What is the point of making new year’s resolutions, intentions, or ambitions for you?

Are they to achieve something important? To acquire new accolades? Or simply to gain material things that add to the joy of life?

As an avid goal setter for 10 years now (…in fact, the date of my first entry in the notebook where I write my goals is January 2, 2002. Exactly ten years ago), I’ve set my share of grand ambitions and planned for smaller pleasures.

I’ve covered the range from traveling to far away places, experiencing some of the world’s most fascinating events, and learning new skills to advance my career, health, finances and relationships.

When I look back on my list, there is a strong theme of ‘accomplishment’. I wanted to accomplish things and experience stuff and by-and-large, I did just that.

Yet along my journey my perspective has changed.

I’m in a much different place in my life now than I was ten years ago, let alone 3 years ago when I was a marketing career man working 50-60hrs a week while trying to do it all. However, I’m still as ambitious as ever and my list of goals continues to grow.

But I’ve realised there is a more important purpose to my plans.

I believe there is a very important ingredient to successfully achieving your dreams that is usually forgotten and often unknown. And that is this:

We don’t set goals for what they give us, we set goals in order to become the person we need to become in order to live the life that we want.

You might want to read that statement again.

Who do you need to become this year to achieve your goals?

• A person of stronger faith and conviction for what you believe in?
• A person of deeper courage to face your challenges and succeed?
• A person with a bigger purpose and daily motivation to blast through any setbacks and barriers?
• A person that inspires others to raise their standards?
• A leader by example and a person of your word?

For all of your exciting or scary plans for the year ahead, I encourage you to add this dimension to your plan of attack.

If you haven’t written down your goals for 2012 yet, then do so this week.

And along side those goals, try to identify who you would need to become in order for that to become a reality. What part of your inborn courage, strength, love, compassion, resiliency, enthusiasm, creativity and ambition needs to shine? What elements of your personality need to drive your decisions and actions? What inside of you needs to determine your daily behaviour?

Who will you become in 2012?

Leave us a comment and share how you would like to grow this year. How can we help you?

It may be arbitrary but the turn of a new year is a perfect opportunity to set a plan for what you want to experience, create, have and do over the next 12 months.

Part of what spurns us on to thinking about our future is the middle of December to early January, for most, is a time where we have time less time at work and spend more time with friends and family. This end of year cycle is a perfect catalyst for reconnecting with what matters most.

But knowing what matters (or what you want to achieve) and making it so are wildly different things.

Having spent a huge portion of my adult life investigating what makes the difference between ‘those who achieve what they want’ and ‘those who try but don’t, or don’t really try at all’, I’ve learnt that 99% of the time it comes down to five factors.

Five factors that are within your control.

1. Clarity

It’s near impossible to succeed when you don’t know what success looks like for you. Most people — not a general statement but a quantifiable one from surveying hundreds of people — have a loose, or vague, or ill-defined outcome they are working so hard for. Check this with yourself: What are you currently working so hard for, putting in lots of time and energy? Do you know what specifically you want to have or feel when you’re done?

Pick one goal or dream or intention you want in your life in 2012 and spend focused time on getting clear and specific on what that final outcome looks like, feels like or does for you.

Clarity is an essential starting point.

2. Conviction and Motivation

Let’s face it, with all the demands in our lives today it is incredibly challenging to stay on track with what you want and not get pulled in dozens of directions from distractions and other people’s requests. That’s life! And it’s your job to keep your most important things front and centre in your life.

Yet even when it’s on our to do list we still need conviction to put in the day-to-day investment – sometimes baby steps and other times giant leaps of faith – to keep working at it.

For your main goals in 2012, strengthen your motivation to make consistent progress. Get clear on WHY you want to do this. Summarise all the benefits you — and those around you — will gain from achieving this goal and reflect on that list on a very regular basis.

3. A plan for inaction

If you’re clear and inspired to take action you still need a plan to get it done. However, you also need to prepare how you’ll respond when things don’t go your way, when you get sidetracked or disillusioned at your results along the way. How will you respond to setbacks? How will you get yourself out of a rut of frustration, procrastination or overwhelm?

Successful goal achievement is not just about taking action but it’s mostly about how to overcome the hurdles along the way.

Here are three sentences worth completing when you sit down and design your action steps:

If I get frustrated with lack of progress, in order to keep going or find a better way I will….

If I find days or weeks passing by without taking any action towards my goals, I can get back on track by….

If I’m really stuck and not sure where to begin, or am overwhelmed by everything I need to do, I can ease my way forward by…

4. Habits of Success

As Aristotle noted long, long ago, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit”. Our day-to-day behaviour is largely driven by our habits.

Habits of behaviour, thoughts and feelings. For example, do you have habits that build physical health or erode it? What is your ritual the first moment you turn on your computer at the start of the day – productive work or guilty pleasures?

Your success in the next year is a direct reflection of the balance sheet of your habits — those that serve you in achieving your goals and those that prevent you from getting closer to them.

What habits will you need to create for your big goals? Which habits do you need to eliminate in order to make consistent (and enjoyable) steps towards living the life you want?

5. Be open and seek support from others

You’re not always going to have the answers, the willpower or the energy necessary to take action. No great things are achieved in isolation.

Collaborate with others on solving the problems in your way. Find a quick tip via Google. Get a coach or mentor to help you to navigate to your end destination. Join a like-minded online community to gain ideas and a network of enthusiastic supporters.

For all of your goals, identify a Top 3 list of people, tools or resources you can tap into when you’re stuck or when you simply start to feel your motivation fade. Nip it in the bud and get back on track!

This is where the magic happens. If you fail to address these Big Five you’re likely headed for a year of missed opportunity, frustration or regret. So give yourself the gift of spending quality time thinking – and writing – through all of these. It’s a wonderful way to kick start your year with optimism and vibrancy.

You’ll be hearing a lot more from ActionPodcast on these points in 2012 and we look forward to helping you achieve fun and rewarding success throughout the year.

At the beginning you feel like you’ve thought everything through and you’re really motivated to get going. Everything seems to be going great! Your plans have paid off and your journey towards your goal couldn’t seem easier.

So… why do you begin to slip?

Unless something happens to get you back on track, your goals seem to fade into obscurity.

You find yourself missing the odd gym session, and not being quite as organised. Whatever it is, you can feel yourself slipping back into your old ways. Unless something happens to get you back on track, your goals seem to fade into obscurity and before you know it, weeks have passed since you did anything you initially planned so hard for.

