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Therapist as Life Coach: An Introduction for

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Therapist as Life Coach: An Introduction for

Description:

In 2006, U.S. News and World Report listed coaching as one of the 10 top growing professions.

The first edition of Therapist as Life Coach, published in 2002, anticipated this trend, and since its publication it has become a standard for therapists who wish to transition or expand their practices into life coaching. Pat Williams and Deborah C. Davis have finally revised their classic practice-building book for today’s therapists and future coaches. Every chapter in this second edition has been updated and rewritten, reflecting the growth of the coaching field and its increasing appeal to not only therapists, but all helping professionals.

The book begins by exploring the history of the coaching movement and shows how society is hungry for life coaches. The second part of the book explains in detail the differences and similarities between coaching and therapy, discusses the coaching relationship, and considers some of the skills therapists will need to learn and unlearn in order to reclaim their joyfulness about their work. Professional transition tools such as developing and marketing your practice and honing your coaching skills are discussed at length in Part Three. The final section moves beyond basic life coaching to introduce coaching specialties such as corporate coaching, offers self-care strategies for life coaches, and peeks into the future of life coaching. There is new material throughout, including an overview of recent coaching developments, updated liability concerns, new business opportunities, and a new section on the research about coaching.

Coaching gives practitioners the opportunity to break free of managed care and excessive reliance on the insurance industry and to work with a wide range of clients—specifically, those who are not suffering from mental illness but, rather, seeking to maximize their life potential. This book will help you enter this lucrative and personally enriching world with the skills and knowledge you need to build a successful coaching practice.

  • Author: Patrick Williams
  • Author: Deborah Davis
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • EAN: 9780393705225
  • Edition: Revised and Expanded
  • ISBN: 0393705226
  • ItemDimensions:
  • Label: W. W. Norton & Company
  • Languages:
  • ListPrice:
  • Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
  • NumberOfItems: 1
  • NumberOfPages: 256
  • PackageDimensions:
  • ProductGroup: Book
  • ProductTypeName: ABIS_BOOK
  • PublicationDate: 2007-10-17
  • Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
  • SKU: VIN0393705226
  • Studio: W. W. Norton & Company
  • Title: Therapist as Life Coach: An Introduction for Counselors and Other Helping Professionals (Revised and Expanded) (Norton Professional Books)

Price: 25.60

Why Are Core Values Crucial For A Life Coach?

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When I first talk to Life Coaching clients about core values they are usually in the dark as to what I am referring to.

Of course everybody knows what a value is, but because the term is somewhat subjective, it means different things to different people. Moreover, core values are not something that people pay attention to on a regular basis.

They are kind of just sat there under the surface dictating behavior and emotions usually without the individual having any idea as to how or why. As a Life Coach if I don’t understand a clients core values, I have to confess to not really knowing them as a person, and that is not an ideal Life Coaching situation to be in.

That is why I always spend time explaining to clients what values (and their opposites – anti-values) are, and taking them through the process of uncovering their own. Your core values are what drive you at every level and being out of alignment with them can be uncomfortable at best and completely debilitating at worst.

Let me expand on that so you can see what I mean. Imagine that ‘freedom’ is a top value of yours, and to you freedom means having the money and time available to you that affords you the opportunity to travel and not be stuck in a 9 to 5 job.

Then imagine out of the blue you get offered a new job that pays a huge salary. However, the position requires you spend every day in the same office working insanely long hours and with little vacation time.

You may well take the job, because after all, that money may allow you to travel as you wish in years to come. However, mark my words, you are going to be very miserable whilst you stay there because you are stomping on one of your own core values.

You may well justify it all to yourself because of the money, but you will be fighting an uphill battle because being out of alignment with your values just feels wrong at a very deep level. As well as values, we have as I mentioned above, anti-values. Anti-values are the things that we won’t to keep length at all costs.

Common anti-values maybe words like stress, anger, fear, worry, hypocrisy and dishonesty and hate. If any of those words create a deeply negative visceral reaction within you, then there is a strong possibility they are an anti-value of yours. For example if stress is anathema to you, then as your Life Coach I wouldn’t really want you to apply for a job as an air traffic controller. It may tick some of the boxes for you, but it is also a very high pressure environment and is known for burnout and all the stress management techniques in the world won’t help.

If you don’t know what your own values are, you are really missing a huge opportunity. Knowing your values and then acting accordingly gives you a massive opportunity to forge a happier and more fulfilling life. So go learn your values!

