Does Attitude Really Make or Break You?

Christi Hegstad December 2nd, 2013

CLARITY KICKSTART: December 2, 2013

“The inside of your head should be your favorite place in the world.”

~ Barbara Sophia Tammes

Coaching Tip For The Week:

Recently, someone commented on our Facebook page that attitude can get you further than anything else. Do you agree?

Whether or not you agree that attitude is everything, building a positive mindset certainly can’t hurt. You can do this in many ways, such as:

Starting your day with gratitude.
Reading uplifting books and articles.
Surrounding yourself with positive people.
Acting with intention.
Avoiding “doom-and-gloom” TV.
Seeking the meaning or lessons in all situations.
Consciously choosing your words – both those you say aloud and those that remain in your head.
Believing the best.
Saying “Thank You.”

This week, choose one of the above ideas and implement it consistently into your work and life. While consistency may prove challenging at first, you’ll quickly find that these are habits worth developing.

Which habit will you incorporate into your life this week? Share your ideas below, on Facebook, or via Twitter! And for powerful support from positive people, check our the ASPIRE Success Club while a few seats still remain.

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches professionals to get unstuck and reach Bold Goals with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Learn more at www.meaning-and-purpose.com and follow Dr. Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

5 Questions When Hiring A Coach

Christi Hegstad November 26th, 2013

When I set out to hire my first business coach, I called 3 different possibilities and got 3 very different “tastes” of coaching. At that time, aside from inquiring about their experience, I didn’t really know what else to ask and based much of my decision on rapport.

And rapport – a strong connection – with a potential coach is important. But there are also a number of other questions that will help ensure you hire the highest-quality coach best suited to your needs.

Below are 5 such questions to give you a strong start:

1. Where is your certification from?

While you can’t technically call yourself a lawyer without having a license to practice law, you can call yourself a coach without certification. (Fortunately the industry is becoming more stringent in this regard.) I encourage you to seek out coaches who are certified through an accredited program. For example, I went to school seemingly forever to earn my Ph.D. – but my coach certification training (and the continuing education requirements, connections formed, etc.) has made me 100 times the coach I would have been without it.

2. Can you give an example of someone similar to me whom you’ve successfully coached?

If you’re contacting a coach, you likely know what you want to accomplish as a result of your coaching experience. Share this with your potential coach and ask for similar examples of other clients. She might not have coached someone in your particular industry, and that’s o.k. (coaching is not industry-specific), but she should be able to connect your goals, vision, and ideas with client success stories.

3. What coaching affiliations do you have?

Ideally, your coach will be a member of the International Coach Federation, or ICF. This is the leading governing body of the coaching world and members must agree to strict ethical guidelines. Think of this like a physician: would you want one who reports and adheres to an ethical governance, or one who creates her own rules?

4. What’s your passion, or your coaching “sweet spot”?

I love this question because it’s unexpected and it helps you get an inside look at what lights up your prospective coach. If he says, “You know, I like coaching, but I’m actually thinking about phasing out this side of my business to focus on something else,” you might want to look for someone with a bit more fire. (I heard that response from a prospective coach once. I kept looking.)

5. Do you have a coach?

Anyone who wants to be the very best in their field works with a coach – just look to sports for examples of this. If your prospective coach doesn’t have a coach himself, that could be a sign that he’s become complacent in the profession – or that he thinks he knows all he needs to know. Take a “No” answer to this question seriously.

Coaching is an investment, and often a hefty one at that. Typically a coach’s fees are commensurate with her experience and results, so make sure you recognize your coaching as an investment in your future (vs. a one-time expense) and be willing to seek out the best you or your employer can manage. I’ve hired inexpensive coaches, and I’ve written out coaching checks that have made me gasp – but I’ve come to find that the old adage is so often true: “You get what you pay for.” My results and transformation with those loftier investments was always so much more profound!

As I see it, I am only successful as a coach when my client is successful with his or her coaching goals. When I’m coaching someone 1:1, I am as fully invested in his success as he is. If you sense your potential coach doesn’t share that passion for growth, success, and fulfillment, keep searching until you find one who does.

Believe me, your perfect coach is out there! And you deserve the best for your investment.

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches professionals to get unstuck and reach Bold Goals with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Learn more at www.meaning-and-purpose.com and follow Dr. Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Now enrolling for the 2014 ASPIRE Success Club! Click here for details.

Make Thanksgiving a Verb

Christi Hegstad November 25th, 2013

CLARITY KICKSTART: November 25, 2013

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

~ John F. Kennedy

Coaching Tip For The Week:

Here in the U.S. it’s Thanksgiving week, a time to celebrate family, friends, relationships, blessings, and all for which we are grateful.

