Category Archives: Aspirations

“Don’t quit your day dream”

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“Don’t quit your daydream.”

-Author Unknown

Image from Unspash by Icarus.jpeg

For many of us, the act of daydreaming is about longing to be somewhere else, doing something else. This often flies in the face of our day jobs—jobs that have become, for some, unfulfilling or even toxic.

When we daydream, there is a heightened sense of excitement, and a desire to live and work more consistently with our most authentic beliefs and desires.

In many ways, the coaching process encourages each individual to be true to themselves, giving them greater access to more of their personal power, gifts, and inherent talents. Who wouldn’t want far more of that?

EXERCISE:

What would be possible if you lived more consistently by the phrase, “Don’t quit your day dream” instead of “Don’t quit your day job”?

What specific actions can you take today to do just that?

“Be mindful of the future…”

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“Be mindful of the future… but not at the expense of the moment.”

– Qui-Gon Jinn, a fictional character in the Star Wars saga

 

Image from ompuertoviejo.wordpress.com

Image from ompuertoviejo.wordpress.com

I’ve noticed recently that many people get ahead of themselves, living far too often in the future. See if any of these scenarios apply to you:

  • You are constantly thinking about the upcoming weekend.
  • You find yourself frequently envisioning your next vacation.
  • You can’t wait to retire from your job—which may be many years away.
  • You often anticipate your next job or promotion, or the one after that.
  • You can’t wait to have that next new suit, car, or bigger home.

Although I am a big advocate of having goals that spur all of us on to achieve better futures, I see far too many people missing out on the daily activities that make their journey worthwhile.

EXERCISE:

How would being mindful of the present provide you more satisfaction in your personal and professional life, as you pursue your goals and visions for the future?

The Person You Want

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“Be the kind of person you want in your life.”

—Author Unknown

Image from picturespider.com

Image from picturespider.com

When you got up this morning, brushed your teeth, washed your face, and looked in the mirror, who did you see? What were your thoughts about the person staring back at you? For the moment, leave out any and all references to your physical features and appearance.

Instead, focus only on those inner qualities that make you who you are. Consider the following qualities to start, and add a few of your own:

Optimistic Dependable Cooperative
Honest Respectful Creative
Integrity Open-Minded Courageous
Hard-Working Caring Brave
Loyal Service-Minded Bold
Friendly Helpful Affectionate
Trustworthy Generous Loving
Responsible Productive Kind

EXERCISE:

How will you, today and in the future, become even more of the kind of person you want in your life? Consider sharing your intentions with selective people—those you respect and admire for their wonderful qualities—to help hold you accountable for being the best version of yourself possible.

“The will to win, the desire…”

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“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.”

—Author Unknown

Image from blog.builddirect.com

Image from blog.builddirect.com

Every two years the athletes of the world come together to participate in either the summer or winter Olympic Games. There is perhaps no other global spectacle that demonstrates the will to win, the desire to succeed, and the urge for these special athletes to realize their potential.

Few of us have ever competed on a profession or Olympic level in sports. Each of us, however, plays and competes each and every day in the game of life, in which professional and/or personal success is the goal.

EXERCISE:

What would a “Gold Medal Life” look like to you? How would establishing this goal in your heart and mind foster greater will and desire to more fully unlock your doors to personal excellence?

“Coasting only happens when …”

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“Coasting only happens when you are going downhill.”

—Mike Rayburn, one of the youngest inductees in the Speaker Hall of Fame

Photo from dimitri.co.uk

Photo from dimitri.co.uk

When was the last time you took a bike ride outdoors? Try to remember a specific ride with many hills. Close your eyes and visualize the effort and “burn” it took to climb the steepest and longest hills. Experience the relief of going over the crest, when you began coasting, allowing gravity to make your journey far easier.

EXERCISE:

Examine some of the current professional or personal hills you are on, or intend to climb. How will the pursuit of reaching the top make you even stronger for future challenges?

If you happen to notice that there are very few or no hills ahead, perhaps you are coasting, and headed downward. Make a point, once you have relaxed or recovered, to find the next hill worth climbing.

With All My Heart

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“I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.”

– Vincent van Gogh, post-Impressionist painter

Image from Nasa

Image from Nasa

The other night, I was watching a show about Mars and the current plans to send a manned mission there by the year 2033. The complexity and enormity of this undertaking was inspiring.

I guess it is within our very nature as humans to seek and strive for new levels of knowledge, adventure, and accomplishment – and yet, some of us slow down and even stop in these efforts. We sometimes find ourselves in dead-end jobs, dead-end relationships, and general life ruts where we feel stuck or trapped.

Exercise:

Complete the following statement:

I am looking forward to ……….

Keep asking yourself “What else? What else? What else?” with all your heart, until you revive the seeker and striver in you.

My Highest Aspirations

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“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead.”

– Louisa May Alcott, author

Image from Flickr by Tommy Clark

Image from Flickr by Tommy Clark

There’s an often-quoted goals study from Yale University in 1953 indicating that the 3% of graduates who had clearly-written goals achieved far more than the 97% that didn’t. This study has been shown to be untrue.

There is, however, a study from the Dominican University that shows the following:

1. Those who write down their goals accomplish significantly more than those that do not have written goals.
2. Goal achievement is more likely when accountability is supported by a friend, mentor or coach.
3. People who also make a public commitment to others achieved more.

Exercise:

Write down your highest aspirations.

Make a public commitment to your goals, and ask someone committed to your success to hold you accountable. You can even call me at 248-740-3231 to tell me your goals.