Are you looking for a life coach to help you get clear about the life you really want? Be sure to visit my site to learn more about life coaching.

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Marketing Tips to Attract Client for Life Coaches

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Nowadays, many people seek out the services of a life coach to help them find their purpose in life, create balance and attain a higher level of success. That is why it isn’t surprising to find an increase in the number of people who choose to become life coaches. Not only does it provide you with a source of income, it is also a fulfilling job where you help others attain a greater success for them.

However, with the increasing number of life coaches in the market, attracting clients becomes an issue. There are life coaches who find it hard to draw clients, not because they don’t have ability in coaching, but because they lack in marketing skills.

If you want to become a successful life coach and you want attract clients, here are some marketing tips that you can use:

1. Choose a specific niche that you would like to work on – It is important that you choose a niche that you can focus on. This can allow you to determine who your target clients are. If you don’t have a specific niche to stick to, then you’ll end up creating a marketing message that is too general which will eventually turn up ineffective.

People look for life coaches who can help them deal with their specific needs. By focusing on your chosen niche, you differentiate yourself from other life coaches. You will know which group of people you will be targeting and how you give your message to them.

2. Plan the details of your coaching business and take them seriously - After picking out a niche, there are still a lot of things that you’ll need to plan out and should take some consideration. This includes details like finding clients who are ideal for your chosen niche.

Another thing that you should plan on is your price. You should pick an optimal price which you can work on, while keeping in mind of its affordability to your prospected clients. Most people nowadays are very concerned about money and expenses. This makes it important that you give your clients a reasonable price for your expertise and services. You should make it seem to your clients that your coaching package is the best one to help them in solving their problems, making your services worth the cost.

3. Invest in online marketing like blogging, forums and social networks – The best way that you can reach out to your potential clients is through the internet, since almost all people are connected to it. You can create your own blogs and communicate with a large audience.

Apart from blogging, you can also invest some time in participating in forums and learn how to use social networks like Twitter and Facebook. Since a lot of people are using them on a daily basis, you can meet and establish relationships with prospective clients through these social networks. There are a lot of advantages for you when you invest in online marketing, since it is fully automated and would only require a portion of your time.

Christina Cordle enjoys writing for Coachestrainingblog which is an online resource on coaching strategy and life coach course as well as other related subjects.

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The Clear Path to Passive Income for Solution Focused Coaching Businesses

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If you have a solution focused coaching business, then you understand that coaching is just one way to deliver your solution. And if you’re like most coaches, you don’t want to just offer one-on-one services, but also earn passive income.

Who doesn’t like to wake up in the morning to find emails saying “You’ve made a sale”.

And while it’s absolutely possible to create a passive income business, the reality is that for most coaches and other solo professionals, it doesn’t happen overnight.

There is a path that is generally the easiest to follow:

  • start with one-on-one services
  • then create leveraged income
  • and then passive income.

Why is it easiest to start with one-on-one services? Simply put, it’s the fastest path to the cash. As a coach or consultant, it’s easier to start by selling your time than by creating packaged programs.

Once you’ve delivered your services one-on-one, you can now take the system you’ve used with your one-on-one clients, and tweak it and package it in a group format. That creates leveraged income. Delivering the program still relies on your personal involvement, but because you’re delivering it to more than one person at a time, you’ve now created leveraged income. Yeah! Leveraged income lets you help more people and earn more for the same investment of your time.

Now things really start to happen. In working with your one-on-one and group clients, your system gets clearer and clearer. You’ll find that you keep saying the same things over and over, you keep hearing the same questions, the same challenges keep coming up, etc… You can now package your system and sell it as a passive income program.

There is no end to how you can create leveraged and passive income. Home study programs, group coaching programs, ebooks, teleseminar series, bootcamps, micro-continuity programs, membership programs, etc…

Everyone learns differently and people need (and can afford) different levels of support. So it’s important to have a variety of ways you can deliver your solutions.

The key to making it all happen is having a signature system that you follow. Once you know your system, it’s just a matter of packaging it and delivering it in a variety of different ways.

And of course, you won’t perfect your system unless you have a clear niche. It’s only when you work with a specific group of people and focus on specific solutions that you have enough focus to create your own signature system.

It’s like playing six degrees of separation. No matter how you spin it, building a successful (and leveraged) business requires a clear niche marketing strategy.Get that straight, and you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to market yourself and earn more income.

