Category Archives: Attitude

Greatness is Within You

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“Greatness is within you!”

-Author Unknown

Image from conversationswithdoggy-lama.com

Image from conversationswithdoggy-lama.com

Many of us have been told, throughout our lives, that humility is a sign of high character—we should not brag or call excessive attention to ourselves. Many of the Quotable Coach posts point out that focusing on others is a key to success.

Today’s quote, however, is more about your journey to pursue, achieve, and contribute your gifts, talents, and unique abilities—your greatness. Pursuing all that we can be is something we can all do with great passion and purpose. Our efforts contribute and build our characters even more.

EXERCISE:

Request a bit of feedback from those who know you best in your personal and professional worlds.

What good and great qualities and abilities do they say you currently possess that could be even greater if you put your everything into the effort?

The Seed of Triumph

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“Always seek out the seed of triumph in every adversity.”

-Og Mandino, Author of “The Greatest Salesman in the World”

Image from wonderopolis.org

Image from wonderopolis.org

When was the last time you ate watermelon? Years ago every mouthful came with at least a few seeds. Back then, we would chew carefully and spit out the seeds. Clearly, some clever person disliked that process and found a way to create the seedless varieties we have today.

What if, instead of an undesirable, adverse barrier to your fullest enjoyment, the seeds were actually a more tasty component of the fruit? Perhaps we would all seek out the seeds as a more desirable part of our fruit-munching experience!

EXERCISE:

Where can you more fully examine and realize the growth potential and the seeds of triumph in some or perhaps all of the adversities you may be facing?

Don’t Give up Now

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“Don’t Give Up Now!”

-Author Unknown

Image from pinspopulars.com

Image from pinspopulars.com

When was the last time you stopped trying, gave up, threw in the towel, or outright quit something? Look deeply at your reasoning, or perhaps your gut-or-heart-based perspectives, on the matter.

If giving up freed you up and relinquished a burden that didn’t fit your life direction, good work! If you experienced regret or an aching soul, perhaps sticking things out may have been a better choice in the long run.

EXERCISE:

Are you at a critical juncture on an important personal or professional matter? How would coaching, or another form of support in not giving up, make a big difference? Sharing your thoughts and feelings on such issues will often provide the added social support that can be so helpful at these critical times.

The Best View

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“The best view comes after the hardest climb.”

-Author Unknown

Image from emilykjesbo.blogspot.com

Image from emilykjesbo.blogspot.com

When I started my coaching career many years ago, my wife Wendy gave me the gift of a customized license plate that reads “I Coach.” Over the years it has become a conversation starter, with people often asking me what sport I coach.

This leads to a discussion of my role as a business and personal coach. Recently, I noticed that in all these years I have never coached a professional or even top amateur athlete.

This means that there have also been no actual mountain climbers, but we all climb metaphorical mountains every day. Surprisingly, the bigger and more daunting the climb, the more satisfied and rewarded we feel when we reach the summit.

EXERCISE:

What challenging projects or goals are you pursuing these days?  How can you more fully experience the growth satisfaction along the way as well as the wonderful views when you reach the top?

You Have to Squint

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“See the good all around you even if you have to squint.”

-Author Unknown

Image from lasikmd.com

Image from lasikmd.com

If you are like me, your eyesight is not what it used to be. Perhaps you need glasses to drive at night, or to read. You may even need longer arms as you “trombone” food labels in order to read the ingredient list.

Having 20/20 vision has great benefits, but when we look at the world, including the folks in our lives that are taking this journey with us, it may not always serve us to have clear and complete objectivity.  As an example, as we look at the weaknesses and faults in others, we know full well we have our own share.

EXERCISE:

Where would a bit of squinting help you overlook some of the unimportant things around you, and help you see a lot more good available in your world?

Be Nice

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“To thine own self be nice.”

-Author Unknown

Image from choosetobenice.com

Image from choosetobenice.com

A critical component of all coaching relationships is to significantly increase each individual’s self awareness. To achieve this, various strategies can be utilized, including a wide variety of assessments, interviews with colleagues, family, and friends, and of course, discussions with the clients themselves.

Through these efforts, behavioral achievement, cognitive and leadership traits can be evaluated. Greater insights are also revealed about their beliefs, attitudes, values, and perspectives on themselves and the world around them.

One surprising observation I’ve made over the years is just how many people demonstrate a more critical view of themselves than of others. For some reason, they demonstrate an “I am not enough/not good enough” attitude, which is obviously self-limiting.

EXERCISE:

How would a “To thine own self be nice, accepting, and more loving” approach make a meaningful difference in your life or the lives of others you care about?

The Best of My Life

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“I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.”

-Louise Hay, American Motivational Author

Image from acelebrationofwomen.org

Image from acelebrationofwomen.org

 

Louise Hay is an American Motivational Author and the founder of Hay House. Through her healing techniques and positive philosophy, millions have learned to create more of what they want in their lives.

Hay House has published about 300 books and 350 audio programs by authors who align with Louise’s positive self-help perspective, and are supportive of healing our planet.

EXERCISE:

What actions will you choose to take today, and in the future, to make the rest of your life the best of your life?

How can you support and inspire others in your personal and professional communities to do the same?

As a small gesture, please consider forwarding this post to at least one person who would most appreciate its message.

All About Attitude

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Friday Review #2: It’s all about Attitude

How’s your attitude today? Here are a few attitude-centered posts you may have missed. Click on the links to read the full message.

Feel free to comment on any of the posts, and of course, on this message.

 

 “Age wrinkles the body; quitting wrinkles the soul.”
https://www.thequotablecoach.com/never-quit

 

 

 

“Complaining is Draining.”
https://www.thequotablecoach.com/complaining-is-draining

 

 

 


“I have lived a long life and had many troubles, most of which never happened.”
https://www.thequotablecoach.com/unfounded-worry

 

 

”The wise man questions himself; the fool, others.”
https://www.thequotablecoach.com/the-wise-man-questions

 

 

 

 

“Don’t believe everything you think.”
https://www.thequotablecoach.com/everything-you-think

 

 

When the Student is Ready

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“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.”

-Gautama Buddha, on whose teaching Buddhism was founded

image from kevingcook.com

image from kevingcook.com

When people say, “perception is reality,” they often mean that the way we perceive something makes it real. What if we don’t perceive an issue, challenge, or lesson to be learned, simply because it is invisible to us?

As a student, we must first see a situation and determine that there is value, opportunity, or benefit in it. Only then is there the potential to hear the teacher and see how they might assist us in understanding the lesson.

EXERCISE:

Where are you stopped or stuck in your life? Where are your efforts to move forward being thwarted? To whom could you go with the challenge you face, to determine your readiness and receptivity to the lesson?

Nothing Ventured

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“Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained.”

—Geoffrey Chaucer, 15th Century English Poet

image from urbana.ie

image from urbana.ie

Take a moment today to look back over your life at some of your most memorable and significant accomplishments. Pay particular attention to the level of effort and engagement it took for you to realize these noteworthy achievements.

How much did you venture to realize these gains? We can’t relive or change the past, but the future is literally a blank canvas on which we can venture forward to realize gains of remarkable scale and scope.

EXERCISE:

What would be possible if you took a “many things ventured, many things gained” perspective today and in the days ahead? What will be the first action you plan to take to make the years ahead even more remarkable and rewarding?