Why I Always Have A Coach

Christi Hegstad March 5th, 2015

I have hired countless coaches over the years.

I’ve worked with business coaches, marketing coaches, life coaches, writing coaches, and personal development coaches. I’ve hired coaches for the sole purpose of enhancing my own coaching skills. I have written checks for coaching that have made me gasp – and have always yielded an extraordinary return on my investment.

Coaching has been a significant part of my path for a long time.

(This photo shows me with my current coach, Nancy, when we were able to meet in person after nearly a year of working together.)

Many people ask me why, as a certified and experienced coach myself, I always have a coach. I could write a book in response to this question! But I will sum it up with three key words:

1. PERSPECTIVE. Sports give us great examples of how coaching can benefit everyone, even the best of the best. Michael Jordan, for instance, was an extraordinary basketball player. Most people would not claim that his coach for many years, Phil Jackson, was a better player; however, Jackson deftly pointed out Jordan’s areas for improvement and offered the objectivity and support that allowed Jordan to continually raise his game. We all need someone outside of our own heads to help us fulfill our potential.

2. INTEGRITY. Picture yourself visiting a dentist who admitted that he never saw a dentist himself. “I don’t believe in them enough to invest my time and money in them,” he might say, while expecting you to pay your bill and schedule your next appointment. What would you think? I can’t imagine encouraging others to invest in themselves through coaching if I’m not willing to make that same investment in myself. I believe in the power of coaching so much that I make it a priority for my own development, and I would question a coach that does not.

3. GROWTH. One thing about work and life: there is always room for improvement. You can probably recall a college professor who had all but checked out, using 30-year-old mimeographed handouts and teaching outdated information. Compare that to your favorite professor who always incorporated new research and current events into the lesson and made class come to life through stories. Growth is one of my core values, and coaching is one of the very best tools for expansive growth – both professionally and personally.

When you blend these benefits with the ongoing accountability a coach provides, you are limitless. Yes, at times I am scrambling the day before a session with my coach to fulfill the commitments I made during our previous meeting! 🙂 But the fact of the matter is, the accountability in that coaching partnership can mean the difference between “I am doing what I said I would do – it’s important” and “Eh, that can wait until next week/month/year.”

Corny but absolutely true: Coaching has changed my life. I am very self-motivated, but I can honestly say I have gone farther in my business with the support of coaches than I ever would have without them.

And that, in a nutshell, is why I always have a coach.

Do you have a coach? Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, and mom to three amazing kids.

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Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Be A Leader = Keeper Of The Vision

Christi Hegstad March 2nd, 2015

“I discovered that the more I tried to exert power directly, the less powerful I became.”

Phil Jackson

Coaching Tip for the Week:

In his book Eleven Rings, legendary basketball coach Phil Jackson shares his top lessons for creating a championship team. The more he learned to scale back his ego and delegate to his team, the stronger they became.

“Paradoxically,” he writes, “this approach strengthened my [leadership] effectiveness because it freed me to focus on my job as keeper of the team’s vision.”

Consider your group environments: your work team, volunteer staff, family. Where are you pushing a “my way or the highway” mentality? What if you encouraged others to generate and act on ideas, create solutions, and propose new strategies?

This week, focus on developing the leaders around you. Practice coaching rather than telling. Truly lead rather than exert power. Be the keeper of the vision rather than the manager of detail.

You’ll strengthen the group, prompt innovation, and likely free up time and decrease stress in the process!

Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

When You’re Ready To Give Up The Act

Christi Hegstad February 23rd, 2015

CLARITY KICKSTART: February 23, 2015

“I had never been so vulnerable and I had never felt so strong.”

Zhena Muzyka

Coaching Tip for the Week:

I’ve recently shared on Facebook some fantastic books I’ve read on topics like imperfection, vulnerability, and letting go. They’ve opened up tremendous discussion around both the fear and bliss we can feel when we put down the facade and let ourselves just be.

Where do you find yourself “acting the part”? Do you feel that leaders have all the answers, so you act like you know it all? Do you not want to be perceived as weak, so you instead act hard?

At times, acting the part can serve a useful purpose. But like relaxing into your favorite pajamas, isn’t it just a relief to admit you don’t always have everything figured out?