Cindy Schulson, Founder of AttractYourNiche.com, helps coaches, consultants and other solo professionals find their niche and attract their ideal clients. In order to market yourself with ease, you have to know WHO you want to attract, WHAT solution you provide and WHY people should work with you. Cindy helps her clients put together these three pieces of the “Niche Puzzle”so they can attract their ideal clients, earn more and market less.

Cindy’s Niche Success Kit has helped guide thousands of solo professionals on the road to finding and attracting their ideal niche. Grab a free copy at at Attract Your Niche

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Life Coaching for Artists

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Pursuing a career in the arts has always been a difficult road. The terms “starving artist ” have been applied to the artists lifestyle for hundreds of years. We are all too familiar with the romanticized version of the struggling artist through literature and know about the horror of the unrealized impoverished genius. Simply put artists not often known for receiving big paychecks at the end of the day.

In many ways this makes sense. The one caveat about the artists life is that the artist spends a very large amount of their time working unpaid hours to perfect their craft or produce their product. It is this unique situation of unpaid hours and high risk that makes for the impoverished theme in an artist’s life. The field is competitive and with the bad economy there is only so much money to go to artistic projects. An individual may spend a large amount of time working on a project and not get the part or have their piece rejected. The artist can experience feelings of rejection, despair and worthlessness. What then?

One important thing to remember that the arts are a valuable asset to society. Artists produce works of creativity that relate to abstract concepts versus some other field like medicine. As mentioned above there is high risk involved with being an artist and an artist must get used to rejection. There are many reasons that an artist will get rejected from a project and it’s not always because their work is not sufficient. Investors, directors, or whoever is hiring may be looking for a specific look or product that you don’t have. The important thing is to keep on working and growing and waiting for the right opportunity to present your work. Prioritizing artistic goals and managing a healthy lifestyle is also essential for happiness and success. Here is where a life coach can be helpful for the emerging artist or mid career artist.

Many artists are known for their creative resources but are not always known for having the best sense of time management or business savvy. A life coach for artists is a highly trained individual that specializes in artists issues. A life coach can help with prioritizing goals, managing time, exploring options for making more money, and finding more opportunities to present work to. They can help with finding coping mechanisms for stress caused by competition and financial hardship. A life coach can also help with identifying negative thinking that may be hindering an artists work and reshape the thinking process to create a more positive approach to working as an artist and also seeing their dreams realized.

Being an artist is hard. But for those who know that the artists lifestyle is for them then finding a life coach might be a wonderful option for getting projects together and making those dreams come true.

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Saying No Is Not for Wimps

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Once I say yes, I don’t like to say no. If I make a decision, I like to stick with it. If I make a commitment to you, I’m going to keep it. If you’re my client, I want to give you all the support you need.

But what if I change my mind?

The act of saying no, can be one of the most strategic, smart, loving, profitable and honoring things you can do.

Think about how painful it is when you say yes and you really mean no. Or what about when you set a goal, and then don’t feel inspired to go for it, but you pressure yourself to get it done anyway because you wrote it down? Sure, you got it done, but was it fun?

I’m all for going for a HELL YES. That’s when you have a choice in front of you to do something, and everything about it feels good and it totally aligns with your values and goals. That’s a HELL YES! You can’t wait to jump on it.

But sometimes those things lose their attractor factor. Or maybe some other feeling or circumstance comes up and your HELL YES fizzles. Then what?

You have to give yourself the option of saying no.

That is exactly what happened to me this year. My world-traveling mother told me she was booking a trip to the Amazon and Galapagos for 2012. I immediately told her I wanted to go. I was all geared up and excited, so I made a deposit for the trip. So did my uncle. Boy, this was going to be great!

The first obstacle showed up soon after. My mate chose not to leave his business for that long. Argh. Understandable, but I really wanted him to come with me. Next, I needed to make sure I had childcare while he worked. Grandma #1 was going to be traveling with me. Grandma #2 was doing a two-month vacation during that time. My Godmother was going on vacation, too.

Doesn’t anybody park their butts at home anymore?!

Now my Hell YES seemed like a long shot. But wait! I know how the Law of Attraction works. I will just hold steady on my intention to go and a babysitter will appear (I’m a pro at this technique for having ‘date night’).