Often you can come up with a whole host of reasons why things faded away. But it always boils down to one thing:

Being accountable for your own actions gets harder

More important than what happens, is how and why it happens. There can be a whole host of reasons:

• You don’t feel you are progressing fast enough, so things get boring
• You find the going gets tough and other things seem to keep getting in the way, so you start to let them
• You aren’t sure you even want this goal anymore. You find it hard to remember why you thought this was a good idea!

I’m sure you can think of lots of other reasons, but the great news is that the solution is always the same.

GET ACCOUNTABLE!

If any of the above sounds familiar to you, then now is the moment to change it. Get someone else to hold you accountable to your own goals. Share with them your reasons for wanting them in the first place. Other people seem to have an amazing memory for repeating your own words back at you! If you feel things start to get tough, tell someone, ask for help, advise, tips, tricks, anything to help you get over your current hurdle. Finally, give them permission to check in on you once in a while to see how things are going.

You can even ask me to personally help you with this. Just drop me an email with what it is you are trying to achieve. I’ll help you keep that motivation bubbling along. An even more effective method, is for you to post your goal, plan and any expected hurdles here in the comments below, or on our Facebook page.

So there you have it, Email / Comment  or Facebook. Choose whichever one feels it will be the most effective for you. Let us, help you.

Unable to complete tasks due to outside forces?

Chris and Gina discuss ways in which we invite distractions (often without realising it) into our lives and the impact this has personally and professionally.

Find out how you can acknowledge your distractions and take practical steps to minimise their impact.

“Do you think that the more formal process of goal setting works better for everybody, and everyone should use it to achieve more?”

Sam and Paul consider the options and situations where structured goal setting is really required, but admit themselves that they don’t always have to follow a rigid process to move towards their dreams.

Thanks Matt for a brilliant question!

When we started ActionPodcast in 2008 we didn’t know what it would lead to, we didn’t know if it would resonate with you, we didn’t know how long it would last. So we just got started, took small steps, and watched as it unfolded.

But we knew with absolute certainty that we needed to share our messages.

And today we achieved a major milestone of our 100,000th podcast download, now listened to by people in over 25 countries.

Our experiences as coaches — in helping people find their passions, breakthrough fears and old habits, reconnect with their authentic purpose, create compelling goals and dreams for their future – has taught us many lessons about generating confidence, pride and conviction to keep moving forward. And it’s given universal insights into how to successfully navigate through change.

Our experiences in our own lives – four different people with four very different backgrounds, challenges, achievements and disappointments – has reminded us time and time again, that you can ALWAYS change your destiny. Your past provides lessons but it doesn’t determine or limit your future.

So in blending our unique perspectives with our shared purpose in helping you to continuously move forward and create a future of happiness and success, we continued to take small steps of everyday action.

Slowly but surely people like you were thanking us for the little boost, the extra insight and the profound a-ha! moment that we helped them discover. Small steps towards exciting futures.

Your fellow blog reader let us know that they know longer feel overwhelmed or stressed by what used to cause so much anxiety. Small steps towards more calm.

Podcast listeners said thank you for easing their pain in times of deep loss. Small steps with gratitude and acceptance.

Readers of our eBook shared their excitement of trying – and succeeding with – one of the 80 tips, tricks and perspectives shifts. Small steps for more energy and enthusiasm.

Our clients challenged us on “Why small steps? I need to move fast, I want more, now!” We encouraged them to start with small steps for easy wins and to overcome recurring setbacks. Small steps to build momentum.

So today we’d like to turn the table and thank YOU for your ongoing support of us, for your feedback and enthusiasm you’ve given us, for the gratitude we have for all our listeners and readers, for the exciting future you’ve encouraged us to move towards.

We send you 100,000 thank you’s and look forward to our next 100,000.

Don’t get us wrong, small steps aren’t always the only solution.

But they often are the starting point.

In this podcast Paul and Gina discuss ways you can actually start getting motivated, what you can focus on to maintain momentum – and reach your intended goals. As both coaches have recently started back at the gym themselves, they will be posting weekly accountability blogs on our Action Podcast Facebook page – in an effort to keep their own momentum going!

One-tenth of 2011 is now gone. How was it for you?

Are you off to a flying start like an Olympic sprinter? Are you really making an effort to do what you want to do? Having more fun, checking off your to-do list with a steady flow of energy and optimism?

Or are you still stuck in the starting blocks? Putting off what really matters to you or perhaps waiting for some issues to clear before starting on your goals for the year? Maybe just postponing real action until you ‘feel more motivated’?

What you do, and how you behave in the first 1/10^th of the year can create massive momentum for the remaining 90% — both positive and encouraging momentum to continue to build on, and sluggish downward-spiral momentum that’s often hard to break away from.

Either way, the past has passed, and what’s done is done. The great news is there is still 90% of the year remaining!  So if you’re not off to an inspiring start, use today as your new beginning and promise yourself not to waste another minute!

It just comes down to the decisions we make right now: do I want more out of this year than last? How would I feel this time next year if I don’t try harder now? I will accept responsibility for my own success and happiness and make sure to take the actions necessary to making this a successful, happy, fun and exciting year and finally take control of living the life I want.

If you’re not sure where to get started, stay tuned for an exciting announcement from ActionPodcast.

This year at ActionPodcast, we have made the same promise – we are going to walk more of our walk and make the most of the next 90%, here’s our commitment: to do more to help you create extreme positive momentum in your life; encourage and inspire you to stay on track and on target for your ambitions and dreams; continue to help you get back up and dust yourself off whenever you fall down and life gets overwhelming.

And of course, there are loads of new helpful blog posts and insightful podcasts on our website to make sure you stay on path for taking everyday action in order to create a year you can really be proud of.  We’ll do it together.

Decide today to do one thing, just one small action right now, that will move you closer to what you want, and soon you’ll be doing more and more things that accelerate your success.

Leave a comment to let us know how your first 10% has been – good or bad – and how you’re going to make the next 10% even better.

The January focus on resolutions and new goals almost comes with a sense that if we want to change anything, we’ve got this narrow window of the 1st month of the year in which to make it happen. We might decide to lose weight, clean-out our house, get the garden ready for spring and take on more responsibility at work. We pick a handful of big goals for different areas of our lives that we want to improve, and think we’ll be able to tackle them all at once…

Aside from putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on ourselves, this approach is also ineffectual! Change can be challenging at the best of times, and if we try to do too much at once we may find we are setting ourselves up for failure. It is one thing to pick yourself up & get back on the horse after you’ve taken a fall, but if you’ve fallen off a chair, a motorbike and a cliff in that same week, then you’re unlikely to bounce back up again as easily.