This week, allow yourself to simply be. Be in the moment, be yourself. Journal about who you are when you’re not trying to meet anyone’s expectations. Discuss your uncertainties with your coach, mentor, or mastermind group to uncover how you can succeed while honoring your highest values.

While you’re at it, applaud someone else who is accepting of their own imperfection and vulnerability. Let him or her know you appreciate their honesty and modeling!

Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Does Helping Just One Person Make A Difference?

Christi Hegstad February 16th, 2015

CLARITY KICKSTART: February 16, 2015

“If whatever you do helps just one person, you’ve done something wonderful.”

Blake Mycoskie

Coaching Tip for the Week:

Do you agree? If you make a positive difference for just one person – even while scores of others need help, too – is it worth it?

My answer is a resounding YES. Absolutely. No doubt about it.

Yes, I love Big Dreams and Bold Goals. But they aren’t achieved in one fell swoop; they’re reached step by small step. And if each of those small steps benefits someone along the way, think of all the people you can help while you pursue your passions and dreams!

Add to that the Ripple Effect and you can start a movement by touching just one life!

This week, pay attention to the person in front of you. At any given moment. It could be as simple as making eye contact or sharing a smile; it could be as involved as funding her college tuition or helping him move.

You and I can’t do everything for everyone, but what a difference we can make in the individual lives we touch this week!

Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

12 Years In Business, 12 Things I Know Now That I Didn’t Know Then!

Christi Hegstad February 13th, 2015

If you had asked me 13 years ago if I’d ever become an entrepreneur, I would have laughed and admitted that I didn’t really know what that word meant. One year later – 12 years ago this week, in fact – MAP Inc. became an official business. Sometimes you just don’t know where your path will lead!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this meaningful work for a dozen years now and am thankful beyond measure to make a difference doing what I love. And while I definitely love celebrating the wins, the years haven’t been all “puppies and rainbows”! 🙂

Today I offer 12 of the approximately zillion lessons I have learned along the way. I am embarrassed by some of them, but if I help shorten your learning curve – or at least make you feel less alone in your own career path – sharing will be worth it!

12 Things I Know Now That I Didn’t Know Then!

1. Reach out for help. I carried the mindset of, “I am capable; I should be able to figure this out for myself” for far too long. Now I reach out much more quickly for help, advice, or even just a shoulder to lean on.

2. Let go of “shoulds.” I held back in several areas because of what I thought a professional, PhD, business owner “should” (or should not) do. Now I have basically removed the word “should” from my vocabulary and listen to my authenticity instead.

3. Attend inspiring events. I waited to attend big, motivating events because I felt I couldn’t afford them – or perhaps didn’t yet deserve them. When I finally attended one, with a significant price tag and that took me out of state for several days, it changed my entire business model and resulted in a breakthrough leap in revenue that year, too. Now I know the difference between investment and expense.

4. Hire a coach. This one act has transformed my business more than words can express. Coaching is definitely another example of an investment – sometimes so steep it makes me gasp when I write the check – but it’s my #1 professional development support and now I always have a coach!

5. Outsource. A wise mentor told me early on, “Do what you do best and outsource the rest.” I did that immediately in a couple of areas (e.g., accounting and website development) but held on too long to some other less-than-shining areas. Letting go of (presumed) control is difficult, but so liberating!

6. Ask stupid questions. I know, there’s no such thing, right? I bit my tongue too often rather than admitting I felt clueless. Now I ask questions constantly and have discovered that, almost always, someone else has the same question. Or at least they make me feel better by telling me so. 🙂

7. Say No. If I had to do it over, I would say No sooner to un-purposeful requests on my time or opportunities that didn’t truly match my strengths, values, and gifts. Now, I often call to mind Kate Winslet’s sentiment: “I wouldn’t dream of working on something that didn’t make my gut rumble and my heart want to explode.”

8. Say Yes. On the flip side, I would say Yes sooner to scary but exciting (and healthy) opportunities, to my gut, and to delight. Fortunately I gained excellent schooling in this with last year’s 42 Days Of Yes project and have changed my ways considerably!

