The Power of Front-Loading

Christi Hegstad June 28th, 2021

I ran track in high school, and my favorite event was the 400-meter dash. Just one time around the track, the race was long enough to set a pace but short enough that it didn’t feel like a slog. (Usually.)

A strong start, however, was crucial.

In the few years (ok, decades) since graduating from high school and completing my track career, I’ve realized the importance of a strong start in other areas, too. Front-loading has thus become a part of my achievement practice.

What Is Front-Loading? How Does It Help?

Imagine it’s the start of the year and you set a goal to earn $120,000 in revenue.

Many people would look at this and say, “OK, so I need to bring in $10,000 per month,” make their plans accordingly, and leave it at that.

But what about the three weeks you’ll be out of the office in the fall for conferences and vacations?

What about that period in the summer when your industry tends to go silent for a month?

And what about the typical slumps that accompany nearly any large goal or project?

Dictionary.com defines front-loading as ‘expending maximum effort as early as possible.’ In a race, this might mean taking advantage of the adrenaline you naturally feel at the starting line and using it to pull ahead of the pack.

Similarly, when you begin a large project or bold goal, you’re likely energized at the onset. Instead of a flat $10,000/month in the earlier example, what if you shoot for $13,000 the first month? Or even $15,000? You can leverage your early energy, plus place yourself ahead of the game to account for those mid-year interruptions.

In addition, small, early wins build momentum and motivate us when the going gets tough.

Where To Experiment With Front-Loading

You can play with this concept just about anywhere, such as:

* Large goals

* Long-term projects

* Your week

(Imagine getting your top priorities for the week accomplished on Monday and Tuesday. Everything else is icing on the cake!)

Give It A Go!

A fine line can exist, of course, between effective front-loading and wearing yourself out too soon. For this reason, I recommend mapping out your full action plan in advance so you can still start strong and also pace accordingly. A coach can also provide the perspective and accountability to help you along the way.

On what project are you about to embark? How might you front-load it to give yourself that strong start?

Christi Hegstad, PhD, PCC, is the Practical + Purposeful Coach for Achievers! Join our email community for weekly coaching tips, free resources, and more!

Getting ‘Back To Basics’ With Your Time

Christi Hegstad June 27th, 2021

One of the most powerful tools high achievers use for chunking things down, gaining control over their life, and increasing their productivity is to plan their next day the night before. – Jack Canfield

If you’re connected with me on social media, you’ve likely seen my monthly ‘lessons learned’ posts, where I share the top ten things I learned or was reminded of that month.

In May, one of those lessons involved getting ‘back to basics.’

Sometimes we don’t know what will help us get out of a rut, become less overwhelmed, or achieve to our highest potential.

But sometimes we do know. We just need to actually do it!

This week, get ‘back to basics’ with your time.

Three of my favorite ways to do this (along with links to blogs on each):

Time Mapping

Daily Top 3

Morning Practice

What processes can you start – or return to – to help you be the leader in your own life? Implement one today!

If you haven’t seen my monthly lessons, book reviews, and more, let’s connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook! @ChristiHegstad

Burnout: Book Review, Takeaways, + Application

Christi Hegstad June 23rd, 2021

When I wrote about my experience with burnout two years ago, I received more feedback than with any other article I’d written in years. For better (since we knew we weren’t alone) or for worse (since burnout was clearly so prevalent), that article opened up a dialogue – and a focus within my coaching work – that has continued to this day.

So when I recently heard of a book on the topic that was hailed as evidence-based as well as practical, I jumped right in.

And when I say that I had an aha moment – and a potentially life-changing one at that – within the first chapter of Burnout by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski, I am not exaggerating! This book has forever changed the way I think about stress, its often-hidden sources, and innovative ways we can minimize and help prevent burnout.

Read on for my three top takeaways from this insightful book:

1. Close your stress cycle. Every day.

Imagine you’re being chased by a lion. If someone captures the lion and takes it away, you won’t immediately feel calm, peaceful, and ready to return to your nightly crossword puzzle. It’s going to take a while for your heart rate to slow down and your mind to clear enough for you to focus on anything other than lion-induced thoughts.

Same goes for other, more likely, stressors that we experience on a regular basis. “Just because you’ve dealt with the stressor,” write Nagoski and Nagoski, “doesn’t mean you’ve dealt with the stress itself.”

We have to close the stress cycle. And we must do this on a daily basis.

How you close your cycle may depend on a variety of factors, but the book offers several actionable ideas: Physical activity, meaningful interaction, and creative expression, to name a few. By scheduling one or more of these into our daily routines, we increase our likelihood of processing and moving forward from the stress rather than simply stuffing it down for later.

2. Increase that which brings you meaning.

Since the MAP in my company’s name literally stands for Meaning And Purpose, this takeaway from me likely comes as no surprise. However, I love highlighting the research behind the importance of meaning in our work and lives, reiterating that it’s not just a ‘nice to have’ or something to focus on ‘when we have more time,’ but rather a key element in our wellbeing.