And seriously – falling off the horse is inevitable (no matter what your goal)!

But it is our ability to get ourselves back on-track again that is the difference between success and failure.

So if you leave yourself (and your confidence) feeling so battered and bruised from the falls of multiple challenges, then chances are by March you’ll have abandoned all of them. Disappointed and disheartened, how likely are you to feel enthusiastic about tackling a new change any time soon?

This is definitely a case of (starting with) Less is More.

If you focus on just one or two goals instead, you’ll not only be much clearer about what it is you want to achieve, but you’ll find your confidence is much more resilient, and your efforts much more sustainable in the longer term.

So whilst you might want to save the world, start a new business, write 6 books, get healthy and have a social life in 2011, I’d encourage you to think about one (or two) key goals that you can really focus on this year. But how do you choose which ones are key?

1. Ask yourself: “If I get to the end of 2011 and I have (or have not) achieved this, how will I feel?”
2. Think about the reason why you want each goal, and explore the potential consequences & benefits of achieving them. Which one or two mean the most to you?
3. Remind yourself that it doesn’t mean you’ll NEVER do the other things – this is not a “No”, its just a “No, for now”.

You can always add another goal to your list later in the year – once you’ve got a few months of proof and confidence in the progress you’ve made with your original one.

P.S. If you are determined that 2011 is going to be different, and want it to be your best year yet – then we’re about to announce a really exciting new training event that you definitely won’t want to miss!

Not only will you have quadrupled your chances of staying on-track with your goals, but you’ll also be a lot clearer about your priorities and will make decisions much more easily.

Even if we only pick one or two things to focus on at the start of the year, we are bombarded with new ideas, new changes, new hurdles, new distractions almost constantly. And it is much easier to say no to extra things, and stay focused on what is most important, when you are really clear about what your top priorities are.

Leave a comment and let us know what one or two things you are choosing to focus on this year. Declaring it publicly is a great way to build power, momentum and motivation for YOUR top priority!

It’s a simple question: “How will this year be different for you?” Or perhaps more accurately stated, “How will you make this year different than last year?” Our societies and technologies today give us a gazillion things we can choose to do and pay attention to. What will you choose to do?

Of course, the answer will be different for all of us, but there are some universal ideas that can guide each of us. Borrowing from Brendon Burchard, here are four thoughts to take with you on your 2011 journey.

1. Bring the holiday spirit through the year

The holidays for most of us, represent a time of reconnecting with things and people that matter most to us, of sharing laughter with friends and family, of putting down the blackberry and iPad and just being present with our loved ones. It’s a time where we show appreciation at levels that is rarely seen or felt at other times of the year.

This year, in 2011, how can you show, and just ‘be’ at, new levels of appreciation for those you want in your life? How can you engage with them in more meaningful ways? And what will that do for the level of fulfilment you get from your relationships? How much of that will flow over to other parts of your life? I suggest probably even more than you think at this moment.

2. Build on your greatest lessons from last year

What were your 5 big lessons from 2010 in the person you are, your relationships, your business, your career, your health and vitality for everyday living? What did you learn from your struggles? What were your big successes and what difference did you make?

For this year to be different, you’ve got to think differently, and believe differently. You need a vision bigger than you are right now. You need to dare to shake things up a little, have bigger, bolder thoughts on what is possible. You need to be willing to leave your baggage behind, to shed your doubts and to carry forward in spite of your fears. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the taking of action in the face of your fear. For a more guided process of discovering your lessons from last year, read this previous post from ActionPodcast.

3. Make this a year of action and creation

Whatever your areas of interest, work, and hobbies are, place extra focus and attention on taking more action. Choose small steps over procrastination. Choose big steps to bust through your barriers. Always choose some sort of action instead of over analysis and worry. Place extra value on being effective and efficient rather than being perfect. Operating from a place of ‘creation’ is also an idea worth considering. By that I mean decide what things you’d like to create this year, for example, an even more fun and loving relationship with your spouse, a fantastic close-knit team at work, a healthy and fit new body. Adopting a mindset of ‘creation’ often brings with it more curiousity, fun, playfulness, joy, trial and error, than just treating everything like a chore on your to-do list. You enjoy the process more when trying new things and don’t worry so much if things don’t go exactly as planned.

How would your days and weeks be different if you showed up in a state of curiousity, fun, playfulness and joy more often? If you took more action and learned to love the process of creation?

4. Really, fully, completely LIVE this year

How you show up every day, week and month is ALWAYS your choice. Even when life has got you down, you can choose to stay down and wallow in self-pity, or you can choose to dust yourself off and move on. So this year, decide to be fully alive, to show up on more days with positivity, a healthy dose of friendliness and healthy energy, with more vibrancy and presence, showing more heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for what, and who, you have in your life.

How amazing would you feel if you just decided to be like that each morning? How would your life be different? And, how would that change the lives of those around you?

Make yourself proud. Make it special for those around you. Make 2011 bigger, bolder and more beautiful. Make it one to remember.

Leave a comment and let us know what you will do differently to make this a better year for you and those in your life.

Of all the self-growth practices, perhaps none is more vital than taking the best lessons from the past and using them to design your future.

So as we come of the end of yet another year, here are eight simple yet extremely powerful questions to ensure you capture the most empowering learning from the past year and use those insights and discoveries to propel you into an even more rewarding 2011.

But first, a word of caution and suggestion:  the answers to these questions can be life changing and should not be taken lightly. These questions should not be casually scanned over, with passive thoughts and weak conclusions. These questions are meant to be actively explored, investigated and participated in.  That said, let’s go for it!

Think back to this time last year. Where were you? Who were you spending time with? What were the stresses and joys in your life? What was the theme and major events of your winter, spring, summer and autumn? Where were you hoping you’d be today? Spend 5-10 minutes reminding yourself of what you experienced, created and contributed in 2010.

Take out your notepad or journal and write your answers to the questions below in some detail. Got your pen in hand? Great, here we go…

1. What did you love about your 2010? What were the special moments? What were your most significant achievements? What did you do that you didn’t think you could?

2. How does that make you feel on reflection? Happy? Proud? What are the emotions you remember from those moments? What do you feel as you relive those experiences?

3. What would you like to duplicate in 2011? Which activities, adventures, projects or events would you like to repeat? What would you like to create or share even more of? Where, or with whom, do you want to ensure you spend your time?

