Happy MAPiversary! Three Lessons From 18 Years in Business!

Christi Hegstad February 11th, 2021

This weekend marks 18 years in business for my coaching firm, MAP Professional Development Inc! And like any birthday or anniversary – or MAPiversary, as we call it around here 🙂 – this seems a natural prompt for reflection.

I’ve learned so much over the years – both what to do and what not to do – and am attempting to distill everything into three brief points:

1. Believe in yourself, your values, your vision of what could be.

I can easily doubt myself a hundred times a day. Back when I started my business, that number was probably closer to five hundred.

But I also trust that my values won’t lead me astray and that my purpose is greater than my mistakes.

And, I remind myself that with every challenge I’ve faced in the last 18 years of business, I’ve addressed it, picked myself up, and moved forward.

Know that you are here for a purpose, and that you are greater than you probably give yourself credit for!

2. Learn from everything and everyone.

Even (especially) the flub-ups.

Sometimes you learn what you want or need to do more of.

Sometimes you learn what not to do.

Reflect on each day, keep a journal, and never stop learning and growing.

3. You may not love every action, but take every action in love.

As a young parent, I questioned pretty much everything I did, quite certain I was doing it all wrong. I asked my mom endlessly for advice, and at one point she told me something that has stuck in my mind ever since:

“Christi, whatever you do, if you do it in love, it will be the right thing.”

This proved a saving grace for me in parenting – and my children are now all incredible young adults of whom I am *so* proud!

And I’ve applied her advice in business, too.

Certain aspects of business ownership can weigh really heavy and be really hard; there’s no skirting around this fact. But if you bring love into everything you do – if you remember there’s a person on the other side of that screen or phone line, if you remember that everyone is dealing with challenges we know nothing about – you make a difference. You may not make the sale, you may not win the client, but you can go to bed knowing you brought a bit more love into the world that day.

In the last 18 years, I’ve learned to delight in teeny tiny wins. I’ve learned to embrace my nerd-ness (and believe me, it knows no bounds!). I’ve learned that I don’t have to go it alone.

And I’ve learned that I still have a heck of a lot to learn.

But if I’ve lit a spark for someone, encouraged someone, inspired positive action in someone, then this rollercoaster that is entrepreneurialism has been worth it. Thank you for your role in it! And here’s to another 18 years!

My newsletter subscribers will receive something special this weekend to celebrate our 18th MAPiversary – subscribe here!

The Glorious Season You’re In

Christi Hegstad February 8th, 2021

Once we stop wishing it were summer, winter can be a glorious season. – Katherine May

It is six degrees below zero, with snow falling wildly, as I type this message for you.

Having grown up in northern Minnesota, you’d think I’d be used to cold and snow – especially now that I live in ‘balmy’ Iowa.

I’m not. 🙂

But I also know that wishing it away won’t bring me any closer to sunshine and tank tops and iced tea on the deck.

This week, embrace the here and now.

We might have any number of issues we wish were different.

And being a huge vision and goal gal, I believe in envisioning where we want to be and taking consistent action to move us there.

But along with that comes a willingness to embrace – or perhaps at least accept – where we are right now.

I fully admit I am not the best at this. But I am continually learning. After I publish this blog, for example, I will put on my 23 layers of clothing and head outside for my walk.

There’s a meme floating around the internet (attribution unknown) about being both a masterpiece and a work in progress at the same time.

What will help you embrace the here and now while continuing to move toward a better, brighter tomorrow?

Next week marks 18 years in business! Be sure you’re on our email list for a special subscriber-only opportunity!

Monthly Review – January Lessons Learned

Christi Hegstad February 3rd, 2021

For years, I have wrapped up each month with a life + business review – typically on the final Friday of the month, or what I call ‘CEO + Life Friday.’ While much of the process involves looking at data and measuring goal progress, I also like to reflect on general lessons learned. Here are some of the lessons and reminders January 2021 brought me:

1. The decision to start fresh – whether Jan 1 or the middle of a Thursday – feels invigorating (and can be done any time).