9. Join a Mastermind group. For a long time, I actually didn’t know these existed, but once I joined I wondered how I managed without for so long. People focused intently on solving my challenges and helping me and my business grow, and for whom I can do the same in return – what’s not to love?

10. Trust myself. I suppose much of this comes with experience, but I sure doubted myself waaaaaay too much. I still have overthinking and self-questioning tendencies but I catch myself more quickly and have strategies for moving past them (see #1, #4, and #9 specifically!).

11. Stop reinventing the wheel. Creativity is one of my values and strengths, so starting something from scratch excites me. I’ve learned the value in building on what works, however, and in how repurposing can serve more people and make a stronger impact.

12. Lighten up. In an effort to be taken seriously, I became…well, serious. In some cases, really serious. Once I let my authentic personality (which is often ridiculously nonsensical) into my work, everything became a lot more joyful – and led to better business results, too.

I definitely don’t know it all and have learned a ton by trial and error. (At times, I wish I could have learned a little less this way…) 😉 But I am all about growth, so if lessons from my 12 years of business ownership help you become a better business owner or professional, feel free to learn from my experience!

What professional development lessons have you learned along the way? Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

What’s Your Bold Goal?

Christi Hegstad February 6th, 2015

CLARITY KICKSTART: February 9, 2015

“Your talent, skill, and creativity will rise to meet the level of goal you set for yourself. So think huge!”

Tommy Newberry

Coaching Tip for the Week:

This week, ASPIRE Success Club members are declaring their Bold Goals for the year. It’s always exciting to see someone state a huge goal – something truly stretching and often scary (especially to say out loud!) – and then, with support and guidance, make that “impossible” goal a reality!

Some people are turned off by Big Dreams and Bold Goals. As someone told me just last week, “I don’t bother – they only set you up for disappointment.”

But can’t Big Dreams & Bold Goals also set you up for wonder and awe? For exponential growth? For support in hidden places and depths of strength previously unknown?

And here’s the thing: It’s not even about the goal. It’s about who you become in the process. Set a Bold Goal, and you’ll likely become bold – among other things – in the journey.

This week, dream big! Set a Bold Goal. Then line up the support and resources you need to joyfully, successfully see it come to fruition!

Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

YOU As A Powerful, Positive Force

Christi Hegstad February 2nd, 2015

“Anytime we think the problem is ‘out there,’ that thought is the problem. We disempower ourselves.”

Stephen Covey

Coaching Tip for the Week:

Wow, that gets to the core, doesn’t it?

This sentence from Covey’s fantastic book, First Things First, is like turning on a lightbulb in a dark room. Any time we catch ourselves blaming, judging, or saying things like, “I wish I could do something,” we need to take a step back and assess.

Then, we need to take a step forward and do something.

Each one of us is powerful, and we need to use our power as a positive force in the world. Meaning and purpose isn’t sitting back and wishing things were different. It’s honoring our values, stepping up to the plate, taking an action, reaching out for help. It’s igniting our personal power.

What most needs to change in your work, life, or world?

What action will you take this week to set that change in motion?

Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

The (Bumpy But Worthwhile) Path Toward FOCUS

Christi Hegstad January 28th, 2015

Jessie called in to our latest coaching meeting radiating enthusiasm, like sunshine beaming through the phone lines on that gray January day.

“I am pumped!” she declared. “Over the holidays, I went into my office a few times. No one called, I received very few emails, and I had hours of quiet time to work, plan, think. I feel like I got more done in 3 days than I normally do in a month!”

The gift, Jessie shared, came in the form of FOCUS. “If I could experience that kind of closed-door, uninterrupted focus for a few hours every day – or even just a couple times a week – I’d be so much more productive.”

If I gathered all of my coaching clients in a room and asked if they felt this way too, I bet 95% would agree. How about you? Do you start with good intentions but, before long, realize your day has been hijacked? How much does scattered activity cost you in terms of productivity, time, sanity, even money?

I actually do often recommend “closed-door time” to my coaching clients for visioning, strategic planning, and project completion. An open-door (or open-phone) policy typically doesn’t mean 24/7; if you were discussing a sensitive issue with an employee, for example, you’d close the door. You want to be available but also preserve healthy boundaries.