4. What did you hate about your 2010? What were you disappointed in? What were your biggest challenges? Where did you struggle the most or under-achieve versus your expectations?

5. What do you not want to happen again in 2011? Put emphasis and focus on things that you can control or can influence instead of unnecessarily worrying about things beyond your power.

6. What did you learn by going through these experiences? Despite the challenges or painful times, what did you learn, how were these experiences incredibly valuable or how did they positively serve you?

7. What decisions did you make in 2010 that were empowering for you? What were some of the most important decisions of the year for you?

8. With that insight, what decisions will you make in 2011 as a result, to make it an extra rewarding and fulfilling year? Building off your insights from the previous questions, what will you continue to do, where do you need to get extra help, what will you stop doing?

If you haven’t written your answers down yet, I really encourage you to do so this week. Set aside 30 minutes to really immerse yourself in this experience. You might just uncover the key to making 2011 an amazing year.

What special lessons are you going to take into 2011? Please leave a comment below, we’d love to hear what you learned from these questions.

It’s no surprise that a common theme amongst books today is ‘Leadership in Tough Times’.  It’s an interesting topic, and one that applies to the business world as much as it does to our own personal lives.

How do you respond in tough times, when life presents a ‘major problem’? Do you get angry and look to lay blame on others? Do you freeze like a deer in headlights, convincing yourself you don’t know what to do next? Maybe you seek shelter from the storm by running to a friend, the fridge or some other pleasure-seeking distraction? Do you just cover your head and hope it will go away?

Or do you behave in a way that empowers you? That enables you to rise to the challenge and accept responsibility for making a change? Have you developed emotional fortitude to confidently face the tough times and strengthen your willpower to overcome the odds?

On reflection, I realise I have developed a few core beliefs that help me to keep calm and determined when things get shaky, leaving extra reserves of emotional strength to lead myself and others towards better times.

1. There is no problem I can’t handle

I have a belief that God won’t give me a problem that I can’t handle. Regardless of how ferocious, colossal or down-right nasty the problem is, I trust that I will be able to handle it.

It doesn’t mean I will know the answer or enjoy dealing with it, or not freak out along the way. But rather, I have faith that my capacity – and the capacity within each one of us – to take on enormous challenges is always greater than we think it is. I will use my strengths, my creativity and my resourcefulness to find the solution and make it so. One bad problem does not overrule all the good I have in my life, and keeping it in perspective really helps.

Tough times won’t destroy you. You can handle it, and I know you will.

2. The bigger the problem, the more I will grow

As a powerful complement to that first belief, I know that when a problem lands, it’s just another occasion where I am going to be challenged to grow. It’s an opportunity to learn more about myself, my compassion and my abilities. The bigger the challenge the more I will have to dig deeper into my convictions, to use resources I forgot I had, to work on strengthening my will, my faith and take my next step forward.

I understand and recognise that it will teach me important lessons (including painful ones I don’t want to face) and cause me to come out on the other side a better, stronger man for the experience.

This isn’t a belief or perspective I’ve always had: it’s one that surfaced a few years ago and serves me very well to keep a level head and spend more time focusing on finding a solution, than dwelling in the pain of the problem. Pain is a part of life, suffering is a choice.

It sounds odd, but now on some level when a big problem arises, I actually get a little excited to see what I’m going to learn and how I’m going to grow from this. This has totally shifted my approach and empowers me like nothing before.

That’s not blind optimism; it’s a truth that is always there for you to see as soon as you decide to be open and look for it.

3. Leaders are made in tough times

It’s easy to be a leader when things are going well. Profits rising? What an outstanding CEO! Back-to-back championships? The captain and the coach are the greatest of all time! Yet, the true test of a leader is when things turn for the worst. Can she remain focused yet flexible to still achieve her goals? Can he rally the troops to not lose confidence and inspire them to dig deeper, work harder and become closer as a team?

I see tough times as a calling for me to step up and become the leader I am meant to be.

When the going gets tough, you need to believe, not doubt; to create, not destroy; to bond not separate; to step up and  defy the odds, set a new standard for yourself and those around you.

Having all these empowering beliefs, does not exempt me from misfortune and periods of immense pain. So when stuff happens I simply remind myself that ‘this too shall pass’.

All pain is temporary. Yes, the sun will rise again and there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Despite all your best intentions, keen desire and self-belief, sometimes you just can’t fix the situation. But hold on to the knowing that tough times won’t last forever. You CAN handle this, and the experience WILL enable you to become more of who you are meant to be.

How might these ideas help you to respond differently in the future? Leave a comment to share how you used to respond in tough times, or what you find works best for you in coping with big challenges. Other readers, and I, will appreciate hearing from you.

All of it actually, as I was born in 1970, October 5th to be precise. So
those of you quick off the mark will realise that very, very soon I’ll
be hitting the big 4-0.

As a child, I can recall thinking that in the year 2000 I would be 30
years old. It blew my mind to think that I would be a fully grown man
then, maybe even married. I even remember thinking ‘I wonder what I’ll
be like when I’m 40?’. But that was just a step too far for my young mind
to comprehend.

In my teenage years, I wished 30 would come quickly as I felt that being
a teenager I wasn’t taken seriously. It was a frustrating time. Feeling
old enough to understand the world I lived in, yet still treated like a
child without a clue.

In my 20s, I went a bit wild, to say the least. It was a rather ‘busy’
and hedonistic time that showed me glimpses of another world. That world
could have easily swallowed me whole, chewed me up and spat me out as
nothing but a quivering wreck or worse. Thankfully, I did manage to
survive my own escapades. And I learnt that what could best be described as addictive behaviour, if left unchecked, could have been the ruin of me.

Then I hit 30. It was the magical age I had dreamed of as a child. So
now I’m at the end of my 39th year, what did it really hold for me?

Everything I thought it would. I finally found and married my partner.
Whenever I look at the ring on my finger I feel proud. Especially as
being gay and married to a man is a triumph of the age we live in today
and that we reside in the UK. I live in an amazing apartment in central
London, with views (albeit obstructed) of the world famous Tower Bridge.
I became a coach, which has allowed me the privilege of being there for
people at a time when they needed help the most.

I created ActionPodcast.com with four amazing people, and it has taken us on the
most amazing journey of exploration, and the most exciting thing is that
it’s really only just started!

This proves to me that if you have the courage to dream, the rewards
will be greater than you could possible imagine.

What are your two magic words?

