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My teenage son came home a few days ago with a stack of pieces from a puzzle he had found discarded in a public place.  Given his enormous curiosity and eagerness to explore new challenges, he decided that he was going to attempt to put the puzzle back together.  As he focused on placing together the pieces, I pointed out to him that, unfortunately, without the box and the image he was trying to re-create, he would be unlikely to complete the puzzle.  I told my son that I would be happy to gift him with a new puzzle on the topic of his inner most passion, which is concept cars. While I was observing him trying to assemble the pieces and admiring his focus and effort, I was reminded of the imperative of having a clear vision.  Just like my son could not recreate...

With the new year around the corner, our minds and hearts fill with new desires, aspirations and goals. As you may know, only about 30% of resolutions are achieved because most people don’t effectively follow through on the goals they set.  But while a lack of action often leads to lack of results, the lack of change in one’s mindset is the other important factor leading to unfulfilled goals or resolutions.  Here are 7 steps you can use to shift your mindset, grow your resilience and harness the power of resolve so you can accomplish your heart’s desires.  Read more Identify where you want to be by the end of the year in 3 or 4 most important aspects of your life such as your career, social life, fitness and health, earnings and savings, relationships, etc. Write...

In a professional development session I recently attended, I heard the facilitator and speaker, Hugh Calver say that “busy” is often just another word for “lazy”.  While this statement sounds provocative, as you think about it, you’re likely to realize that there is some truth to it.  Looking at your daily habitual patterns, do you have a tendency to fill your time doing what is easiest; that which does not require the time and effort to concentrate? Depending on your life stage, whether you are engaged at work or beyond the workplace in “retirement”, you might, for example, get busy with numerous e-mails or small tasks that are not part of something substantial you may be striving to accomplish. Although these numerous menial tasks may also need to be completed,...

Recently I met someone who said that although she was going through a very difficult transition, she did not need a coach because she has good friends that can be counted on for support. Well, it is indeed a great blessing to have supportive friends especially at a time when friendship is too often given a backseat in the fast lane of modern life and its numerous priorities. Occasionally, friends can also provide a good nudge to help us motivate ourselves into needed actions. Sometimes, people closest to us, by definition, lack the distance and detachment necessary to see the whole of who we are and could become. You may remember the movie Miss Potter, in which the father of Beatrix – best-selling children’s books author – said to his wife “your...

Recently I met someone who said that although she was going through a very difficult transition, she did not need a coach because she has a few good friends that can be counted on for support. This is indeed a great blessing especially at a time when friendship is too often given a backseat in the fast lane of modern life and its numerous priorities. Supportive friends help us to celebrate our joys, surmount our challenges as they engage with us in wondrous brain-stimulating conversations. Occasionally, friends can also provide a good nudge to help us motivate ourselves into needed actions. But sometimes, people closest to us lack, by definition, the distance and detachment necessary to see the whole of who we are and could be. You may remember the movie Miss...

Just a few weeks ago many of us were watching athletes perform and then we saw the spectacular closing ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympics. Thinking of all those athletes and especially the ones who got to the podiums; we know there were years of hard work and nearly incessant practice to arrive at that level of mastery.  What we do not get to see are the sustained efforts and help from the coaches; can you imagine to what extent coaches have contributed the motivation, encouragement, and championing for those athletes to end up winning their medals?  Now if you are coming up to a life transition such as a career change, business start-up or other major life transition, ask yourself, do I have sufficient clarity, support and motivation?  Do I have someone...