But as the months have progressed forward in time, I feel no more at ease than I did when I found out my entire family will be out of town for those weeks. As I dug deeper into my unease, I found that I really didn’t feel good about leaving my one and three year-old behind for two weeks.

I still realllly wanted to go on the trip, but it was no longer a HELL YES. It became a no. Saying no didn’t feel great but it felt better than moving forward with the original decision. A true HELL YES would be me, my mate and kids going on this vacation. Add in the rest of my family and I’ve got a triple HELL YES! So I will wait until it’s exactly the way I want it.

Saying no requires an abundance mentality. You have to trust the right and perfect opportunity or person will be revealed at a later date. HOLD OUT for that.

Saying no to a commitment is okay. There is no integrity police that will come and find you if you decide not to go to the meeting, don’t show up at a party or keep to your schedule for the day if it begins to feel like a drag. Tell your truth to anybody who needs to know and do it powerfully.

If you hire someone, accept a new client or enter into a contract and it turns out not to be a fit, you can say no. There is ALWAYS a way out and you can do it gracefully.

Saying no after you say yes is not for the faint of heart, especially if integrity is high on your values list. But if you want to have integrity with yourself, then saying no must be an option.

I’m also a huge fan of saying no right up front. It’s clear and gives the other person the freedom to move forward without you. There’s nothing worse than waiting for an answer from someone because they really want to say no but don’t have the guts to do it. Then after making you wait for eons, they say no anyway.

Be straight, it’s so much easier on everyone.

Client: Can you coach me this Friday or at 5pm today?

Me: No. I work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8am-4pm Pacific.

Client: There is no other time I can coach this week and I really need to talk to you.

Me: How about these options _________and I can give you 10 minutes right now until we can go more in depth at another time.

Client: Okay, thank you.

And if the client still resists or pushes, then they are not the ideal fit.

Boundary pushers are not ideal. Period.

I know that sometimes saying yes is scary, too. But the all powerful no brings freedom to every decision.

Jeanna Gabellini, is a Master Business Coach who assists high achieving entrepreneurs, corporate leaders & their teams to leverage fun, systems and intentionality for high-octane results. An entrepreneur for 20 years she has a treasure trove of kick-butt tools to give you peace & profits. A Gift For You! Get your complimentary Business Building Audio CD “Transforming from Chaotic Entrepreneur to Conscious Leader” for the entrepreneur who wants to be a SUPERpreneur: http://www.masterpeacecoaching.com/freecd/

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Tips For Starting Off (Not Only) Your Week on the Right Foot

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I know it’s not the beginning of the week, but the next Monday will be here in 5, 4, 3…. So here are a few tips I’d like to share with you that can help you get (not only) your next week off to a truly great start!

a. Don’t Let Things Pile Up I am a notorious procrastinator, but I finally realize that I only cause myself unnecessary stress when I permit things to pile up. Even in a world that often demands that we multitask, trying to cover all your bases (or put out all the fires) we encounter is often less effective than we’ve been led to believe. To give myself more traction in dealing with private and professional issues as they pop up, I create a “do by” date/time for things I don’t feel I can (or should) handle right away. That “do by” date isn’t just arbitrary, but based on relevant and practical criteria. Example: Do I really need to read a letter from the IRS on Friday or in the middle of preparing for an important presentation? I can’t do anything about it right now anyway, and it would certainly overshadow my weekend or distract me from fully concentrating on my preparation. So, instead of just sticking the letter in a drawer to be read at that dubious point in time called “later”, it gets mentally marked as “do by Monday morning” or “handle the day after the workshop”. By assigning it its own specific place in the future on my timeline, I can free up my weekend emotionally/concentrate fully on my work, knowing that an important matter won’t just get lost in the maelstrom.

b. Set Realistic Expectations for Others I used to always fall into the trap of over-promising when people wanted something from me. To hear me tell it, everything could be done “in a minute” or “by tomorrow morning”. I finally learned my lesson – after pulling many stressful all-nighters to meet near-impossible deadlines to which I’d committed myself – from a former colleague who is an illustrator. He actually draws rather quickly, so he originally felt it was o.k. to tell clients that he would have something finished quickly as well. This obviously also impacted the amount he could invoice. When he began working with an agent, however, she pointed out to him that his “work time” wasn’t only the time he spent with actual pen-in-hand. He spent a lot of time thinking about the concept, and often also made several drafts before getting to work on the final version. By only reporting/invoicing the time it took to do the final version, he was giving the client a distorted view of his work process and undermining their sense of the value of his final product. Now I fight my own urge to be quick and give more realistic timings to everything. For me it begins with not jumping to answer a (prospective) client’s email right away, which often resulted in my interrupting my concentration on another task to do so. Not only shouldn’t people get the impression that I’m just sitting by the computer waiting for their email, but by giving myself time to think about their questions or comments I come up with more useful and insightful responses. The same goes for the time it takes for me to prepare everything from a proposal to the concept for a finished workshop.