This week, tell at least 8 people what you appreciate about them. Send a few cards, share your gratitude with them before your Thanksgiving meal, and/or pick up the phone.

Make Thanksgiving a verb!

Thank YOU for supporting MAP Professional Development Inc! We appreciate you!

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches professionals to get unstuck and reach Bold Goals with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Learn more at www.meaning-and-purpose.com and follow Dr. Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Now enrolling for the 2014 ASPIRE Success Club! Click here for details.

Why I Make Clients Cry (And How You Can, Too!)

Christi Hegstad November 20th, 2013

Last week I made not 1, not 2, but 4 clients cry. At some point during each of our coaching conversations, faces reddened, tears welled up, and in some cases, the waterworks really flowed.

One client later shared with a coworker that she classified our meeting as BYOT: Bring Your Own Tissue!

The truth is, I always have tissues with me for coaching conversations. Clients crying is actually not a rare occurrence, but a common one.

Many possible reasons for this exist. Since all my clients have assured me I’m not mean 😉 I suspect the following possibilities:

Relief. Finally getting to share ideas, dreams, and goals can be an incredibly cathartic experience – especially if you’ve carried them silently for quite some time.

Opening Up To Fear. It’s a huge deal to say a dream out loud – especially to another human! Admitting what you want to experience can be all at once frightening and exhilarating.

Unbridled Honesty. We experience a lot of “shoulds” in our lives. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in what we should do that we completely lose touch with what we want or desire. Reconnecting with that is powerful.

But what many clients have revealed to me, and what I now believe is one of the biggest reasons people often cry in an early coaching conversation, is this: It’s the first time – perhaps in a very long time – that a person can tell her story and truly be heard: no judgment, no bettering, no comparing. Just acknowledged and appreciated.

Sound basic? It is. And it’s something we can all practice on a regular basis.

One of the most important coaching skills, besides asking masterful questions and prompting powerful actions, is exceptional listening. This is surprisingly rare in today’s world. How many times have you tried telling a story and…

…been interrupted?

…been one-upped? (“You think that’s something, let me tell you my experience…”)

…felt like you weren’t the top priority? Your partner might be looking at the clock, people-watching, or otherwise distracted.

In the coaching relationship, I only succeed as a coach if you as a client succeed. In order to propel you to success – especially in taking quantum leaps and achieving Bold Goals – I need to listen carefully for your patterns, self-talk, energy levels, and more.

And as a fellow human, listening is something we can all improve – and really make a positive difference for others in the process. This week, I challenge you to listen – fully listen, with your whole heart – to at least one person each day. Pay attention to only that person for that period of time (and it doesn’t even have to be long!). Like one of my mentors-from-afar, Mary Kay Ash, suggested, imagine your speaker wears a sign around her neck that says “Make me feel important.”

What a difference we can make – and it all starts with listening! And, just in case, have a couple tissues handy, too. 😉

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches professionals to get unstuck and reach Bold Goals with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Learn more at www.meaning-and-purpose.com and follow Dr. Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Now enrolling for the 2014 ASPIRE Success Club! Click here for details.

Forget Balance – Strive For This Instead

Christi Hegstad November 18th, 2013

CLARITY KICKSTART: November 18, 2013

“We hear about balance so much we automatically assume it’s exactly what we should be seeking. It’s not. Purpose, meaning, significance – these are what make a successful life.”

~ Gary Keller

Coaching Tip for the Week:

“Balance” is quite the misnomer. It gives the impression that if we devote equal attention to work and life (as if work isn’t a part of life!), we will find ourselves happy, relaxed, and carefree.

Yet when you are balanced, you are not moving. In a motionless state, you fear any slight movement that could topple this perfect equilibrium. And not moving = not growing.

I encourage you to strive for imbalance instead, weighing heavily on the side of purpose, meaning, and significance.

This week, spend 30 minutes in quiet reflection – maybe at a coffee shop or library – and identify your top priorities and strengths. Write them down. Discern what matters most to you – what infuses your life and those around you with meaning and purpose – then start planning your weeks in favor of those areas.

Even if it means tipping the scales out of balance.

What are your thoughts on “work/life balance”? Join the conversation on Facebook or Twitter!

Final 2 days to save $100 for the 2014 ASPIRE Success Club! Enter coupon code ASPIRE14 when enrolling. Our thanks for reading our blog!

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches professionals to get unstuck and reach Bold Goals with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Learn more at www.meaning-and-purpose.com and follow Dr. Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Now enrolling for the 2014 ASPIRE Success Club! Click here for details.