Unsure what imbues your life with meaning? No one else can decide that for you. The authors, however, offer a terrific question to ask yourself in order to get more clear on your own answer:

“What am I doing when I feel most powerfully that I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing?”

How you answer that question will inform how you can begin to increase your sense of meaning and purpose. For additional application, read this brief article.

3. Know what you’re moving toward.

“We thrive when we have a positive goal to move toward, not just a negative state we’re trying to move away from,” write the authors before the first chapter even begins. Positive psychology has shown us time and time again that having goals and experiences that we are working toward improves our overall wellbeing in countless ways.

What goals are you working toward? What vision does your future hold? What event are you looking forward to on your calendar? Focusing on actions that will lead us to a brighter tomorrow can help us close the cycle and let go of what holds us back today.

“A goal is not a life,” the book reminds us, “but it may be what gives shape and direction to the way we live each day.”

Overall, I appreciated Burnout for its readability and accessibility supported by evidence-based practices. I also learned a great deal from their exploration into the role cultural expectations and biases, body image, and other factors play in our experience with burnout. The authors delve beyond simply ‘looking at the bright side’ and offer implementable, science-backed actions to minimize burnout and its impact in our lives.

I recommend this resource to those feeling overwhelmed or on the verge of burnout, as well as coaches and other professionals who work with people in those situations.

Have you read Burnout? Share your takeaways below or on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram!

Christi Hegstad, PhD, PCC, is the Practical + Purposeful Coach for Achievers! As a certified Executive + Life Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc. for 18+ years, Dr. Hegstad has coached thousands of clients to work, lead, and live with meaning and purpose – and without the burnout. Join our email community for weekly coaching tips!

Something Better Out There

Christi Hegstad June 22nd, 2021

Whatever calls you, whether it’s the ocean or art or family or democracy, isn’t out there. It’s inside you.

Emily Nagoski + Amelia Nagoski

“I feel like there must be something more out there for me.”

If you find yourself in a rut, overwhelmed, or teetering on the edge of burnout, maybe you’ve uttered those words to yourself.

It can be tempting to imagine something better “out there.”

But unless we get clear on what lights us up on the inside, we can change jobs or move towns and still feel that longing for something more – just in a different place.

This week, watch for powerful moments.

In their excellent book Burnout (see below), Nagoski + Nagoski encourage you to ask yourself this question:

“What am I doing when I feel most powerfully that I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing?”

Is it when you’re mentoring a new leader?

When you’re researching a case and all the pieces start to come together?

When you’re teaching a group of new technicians about the latest product update?

Pay attention – and make note of – those moments. Once you’ve discerned what lights you up inside, you can begin to make it part of your work and life.

And if you need help with this, just let me know – it’s one of my specialties!

Watch the blog later this week to learn my thoughts and takeaways from the book, Burnout!

Gentle Ambition: Can The Combo Coexist?

Christi Hegstad June 17th, 2021

“If I didn’t get on my own case, I don’t think I’d ever actually accomplish anything.”

A new client expressed this recently, and she’s certainly not the first to raise this point. As a recovering perfectionist, former Type A+ personality (yep, I’d do the extra credit to bump up the A!), and enneagram 3 myself, I can definitely relate. Achievers often hold ourselves to an incredibly high standard.

And we can also tend to be pretty harsh with ourselves if we don’t measure up.

If you see yourself in this scenario, I’d like to offer a few thoughts:

1. Practice The “And.”

We often veer toward either/or in our thinking, but we don’t have to. Just like we can have a successful career and be an awesome parent, or be deeply purposeful and light-hearted, we can also be driven and compassionate.

Start with this belief, then see #2 for practical application.

2. Speak With Gentle Ambition.

I recently experienced a frustrating challenge within my business. Not long after, I noticed nearly all my self-talk went something like this:

“Christi, you’ve been in business for over 18 years. How could you not see this coming? How did you let this happen? Shouldn’t you have this figured out by now?”

It took conscious effort, but I began replacing the above with things like, “Yes, you’ve been in business a long time, but never at this point in time, with these life circumstances, in this exact situation. This is the first time you’re facing this!” And if that didn’t work, I’d repeat a mantra like “You got this!” or ask “What’s your next best action?” – anything to break the pattern of harshness so I could proceed with purpose.

3. Lower The Bar Somewhere.

I continually raise the bar in my coaching work and in select areas aligned with my purpose. But if you looked at the dust that exists on my ceiling fans or the current state of my closet shelves, you’d know immediately that not everything in my life gets equal attention.

I’m always encouraging you to discern what matters most. In addition, decide what doesn’t matter most, and be willing to lower the bar sometimes.

So, can you be self-compassionate and still achieve incredible goals?

can you be gentle with yourself and still wildly ambitious?

Absolutely.

It may take practice and intentional effort, but it will definitely be worth it!

Want weekly coaching tips that are both practical AND purposeful? Click here!

Monthly Review – May Lessons Learned

Christi Hegstad June 15th, 2021

Lessons and reminders that came my way in May – let me know below or on LinkedIn which one resonates with you!