c. Be More Organized I’m one of those people who has long struggled to find the “perfect” productivity solution. For years my life was a collection of lists and notebooks and Post-It notes stuck to the side of my computer with a flurry of both personal and business-related reminders. And let’s not forget the numerous things I simply tried to remember not to forget…. Although I have yet to find a fool-proof system (and, let’s face it, a system is only fool-proof if it’s “in your face” enough to actually motivate you to do things!), I think I’m getting closer to something that suits my purposes.

  • My first “aha moment” regarding personal productivity and organization was “write it down”. You are only wasting precious brain capacity and concentration when you struggle to remember those four things you need from the supermarket or the action steps that you are responsible for from your last meeting.

  • My second realization was that I needed things easily accessible in all situations. That means I need an online solution that’s also good offline, as well as mobile.

  • Thirdly, I needed to keep track of things that I dealt with during the day that weren’t on any list, but were urgent enough to take up my time. That way I don’t feel unproductive if my to-do list isn’t whittled down as quickly as I believed it would be.

Now I have an online to-do list that not only let’s me prioritize and categorize my different projects and tasks, it also syncs with my Google calendar. For personal tasks and things I think of “on the fly” I use the task manager on my smartphone. And – at the end of each day – I use a simple online program called iDoneThis to let me keep track of my real progress by recording (and copying to my calendar) everything I’ve actually achieve on any given day.

d. Get Help When You Need It Coming from a corporate environment where I could delegate, one of the first stark realizations of self-employment was having to do everything myself. The second realization is that doing everything myself also meant spending (too much) time doing things that don’t substantially contribute to my bottom line. Seeking outside support is therefore the logical solution. Whether you can afford to hire (virtual) support, agree to exchange services with a business acquaintance or friend, or make use of the many Web 2.0 support apps out there, realize there is a solution that fits your needs – and your budget. By investing the time to investigate those possibilities now, you are freeing up your future time and can invest it in those activities that matter most to the substance of your job/business.

e. Re-Evaluate the People Around You Sometimes we allow the people around us to contribute to our negative stress levels. Look at the people you interact with on a regular basis, and truthfully identify anyone who brings unneeded stress and negativity into your life. Sometimes an open conversation about how their attitudes and actions impact you will help matters. If not, make a conscious effort to avoid that person as often as needed, especially when you are feeling vulnerable to stress and/or concentrating on important projects.

f. Deal with Tensions Right Away Have you got a list of personal recipes for de-stessing? If not, you should! For some people it’s sports. For others it’s music. For still others it’s meditation or yoga. Think about the things that help you relieve tension, and be more conscientious about utilizing them whenever negative stress rears its ugly head in your life. But don’t suffer from the delusion that you have to wait till your next session at the gym after work or weekend spa appointment to de-stress! Find quick fixes that help you during the day, be it an upbeat playlist on your MP3 player, a mini-meditation or a deep breathing exercise, or a quick walk around the block.

g. Don’t Over-Stretch Yourself Since moving to the country I realize just how much I allowed my former corporate/urban lifestyle to overshadow my own interests and objective with false or artificial expectations: From the car I drove to where I ate to the type of clothes I wore. Take an honest look at your current lifestyle and goals, then ask yourself how many of those goals are driven by what you want in life versus what society (incl. extended family and friends) seem to expect of you. Once you’ve weaned yourself from other people’s expectations and concentrate your energy and resources on the things that truly resonate with you, the increase in energy you experience will also help neutralize much of the negative stress you experience in life.

Whether only one or all of this tips resonate with you, simply being more mindful of the way you approach goals and challenges in life provides you with an opportunity to get off of autopilot where it isn’t working for you. By re-thinking some of our learned behavior and choosing to do pivotal things differently, we can take control over improving our quality of life, as well as the outcome of the work that we do.

