Growing A Business + Raising A Family

Christi Hegstad May 10th, 2019

In a few weeks, we will celebrate my middle child graduating from high school. He was two years old when I started my business.

Like every parent at a graduation ceremony, I marvel at how much he has changed and grown in that blink-of-an-eye span of time! I also sometimes wonder, what was I thinking starting a business back then? 🙂

When MAP Inc. began, I had a preschooler, a toddler, and a baby on the way. My days were filled to the brim with story times and business plans, dance parties and client sessions, outdoor adventures and networking. Add a bunch of laughter and tears and exhilaration and exhaustion, and you’ve got a good picture of those early years!

One of the questions I am asked most often, whether in interviews or by young professionals and budding entrepreneurs, is how I’ve grown a business while raising a family. I certainly don’t have all the answers, but here are a few of my reflections:

1. Both flow more smoothly when you honor your values.

If you’ve ever coached with me, we have talked about values. They imbue everything we do – all our roles, all our interactions, all aspects of our lives.

I strive to honor my core values at home and in my work. I live out my value of growth, for example, by encouraging my children and my clients to set inspiring goals and to try new things; I challenge myself to do the same. When we know our core values and intentionally honor them, work and life flow much more smoothly.

2. Weekly planning rules the day.

On a tactical level, my Weekly Review + Planning practice has been an indispensable part of making it all work.

When the kids were little, this involved mapping out some ‘fun-tivities’ each week (library, art, meeting friends at the park); as they grow, it often means scheduling meets and academic events on the calendar before all else. I may not address every priority every single day, but if I don’t address them in the span of a week, I know something must change.

3. Learn to acknowledge some dissonance.

Sometimes I have put business opportunities on hold to focus on family; other times I have had to leave for a work commitment right when something has happened at home. Accepting this has at times proven quite challenging.

We all live multi-faceted lives with priorities that may include family, career, health, spirituality, and so on. While we strive to keep first things first, we also need to recognize that tension between those priorities will arise; periodically, this can be o.k. if we learn to navigate it with a purposeful mindset. If it’s a constant source of overwhelm, however, changes and support may be in order.

4. Keep showing up. Even when you get it wrong.

I have made more mistakes, both with the business and with the family, than I can count. But every day, I show up, attempt to start fresh (my morning practice is a HUGE player in this), and decide with intention who and how I wish to be in the world.

We all mess up. Learn from the mistakes, refocus your mindset, course-correct, and keep on keepin’ on.

5. Love fuels all.

When I became a parent, I bombarded my mom with questions, to which she eventually gave me some of the best advice I have ever received: Christi, whatever you do, if done in love, will be the right thing.

Friends, I have applied this in parenting, in business, in life. Whenever I don’t know what to do, which occurs more often than you might think, I consider her words. They haven’t failed me yet.

I am inspired by the delightful young adults my children have become, and I am pleased with this business that started 16+ years ago with little more than a burning desire to make a positive difference in the world. And thank goodness I have a passion for learning because I am still learning and experimenting every day! 🙂

If you are in a season of transition, I hope you take time to reflect on the joyful moments, lessons learned, and what you’d like to create going forward. As long as we are on this wild, beautiful, messy, ever-changing ride of life, let’s keep making the most of it – personally, professionally, and at all points in between!

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What Is A Coaching Session Like? And Other FAQs

Christi Hegstad May 1st, 2019

If you’ve known me for five minutes, you likely know I am a Professional Certified Coach and loooove all things coaching. From day #1 of my training with the College of Executive Coaching, I honestly felt like I had ‘come home.’ Coaching was the missing link that pulled together my personal, professional, and purposeful passions in a way I never expected.

Since I have coached for many years, am involved in several coaching organizations, and always have a coach myself, I sometimes forget that not everyone lives and breathes coaching. 🙂 I am thankful for various clients who have said, “This is my first time working with a coach and I’m a little nervous!”

Today, I’d like to demystify coaching a bit and share my responses to some questions I am frequently asked. If you’ve thought about working with a coach but didn’t know what to expect, I hope this helps. And be sure to read to the end if you have further questions!