1. Giant leap or tiny steps – progress is progress.

2. ‘Back to basics’ is often the best solution. Remember this when you start to feel overwhelmed.

3. Good or bad, positive or negative, easy or difficult … it won’t last forever.

4. Is there any feeling quite like that of RELIEF?

5. Excellent book + lawn chair + cool beverage = summer delight!

6. What seemed most pressing at the start of the year may have changed. Time to revisit goals.

7. My kiddos are among my greatest role models. I learn from / am inspired by them daily!

8. Things to let go: assumptions, unhelpful stories, things you cannot control, comparison …

9. Intentional time alone can be transformative.

10. It may not go according to plan – but it may still turn out awesome.

For weekly coaching tips, join our email community today!

What Energy Will You Choose?

Christi Hegstad June 14th, 2021

“Most of us aren’t in total control of our time. But we are in control of our energy.” – Molly Fletcher

We have all probably had a meeting scheduled at the end of an exhausting week, when all we want to do is head home, pour an iced tea, and relax on the deck.

And we have all likely experienced a day or two (or many) where our plans were pushed to the side in order to address an unexpected issue.

How do you handle moments when it feels like time is not in your control?

This week, choose your energy.

If I go into that last-minute meeting complaining, annoyed, and telling everyone how tired I am, I’m probably not feeling a lift in my energy.

(And I’m probably draining everyone else’s in the process!)

But if I choose to enter that meeting or approach the change in plans with a commitment to add something of value, or to gain at least one new learning, or to make a positive impact on someone in the room, I can change the entire experience – for me and for those around me.

Throughout the upcoming week, decide the energy you wish to bring. You may not always control your time, but you can choose – with intention – who and how you will be in a given experience.

If you enjoy these weekly emails, please encourage a friend to subscribe! They’ll receive their free Big Dreams, Bold Goals! workbook, too!

Thinking About Change vs. Deciding To Change

Christi Hegstad June 6th, 2021

Changing course starts with making a decision… No doubt you’re already thinking about some of the changes you’d like to make, but until you decide to follow through, nothing will happen. – Bob + Melinda Blanchard

As you think about your work and life, what area would you love to grow, strengthen, improve, or change?

Your leadership ability? Mindset? Eating habits? Communication with your assistant? Stress management?

Thinking can be a great first step, but it’s certainly not the only step.

This week, decide to make a change.

Rather than thinking about a daily gratitude practice, decide to begin one today.

Instead of pondering how helpful coaching would be, decide to contact a coach today.

In lieu of chastising yourself over your disorganization, decide the first area you will clean up today.

You’re welcome to adopt one of my longtime Guiding Principles: Decide and Take Action. You, like me, may find it life-changing!

Ready to make a change? I can help you do so with practical tips and purposeful action? Contact me today!

Where Confidence Comes From

Christi Hegstad May 31st, 2021

When confidence emanates from our core, we are at our most powerful. – Katty Kay & Claire Shipman

Whether people come to me for coaching in leadership, time management, or to achieve a meaningful goal, a portion of our work typically comes around to an important topic:

Confidence.

You can know the most up-to-date best practices, but without the confidence to implement them, your leadership likely won’t flourish.

You can know exactly how you want to spend your time, but without the confidence to say ‘no’ to certain requests, you’ll continue to feel overwhelmed.

And you can have the most ridiculously awesome goal in the world, but without the confidence that you can achieve it, it will probably stay in ‘idea’ mode.

This week, base your confidence in your values.

When we are clear on our core values, we can live, work, and make decisions with greater confidence and ease.

We know that saying ‘no’ to something means we are saying ‘yes’ to something that matters more.

What are your core values? How can they support your confidence this week?

Want to uncover your core values, build your confidence, and/or explore other coaching possibilities? Contact me today!

Staying Motivated When No One Seems To Notice

Christi Hegstad May 23rd, 2021

I now try to check in and ask myself: The thing that I’m chasing right now, if I got it and no one else knew about it, would it still be meaningful to me? – Jess Ekstrom

We’ve been talking in the ASPIRE Success Club this past week about how to stay motivated when no one seems to acknowledge, or appreciate, your work.

Whether it’s your latest business project, a service you’re providing, the behind-the-scenes effort you’re putting in, the dishes you’re continually washing … it’s nice to know your efforts are appreciated, isn’t it?

But how can we stay motivated if it seems like no one notices – or cares?

This week, consider the purpose – and the ripple effect.

Take the area where you’re feeling under-acknowledged and explore it from two directions:

1) The reason you began in the first place. Remembering why you started can rekindle the meaning and purpose behind the action.

2) How it benefits others. Everything you do, every action, has a ripple effect; trusting the impact you make can help you keep on keepin’ on.

When I start to feel a lack of acknowledgment, I also take that opportunity to ask myself, “When was the last time I acknowledged someone else’s work?” I am then usually prompted to write a testimonial for a small business, or send someone a thank you card, or email the author of an article and let them know what I learned from their writing.

How will you uplift your meaningful motivation this week?

I only have a few openings for new clients this summer – contact me if you’d like to discuss coaching options!

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