3 KEYS TO PERSISTENCE

What do you want to happen? Do you have a plan? Are you sticking to the plan? Is your discouragement keeping you from sticking to the plan?

Whatever is in your plans, from getting a new job to obtaining a healthier weight to cleaning the bathroom, persistence is the key to getting the work done and accomplishing your goals. There is an old saying, “plan the work and work the plan.”

It can be hard to “work the plan” when there are a myriad of impediments and reasons that get in the way of getting it done.

Key 1 – Is it YOUR priority?

If it isn’t at the top of your priority list, you won’t get it done. If it isn’t important to you, it just won’t happen. Ask yourself: “Is this important to me? Do I really want to do this?”

If the answer is yes, then focus on the solutions to your goal. Perhaps the reason you see so many impediments, roadblocks and reasons not to do it, are that you are focusing on them, instead of focusing on the solutions. If you don’t really want to do something, you will see every reason not to do it. If you really want to do something, you may not even notice the roadblocks. If you do see them, your perception will be that it is just a bump in the road, not a full-on roadblock.

For example, I’m trying to get to a healthier weight. When invited out brunch, what should be my focus? All the delicious food? The people I’m dining with? Just the healthy, low fat/low calorie food? Right, I should focus on the people I’m with and the food options that will support my goal of a healthy weight. Yes, it means passing up on eggs Benedict (a favorite), but I can eat all the fruit I want. I can have scrambled eggs with asparagus. I focus on the fruit for dessert. When I have reached my target weight, then I’ll come back for eggs Benedict in my skinny jeans!

Key 2 – Don't Worry about Criticism

Do the very best you can with what you have available at the time. That is all anybody can expect. Your best will change over time. Your best will change from moment to moment and day to day. Just do the best you can at that particular time. Under any circumstances, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

When you do your best, you learn to accept yourself. However, be aware and learn from your mistakes. Learning from your mistakes means you practice, look honestly at the results, and keep practicing. You know you are doing your best when you are enjoying the action or doing it in a way that is positive for you and those around you.

Analyze your own mistakes and draw out the lessons you learned. Apply the lessons you learn so you don’t repeat your mistakes. Life is a learning experience. Action is about living fully and expressing what you are is taking action.

Remember too, that unjust criticism is often a disguised compliment. So if people criticize, ask, “What is this really about? Is it justified? What is the evidence?”

Key 3 – Keeping Your Energy and Spirits High

How do you keep your spirits and energy high? Get enough sleep. Rest before you get tired. Learn to relax. Eat right and exercise. These basics are basics for a reason. This will provide the foundation you need to deal with challenges. If you are rested, you have the brain-power to think of solutions. A creative mind is a rested mind.

If you are tired, if you aren’t eating right, you will not have the physical stamina to be resilient to setbacks and challenges. When you are resilient, you can face challenges and take them in stride. When you are tired, doubt creeps in. Once doubt has a foothold, insecurity moves in and confidence moves out. Then you’ve lost before you really began.

Focus on thing at a time. Give that part of the whole, your full attention. You’ll be surprised and pleased at how fast you’ll move through it. Do things in the order of their importance. That way you’ll always be ready for the next step. When you face a problem, solve it then and there if you have the facts necessary to make a decision. Then move on. Don’t second-guess. Don’t analyze it to death. Just move on to the next part or next step.

Put enthusiasm into your work. As long as you have to do it, do it enthusiastically. See last week’s Resistance is Futile if you have questions. Even if you don’t really feel all that enthusiastic in the beginning, do it wholeheartedly.

This week’s coaching questions:

I sprinkled many questions through out the article to sharpen your thinking. It all comes down to:

What are you doing to make your goal happen?