What is a coaching session actually like?

One of my clients recently described it this way: “I can’t remember the last time I felt so heard. Talking through ideas, plans, and obstacles out loud is so enlightening, and then the questions you ask and the insights you offer make me see things in a whole new light. I leave each session feeling excited, prepared, and ready to take action!”

As your coach, I partner with you to design your vision with clarity and achieve it with confidence. You can expect to spend the coaching session – which could range from a 15-minute check-in to a full-day intensive, depending on your program – engaging in meaningful dialogue, responding to thought-provoking questions, practicing skills, exploring new possibilities and perspectives, brainstorming solutions, and feeling fully heard and empowered. You can also plan on various exercises, resources, activities, and ‘homework’ (actions to take between coaching sessions) to help you fulfill your highest potential.

Coaching is very action-oriented and forward-moving. I am here to help you decide what matters most and what the ideal looks like, overcome obstacles and beliefs that hold you back, and stay accountable to actions that will make your vision a reality. You can expect to leave our coaching sessions with specific actions and implementable ideas to put into place before our next meeting.

My success as a coach is 100% dependent on your success – and since I like to succeed, you can know with absolute certainty I am here to support you in any way I can!

What outcomes can I expect from coaching?

The specific outcomes will vary depending on your coaching focus and goals, and we will determine from the start what will result in a successful coaching experience for you. I’ve had clients who have created businesses and nonprofits, hosted events, written books, transformed their teams, quadrupled their revenue, reached longtime goals, and more.

I have also had clients who have restructured their time to better honor their top priorities, written personal Purpose Statements so they can focus on what matters most, gone from 50,000 random ideas to creating a clear and concentrated action plan, and increased their balance, sense of accomplishment, self-belief, stress management, and more.

Regardless of their goals, nearly all my clients report greater clarity, higher confidence, a stronger sense of purpose, improved time management, and a more positive and resilient mindset.

Once you enroll in one of my coaching programs, you’ll have the opportunity to complete a detailed assessment – a process that many clients say brings clarity before we even meet for the first time. We will then clarify our coaching goals right from the start so we both know where we’re headed and what we’re holding as most important.

Will coaching help me if I don’t really know what I want yet? I feel like I should figure out my life first.

I sometimes compare this to someone who cleans before their housekeeper comes. It’s not necessary and usually not the best use of your time. Coaching will meet you where you are and help propel you forward – even if you don’t know what exactly that looks like yet.

I’ve had clients who knew exactly what they wanted to gain from coaching; clients who came to coaching with 25 different goals and no idea where to focus; and clients who worried that they didn’t have any goals or passions. When I start working with a new client, our initial session is longer than future sessions so together we can clarify your vision and design a plan that will keep you purposeful and on track. It’s a firm yet flexible (and fun!) process.

Is coaching only for top executives?

I love that I am asked this question, since not long ago people often thought only those on the verge of being fired got coaching. Top leaders like Bill Gates and former Google chairman Eric Schmidt have touted the benefits of coaching, as have elite athletes, business icons, academic leaders, and more.

I have coached many business, nonprofit, and academic powerhouses. I have coached many middle managers, public servants, healthcare providers, stay-at-home parents, physical therapists, administrative assistants, and entrepreneurs. I have coached teachers, principals, master gardeners, CEOs, emerging leaders, sales pros, HR directors, administrators, financial planners, real estate agents, manufacturers, nurses, professors, and data entry specialists. For nearly every industry and level you can think of, I have probably coached someone who fits the description.

So, no, coaching isn’t only for top executives. It’s for anyone ready to stop spinning in circles and start taking purposeful action toward living, working, and leading to their highest potential.

What if I live in another state or country?

I have clients across the globe. Thanks to phone, videoconferencing, email, and the like, they all feel like neighbors! Your location does not matter.

As a coach, who helps you with your personal and professional growth?

My coach, of course! 🙂 I have hired dozens of them over the years – an investment that has added up to many thousands of dollars, hours upon hours of time, and zero regret. I have learned something from all my coaches, and I have also learned to invest in the absolute best that I can afford as my results always align accordingly.