If you have downloaded the podcast from iTunes remember to post a review and visit our website at ActionPodcast.com to leave a comment or contact one of the presenters directly. Sign up to receive the podcast directly to your inbox, plus an additional weekly blog post! You’ll also be the first to receive a copy of our new e-Book.

I’ve learned that we – the average, everyday person – are capable of changing our lives in numerous ways, dramatic ways (!) and faster than most might believe. Many people are wanting or hoping to improve their situation in some way: to lose weight, save more money, develop more meaningful relationships, take on more interesting or engaging hobbies, travel more, give back more, and the list goes on. Many just want to feel alive again.

So what is stopping us and what can we do about?  In our world today, it is so easy to get overwhelmed with all the choices and distractions that surround us continuously. Information overload is a new problem of the 21st century. The subsequent setback is that overwhelm usually leads to inaction. Our brain gets flooded with ideas, reasons, excuses and worries – clouding our best intentions and completely confusing us on what to do next.

This in turn kills our momentum and blocks our progress. Over time, lack of motivation sets in and it’s a slow, steady decline into a less than totally-fulfilled life of ‘same-old, same-old’ mixed in with regrets of what could have been. Before we know it, we have settled for ‘our lot in life’ and forget to imagine anything more for ourselves. This naturally leads to frustration and guilt about the gap between where we expected we’d be and where we actually are in our lives.

In my quest to understand the difference between those that do and those that don’t, and through all the “success strategies” and “inspirational stories”, the “best advice” and “insider secrets”, there is one success tip that stands above all the rest and never fails. One that the world’s greatest do consistently, and where those just starting their journey always begin.

When in doubt, take baby steps.

Nothing will build momentum more directly. Nothing will get you climbing the life ladder faster. Nothing will start to rebuild your confidence sooner.

When in doubt, take baby steps.

When you feel frustrated that you’re behind on your progress, just do one thing, no matter how small or inconsequential it may seem at the time, towards the direction of your goal. When you’re afraid at the mountain you’ve got to climb, just focus on taking the first step. When you’re stressed you won’t be able to do it perfectly, start by taking your best shot and adjust as you go, but just start.

When in doubt, take baby steps.

Baby steps may feel insignificant at first, but they are always better than standing still. Baby steps may feel too slow, but you will quickly gain momentum. Baby steps may feel too weak for your massive dreams, but they give you immeasurable strength to keep moving.

Take baby steps, and you stop doubting.

Stop doubting and you start believing (again).

Start believing, and you start moving forward.

Start moving forward, and you begin moving faster.

The only way to achieve what is important to you, to create a fulfilling life, and to live life on your terms, is to continue moving forward. Press on when the odds are against you, keep walking when the road gets rough and soon you’ll be looking back at the miles you’ve travelled, one baby step at a time.

When you think it’s too late to change, it isn’t, it’s simply time to take the first step, a baby step, and before you know it, you’ll be exactly where you want to be, taking giant strides once again, and watching your life become as fulfilling as you know it is meant to be.

What baby steps can you take right now? What is one action that you can do today to get unstuck? Leave a comment to let us know how this thought helped you and you will inspire other readers to do the same!

Our society seems to relentlessly push us to want more and need more. “Do more with less” is a common mantra in today’s businesses, cutbacks in staff means to continue on the path of ‘getting ahead’ you simply need to put your head down, nose to the grindstone and work harder. All in the name of more. However, there is another side.

If you surveyed a group of people, and asked them for one word that describes success, they will come up with terms such as (examples in brackets):

• Progress (taking steps towards, see/feel improvement)
• Achieve (promotion, salary rise, award)
• Gain (knowledge, skills, health)
• Grow (confidence, talents, relationships)
• Acquire (insights, partnerships, tools)

Any of those terms could apply to your health, finances, spirituality, business or career, and relationships. “If it’s not growing, it’s dying” as the saying goes.

All of those points are true, accurate, and an important part of any success equation. But there is an equally important, equally powerful yet commonly overlooked part of the success equation.

Often, on our road to our own success, we reach a point where not only do we need to continue to acquire, but we also need to let go.

The flip side of the terms listed above are all incredibly important for you to continue on your journey to fulfilment and satisfaction:

• Release
• Relinquish
• Let go
• Leave
• Die

You got to where you are by all your actions, attitudes, beliefs and values you’ve adopted over the years. However, to get to where you want to go and be in your life, sometimes (…more than you realise) you need to let some things die.

For example, beliefs that no longer serve you, habits that hold you back, relationships that prevent your progress.

By embracing the ‘letting go’ side of success and deciding what you no longer need to hold on to in order to achieve your ambitions and desires, you will be liberated.

Take the following 3-minute audit now and decide what you should let go of today, in order to truly fulfil your potential, achieve your goals, or simply make a bit more progress every day.

Think of one area of your life where you are striving for more success than you are currently experiencing. Here are seven questions to help you to take action now:

• What is holding you back from making more progress, quicker progress, easier progress?
• What are your beliefs about what it takes to make the progress you want?
• Are all those beliefs true? Are you sure?
• What are your daily habits that might feel good or helpful in some way but don’t fully allow you to make the progress you want?
• What is more important to you—making progress towards your goals, or staying where you are?
• What is more risky for your long term success and fulfilment—moving forward despite the fear or feelings of discomfort, or staying trapped in your comfort zone?
• What is one thing you no longer need to have (extra plate of food?), do (constantly multi-task?), or be (a worrier?) in order to achieve your outcome?

Answer those questions now and it will become clear what you need to leave behind in order to really achieve the level of success you desire…and the success you deserve.

Leave a comment below to let us know what you’d like to let go, or where you’d like some additional suggestions on how to make this part of the success equation work for you.

Research shows that people that are stressed and overwhelmed spend less than 25% of their time on things that are fulfilling to them. This can be at work and at home and at play. Are you being distracted from the important? Under demand from other people’s requests? Under delusion that the majority of your time on certain tasks is the best or fastest way to achieve your desired outcome? Of course, we all spend time in these phases, and indeed we need to spend time on the not-so-urgent-or-important duties during our days and weeks.

But every once in a while we need to take a step back. When is the last time you stopped? Took stock of where your time and attention is going, and should go? What is working for you (i.e. when are you at your best, where are you most productive and/or fulfilled, how are you managing your time and attention, where are you not coping as well as you’d like to)?

By the way, this doesn’t need to be a deep, soul-searching exercise. It can be a simple health check or audit of what’s happening right now in your life and what you could do to improve and increase your happiness or zest for life, work, family, friends, community, spirituality, and so on.

