Tag Archives: Barry Demp

Make a pact with yourself. It is up to you to see it through

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Make a pact with yourself. It is up to you to see it through.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by elise storsul

To what degree do you play the role of coach in your life?

Perhaps you coach your children, a sports team, or even your colleagues at work. If you are nodding your head in agreement, you probably find supporting others in their growth and development very rewarding.

How often do you play the role of coach for yourself, taking on worthy goals and pivoting along the way to reach the outcomes you desire? If this sounds like something you would like to do more often, try this three-step process:

Envision a goal or future outcome you strongly desire and write it down.
Break this goal into bite size steps to act upon in the coming days and week. Write these action steps in your calendar or schedule.
Promise and make a pact with yourself and others in your communities to see things through.

EXERCISE:

In what area of your life would you most want to achieve a worthy goal?

How would making a pact with yourself and being your own coach help you achieve the results you deeply desire?

Let me know how things go! Email barry@dempcoaching.com

Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

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“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

—Marcel Proust, 20th century French novelist, literary critic, and essayist

Image from Unsplash by Megan Watson

Many cultures around the world celebrate holidays that share similarities with the American Thanksgiving, focusing on themes of gratitude, harvest, and family gatherings.

  • In South Korea it’s called Chuseok
  • In Ghana it’s called Homowu
  • In Germany it’s called Erntedankfest
  • In Barbados it’s called The Crop Over Festival
  • In Japan it’s called Kinro Kausha Nohi

Regardless of where we are in the world, to reap a harvest requires the planting of seeds and tending to the land.

To have bountiful relationships with family and friends it’s important to show gratitude to the charming gardeners in our lives that feed us in both body and soul.

EXERCISE:

Who are the charming gardeners in your world, and how will you demonstrate your gratitude for the happiness and joy they bring to your life this Thanksgiving Day and throughout the holiday season?

 

“We burn out because we experience too little impact.”

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“We burn out because we experience too little impact.”

—Liz Wiseman, Researcher and executive advisor

Image from Unsplash by Vasilis Caravitis

Liz Wiseman’s research suggest that the primary cause of burnout is not excessive workload, but rather a lack of impact in one’s work.

She argues that when individuals feel their work is not making a difference or is underutilized, it leads to feelings of exhaustion and burnout.

Her work emphasizes the importance of meaningful work that challenges and utilizes employee talents and skills, which can be invigorating rather than draining.

EXERCISE:

In what areas of your life are you experiencing or on the verge of burnout?

How would re-examining your sense of meaning and the significance of your contribution in these areas help you re-ignite the flames of purpose and passion in your life?

“Who do you serve and what problems do you solve?”

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“Who do you serve and what problems do you solve?”

—Simon Sinek, British-born American author and inspirational speaker

Image from Unsplash by Parabol | The Agile Meeting Tool

How satisfied do you feel at the end of each day?

Regardless of whether you receive gobs of recognition or praise from those around you, it’s helpful to have your own internal scoreboard to measure your life.

How clear are you about the people you serve in both your personal and professional worlds? Take a few minutes to get very specific so that you can increase your intentionality with these folks.

What problems do you solve that they value and most likely couldn’t solve as well or as quickly without your assistance? Again, get as specific as possible as to the difference you make in their lives.

EXERCISE:

At the end of the day ask and answer the question, Who did I serve and what problems did I help solve? I hope you then sleep well and give this exercise another go tomorrow.

With continuous practice and focus you are bound to be successful

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With continuous practice and focus you are bound to be successful.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Jeffrey F Lin

Prospective coaching clients frequently ask about the success rate of my client engagements.

Many people focus on the coach and the coaching process, and fail to look at their own role in the process of achievement.

As far as I know, coaches and their clipboards must remain on the sidelines.

Although we often point our fingers toward outside sources of success, it always comes down to the athlete or team’s talent, focus, and continuous practice that leads to putting points on the board in both sports and in life.

EXERCISE:

How focused are you in your personal and professional pursuits?

At what level do you strive and persist in your efforts to master your game or your craft?

How do you and will you recognize and acknowledge how far you’ve come and see the signs of success along the way?

Friday Review: KNOWLEDGE

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Friday Review: KNOWLEDGE

What place does the accumulation of knowledge have in your world? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“The unfed mind devours itself.”

 

 

 

 

 

“We are drowning in information and starving for knowledge.”

 

 

 

“Knowledge is like underwear. It is useful to have it, but not necessary to show it off.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Truth does not mind being questioned

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“Truth does not mind being questioned. A lie does not like being challenged.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Barry Bierman

Today’s quote is often attributed to Fredrick Nietzsche, although there is no definitive source confirming this.

It emphasizes the idea that genuine truths can withstand scrutiny, while falsehoods tend to resist examination.

Nietzsche’s philosophy, however, significantly influenced modern thinking on truth and lies by challenging traditional notions of objective truth.

He proposed that truth is not an absolute entity but a construct shaped by human perspectives and interpretations driven by the “will to power.”

EXERCISE:

How do you sort through the truths and lies being spread so widely these days?

How do these messages pass your scrutiny and your endeavors to make important decisions in your life?

A good friend is a connection to life

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“A good friend is a connection to life, a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.”

—Lois Wyse, late American advertising executive, author, and columnist

Image from Unsplash by Helena Lopes

Statistics point to the fact that the majority of us are worried about our world on a daily basis.

Just examining the nightly news or your daily media feeds is enough to give you indigestion and more than a few sleepless nights!

Where do we begin as individuals to right our ships and sail together toward a better future?

Perhaps it all begins with friendship, as today’s quote suggests.

As the saying goes: To have a friend begins with being a friend.

EXERCISE:

Where in your world can you extend the olive branch of friendship to build more and better connections to support a world that works better for everyone?

“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.

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“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.”

—Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States

Weston & Ella

I had the opportunity to do some Halloween trick-or-treating with my daughter, son-in-law, and two excited grandchildren.

Given that Halloween was within a week of our election here in the US, we needed to navigate around numerous political lawn signs as we headed from house to house.

Of particular interest was the absence of any political conversation among the many parents accompanying their kids. What was present was a strong sense of friendly camaraderie as everyone took delight in celebrating this extra sweet occasion.

Woodrow Wilson — the author of today’s quote — was President between 1913 and 1921. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919 for his efforts in establishing the League of Nations.  He is also remembered for his numerous legislative accomplishments and his high-minded idealism.

EXERCISE:

In what ways do you contribute to the cementing power of friendship in your communities?

How could you win your own peace prize for your idealistic efforts?