I also belong to mastermind circles, professional associations, and other groups, which I value greatly. I have never found anything, however, that quite compares to having a one-on-one partnership with someone 100% dedicated to you and your success like a coach is.

Ready to work with a coach? Contact me to set up a consultation. Have other questions about coaching? Send them my way and I will be happy to address them in a future blog. You may also find these articles helpful:

Frequently Asked Questions of Coaching

5 Questions When Hiring A Coach

Thinking About Becoming A Coach? 5 Steps To Get Started

I hope you have found this FAQ session helpful! Now, go get a coach and start making those dreams come true!

Open Heart, Open Hands: The Power In Letting Go

Christi Hegstad April 30th, 2019

“I have always found that you get more with an open hand

than with a closed fist.”

Nancy Lublin

Dr. Christi’s Coaching Tip:

That ‘closed fist’ can come in many forms:

An unwillingness to receive – whether a gift, compliment, or helpful feedback.

A desire to control.

Anger.

Arrogance.

Stress.

This week, open your hands.

This may mean literally, in terms of unclenching your fists and taking a few deep breaths.

It may also mean figuratively, as in trying something new, accepting an offer of help, reaching out to support someone else.

I had a couple of clients years ago who shared a beautiful phrase with me: Hands open, palms up. That comes to mind every time I want to tighten my grip or close myself off.

Being willing to receive is an important part of being able to give.

Working and living in flow is much more fulfilling than white-knuckle-controlling everything. Contact me to help you flourish!

Setting Your Magical Life In Motion

Christi Hegstad April 29th, 2019

If I could wave a magic wand over your life,

what would be different one year from now?

Dr. Christi’s Coaching Tip:

I ask most of my coaching clients some form of this question when we begin working together. Responses that often arise:

I’d have more balance and be more intentional with my time.
I’d feel super confident in my role.
I’d quit doubting myself.
I’d have clarity and know where my future is headed.
I’d feel like I am living up to my full potential and making a difference.
I’d have achieved this goal that’s been on my mind forever.
I don’t know … I just know it would be different than where I am right now.

After working together for even a short period of time, they start to realize that with expert coaching, accountability, and an action plan, their pie-in-the-sky possibility has started to become their reality.

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This week, stop wishing and start taking action.

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Contact me for a consultation and see how coaching can help you get from where you are to where you want to be.

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And in honor of International Coaching Week (which starts today), everyone enrolling in my 3- or 6-month coaching programs now until May 10 will receive a free Clarity Kit mailed straight to your door!

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Improve your performance, strengthen your leadership, achieve your highest potential, or reach that goal you have put on the back burner for too long. The world needs what you – and only you – can offer, and I’d love to help you bring it to life!

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I’ve opened up room in my calendar for a few more coaching consultations. Schedule yours today!

How To Get Unstuck In 3 Simple Steps

Christi Hegstad April 24th, 2019

When I coach someone in a one-time Kickstart Session, I often start the meeting by asking what he or she most wants to gain from our session.

Lately, responses have by and large focused on two areas:

“I need clarity.”

“I need to get unstuck.”

These two topics intertwine beautifully – as in, once you progress in one, the other will tend to follow suit. Today I’d like to offer three simple steps to help you with that second challenge, getting unstuck.

What Is ‘Stuck’?

Being stuck very likely falls into that category of ‘you know it when you feel it.’ You may feel stuck in a rut, stuck in your career, or stuck in a lifestyle that no longer serves you.

You may also feel stuck in terms of hitting a plateau: can’t seem to grow your business, move up in leadership, or increase your income, for example.

And oftentimes, ‘stuckness’ takes the form of the proverbial hamster wheel: always busy, frequently exhausted, running a million miles an hour, yet feeling like you have little to show for it.

However you feel stuck, you know one thing for sure: It’s not fun.

3 Steps To Get Unstuck

Fortunately, you don’t need to stay in this frustrating, often confidence-depleting space, and breaking free may not be as difficult as you think. Give one of these steps a try:

1. Create A Breakthrough Map

The more you can get things out of your head (i.e., onto paper), the more quickly you can get unstuck. A Breakthrough Map – aka mind map or brainstorming map – works wonders.