It’s a simple exercise of looking back on recent times and asking yourself the questions above. In just a few minutes of honest reflection your 20/20 hindsight will provide great foresight on how to easily and effortlessly take steps towards improvement and progress.

Do this without harsh judgment or beating yourself up for things that aren’t quite where you want them to be, just the process of this simple task will take you that much closer to everything you want to achieve. Even if you’ve struggled for a while or know you’ve procrastinated on making a change – that’s life, you’re human just like me. So if your initial reaction is self-blame or doubt, change it instead to one of gratitude that you care enough about yourself and are willing to live life more on your terms. Take the time to stop, acknowledge where you’d like to improve, and simply turn your attention to helpful and easy ways to take immediate steps in the right direction.

Here’s a simple guide (and secret of highly productive and consistent producers of excellence) on how and when to do this:

One minute per day: Before you lay your head on your pillow, reflect on the day and ask, ‘What was great about today?’ How can I make tomorrow even better?’ Be specific in your answers. Simple, easy, wonderfully rewarding.

One hour per week: Schedule and commit to one hour per week to reflect back on the previous week. How did you do? Did you complete what you wanted to? Did you get the outcomes you were hoping for? What can you do differently to effectively and efficiently manage your days/time/attention/energy this upcoming week? What are your priorities and outcomes for next week? Personally, I find first thing Saturday morning a great time to do this.

One day per quarter: Schedule and commit to one full day every three months to reflect back on the previous 90 days. Where have you seen great results and progress? What are the trends in how or where you under-delivered against your expectations? What can you start doing, or better yet, what will you commit to changing during the next 90 days. Be sure to look at all major areas of your life: health & vitality, finances & wealth creation, relationships with your partner & friends (separate out your partner from other friends or family), hobbies & interests, spirituality & community. You can also expand this to include your relevant professional categories. Make it a fun exercise and engage others in the hindsight and foresight exercise where appropriate. One full day might seem like a lot…but how much will you gain over the next 90 days from a 6-8 hour investment in planning ahead. (Hint: far more than you can imagine!). Personally, the last Friday or Saturday of March, June, September, December are great triggers to remind me to do this. You can also use the first day of Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter.

One weekend per year: A lot can happen in your life (and a lot can be delayed) in a year so it — and living the life that you want and deserve (!) — demands quality reflection and projection forward. Schedule and commit to two days at the end of the year to reflect on your previous goals and desires for the past year, the victories and defeats, the joys and sorrows. Where are you versus where you expected to be? What is going to make the next year different? Who are you becoming? How can you change or grow to become the person you want to be? What 20/20 hindsight can you use as foresight for an extraordinary year ahead? How much could you set yourself on an exciting and rewarding path with two full days of stopping, reflecting and planning ahead? (Hint: far more than you can imagine!)

20/20 hindsight is always there. So is your ability to reflect on these insights and turn them into powerful and empowering foresight for designing and living the life you’ve always imagined.

Start treating yourself to this gift today.

Chris

How is it that millions of people want something that is important to them, is absolutely possible to achieve, will provide tremendous benefits and rewards, yet they fail so miserably at getting what they want?

Here are three key reasons why New Year’s resolutions don’t work:

1) Most resolutions are made in response to something negative. Lose weight, get out of debt, stop smoking. They are based on a habit or situation someone wants to change or end. While these are valid things to change, it’s really hard to build momentum by ending something negative. It requires focus on something you don’t want.

2) Most people don’t understand what it takes to truly create lasting change or results. Resolutions and goal are just words, but results require action – and usually consistent and massive action. Most people want something big to change yet don’t get crystal clear on what action will be required, what new information or knowledge they need, what new skills they need or what old habits must be broken that will hold them back. Trying harder is never the solution, trying different is.

3) Most people don’t establish the right environment of support for the goal. After bolding claiming to themselves and their friends what they will do, most people try (or suffer) in private to make the change. Combined with points 1 and 2 above, without effective influence, support, collaboration it can be a daunting challenge that can quickly lose momentum.

2010 doesn’t have to be this way for you. Here’s a quick solution for your resolutions:

1) Describe a compelling outcome you really want. Rather than losing 20 lbs, turn it to the positive: I want to be a vibrant and healthy 120lbs so I can play with my children for hours, wear that slinky dress and have more energy to give to my partner.

2) Write down exactly WHAT you want, and describe in detail WHY that is important. When you get really connected to the WHY, that’s when the energy, enthusiasm and excitement builds. Then detail the HOW, the specific steps and actions you need to take. Complete it with a measurable timeframe. Most importantly, review your top goals daily, and all goals monthly to keep you on track.

3) Create an empowering environment around you. Supportive friends, daily reminders posted on your wall or mirror, throw away all junk food, de-clutter your home to give you more focus. If those goals are really compelling, you will do whatever it takes to ensure you make consistent progress towards your goals.

If you’re not already subscribed to Action Podcast, you can do so on the right side of this page. You’ll receive weekly inspiration, insights and motivation to keep you going from four experienced coaches. That’s another way to keep you on track, on purpose and energized throughout the entire process.

Best wishes for a successful and rewarding 2010!

The first decision is making the big decision, such as, “I’m going to get healthier”, “I’m going to spend less so I can save more”, “I’m really going to work on getting more customers”. Those are examples of the broader, or macro, decisions to address some area of your life. These are the kind of decisions that people are very good at proclaiming on New Year’s Eve as a resolution for the coming 12 months. Yet, the reason most people don’t get the results that they want, is that they are poor at consistently making the little daily decisions, or micro decisions, that really lead to the results they want.

And here’s why: most people make decisions based on who they are now, the skills they now have or the beliefs they now hold.

But if you’re a person who is aching for change and really wanting to get different results (e.g. more health, more wealth, more happiness, etc), you can’t make decisions based on who you are now.

The best advice I’ve ever received is this: make decisions as if you were the person you want to become.

Consider this example, you want to be healthier by going to the gym in the morning 4 days a week. You want it really badly but you struggle sometimes to get out of bed. You’re alarm goes off at 6am, you wake up and decide to lay there for another 15 minutes. At 6:15 you decide you need some more rest since you have a big day ahead of you and you can go to the gym tomorrow. That’s just not going to get you to your goal is it?

However, if you begin to make decisions as if you were a healthy active person, then you would begin to get out of bed as soon as the alarm went off and head to the gym regardless of how tired or unmotivated you actually felt in that moment. Act as if you were motivated. Act as if you loved going to the gym. And if you continued to make that decision on a consistent basis, and took that action on a regular basis, you’d soon become more healthy.

