When The Fresh Start Feeling Fades

Christi Hegstad January 24th, 2022

Has the fresh start of the new year begun to fade?

If you’re feeling a bit less-than-fired-up these days, you’re not alone. In the words of Zig Ziglar, “People often say motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”

This week, prompt a fresh start where needed.

Sometimes this can be as simple as drinking a large glass of water or taking a brisk walk around the block.

At other times, you may need to reexamine your goals + activities to ensure you’re investing your time purposefully.

And still other times, you might benefit from the help of a coach or the support of an accountability partner.

Thankfully, you don’t need to wait until the next new year to experience a fresh start. Maybe the moment you’re reading this message is the perfect time to begin yours!

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

Flippin’ Questions

Christi Hegstad January 19th, 2022

I learned years ago, both in life and especially in my work as a professional coach, that the quality of our answers depends on the quality of our questions.

So it’s a bit embarrassing to admit that toward the end of 2021, I wasn’t asking myself very high-quality questions.

I had an area where I was experiencing repeated challenges. Without even realizing it, every time the challenge appeared or reappeared, the questions in my mind sounded like:

Why is this always so difficult?

How am I supposed to figure this out?

Why doesn’t this ever work?

As you might guess, I didn’t make much headway.

With the new year, I looked closely at what was working in my life as well as what was not working. That’s when I noticed these unhelpful questions. It’s also when I committed to flipping them around.

Why is this always so difficult? became What would make this easier?

How am I supposed to figure this out? became Who could help me figure this out?

Why doesn’t this ever work? became What aspect of this does work, and how can I build on that?

I didn’t magically solve the challenge overnight. I did, however, shift my mindset around it, decreased the ‘heaviness’ of it, and began seeing improvement. It’s better today than it was a month ago, that’s for sure!

What questions are you asking yourself these days?

If they’re keeping you stuck, consider flipping them around like I did with mine.

You might even write out your new ‘replacement’ questions so you can refer to them when needed.

Nearly anything can become a habit – even the questions we ask ourselves. If you’re noticing lower-quality answers in your life, start by looking at the questions. Maybe a good flip will do the trick!

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

Habits: The Key Element

Christi Hegstad January 17th, 2022

What habit are you ready to kick – or to kickstart into motion?

We can take a number of actions to support habit development: create a tracking tool, set up our environment for success, secure an accountability partner.

But there’s one crucial component needed even before any of those actions if we want our new habit to stick.

This week, believe in your ability to follow through.

In his excellent book The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg writes:

“For a habit to stay changed, people must believe the change is possible.”

Envision what you will feel like after 3 months of engaging your new habit.

Look for an example of another habit you’ve kept – like brushing your teeth before bed – to prove to yourself you can develop new habits.

And don’t forget to celebrate your milestones along the way!

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

What’s Missing From Your Goals? A Check-In

Christi Hegstad January 10th, 2022

Maybe you’ve heard of SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Timely.

All good stuff … but do you notice anything missing?

I set my 2022 Bold Goals a while ago, then realized recently that they just were not speaking to me.

I knew I needed to go back to the drawing board, and I’m so glad I did. I feel much more motivated now than I did two weeks ago!

This week, check in with your goals.

Are they meaningful to you?

Do they elicit some emotion – ie, energizing, inspiring, fulfilling?

How does each goal positively impact you and/or others?

What’s the why behind your goal?

These can be just as important as the SMART criteria. Let’s make this the year your goals lift you up – the year you fulfill your highest potential!

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

Systems Liberate You!

Christi Hegstad January 3rd, 2022

Where could you benefit from a system?

Systems can be super simple. If you constantly misplace your keys, for example, a system could be putting a dish on your entryway table to place them in as soon as you walk in the door.

Systems can free us from mental clutter, repeated effort, constant decision-making, frustration, and more. In essence, systems liberate us!

As you determine your Bold Goals for 2022, ask yourself what systems you can put in place to help you achieve them easily + freely.

Maybe it’s filling a 60-ounce thermos with water every morning to easily track your hydration.

Maybe it’s identifying tomorrow’s Daily Top 3 priorities before you close out for the day + placing them front-and-center on your desk.

This week, focus on your systems.

With the right systems in place and consistently used, your results can essentially take care of themselves!

Enrollment in the 2022 ASPIRE Success Club closes soon – join today!

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

Success In Different Forms: Reflecting On 2021

Christi Hegstad December 27th, 2021

As you reflect on 2021, what are you celebrating?

Remember: Achievement comes in all different shapes and forms. It might be reaching a goal you set, or it might also be how you:

Showed up fully, even when it was difficult to do so.

Appeared in the right place at the right time and made a difference.

Helped someone else move forward in their work or life.

Faced a fear.

Set healthy boundaries.

Honored your values.

I love achieving a goal, but I also know that’s not the only way to experience success.