I’ve written my step-by-step process for Breakthrough Maps here, so I won’t repeat those details. What I will say is that I create a Breakthrough Map probably once a week. It’s one of my go-to strategies when I feel stuck and also when I need to increase ideas, expand my mindset, or break any large project down into manageable pieces.

I often do this in partnership with coaching clients as well. The sense of lightness and possibility they experience is palpable! All you need to implement this idea is a piece of paper and a pen.

2. Step Out Of Your Norm.

Perhaps you have heard suggestions like “Drive a new route to work” or “Rearrange your office” and brushed them off as too simplistic. Science shows us, however, that even small shifts can start to create new neural pathways, ultimately helping us to view things differently, think new thoughts, and experience life from other perspectives.

So, take a different route to work. Eat your breakfast on the deck instead of in the kitchen. Take a healthy action that you wouldn’t normally take – or one that you’ve been putting off. (On that note, checking things off your list – experiencing a sense of completion – can serve as a fantastic way to get unstuck!)

3. Partner With A Pro.

Whenever people ask what I would do differently if I were starting my business now, my response comes to mind immediately: I would secure help sooner. Nothing keeps a person stuck like taking action after action after action and still not getting anywhere.

Everything changed for me when I hired my first coach – which is why, even after 16+ years in business, I still always have a coach!

You don’t have to figure everything out yourself. The objectivity that another person, especially a trained professional, can provide is an invaluable gift. You are worth the investment in your growth. Whether a coach, therapist, or other skilled resource, partner up. I bet you’ll start feeling less stuck even before your first meeting!

Which one of these tips will you implement? What other strategies help you get unstuck? Share your thoughts below, or on Instagram or Facebook!

Ready to get unstuck? Contact me today about coaching opportunities!

Your Goal Matters To Others

Christi Hegstad April 22nd, 2019

“You can want to be a top dog and, at the same time,

be driven to help others.”

Angela Duckworth

Dr. Christi’s Coaching Tip:

Early in my business, I had difficulty defining my ideal client. Since I focused (and still do) on personal growth and professional development, I naively thought everyone would want what I had to offer.

But as any entrepreneur will tell you, when you try to speak to everyone, you essentially reach no one.

A bit later I finally had a term for them: Meaningful Achievers. People who want to do big, bold things – but with intention, purpose, and in a way that benefits others.

That term has been with me ever since (and, if you’re reading this, probably describes you!).

This week, consider how your goal benefits others.

Moving toward a big dream or Bold Goal will likely require time, energy, focus, and other resources. This can leave many of us pushing it aside, thinking we can’t simultaneously achieve big things while also serving others.

Untrue.

If you struggle with that thought, consider how your dream can benefit those around you. Going back to school could allow you to do homework with your children and model good study skills. Writing your book could help others who have experienced a similar struggle feel less alone. Working with a coach could bring such a strong sense of freedom, confidence, and purpose that your team will want to follow your lead.

You can live a meaningful life of service and achieve boldly. You’re a Meaningful Achiever!

Every day I coach Meaningful Achievers just like you. Contact me to schedule a consultation!

How Do You Get Unstuck?

Christi Hegstad April 19th, 2019

A phrase I am hearing a lot lately: “I feel stuck.”

You might feel stuck in a rut, in your career, or in a lifestyle that no longer serves you.

You may also feel stuck in terms of hitting a plateau: can’t seem to grow your business, move up in leadership, or increase your income, for example.

And oftentimes, ‘stuckness’ takes the form of the proverbial hamster wheel: always busy, frequently exhausted, running a million miles an hour yet feeling like you have little to show for it.

‘Stuck’ is one of my least favorite feelings ever. Fortunately, although we all probably feel stuck from time to time, we don’t have to *stay* stuck. My April newsletter will share three of my favorite tried-and-true strategies for getting unstuck – be sure to join my email community (www.ChristiHegstad.com/#signup) if you’d like to learn them!