Trina E. Roach, founder of Creating Tomorrow: The Leadership Consultancy, is an American executive coach, trainer & HR development consultant who supports the professional growth of ad execs and small agency/business owners on both sides of the Atlantic. Based in Germany, she works with clients throughout Europe, as well as on the East Coast of the USA.

Visit the consultancy’s homepage or Trina’s blog to find out more about her work. Or contact her directly to find out whether she would be right right coach for you:

http://www.creating-tomorrow.com
http://www.creating-tomorrow.com/blog
info (at) creating-tomorrow.com

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Life Coaching for Teens

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According to research, youth who have 3 or more adult role models (in addition to their parents) are less likely to engage in unsafe behaviours including, sex, drugs, and alcohol. The adult role models can be athletic coaches, teachers, extended family members, or a member from the church/ temple/ synagogue. Unfortunately, today’s communities are larger and as a result are less intimate leaving teens without the support previous generations were able to give to youth.

Life coaching for teens has been increasing in popularity. Similar to other role models, life coaches are trained individuals (be sure to always check credentials!!) who can guide your teen to think and behave in a self-serving manner. Coaching is about teaching youth to CREATE their life as opposed to be swept away by it. The benefits of coaching are widely recognized.

The benefits include:

1. Guiding and teaching teens how to think for themselves

2. Helping youth develop a self-identity, including how to think about their place in the family, school, and community

3. Promoting positive relationships with family members

4. Understanding the meaning of responsibility and accountability (responsibility is more than just chores and homework)

In addition to the many benefits, life coaching for teens often focuses on the following area (depending on individual programs). The 4 components serve to provide guidance to teens as they transition from childhood to adolescence and over into adulthood.

1. Self-awareness: Sometimes it is difficult to connect how our actions lead to outcomes. Many individuals see life as unfair fate or just plain luck. Life coaches show teens how to make choices that are in line with who they are in order to create the life they want. This way they do not need to count on luck for things to go their way.

2. Self-esteem and confidence: Self-confidence is based on self-esteem and self-esteem is based on how we interpret events in the world, including how we interpret others’ comments, our setbacks, and what we think about our place in the world. It is determined based on whether we focus on our strengths or weaknesses on our success or our failures. Showing youth to put things into perspective will raise self-esteem and confidence levels.

3. Choose and plan goals: Everyone has values, strengths, and needs. It is important we choose goals based on strengths and values to ensure goals are fulfilling. Picking goals because others expect us to pick them almost always leads to disappointment. Life coaches show teens how to recognize the goals important to them from the goals important to others.

4. Empowerment: Increased self-awareness, raised self-esteem and confidence levels, and choosing and planning goals all give teens a new perspective on life. This new knowledge empowers and motivates them. They learn that life does not happen randomly and they learn that when something does not go as planned they still have a choice on how to react.

Best Wishes to Your Family!

Ivana motivates teens and adults in their 20s to approach life with desire, confidence, and passion.

Ivana also works with the following cases:
*Low motivation, *Stress & time management, *Anger management, *Social skills, *And more…

Life coaching is the perfect gift for your teen or young adult. It provides your child with an early start at success!

Ivana Pejakovic, B.Sc., MA
ivana@lifecoachintoronto.com
289.242.6219
http://www.lifecoachintoronto.com

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There’s a System for That!

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While discussing life problems when in the company of fellow iPhone users, you’re bound to hear, “I bet there’s an app for that!” And there usually is an application that will help solve whatever issue or bad habit you want to correct.

The same is true for your business. Name any irritation in your biz and I bet you can create a system that will smooth the rough waters.

Think of your top 3 problems right now. I’ll name the ones I see most from my surveys of entrepreneurs.

  • Increase cash flow
  • Attract ideal clients
  • Create a website (or makeover current one)
  • Create and launch new product or service
  • Pay off debt
  • Create marketing plan
  • Create business plan
  • Get out of overwhelm

While you may think that there is some secret formula that you can’t access to get your perfect solution, there is nothing farther from the truth. Systems play a key role in having a breakthrough in every topic I mentioned above. Plus, you can use systems to have continued success and flow.

As a business coach, I help my clients find systems that will work with their natural work style. A system has zero value if you won’t use it or your team isn’t on board. It’s important that it is easy to follow and implement while making your life easier once you’re in the habit of using the system.

My intention is to light a fire under your bum to create a least one new system as a result of reading this, then implement it in the next week. Are you willing?