Kicking Into High Gear

Christi Hegstad November 13th, 2013

Every year, I set 3 Bold Goals for my business. This year, I’ve reached 2 of them. The 3rd still eludes me, despite having taken consistent action throughout the year to reach it.

Earlier this month I was feeling rather blue about this. “It’s November,” I thought. “Not much time left in the year, and still such a huge part of my goal left.” This is the time of year I start planning for 2014, so as I began tossing around goal ideas for next year, I kind of blew off my remaining 2013 goal.

“I’ll get it next year,” I told myself – with more than a hint of dissatisfaction.

Then on November 9, I woke up with this resounding idea in my mind and on my heart: What if I just played BIG from now until the end of the year? What if I reached deep inside, as well as reached out to my support team, and went for it? What if I closed this year with the achievement under my belt rather than rewriting it for next year?

I can’t quite explain where this came from, but it truly was a knowing. The more I journaled that morning, the more I just knew at my core that this was what I had to do – I had to follow one of my Guiding Principles: Play Full-On.

And I have to tell you, I’m excited about this! It’s a challenge, to be sure, but something has renewed in me that makes this a challenge worth taking. Here are a few things you can do to kick your goal into high gear (and know I’m doing them right along with you!):

Up your daily game.

What are you doing on a consistent, daily basis to get the results you desire? Multiply that by 3 or 5 (or more, if that’s doable for you). If you’re making one phone call a day to line up an appointment or gig, make 5 a day. Keep track on a chart or your calendar, remembering that without a scorecard it’s not a game – it’s just practice. You’re in the game now.

Gather your support.

I spent a long time in my business thinking I had to figure things out on my own. Once I joined a Mastermind group, hired a coach, and secured an incredible support network, my game changed completely. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel or fly solo. Select your support and go.

Get uncomfortable.

Sticking in your “safety zone” may keep you feeling, well, safe – but it’s not going to propel you forward and help you make the difference you’re here to make. Feel awkward making those calls or sending those emails or attending those networking events that you know can make the difference? Take a deep breath, shift to a strong

mindset, and embrace the awkwardness. It gets better. 🙂

Time will tell if I reach my huge goal, but one thing I know for sure: I feel so much stronger in going for it than I would if I had thrown in the towel. What goal do you need to kick into high gear? What will you say about yourself at the end of the year, and what will you do between now and then to make it happen? Remember, you have it in you to succeed! Choose some of the strategies above or those of your own creation and go for it.

I look forward to celebrating with you at the end of the year!

What will you do to kick your 2013 goal(s) into high gear? Share your ideas below, on Facebook, or via Twitter! Join the ASPIRE Success Club to get a head-start on your 2014 goals too – and save $100 this week only with coupon code ASPIRE14! Click here to enroll.

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches professionals to get unstuck and reach Bold Goals with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Learn more at www.meaning-and-purpose.com and follow Dr. Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Now enrolling for the 2014 ASPIRE Success Club! Click here for details.

Serious About Your Goal? Then Ask These 2 Questions

Christi Hegstad November 11th, 2013

CLARITY KICKSTART: November 11, 2013

“To my mind, the two most important questions you can ask a person who is serious about moving forward in a project, any project, are:

1) What will you do next?

2) By when will you do it?

And the third key ingredient is the principle of ‘Return and Report.'”

~ Henriette Anne Klauser, Ph.D.

Coaching Tip For The Week:

You might wonder why I selected the photo at right to accompany this quote. The main reason: When you state your goal aloud, create an action plan, and invite others to hold you accountable, you’ve just done something powerful.

You’ve declared yourself in the game.

Once you make that declaration, there is no stopping you! And if you make this declaration to a supportive community like the ASPIRE Success Club, you’ll find that others can open doors and offer resources that once eluded you. Regular, positive, action-oriented accountability fulfills Klauser’s third ingredient above, too.

This week, decide what you will do next – and by when – to help you reach this year’s goals and to grow your success in 2014. Then choose how you will be held accountable to “return and report.” Quit playing on the sidelines – declare yourself in the game!

Click here to join the 2014 ASPIRE Success Club – limited space remains!

Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches professionals to get unstuck and reach Bold Goals with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Learn more at www.meaning-and-purpose.com and follow Dr. Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Now enrolling for the 2014 ASPIRE Success Club! Click here for details.

r. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches professionals to get unstuck and reach Bold Goals with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action.

Learn more at www.meaning-and-purpose.com and follow Dr. Christi on Facebook and Twitter.