2. Chili + cornbread on a blizzardy evening = a bit of wintery bliss.

3. Everyone has a story, and everyone is dealing with challenges we know nothing about.

4. “One day at a time” can serve as a very helpful mantra.

5. Twinkle lights year-round are not only perfectly acceptable, but absolutely delightful.

6. I feel best about myself when I pay attention to – and honor – the basics: movement, water, core values, rest, etc.

7. I still have so much to learn.

8. I think writing in fountain pen on smooth paper actually calms my nervous system.

9. Wearing red – bright red – is an instant energy booster.

10. Always allow more time than you think it will take – whether a project, driving, healing. It takes the time it takes.

Do any of these resonate with you? What lessons did January bring you?

PS – I normally don’t share my monthly reflections here, but if you’d like to see them in the future, let me know in the comments below!

Ready to achieve some Big Dreams and Bold Goals? Click here to start with my complimentary workbook!

How To Keep On Keepin’ On

Christi Hegstad January 31st, 2021

When you study achievement, one of the first things you learn is that innate ability (to the extent that there is such a thing) has surprisingly little to do with success. Persistence, on the other hand, has a lot to do with it.

Heidi Grant Halvorson, PhD

Discipline. Consistency. Resilience. Persistence.

Not the most exciting or glamorous words in the world, I suppose. But definitely ones I am placing a high priority on this year.

How about you? When you look back at some of your highlight moments, did they stem solely from talent? Or did your persistence and never-give-up mindset play a key role?

This week, decide what will help you persist.

When things get tough, what helps you keep on keepin’ on?

A few things that work for me:

* Remembering my why – the purpose behind what I’m doing.

* Tracking my actions + how far I’ve come.

* Meeting with my coach.

* Asking for help.

* Helping someone else.

Identifying in advance what will help when the going gets tough can open up your options tremendously if you start to feel stuck!

Ready to achieve some Big Dreams and Bold Goals? Click here to start with my complimentary workbook!

This Might Sound Ridiculous, But…

Christi Hegstad January 27th, 2021

The title of today’s article is music to my ears. I’ll briefly explain, then I’ll share three ways you can start to experience more meaningful ridiculousness in your work and life, too!

When I first ask a new coaching client about their goals, it’s not uncommon to hear the logical next step in their career path, or an area they could improve, or even what they (or someone else) feel they ‘should’ be working toward. It’s an important first step in our work together, but it’s rarely where we end up placing our coaching goals.

After talking through those initial ideas, I like to dig a little deeper. I might ask some questions like:

* What if you had infinite time, money, and courage – then what would you do?

* Imagine the publication you respect most in the world ran a feature on you three years from now. What would you love for it to highlight?

* At your 90th birthday party, when people give speeches about your awesomeness, what do you hope they’ll say?

This often leads to some pausing, some silence.

And then the magic words:

“This might sound ridiculous, but what I’d love to do is…”

What follows begins to clue us into their dreams. Their authenticity. Their purposeful imaginings of what could be.

That’s where the real work (and fun!) begins!

What’s YOUR Ridiculously Awesome Goal?

You may have noticed my website, social media, and other items stating a new way of sharing what I do:

Helping achievers reach ridiculously awesome goals that change the world.

And now you know a little about what’s behind that!

My strengths and gifts aren’t best suited to help you achieve ‘should-based’ goals that don’t fuel you. (Side note: See my post yesterday on LinkedIn for my thoughts around the word ‘should’ and your goals. :-)) I am here to help you flourish – to reach your full potential, to work with meaning, and to live with purpose!

And guess what? By doing that, in and of itself, you start to change the world.

So if you’d like to experience coaching with me, click here and let’s talk. In the meantime, here are three things you can do right now to start moving toward your ridiculously awesome goals:

1. Ask yourself the questions I posed above. Ponder them in your journal, while out on a meditative walk, or during your morning practice.

