What’s The Lesson Here?

Christi Hegstad April 25th, 2021

What’s the lesson here?

I ask myself the above question often.

It can be helpful when you finish reading a book, as you leave a meeting, or after engaging in a new experience.

I find it particularly useful during challenging times: when I’ve messed up, when a problem arises, when I’m perplexed or struggling.

This week, ask yourself, “What’s the lesson here?”

When we can learn from and / or ascribe meaning to an experience, we are likely to grow from it.

Side note: We may not always be in the mindset or emotional space to actually answer the question then and there. But simply posing it can open the door and remind us that at some point, we will learn from the experience.

What lessons are you learning this week?

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The Head, The Heart, And Courage

Christi Hegstad April 19th, 2021

Fear lives in the head. And courage lives in the heart. The job is to get from one to the other. – Louise Penny

I recently had to have a conversation that I was very scared to have.

If you could have seen the mental and physical prep I conducted beforehand, you probably would have wondered what in the world you were witnessing!

But the conversation was important, and I wanted to prepare my head and my heart as well as possible.

This week, take a healthy, courageous action.

Consider what helps you prepare your head and heart for courageous, purposeful action.

Some ideas:

* Positive self-talk

* Envisioning the ideal outcome

* Calling on past courageous actions you’ve taken

* Quieting inner ‘chatter’ through mindfulness

* Mapping out key points to keep top of mind

What will help you take a healthy, purposeful, courageous action this week?

Get your free Big Dreams, Bold Goals! workbook here!

How Do You Assess Your Week?

Christi Hegstad April 17th, 2021

Do you review the week that’s wrapping up before planning for the one ahead?

The weekly review is one of my favorite personal development routines. It only takes a few minutes but really helps me focus on key moments and learnings from the week that’s ending before delving in to the next.

Lately, here’s what I’ve been assessing each week:

– Wins

– Challenges

– Lessons learned

– Progress made on my top goals

– What I read or heard that made an impression (books, podcasts, etc)

– What I created (course content, blog post, new recipe, etc)

– Gratitudes

– What to focus on next week

I typically just write a few bullet-point items for each. Not only is this practice helpful in the moment (and allows for immediate course-correcting where needed), it’s also interesting to flip back through over time!

Do you conduct a routine check-in with yourself? What questions do you ask?

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Ask A Different Question

Christi Hegstad April 15th, 2021

What if you asked a different question?

For example:

Instead of, “Why is this always so difficult?” – try, “What are 3 things I could do to make this easier?”

Instead of, “Why am I so far behind?” – try, “How far have I come since I started?”

Instead of, “Why can’t I figure this out?” – try, “If my best friend came to me with this problem, what advice would I give?”

Instead of, “Why won’t this ever work?” – try, “What could I do differently?”

Instead of, “Why can’t I reach this goal?” – try, “What needs to change for me to feel successful?”

Instead of, “When will this ever change?” – try, “What is within my power to change right now?”

This week, ask yourself different questions.

The quality of our responses depends on the quality of our questions.

If you’re frustrated by the same responses, try experimenting with different questions.

And don’t forget one of our most valuable questions available:

Who can I ask for help?

Get your free Big Dreams, Bold Goals! ebook here!

What Limitations Have You Set For Yourself?

Christi Hegstad April 12th, 2021

Imagine if you and every person you know began actualizing his or her full potential, if each of us were to discover how to overcome our self-imposed limitations and begin creating everything we want for our lives while making a profound impact in the world. – Hal Elrod

Elrod packed a lot into that one sentence, and different points stand out to me at different times.

Currently, it’s this:

“Our self-imposed limitations.”

This week, step beyond a self-imposed limitation.

Where do you hold yourself back?

Maybe you don’t feel knowledgeable enough to state your thoughts in a meeting.

Maybe you doubt your abilities and therefore won’t apply for the leadership position.

Maybe you allow the “But I’ve never done that before” thought to keep you from trying something new or different.

Consider where you might be holding yourself back. Then challenge yourself to take a step – even just one step – beyond!

Want to achieve something bold and meaningful? Contact me today about coaching!

Inviting Clarity

Christi Hegstad April 5th, 2021

That would be like looking for a needle in a haystack made entirely of needles. – R. Osman

Have you ever experienced an ‘aha moment’ – a time when the answer you’d almost given up on suddenly appeared?