1.       Write down all your “priorities” now. What number is the goal? Honestly, how much of a priority is it to you?

2.      Are you letting criticism get in your way? Are you consistently doing your best?

3.      Are you focusing on one thing at time, enthusiastically?

4.      Are you planning the work and working your plan?

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

Layoff Preparation

Do you suspect a layoff might happen at your company? Take a proactive approach. These days one never knows when a once flourishing company might throw in the towel or layoff a large portion of its workforce. It is a good idea to become as aware as you can of your employer’s financial health. Look for red flags that may warn you of impending actions. This is not to say you should stay on “red alert” all the time. Just pay attention. Being ready in advance can ease a bad situation and make it a little less desperate. Warning Signs Ask yourself, “Have there been layoffs, mergers, downsizing in other companies similar to mine?” So many industries are in decline, and job losses are inevitable. Are you seeing people around the office you’ve never seen before? Are people meeting in closed conference rooms? Have any long-term plans been put on hold? If your gut tells you that something is up, you are probably right. Your next steps can be important for your future. Build your Network First, get in contact with everyone you know through your business. Check in with them. Ask how they are doing. This reminds them of your existence, and, as you chat, you may find out important information. You also get to check that you have current contact info for them. Strengthen and expand your network. You have a multitude of reasons for contacting them while you are still employed. Don’t limit yourself to colleagues. Call vendors, clients, co-workers. Everyone you know. Remember to build your personal network too. Family, friends, neighbors and the parents of your kids’ friends are all an extension of your network. Find opportunities and aggressively shop yourself. It is a cliché and still true – networking is the single most effective way to find a job. Dust Off the Ol’ Résumé Getting your résumé out and up to date is one of your first steps. This is your critical marketing piece – make it work for you. Line up your references now, so they are good to go when you need them. Taking a Proactive Approach If your company is in trouble, you may not get the benefit of a severance package, cushy, or otherwise. If the economy is afflicting your industry, you may not find a job with a competitor quickly. Perhaps the most distressing aspect of job loss is the loss of income. Now is the time to reorganize your finances so that your expenses are as low as possible. Consider making a budget. Scrutinize your expenses. You may be surprised at how much money you need and how much you waste. Start that emergency fund now. By taking the time now to evaluate your financial picture, you will save yourself stress later on and you’ll make prudent spending decisions. New Doors It’s a good idea to gear up for a potential layoff by taking on new tasks at your current employer. You can also develop additional expertise that will be valuable to your employer. Even if these don’t protect you from a layoff, they will increase your value to your next employer. This may be the time to switch to an industry in which jobs are more plentiful. Health care and education are seeing employment gains. And, if you can use your current skills in an area that will receive funding from the new economic-stimulus plan, even better. Keep yourself up to speed by perusing publications related to your current field. If you are thinking about transitioning into a new field, read the publications of that field and learn the target industry’s lingo, recent history and developments. You will likely find more opportunities in smaller companies or nonprofits, since roles in these organizations tend to be less specialized. Staying Positive Use your time creatively and wisely. Build your network; look for new doors to open. The silver lining of a layoff may be the job of your dreams. Think about what job would really suit you. Embrace change – it is inevitable anyway. Change will give you a whole new view and that is empowering. This may be the time to pick up a new hobby to distract you from dwelling on the negative. Remaining positive will help you deal with the stress of uncertainty. Let me know how you are preparing to deal with a potential downsizing. Share your experiences in the comments section. Or, send me an email to eal@EALCoaching.com . I’d love to know what you are doing to stay positive or how you are coping with job loss. A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream. Warmly, Elisabeth Elisabeth Adler-Lund Executive And Life Coaching Telephone: 916 • 803•1494 E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

Make Room for Yes, By Saying No

If we were to float up and hover above our daily life and look at all the things that make it up. At all the people and things that are part of it. At what we do with each minute of our 24 hours, each and every day. How much of that have we chosen? The truth is, at some level or another, we chose all of it. If there are things, we don’t feel like we chose, we certainly chose to allow them to continue. So if we have all this choice, how come we reach points from time to time where life seems incredibly cluttered and pressured? Perhaps we lost sight of what we’re saying yes to and no to... and why. Ask yourself: What was I doing this time last year? How much of what I have done in the past year contributed to the goals I had set for this year? Did I reach or make substantial progress toward my goals? How much of what I am doing is contributing towards my goals? If you’ve ever heard yourself say yes when you meant no, you know how bad that feels. I believe that we all have this situation to a greater or lesser extent. Perhaps we over-commit ourselves to work or other areas, try to fit too much into our time, attempt to do lots of things at once, find ourselves doing things that don’t energize us and perhaps in some cases drain us. So what can we do about it? Clear the clutter! The secret to spring cleaning your life is in those simple words ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Are there situations, commitments or people in your life that you’re regularly saying yes to, that you’d like to say no to? How much time could you free up by saying no to things that don’t give you anything and that you don’t enjoy? What could you do with that time instead? When you say "yes" to too many things, you overdose on stress. It’s an addiction that’s hard to shake. Maybe you fear offending a friend or colleague or are simply a hard core over-achiever. Whatever the circumstances, consider this therapy. Saying "no" to some things means saying "yes" to others. Always doing urgent things usually excludes important things. Decide what your highest priorities are and be brave. By consciously looking at what we don’t want to be doing with our time, we clear out the clutter and make space for a better quality of life. We open up our time for the things we enjoy, clearing the way for new opportunities to have fun and to grow. How refreshing will that be!

To what will YOU say yes and no? If this has struck a chord with you, take action now and answer these questions one at a time, making notes as a reminder:

• What do you spend your time on that you'd like to say no to?
• By saying no to these things, what will that free up time for?
• If you were to put yourself first, what commitments, situations and people would you be saying no to?
• What will you say yes to instead?

Implementing saying "No:" Usually the last question above is were articles/blogs/speeches end. All motivation and then you are left with "real life" and the fallout from saying no to someone. So here is some guidance on delivering the no. Involve the other people in your life in your planning. Pull out your planning device and let people know what you've got going. Including others in the decision helps shed light on what really matters most. Particularly those people who are affected by those plans. By involving them in the planning, they will see early on in the process that something has to give. They may volunteer to take you out of an activity so that you may work on your goals. A volunteered no … woo hoo! When you say "no," rephrase it. Make it sound more positive like, "I am honored you'd ask me, yet for a number of reasons..." Recognize they will be disappointed, but don’t buy the guilt trip. That trip won’t take you anywhere. Also, don’t play the "my goals are bigger (better, more important, …) than yours" game. Say no cordially, but firmly. If your goals are for your job, involve your boss and maybe colleagues. If you tie your goals to the boss’s goals or company goals, your boss will probably be enthusiastic and may help you develop a personal work-plan that can include training and/or assignments to get you there. Recognize that the boss may buy-in to it later, so stay focused on your goals. If you have ever flown in a commercial airline, you know the safety speech. "In the event of an emergency, place the oxygen mask on yourself first. Then…" Putting yourself first is not selfish. That is how you are best able to help others, from a position of health, strength and consciousness. If you run around putting oxygen masks on others first, you’ll pass out and just be in the way. If something sucks the oxygen out of your life, just say no. Make taking care of you a top priority. So take some quiet time and choose the "yes’s" and "no’s" for your life. In Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll wrote, "If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there." Plan your life’s trip so you take the road that will get you to where you want to go.

Contact me now for your complimentary consultation and begin making room for "YES" in your life. Telephone: 916 • 803•1494 E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com