2. Create a big list of ‘wins’. I often refer to this as a Celebration of Triumphs, and it’s a great opportunity to remember all you’ve achieved (big or small, personal or professional) while also providing clues into your values, purpose, and what success means to you.

3. Finish this sentence: “This might sound ridiculous, but what I’d love to do is ______________.”

I truly hope 2021 proves to be your most ridiculously awesome year yet! Reach out if I can help, and know that I am rooting for you!

If you or someone you know needs a boost with goals, a great place to start is with my complimentary Big Dreams, Bold Goals! e-book – you can download it here!

What Is Your Most Exciting Goal Right Now?

Christi Hegstad January 26th, 2021

What is your most exciting goal right now?

Like many, you may be feeling some ongoing effects – monotony, low motivation, or a low-level hum of concern, for example – from all that we’re experiencing these days.

Add to that a lack of sunshine or an ever-present chill of winter and it’s no wonder our mojo may have taken a dip.

So the last thing you might be thinking about right now is adding to – or diving into – your goals. Wouldn’t that just increase the stress?

Not necessarily.

Science has repeatedly shown us the importance of moving toward meaningful goals for our overall well-being. Look to the work of Dr. Martin Seligman and Dr. Sonya Lyubomirsky for starters; their research shows we are more likely to flourish when taking action toward goals and projects that feel purposeful, energizing, and challenging in a helpful way.

So if you find yourself in a hum-drum state, ask yourself:

What is my most exciting goal right now? What feels most meaningful? What sounds fun, engaging, delightfully challenging, or purposeful?

If something comes to mind immediately, excellent! You can begin creating a plan and taking actions – even teeny, tiny ones – to advance it.

If nothing rises to the surface right away, don’t worry. Play with the question for a while. Jot down any and all ideas that come to mind, without committing to any at the moment. Imagine what you’d love to say about yourself in three months or a year and see what appears.

Whether your goal involves learning or deepening a skill, completing a business project, enhancing your parenting, or something else entirely, select something that feels meaningful, purposeful, energizing, and perhaps even a bit scary. And if the word ‘should’ shows up with your goal at all, I recommend heading back to the drawing board.

Decades ago, Earl Nightingale defined success as “the progressive realization of a worthy ideal or goal.” Notice he doesn’t focus on the achievement of the goal, but rather the ongoing movement towards said achievement. As the saying goes, the joy is in the journey.

So I’ll ask it once again, and would love to hear your response below or on LinkedIn: What’s your most exciting goal right now?

If you need help setting and/or achieving an exciting, meaningful, ridiculously awesome goal, I’d love to help! Click here to contact me today.

Measuring Non-Measurable Goals

Christi Hegstad January 24th, 2021

We all want to get from ‘here’ to ‘there’ – wherever ‘there’ is for us. … I love it when I realize I’m standing in a ‘here’ place that used to be a ‘there’ place. – Christine Caine

This week, I am leading a 2021 goal-setting session for achievers. One of my favorite components of this course: How to measure goals that seem unquantifiable.

It can be so easy to discredit growth when we can’t mark it on a spreadsheet, for example, or note it on a bank statement.

But does that make it any less worthwhile, any less significant?

Absolutely not.

In fact, I’d argue that the seemingly non-measurable types of growth typically lead to the greatest successes and transformations!

This week, examine your non-measured growth.

What can you do now that you couldn’t last year at this time?

What has become a habit that, at some point in the past, felt practically impossible to even get started?

What now feels easy – or easier – compared to three years ago?

You have grown in countless ways, even if you can’t always measure it with a number.

This week, acknowledge and celebrate your growth. Let it serve as a springboard for your future ‘from here to there’ experiences!

If you’d like a goal-setting session of your own, contact me ASAP!

How Do We Live And Lead In Integrity?

