, and wind down, think of what is your narrative, and how close you are to living that narrative.

Fear, what is it with Fear?

Fear

This word has come up in a few coaching conversations recently, but also in discussions, in meeting and with colleagues.  It is an interesting four letter word, one which we use in so many different ways, about so many different things and stops us from doing so much!!  All, from one little four letter word.

F = Freaking out about the unknown.  Can freeze you in the present, preventing you from moving forward.

E = Eliminates so many possibilities for you.

A = Action stopper.

R = Regret.  It can provide you with so much regret.

Fear typically only last for a small moment, but the regret from not acting on that fear can last a life time.

Fear can stop us from taking on a fantastic career change, as our income source will not be as secure or you don’t know where it will lead.

Fear can stop us from introducing a new product or process, because it might fail.

Fear can stop us from giving feedback, even good feedback, as we are concerned about the response.

Fear can stop us from saying what we want, because we are concerned about the consequences.

Fear can stop us from understanding and being passionate about our own brand, because someone might not like it, or it is too different to others.

Fear can stop us from saying I Love You, in case the other person does not feel the same and rejects us.

Fear can stop you from travelling to new destinations or even jumping out of a plane.

How is fear stopping you from going forward?  It is just a four letter word.

Reframe something that you are fearful of, and see what happens, when you look at it from another point of view.

Imagine the possibilities of changing a career!  Go on, reframe your fear.