During the early stages of my career, I had hired a business coach to help me improve the competencies needed for increasing the value I would contribute to my organization and clients. In our first session, he asked me to identify the people I had met or knew of that I considered successful.
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He invited me to list the attributes they exhibited that were attractive to me and integral to my opinion that they were successful. And then he encouraged me to list the attributes I had identified that I wanted to develop in myself. To be sure, there were many. Naturally, I had attended classes and workshops and read quite a bit on personal and professional development, and at the time, I had already amassed academic credentials and years of work experience. But the assignment was intended to help me push myself to grow and learn new competencies and behaviors. And I was eager to do so.
After creating my list, I set off to my local bookstore. I scrutinized the shelves for the titles and authors that promised the sort of change I anticipated. And by the time I was ready to check out, I must have had fifteen to twenty items in my cart. After the cashier tallied my purchases, I realized that the total charge would leave me with only twenty dollars in my reserves, a scary proposition. I remember being torn as to which of the resources I would return to the shelves. As I thumbed through my inventory of tools, books and audio programs, I simply couldn't find one that I could live without. So, I purchased the entire stack. And as I walked out of the bookstore, I determined that I would extract everything I possibly could from the materials I had bought. I made up my mind that I was going to maximize the return on my investment. I had no other choice.
When I had originally considered hiring that coach, he had shared with me the ways in which he could help me. What I particularly liked was that what he shared was more about how I stood to benefit than how he could help. He'd walked me through a series of very poignant questions, helping me identify the improved outcomes that I wanted. Together, we explored all that I could achieve in one year in my business, personal and financial life. At the time, I was very interested in increasing my income. But I remember him asking me, "If you earned that much more money, how would your life be better?"
In that moment, I had to stop and give careful consideration to the question. And there came a moment of strong realization that with a coach, my life would be better in innumerable transformative ways; that with acute insights gleaned, discipline and focused execution, I would become increasingly effective and valuable in the marketplace. The improvements that ensued would lay the foundation for becoming irresistible and financially invincible.
Then he shared how much I would need to invest for him to coach me. And yes, it caused me considerable stress. It was a huge investment for me at that time. I knew that if I made the commitment to hire him, I dared not discuss the cost with my wife. It was beyond my capacity to make a compelling case. But I also knew this decision, because of the implications that only I could appreciate, was mine alone. It would be an investment in myself so that I could become the person I needed to be, and so that I would be equipped to provide a decent lifestyle for my family. It would also prepare me to be a role model and influencer of positive change in the careers and personal lives of others. Thankfully, my coach had also shared that after a predetermined period of time, if I did not experience measurable improvement and I was not completely satisfied, he would refund my investment. What a relief!
I believed that if I were to achieve my goals and dreams, coaching combined with the resources I had purchased that day in the bookstore, would catapult my attitudes, behaviors and results. So I decided there and then that it would be worth the investment. I also recommitted to fully, totally and unequivocally immerse myself in the process of being coached. His insights, guidance and encouragement would supplement my self-learning and accelerate my growth and value.
By sharing this experience, I would like to remind you that you too will experience moments in time when you arrive at a fork in the road. When you do, you'll need to make a difficult decision. While the choices you face are not necessarily good or bad, one of them can be incredibly valuable, but also come with a higher price. And you'll need to ask yourself, do you want to grow fast and in significant ways to accomplish big goals and dreams? Or will you delay the investment and make the journey more painful, grinding and slow?
The choice is yours!
The good news is that there is one thing that successful people have in common. It is the desire to help others grow and succeed. Because of this fundamental truth, there is a vast number of people who have struggled and succeeded and want to spare you from the pain they experienced along the way. Their valuable insight and coaching can take you leaps and bounds beyond your imagination. And they are willing to make themselves available to you anytime that you need them.
You only need to ask.
I'm ready to pay it forward to you, as I have with countless others. My mission is to help you become increasingly irresistible and financially invincible. Together, through intentional and achievable steps, we can make your future bright, build your wealth and give you the freedom you deserve. Today is your day to take that first step. Contact me here.
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