Christi Hegstad January 18th, 2021

“There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity.” – Tom Peters

Do you agree with Peters’ statement above?

When I first saw this quote on the wall of a university, I paused right there in the middle of the hallway. The depth of this phrase really spoke to me.

What it raises for me is the fact that we are the same person …

… whether we are at home, at work, at the store.

… whether we are speaking to someone directly or anonymously from behind a keyboard.

… whether we are with others or we are alone.

Who we are is who we are. We don’t drop our values at the door.

This week, be in integrity with yourself.

Consider the words you choose to speak, the tone you choose to use, the content you choose to share.

Consider what you value most – perhaps respect, or optimism, or integrity – and act accordingly.

Let’s consciously, intentionally be the best version of ourselves, wherever we find ourselves this week!

Ready to stop *thinking* about your ideal future and start taking clear and confident action to create it? Reach out for coaching today!

Begin From Belief

Christi Hegstad January 11th, 2021

Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, “It can’t be done.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

I have a vision for my life.

I have a vision for my business.

I have a vision for the world.

In some areas, I know what I need to do. I have set goals, created action plans, sought necessary support, and started my forward movement.

In other areas, I have no clue how the vision will become real.

But I believe it will. I begin from the belief that it can be done – then start figuring out the ‘how’ from there.

This week, believe it can be done.

Your ‘it’ in this case may be your purposeful vision for the future.

It may be the successful completion of a difficult work project.

It may be a health goal, or a relationship issue, or a dream that will not leave you.

Start by believing it can be done.

You can go anywhere – and everywhere – from there.

ASPIRE members – watch your email tomorrow for all our January details! Not an ASPIRE member but would like to be? Email us ASAP for a special opportunity!

Shifting ‘Something Must Be Done’ to ‘Here’s What I’m Doing’

Christi Hegstad January 8th, 2021

‘Something must be done’ is, in my opinion, a phrase of convenience.

To be clear, it’s one I’ve used myself, probably more times than I’d like to admit.

But while we may temporarily feel better saying it, ‘Something must be done’ leaves us powerless and pointing fingers – neither of which do much to elevate humanity or our own sense of personal leadership.

What if we shift ‘Something must be done’ to ‘Here’s what I’m doing’ instead?

Some actions might include:

Educating yourself.

Read well-researched resources, listen to interviews with qualified subject matter experts, ask questions of trusted sources. Take good notes about how to turn the knowledge into action, too.

Engaging in meaningful, respectful conversation.

In a coach training course years ago, we were invited to practice the 80/20 rule: As the coach, spend 80% of the session listening, 20% (if that) talking. Why? We can’t learn anything new if we’re always talking. This applies to scenarios well beyond a coaching session.

Becoming a critical thinker.

Years ago, NPR pulled a telling April Fool’s joke: They posted an article with the headline, ‘Why Doesn’t America Read Anymore?’ and quietly showed how quick people are to respond to and share headlines without actually reading the article. Rather than accepting sound bytes or sharing catchy headlines as fact, commit to digging deeper.

Asking questions.

Some of my dear friends behave, choose, and vote differently than me. I have learned so much by asking them questions – and listening to their responses. Genuine curiosity goes a long way toward personal growth, understanding various viewpoints, strengthening interpersonal relationships, and taking purposeful action.

Tuning in to your values.

When I finish reading a book, I make sure I record my own thoughts before looking at others’ reviews. I love to hear others’ opinions, I just want to make sure I come from a place of values-based authenticity. If your first reaction – when reading a book, or hearing of an event, or whatever – is to see what everyone else thinks, practice tuning inward first. You can be open to possibility while remaining true to your values.

I am continually challenging myself to do all of the above, and I am open to more ideas. What would you add to this list to help us move from ‘Something must be done’ to ‘I am doing something’?

Contact me today if you’d like help expanding and strengthening your personal leadership.

Author Archives: Christi Hegstad

What’s YOUR Ridiculously Awesome Goal?