This week, celebrate your wins.

The world is a better place because of you!

Enrollment in the 2022 ASPIRE Success Club closes soon – join today!

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

What I’ll Be Doing Differently In 2022

Christi Hegstad December 16th, 2021

Earlier this month, I asked our ASPIRE Success Club members two questions:

If you could describe this past year in one word, which would you choose?

If you could proactively select a word to describe next year for yourself, which would you choose?

How would you answer these two questions?

As I play with my vision for 2022, words like clarity, decisiveness, + strength rise to the surface. I am looking at where I currently experience those three things – and also where I don’t. And I’m making decisions and taking actions now to set myself up for success, such as:

Instituting a brief evening routine. My morning routine has helped me start my day on a purposeful note for years; I am also realizing how a cup of tea and listing a few things I’m thankful for before bed helps me close the day in the right mindset as well.

Stepping away from Instagram and Facebook for a while. (Except for the ASPIRE Members-Only Facebook group – that’s one of my favorite places to hang out!)

Setting up a new office space that better suits my vision – for myself, my clients, + my firm – and allows me to serve at my absolute highest level.

Intentionally planning my days to incorporate a blend of peacefulness + productivity. Those kinds of days always leave me feeling the best!

Letting go of certain things that weigh me down or muddle my clarity. This may involve delegating, outsourcing, or dropping the thing altogether.

I’ve got a whole Breakthrough Map of ideas forming, so I am feeling quite confident as I prepare to step into 2022!

If this speaks to you, I encourage you to take stock in a similar way.

Start with the two questions that open this article.

Once you’ve landed on a word(s) for next year, examine what helps you experience it – and what hinders.

Make a big map of possible actions or changes, then choose one or a handful to focus on.

Then, begin! And you don’t need to wait until January 1, either.

Let’s not just hope that 2022 turns out to be an excellent year – let’s choose to make it so! Start making decisions now in favor of what you want to create + experience.

And if you’d like my help, either through the ASPIRE Success Club or one-on-one coaching, just let me know!

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

Choosing Types of Goals

Christi Hegstad December 12th, 2021

What type of goal motivates you most?

Learning different types of goals, and asking which ones resonate with me, has made a profound difference in my achievement over the years.

For example, which format speaks to you more:

A. I will run a 5K in under 30 minutes this year.

B. I will run three 5Ks this year and improve my time with each.

Goal A is a performance goal – where we focus on the end result.

Goal B is more of a progress goal – where we focus on getting better.

I set both types. Sometimes I want a very specific outcome, sometimes I simply want to improve. Both can lead to meaningful success.

As can goals set around projects, habits, and more.

How about you? What kinds of goals speak to you the most?

If you want my help setting your goals – plus the support and accountability to keep you on track all year long – click here and join the ASPIRE Success Club! Limited space remains!

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

3 Tips For Setting Meaningful Goals

Christi Hegstad December 5th, 2021

Have you started thinking about your 2022 goals yet?

If you have an ‘It’s Complicated’ relationship with goals, I completely understand. Here are three ideas to help you set goals marked by meaning + purpose:

1. Start by listing your wins, successes, + highlight moments. This will clue you into what truly matters to you rather than goal-setting with a bunch of ‘shoulds.’

2. Envision your longer-term ideal, such as 5-10 years out. You can then set more immediate goals by working backward from that vision.

3. Ask yourself a few quality questions. ‘What do I most want to say about myself at this time next year?’ and ‘How do my goals align with my core values?’ are good places to start.

The 2022 ASPIRE Success Club offers quarterly goal-setting sessions to help you stay on track and motivated with your most meaningful goals. Earlybird rates expire soon – join us today!

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

Monthly Review – November Lessons Learned

Christi Hegstad November 30th, 2021

November is a short month but packed a powerful punch! To be honest, this month threw me for quite a loop. Here are some of the lessons I learned or relearned along the way, this time offered in the form of questions.

With regard to a task, conversation, situation, or life in general, I found myself asking things like:

1. What would make this lighter? Easier? More fun?

2. What is the ideal outcome? If I could wave a magic wand, how would I want this to turn out?

3. Why am I doing this? What’s my purpose behind this action?

4. If the entire day goes bananas and I only accomplish 3 things, what do I want them to be? What matters most?

5. What haven’t we had for dinner lately? (Anyone else feel like they’re running out of ideas?!)

6. Am I accepting … or settling? And how do I tell the difference?

7. How can I make this moment meaningful? Even if (especially if?) it a) is required and b) feels mundane?

8. What is within my control?

9. In followup to #8, what is not within my control? What do I need to let go?

10. What brought me a bit of delight today?

And a bonus question that I’ve found especially necessary: How much energy is this actually worth?

Which one resonates with you? What lesson did November bring you?

Earlybird rates end soon! Click here to join the 2022 ASPIRE Success Club!

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

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