In the meantime, what are some ways you have found helpful for getting unstuck? Feel free to share below or on Instagram or Facebook – you might help someone move from stuckness to freedom and clarity!

Choosing Curiosity Over Judgment

Christi Hegstad April 16th, 2019

In nearly any situation, we can choose between two mindsets: a judgmental one, or a curious one.

For example:

Someone posts an opinion on social media with which you disagree. You might write her off as foolish (judgment), or you might ask a few questions (curiosity), such as genuinely inquiring what beliefs or life experiences led her to those conclusions. If you choose curiosity, you might learn a new perspective, or experience empathy, or practice respectfully agreeing to disagree.

Or maybe someone drives a bit under the speed limit on the freeway. You could assume he’s inconsiderate and a terrible driver (judgment) and expend a bunch of energy getting upset. Or you could imagine what else might be happening (curiosity); maybe he’s a teenager and has never driven on the freeway before, or maybe he was recently in an accident and it’s his first time behind the wheel again. You’ll likely never know the real reason, but wouldn’t a curious approach bring a bit more peace?

I had a client who was extremely driven. She frequently took on new projects, always went for the promotions, and did what she could to increase her paycheck. To an outsider, it may look like she put money above all else; she sometimes received comments to that effect.

To her, however, she was caring for her family: She vividly remembers growing up with very little, watching her parents struggle to make ends meet, and the strain her entire family felt around filling even their basic needs. She wanted more for her family, and she also donated a great deal to help other families find their way out of such challenging circumstances.

Someone who judged her on appearances would miss out on a beautiful story of overcoming – as well as a truly kind and loving human.

Curiosity is open. Curiosity is kind. Curiosity tends to lead to more accurate findings. In my profession – coaching – curiosity is an absolute job requirement. There is no way I could effectively coach someone if I spent the session judging him!

Ask questions. Seek alternative possibilities. Assume positive intent.

Judgment is too easy and too boring. (There. I just judged judgment! :-)) Judgment tends to lead us astray.

Where could you let go of judgment and replace it with curiosity this week?

Join our positive, uplifting, and curious community here!

Success Tip: Offer What You Seek

Christi Hegstad April 15th, 2019

“We all want the same thing: to feel comfortable with our choices and to feel validated by those around us. So let’s start by validating one another.”

Sheryl Sandberg

Dr. Christi’s Coaching Tip:

Oftentimes in my coaching work, once we’ve created a clear vision for the future and have begun designing the action plan to achieve it, we return to an important question:

What is within my control?

We cannot necessarily control what others will think, or how they will react, or the level of support they will provide. But we can control our own efforts in this regard – as well as our mindsets.

This week, offer what you seek.

For example, if you would like more recognition for your work, offer recognition to others.

If you would like to lead with greater confidence, help someone else build her confidence.

If you would like the world to be a kinder, more accepting place, extend kindness and acceptance everywhere you possibly can.

Do this without expectation. You may just be surprised at the outcome!

Clarity, confidence, accountability, thought partner…just a few of the benefits of working with a coach. Contact me to schedule a consultation!

Small, Quiet, Behind-The-Scenes Gestures Matter

Christi Hegstad April 12th, 2019

The behind-the-scenes work you do to ensure the event runs smoothly.

The kind greeting you give to the new person who looks uncomfortable.

The space you hold for your friend to share her grief.

The ‘thinking of you’ letter you send without any expectation in return.

The 85 million loads of laundry you have quietly completed.

The words of affirmation you offer a coworker when he thinks his presentation went horribly.

Often the big, grand, loud, or center-stage actions seem to get the attention. But the small, quiet, meaningful gestures – they matter, too.

Everything counts. Thank you for all you do, whether you are heaped with praise for it or not! You make a difference.

Ready to clarify your vision and achieve it with confidence? Contact me to schedule a coaching consultation!

Category Archives: Uncategorized

1. Both flow more smoothly when you honor your values.

2. Weekly planning rules the day.

3. Learn to acknowledge some dissonance.

4. Keep showing up. Even when you get it wrong.

5. Love fuels all.

What Is ‘Stuck’?

3 Steps To Get Unstuck