I recognise this can be easier said than done so contact one of the Action Coaches and listen to our motivational podcasts to learn some very simple and very effective techniques to make better decisions and consistently take the action you need in order to become the person you want to become.

Fear not, my friend. There is a better strategy to find that motivation, and more precisely, to discover your ultimate motivation.

There are four dimensions to motivation as illustrated in the graphic on the right. Let me explain.

4 dimensions of motivation

External motivation comes from things or people outside of you, such as your family, your boss, and the economy. Are you going through med school because your parents want you to be a doctor? Are you motivated to save money because there is a recession?

Internal motivation comes from within you, when you are inspired to do what you want to do and go after things that are important to you. You exercise because it makes you feel healthy and vibrant, you apply for that job because you like the challenge and growth opportunities.

Push motivation is often doing things because you have to, and if you don’t you’re likely to feel some sort of pain. You stop smoking because your doctor says you’re lungs will stop working, you work extra hours because your boss needs that report done. It’s as if someone (likely yourself) is pushing you from behind. Think of your daily To-Do list! Most of that is likely a ‘push’ to get stuff done.

Pull motivation is usually from doing things because you not only want to but also because you are inspired to. You are literally pulled into that compelling future, like a magnet drawing you towards a really exciting experience, result or achievement. Think about your bigger aspirations like having a beautiful family life, or traveling to new countries to explore and learn about different cultures.

Ok, I get it Chris, so what’s the secret for my ultimate motivation?! (I hear you say…)

Well, we all are influenced by those four dimensions but genuine, heartfelt, from-the-gut, powerful, inspirational, and lasting motivation will always come from the Internal-Pull quadrant of motivation. When you can generate a vision for what you want in your future – be it related to your health, relationships, financial, career, spirituality, or any big or small aspect of your life – you will find motivation to take action comes swiftly and effortlessly. And THAT is the Ultimate Motivation. The other quadrants will happen as a fact of life. But if you want to grab hold of your life and create the life you’ve always wanted, you have to focus on the Internal-Pull type of motivation with a compelling vision and plan, and stop waiting for someone else to poke you into action.

Ok, I get it Chris, sounds exciting! But how do I do that?! (I hope you say…)

You don’t have to DO anything differently, you just need to THINK differently about the situation. Ask yourself these simple questions and through those answers you can uncover a deeper, more meaningful, longer lasting and inspiring motivation to keep you marching forward towards your dreams.

• What good feelings, outcomes, results will I gain from this situation/experience?
• What bad feelings, thoughts, outcomes will I eliminate from this situation/experience and what will benefits will that bring to my life?

Write down your answers (don’t just think them). Read them out loud daily with full emotion and passion and soon you’ll find you are automatically taking the actions you need to stay on track and inspired.

Leave us a comment and let us know how this works for you.

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So here’s a thought….what would you do differently if you new that this year will also fly by faster than you thought, faster than you want? How long would you put off doing what you want to do? How long would you be willing to wait for happiness? How long would you sit in your comfort zone longing for more adventure and excitement in your life? Of course, time doesn’t slow down but our lives continually seem to speed up and let’s face it, 2009 will go by just as fast as all the recent years.

Now turn those previous questions around and take control of your 2009 destiny. How quickly can you start doing what you want to do? Today! What can you do right now to feel happy? Anything!  When can you stretch your comfort zone to embrace a new challenge or opportunity to learn, grow and contribute? Right now!

There is no doubt that you can make 2009 your best year ever. But it’s not going to happen by accident. You can have  awesome goals,  grand plans and lots of lists. Yet without consistent action, your dreams remain just dreams and another year passes by leaving you wanting more. Only action leads to results. And consistent action in the direction of your dreams leads to positive results that inspire you to keep going.

Action Points

Here are a few starter points for having an incredible 2009. Put these into action and not only enjoy the months ahead, but possibly have your best year ever.

1. Get clear on what worked and what didn’t.  Reflecting back on the lessons learned from the previous year can help you to clearly identify common obstacles (physical and mental) that prevented progress as well as understanding where you really excel and find great happiness.

2. Set new goals that excite you. Often goal setting can seem like a creation of another long ‘to do’ list. It’s important to make a distinction between stuff you want to do and goals that excite you. You will still do the stuff you want to do but identifying a handful of bigger, bolder goals that get your internal juices flowing and make you want to jump out of bed in the mornings brings an entirely different and energetic perspective on your year ahead.

3. Create an action plan. Here is where the dream starts to feel real. Your goals from point 2 give you clarity on the ultimate outcome you want. Your action plan should then break down that outcome into smaller steps to guide you along the way. The best action plan for a year will be structured into quarterly, monthly, weekly then daily plans. Consistently daily action is your fastest route to goal achievement.

4. Take action and adjust. A good thought to keep in mind is that every action you take is either moving you in the direction of your goal, or away from your goal. Sometimes you just need to do things that aren’t aligned to your goals and that’s ok…as long as you’re aware of it. When you see yourself getting off track you simply need to make an adjustment, try a different approach and remain focused on your ultimate goal.

5. Be accountable. Even when you have brilliant goals that really excite you and massive motivation to take action, sometimes life challenges us to remain on track. Holding yourself accountable for consistent action can be tough at times, which is where a life coach can really make a difference. A coach will help you develop the strategies necessary to get the results you want. Contact any one of the Action Coaches on this site for the added support and boost to make 2009 your best year ever.

Give yourself the best start for 2009,

by following these 5 simple steps:

1. De-clutter your home and your work environment.
   Clear surfaces and floors. Give all the clothes you haven’t worn the past year to charity. Throw out old newspapers and magazines.  You’ll feel more energized and be able to think more clearly in a clean, clear space!
2. Spring into action.
   Start a realistic and achievable exercise programme. Get off the bus one stop earlier. Walk the children to school.  Swim, gym, pilates and yoga are all wonderful body toners. And you’ll be releasing those feel-good endorphins too!
3. Spring clean your mind.
   Identify one area of your life that’s crying out for change. Make a list of short-, medium- and long-term goals. Then take regular, small steps towards achieving them. Your confidence levels will soar. And you’ll be moving to a brighter future.
4. Reward yourself.
   Remember to always acknowledge your achievements, big and small. Giving yourself a regular pat on the back will help motivate you. From new make-up, or a facial, to a girls’ night out. Be your own cheerleader!
5. Get a life coach.
   If you’re ripe for change, want to achieve your goals, and just need a guiding hand to get there, life coaching is the perfect springboard. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve in just a few sessions.

