Janice Bastani
In each case both professionally and privately we need one very important element and that is the “power”. I’m not talking about the position of someone or something, what I am talking about is your own inner strength to MOVE, to THINK, to TAKE ACTION.
Let’s discuss the first use of something we are all familiar with the “steam engine”. Thomas Savery was an English military engineer and inventor who is 1698 patented the first crude steam engine, based on Denis Papin’s Digester or pressure cooker of 1679. What he worked on was the ability to heat water to 212 degrees in order to make steam which provided power.
So what powers you? What drives you? We are each driven by something in our Professional lives and in our Personal lives. In order for growth to occur we need to have something powering us.
Each of these two areas of life goes hand in hand in the preparation for growth. When we grow in one area, we automatically grow in another. There are 7 factors which come into play in the growth path of life.
The first is "TIME". Growth happens over time. It does not happen overnight. I you receive a promotion over night, it really didn't happen during the time you were sleeping, but rather it occurred over months and years of experience and leadership be example to a greater vision. In our personal lives we do not suddenly have a savings account which suddenly has exactly the amount of a down payment for a new home plus the cash invested someplace safe in order to pay the property taxes for a year. No. Rather this is a planned growth path to a bigger vision of owning a home and having the funds to pay to live there.
The second is "PREPARATION". Growth is planned and happens with great preparation in the arena of business and in our personal lives. Growth comes from having a vision, a bigger picture which will lift up and grow our business and those with whom we share our private lives.
The third is "PLANNING". Planning to grow takes evaluation of where you are now and where you want to be in 6 months, one year, five years, and ten years and so on. This is not static and it does not occur in a vacuum. Keeping the plan fluid and reevaluating it and refining produces growth.
The fourth is "SUPPORT". In order for growth to happen in business there must be a team in place. No one person can do it all and plan to succeed. What happens is burnout. When the team is in place and has a shared vision with a plan to implement forward motion occurs. This same principle applies to ones personal life. When we are surrounded by loved ones and friends who are out there supporting us on our bigger goal, we succeed. If we surround ourselves with those who are negative and naysayers we will fail.
The fifth is "OUTCOMES". I am a big fan of looking at all the outcomes of a possible decision or reply that I must make or that will in some way affect me, my family, my business or whatever is on the table. With my coaching clients I call this the "Y" in the road. When one comes to the moment of decision there are several possibilities that can and will occur. Being prepared with a concrete course of action takes the "fear" out of the outcome of the decision. Here's what I mean.
If the answer is "NO" then I will ___________________(insert exactly the next steps you will take and move on.)
If the answer is "YES" then I will __________________(insert the exact next step you will take).
If the answer is "NOT NOW" then I will ______________________(insert the exact next step you will take).
If the answer is "A WILD CARD" then I will ________________________(insert the exact next step you will take). Why is this important?
It is important because once we know what our response will be; we can immediately begin to "MOVE ON". Dwelling on the decision creates doubt and feelings of unworthiness and puts us all on shaky ground. Having a game plan, takes all the negative energy right out of this line of thought.
The sixth is "SUCCESS FIRST". Keeping success first no matter what happens is a key component in a positive forward motion in business and in private life. Dwelling on the loss of this client, or that contract, or hiring that certain person, or getting a specific account breeds failure. In our private lives when we dwell on loss we engage in the gremlin of old negative self talk and the tape plays over and over and life passes us by. Keeping success first and seeing each outcome as a learning growth opportunity turns this right around and put us in positive territory.
The seventh is "GOAL ORIENTATION". When we have a short term goal, a long term goal and a bigger vision or goal right in front of us and we measure where we are daily in stepping forward to getting to that goal we are miles ahead of our competition. When we keep it in front of us we see what today’s assignment is? In business this done by having daily action items that step us forward to the completion of a certain task on the road to the bigger picture. In our private lives, it might look like putting that designer coffee money into a savings account and dreaming of a home with a spacious kitchen.
All seven of these steps in the "Preparation for Growth" in our lives in business and in our private lives set a pace which we can grow from. Sometimes, you set the pace. Sometimes, your business sets the pace. When we rise to the occasion we have forward motion. When we become overwhelmed with shut down and go into a spiral downward.
Surround yourself with people who lift you up and maintain support in your bigger goal. Make sure that in return you give back to those who support you with your support of them and their bigger goal.
Janice Bastani is a Professional, Credentialed Coach with the International Coach Federation. She holds credentials in Energy Leadership Coaching and in Emotional Intelligence Coaching. Learn more about Janice and the Energy Leadership Program Assessment by visiting www.FocusOnEnergyLeadership.com or emailing her at focuscoaching@gmail.com.
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