While we can’t necessarily force those lightning bolts of clarity to arrive, we cantake actions to encourage them.

This week, invite clarity.

If you’ve had that aha experience, examine it for a moment. Can you identify any factors leading up to it?

A few that come to mind for me:

Change of scenery. A brief walk, a quick shower, even just stepping into a different room.

New perspective. How would a child, or a world leader, or someone in a different industry view the situation?

Different questions. And lots of them, if necessary.

Here’s hoping we all enjoy some exciting moments of clarity this week!

I’m here to help you achieve bold and meaningful goals! Contact me today!

Monthly Review – March Lessons Learned

Christi Hegstad April 1st, 2021

Ten lessons I learned or was reminded of in March:

1. Sometimes you don’t realize how much you needed the break until you’re in the midst of it.

2. You can take a step forward even if you don’t have steps 2 – 167 exactly figured out yet.

3. Not everything needs to lead to some big outcome. Doing something simply for the joy of doing it can be reason enough.

4. Don’t take the story in your head as absolute truth. As the saying goes, change your story, change your life.

5. Dogs may be the most delighted beings on the planet.

6. Ultimately, it’s easier to face the difficult thing than to (over)think about it for ages.

7. You attract what you track – so make sure you’re tracking progress on your most important goals.

8. When you are intentional with your time, it feels like you have more of it!

9. Your experience rises and falls with your mindset. Choose the better thought.

10. Little compares to receiving (or sending!) a thoughtful, handwritten letter in the mail.

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

I’m here to help you achieve what matters most, with meaning and purpose. Contact me today!

Keeping Score

Christi Hegstad March 29th, 2021

People play differently when they are keeping score. – McChesney, Covey, & Huling

Imagine playing a game of softball where the winning team receives $100,000 to donate to their charity of choice.

Do you think you might show up differently for that game than, say, a pick-up game at a relaxing backyard family picnic?

This week, start keeping score of your Bold Goal.

As I review the first three months of the year, I clearly see that the goals where I am actively tracking progress are much farther along than ones where I am not. This pattern informs how I will proceed going forward.

A new quarter begins this week. What do you most want to say on June 30th?

What actions will you take to help ensure that outcome?

How will you keep score?

Create a chart, tracker, or scorecard that motivates and encourages you to take inspired action. Then, delight in your progress every step of the way!

I’m here to help you achieve bold and meaningful goals! Contact me today!

The Urgent, The Important, and $1,000-Per-Hour Focus

Christi Hegstad March 25th, 2021

To achieve [an increasing] level of performance will require that you carve out time for the strategic – those actions that are important, but not necessarily urgent.

Brian Moran + Michael Lennington

One of the most important factors I have ever put into practice when it comes to time management is discerning between the ‘urgent’ and the ‘important.’

And then, scheduling *and honoring* time for the important every week.

This week, make time for the important.

As you reflect on your purpose, values, and top-tier goals, what actions are truly important?

Block the time in your calendar for them, and honor it like you would a $1,000-per-hour appointment.

I love to check off a list of to-do’s as much as anyone, but not at the expense of those actions that matter most.

When will you conduct your truly important activities this week?

I’m here to help you achieve important, meaningful, ridiculously awesome goals! Contact me today!

When You Plant Seeds But Don’t See Growth

Christi Hegstad March 24th, 2021

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. – Robert Louis Stevenson

I recently wrote a LinkedIn post about different ways of viewing success and failure. It seemed to strike a chord with many achievers. (You can read it here.)

Success doesn’t always look like we think it will.

And if we limit our view of success to only one possible outcome, we may miss the nuances that could actually prove more meaningful and momentum-building.

This week, focus on taking the right actions – regardless of immediate outcomes.

With my coaching clients, I often refer to the early stages of a goal as ‘seed-planting.’

We take the necessary actions – just like we water and nurture the soil – but we may not see any signs of growth for a while.

Does that mean we stop? Give up?

On the contrary.

Keep taking your purposeful actions. Seek out a coach and/or mentor for support and accountability. Trust that what’s happening ‘beneath the soil’ will result in a beautiful and bountiful harvest – even if it doesn’t look like it today!

If you’re an achiever ready to experience meaningful growth, let’s talk!

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