I’ll give you some examples of systems you can use. It’s up to you to fill in the blanks or get with your business coach or mentor to fine-tune your ideal process. I could write a 1000 page book on this topic, so I’m very aware that I’m not giving you as complete of an answer as I’d like.

If you already have systems in place, think about how you could radically change it if you were to think like a RockStar CEO. If you could create the most efficient, easy and bold system, what might you change?

Increase cash flow:

Last year I created follow up emails for all of my products. Now when a customer orders a product online, though a series of emails, I make sure they use what they bought, motivate them to implement the information and suggest other products they may benefit from. A lot of writing up front, but now my autoresponders do all of the work.

If you contact potential customers through emails, phone conversations or in person, I’d create a structure for when, how and what you’ll say. Do you have a system for tracking the conversations?

You can also create a system for increasing cash flow and attracting your ideal clients that involves a personal process that you do every day to amp up your vibe. Do an activity that totally gets you in your power zone.

Attracting ideal clients:

Create a process to attract your 5 Star Clients. It includes writing down every little thing you’d want to have in a client, from the way they treat you to paying ahead of schedule. I also use this process for attracting my ideal team members, gardeners, house cleaners, etc. You can create a checklist for what they need to have, in order for you to say ‘yes’ to them. Do not say yes to anybody who will put coin in your pocket!

Do you have a welcome packet ready for all of the new clients you’ll be attracting? Do you make it easy for them to pay you? Do you describe their hot issues on your website and in other marketing so that they know you’re speaking to them?

Launching new products, services and websites:

Projects like these usually include many details and moving parts to complete. They also require help and a learning curve. All of this means they will take longer than you expect and longer than the experts tell you. Whatever system you use, you must chunk down the steps into doable size actions over the course of a month or more.

I personally like to do a data dump from my head onto paper. Then I talk to any contractors or team members who are going to help me, to find out what they say are my most important priorities for the project.

Then I do a mind map of sorts. Break down the projects into categories like:

  1. Create my intention for what the new product, service or website will do for my customers and what it will do for my business.
  2. What is the main message?
  3. What are the topics I will cover?
  4. Write content
  5. Plan for how I will market
  6. When and how will I launch with pizzazz
  7. Calendar out when I will work on the project and for how long

Business and marketing plans:

Find a format that will inspire you to do it every year. I’ve used many fill-in-the-blank business plans from popular books and eventually created my own 1-Page HELL YES Business plan. I believe in one-pagers because it keeps things simple and you can post in on the wall or keep on your desk year round. Carve out time to do it In a day or in one-hour chunks until it’s done.

The business owners in my live event did theirs in one-hour total. It was easy because they’d spent the previous day and half getting clear on their vision, issues and solutions. That’s what YOU should do first, too!

Then calendar your inspired actions monthly and weekly by checking in with your plan. Do the same with a marketing plan.

I’m old school. I like to do everything on paper. First I write down my calendar of launches… what classes, programs and products I’m going to launch in the upcoming year. I use a month-at-a-glance calendar and then write in when email promotions need to be sent to promote each launch. Then I create an email to my assistant with the schedule listed and she starts connecting with other business owners in the industry who will help support my launches.

Overwhelm:

Overwhelm is a perspective. Train yourself to focus on the ‘now’ moment and give yourself less to do each day. I’m a HUGE fan of using Stephen Covey’s 6 Big Rocks to organize my daily tasks. Use a journal to get grounded and prioritized for the day. It IS a system.

It IS a system.

Prioritize by using your business and marketing plan and chunking things down into small bites. We also use online systems for reminders (I like Google calendar). I can’t live without my Day Runner organizer (I told you I was old school!).

Debt elimination:

Make a plan or don’t complain. A plan will make you feel in control. The system can be as simple as making double the minimum payment on your smallest debt each month. See? Systems can be easy.

When I was knee deep in debt and making about $3000 a month (not enough to even cover my expenses), I used a spreadsheet to track the balances owed on each debt. I focused on appreciating every dollar that my debt went down each month. Nine months later I was debt free (a miracle in my eyes!) and doubled my income that year.

Just to set the record straight, all problems come back to you. You must shift the way you relate to your business to make real change. Use systems to support the transformation.