During the Festive Season, it can be easy to focus on what you are not happy with or what you *still* haven’t done, and even easier to forget about the progress you really have made in 2008.

Exploring what you have achieved, the challenges you’ve overcome or the problems you’ve solved can really give you a strong foundation for setting your Intentions for 2009!

Join us to discover just how and what you could be celebrating this year and next (without the hangovers)!

Sort of.

Your heart says you’re committed and your mind knows you want to, but are you really, truly and honestly committed? And this doesn’t just apply to decisions you make at an empowering seminar. How many times have you proclaimed (even if it’s just to yourself) that you are committed to change and yet you somehow don’t follow through to the extent you wanted to nor the depth you “committed” to?

The funny thing about commitment is that commitment is not a noun, it is a verb. Commitment is not a statement or a conviction, commitment is ACTION! The old adage of ‘actions speak louder than words’ is no more true than it is with commitment.

When you proclaim that you are committed to change, you’re really just saying “I really want to change”. True commitment shows up in continuous action until you get the results you desire.

So the next time you say you’re committed, realise that the proof is in the action.

Action Points

Identify an area of your life where you recently have made a statement of commitment yet are not getting the result you want, and ask yourself:

1. What did I commit to?
2. What actions have I taken that move me closer to my outcome?
3. What additional actions could I take to move me even more close to my outcome?

And the next thing to do is of course….TAKE ACTION!

It is one thing to actively explore, set & commit to things that you would like to be, do or have during the next twelve months (even tweaking them as you go along), and another entirely to rely on only one day of the year (usually the day following a very hard night!) to kick-start your focus on what you want to achieve in the next 12 months.

If you are someone who achieves the Resolutions you set – then I’d really like to acknowledge you! For those of us who find our Resolutions becoming pipedreams, or those of us who’ve given up on setting them at all (it saves disappointment!), perhaps a slight shift in focus would help shore up our successes in the next year…

WHAT HAVE YOU ACHIEVED IN 2008?

Was this year what you expected/wanted/hoped it would be?

Being very specific with your intentions for the New Year, having a way to measure them, making sure they are appealing to you whilst being realistic, setting a deadline for them, breaking them into small chunks AND writing them down, may get you further with your Resolutions than spontaneous outbursts or tipsy boasts; and wouldn’t it be even better if you knew you were starting off on your 2009 plans from really solid footing?

With or without set goals, life doesn’t often show up in the way we expect it to. You may not have achieved the things you thought you would this year, or you may have wanted it to be looking different than it is, yet I’d be willing to bet that you’ve had a lot more success than you can list out at first!

What problems did you solve this year? What changes have you made? Which areas of your life have improved? Which challenges that had you stumped were overcome or worked around? If you feel like something is not great – in what ways was it worse last year? What have you learnt? What do you know you want to do better?

By asking ourselves some of these questions, we can begin to see that actually this last year has been pretty remarkable in its own ways! And if there are areas that you are really unhappy with – ask yourself whether you’d set strong intentions for them at the start of this year, or whether your focus was elsewhere?

By allowing ourselves to acknowledge what we have really achieved this year, we find positive proof that we can and have succeeded in some areas and ways. Starting the New Year after celebrating our successes (however small or large), really adds a boost of motivation and energy to the areas we want to focus on this year.

Still feeling like you didn’t achieve anything at all? Then maybe 2008 was the year to prepare you for the life-changing decision that you want 2009 to be a completely new and different experience for you!

Rather than struggle to the point of frustration and disappointment, become more aware of the type of motivation you are seeking. Clarity always leads to power and once you get clear on what it is you want, and why you want it you’ll be able to generate the deep internal drive to propel you to success.

In this Action Podcast, Paul and Chris discuss how to find your motivation, and how to keep it to ensure you get the results you want.

Whether you have a specific memory from a young age, or even just a sense of ‘learning’ that selfishness was an inherently bad thing – it seems intrinsic to our moral education as human beings; and so when it comes time to start thinking about what we want our next year to be like, there is often an accompanying sense of guilt that holds us back from being truthful with ourselves about our goals.

What does Selfishness mean to you? What words, thoughts or emotions does it conjure up? We are all likely to have personal experiences of being exposed to or accused of ‘selfish’ acts and thoughts (even judging ourselves or our desires in this way!) – yet we don’t seem to stop and ask: What exactly is selfish about wanting the best for ourselves?

By definition, Selfishness is the existence of two conditions:

1. Concern primarily for one’s own welfare, benefit or interests; AND
2. That this occurs regardless of, or with disregard for, others.

Does your personal understanding of Selfishness include both points 1) AND 2) above? The Myth of Selfishness suggests that somewhere along the way, either through misunderstanding, or incomplete ‘examples’ to learn by, Selfishness has subconsciously become interpreted as point 1) alone. That is, without awareness, we have developed beliefs that concern for our own welfare – what is best for us individually – is a bad thing!!!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME IF I LIVE WITH THE MYTH OF SELFISHNESS?

The consequences you accept by choosing to live with this myth may be subtle or dramatic – either way, they are far-reaching. For some, an unspoken fear or tension may be felt every time they think about doing something that they know would be good for themselves; for others, it may be a lifelong dream continually swept under the rug with a mountain of excuses; feelings of unworthiness or guilt when considering what they want; or an inability to follow through and take action on a prioritised goal or decision.

How do those impacts sound? Do any ring true for you when you think about what you want 2009 to be like? The scary thing is that living with this Myth has an even deeper consequence. When you deny yourself something – a relationship, a career, a resource, a choice, or anything you believe would be best for you – you may be preventing yourself from being truly happy. Chances are, you are being inauthentic with yourself, and here’s the irony: when you are inauthentic with yourself you are also inauthentic with others. With everyone, in every relationship you share.

If you are not being your best self, if you are not looking after yourself, how can you possibly help/love/be honest with those you care about most? By not questioning the Myth of Selfishness and its role in our own lives, we are unconsciously acting out exactly what we don’t want!

When you choose to be authentic and to make decisions based on what is best for you, those decisions can still be made with true consideration and regard for others.

WILL YOU LET THIS MYTH HOLD YOU BACK IN 2009?

(© Seraphima Coaching 2007-2008, www.seraphima.com, adapted from an L3 Message Extract: May’07)

With a little forethought from you – and support from your coach – you can still have a great time, without spending the New Year trying to repair the damage.

So by this New Year you will already be working towards the new you that you promised yourself last year!