Jeanna Gabellini, is a Master Business Coach who assists high achieving entrepreneurs, corporate leaders & their teams to leverage fun, systems and intentionality for high-octane results. An entrepreneur for 20 years she has a treasure trove of kick-butt tools to give you peace & profits. A Gift For You! Get your complimentary Business Building Audio CD “Transforming from Chaotic Entrepreneur to Conscious Leader” for the entrepreneur who wants to be a SUPERpreneur: http://www.masterpeacecoaching.com/freecd/

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Pujols Creates a Gap for the St Louis Cardinals

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“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

Henry Ford

Albert Pujols is BIG news right now. His declaration as a free agent led to a lucrative contract. He will be moving west to join the Los Angeles Angels ball club.

The St. Louis Cardinals who have been left behind.Will they recover now that their leading player is moving on? General Manager John Mozeliak will rebuild his team. A momentary setback, with the right approach, can rebuild to become a winning opportunity.

Now is the chance for the Cards to do things differently. Instead of having their strategy revolve around one strong player, now is the time to open up the playing field. As the team reforms, opportunities will appear. Talented players who were in the shadows of Pujols now have the chance to shine.

Mozeliak isn’t reactive looking to replace Pujols right away by signing another superstar to the team. His strategy is to work with his current players. The Cards already possess talented players with a lot of potential. Now it is their turn.

Recognizing the keys to building a strong, high performing team will prevent the Cards from sinking. With such a drastic change the team needs to reform. It doesn’t have a choice.

Understanding the 4-stage process of team building helps to quickly recover, without losing too much momentum.

1. Forming- It all has to begin somewhere. This is the first stage as each player evaluates his place on the team. With the right direction, the group will re-think how to fill the gap left by Pujols. It is tentative at first. Mozeliak’s job is to encourage them to work together, building new bonds.

2. Storming- Always an interesting phase as strong players begin to emerge. Conflict arises. Personalities clash. Authority is challenged. Problems will appear which need to be resolved before the team can move forward. The tipping point which will decide whether the team is ready to move forward or remain in disharmony depends on how effectively the problems are addressed. The best approach is facilitating conflict resolution, letting the team members figure out the ideal solution. Although it might not be the easiest approach, it is the most effective strategy for team building.

3. Norming- Working out the problems strengthens the team. Now they can begin to move forward, creating a new culture. A pecking order is defined. Processes are being refined. With the right encouragement, players are working together for the good of the whole.

4. Performing- As the team continues working together they are building a culture of collaboration. Each player has a defined role and brings a crucial element, their talent, to the team. Now is the time to step it up and innovate. Strengthen the team by playing smarter, not harder.

A team playing at this level is a beautiful thing to witness.Egos must be laid aside for the good of the team. Yes, each player is an important element for a well functioning team. But it is the players working together which builds strength, character and winning seasons.

Although the headlines are all about Albert Pujols, keep your eyes on the St. Louis Cardinals.Right now there is a gap. Understanding the stages the Cards will experience as they readjust, filling the gap, will be interesting. The Cards have a chance to redefine themselves, building stronger plays and witnessing talent emerge among its players. Now is the time to create a strong foundation building a solid team which perseveres, emerging as winners.

Challenge: If your team were to go through a reforming process because the star athlete left, what opportunities would this create for you?Would you train or perform differently? Often athletes hold themselves back from really pushing themselves because their coach is so focused on the strongest players that your performance might not be noticed as much as you would like. Yes, recognition for a job well done feels good. Don’t, however, hold yourself back because you are waiting for recognition from your coach. Take initiative and begin pushing yourself. The improvement might not get noticed by someone else, but you will know. Your personal drive is what really matters, offering you the motivation to go beyond what others are expecting from you.

Do you crave recognition?When you aren’t getting the attention you need you lose the desire to keep going? It can be challenging when your coach places all of his focus on the best athletes and the rest don’t get that much attention.

The Expert Sports Performance System is an easy step-by-step process helping you to focus your energy on high performance, with confidence. Winners act with speed. If you are reading this and it feels true for you, then get in touch with Loren for a FREE Discovery Session at info@expertsportsperformance.com

And now I would like to invite you to claim your FREE Start-up Kit “”Top 7 Mistakes Even the Best Athletes Make” available at: => http://expertsportsperformance.com/

Click here to receive the inner game secrets to reaching your goal and begin building more confidence for winning results during competitions.

From Loren Fogelman, the Sports Performance Consultant, founder of Expert Sports Performance.com

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