Since you likely cannot close your door and isolate yourself for hours upon hours each day (nor would you necessarily want to), you can take measures to increase your focus and make the best use of your time, such as:

Turn off notifications. I’ve read that when you get in the groove of a project, it takes 20 minutes to get back into that groove once you’ve been interrupted. Block a period of time for a project, then log out of email, turn off social media notifications, shut down the phone. Even a half-hour can prove extremely fruitful!

Choose a daily (or 1/2-day) theme. Marketing Monday, Networking Wednesday…what actions require fair amounts of time and could be batched? For example, I typically coach clients Tuesday through Thursday and focus my attention elsewhere Monday and Friday; this helps with scheduling, intentional time management, and getting into that aforementioned groove.

Practice “Coffee Shop Focus.” Take one project – just one – and head to a different location. It works wonders! You can read about one of my experiences with this here.

Be held accountable by someone else. My business and life absolutely transformed when I hired my first coach, and I have had one ever since. Decide what matters most, then hire someone who can help you make it a reality.

Write your mission statement. “That one statement has changed my entire way of being,” a client recently shared. When you clarify your purpose, you start to make decisions in favor of it, clear away the excess, and more easily say ‘no’ to energy-draining activities.

COACH CHRISTI’S CHALLENGE: Implement one of these ideas within the next week. You can start small, such as going to the coffee shop for 30 minutes, but make it a focused 30 minutes. Let me know how it goes!

What focusing tip will you implement? Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

What if your boldest dream is actually within reach…and you don’t even realize it?

Dr. Christi Hegstad, Dream Igniter & Growth Accelerator. Christi is a Certified Coach who has helped thousands clarify and reach Big Dreams and Bold Goals with meaning and purpose. She is president of MAP Professional Development Inc., NAWBO Iowa’s Woman Business Owner of the Year, and mom to three amazing kids.

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Connect with Christi on Facebook and Twitter.

Dream Big, Start Small, Do Something TODAY

Christi Hegstad January 26th, 2015

“We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which over time add up to the big differences.”

Marian Wright Edelman

Coaching Tip For The Week:

Dream Big, Start Small: A mantra I’ve shared for years now.

We need the big dreams to expand our sense of possibility, to guide us toward significant change, to keep our vision high and purposeful.

But we also need to live and work in the moment, recognizing that each action we choose to take can move us closer to the dream while making a positive difference in the here and now.

Hopefully by now have your goals for 2015 set (if not, contact us for info on a Kickstart Coaching session). So this week, focus on one action a day. Ask yourself: What’s one thing I can do today to move towards my dream and make a positive difference?

Tomorrow, ask yourself the same question.

Soon you’ll have a lot of small daily differences that have added up to something significant!

What’s one small action you’re taking today? Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

Dr. Christi Hegstad is a Certified Coach passionate about helping you design a meaningful career and purposeful life. As President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches, speaks, and writes to guide you to flourish with clarity, confidence, and meaningful action!

Receive helpful articles, resources, and 5 insightful audios – for free! Click “Join Our Mailing List” above.

Learn more about Dr. Christi and MAP Inc. at www.meaning-and-purpose.com, on Facebook, or via Twitter.

What I Do When I Lose Focus

Christi Hegstad January 25th, 2015

About 12 years ago, focus became a huge part of my life when I claimed it as my annual theme. Through decluttering my home, clarifying my mission, and a host of other actions, this theme of focus really tuned me in to what matters most and allowed me to more easily clear away the unnecessary and excess.

This month 3 years ago, I received an abrupt and, to be honest, very unwelcome reminder of the importance of focusing on what matters most.

My Mom died.

My Mom was an amazing person, bubbly and energetic and filled with a colorful zest for life. She was also very clear on her priorities and taught me, not through lecture but rather her actions, what mattered most to her. Just one of many gifts she gave me, our family, and this world.

For many reasons, my thoughts shift to focus this time of year. What truly matters most? Where do I want to invest my time and energy? What legacy do I want to create? On what do I need to focus?

For me, the answer always comes back to meaning and purpose. How can I create and give the most meaning from my work, and how can I live my most purposeful life? And I continually return to the same 3 focal points. Similar to Mary Kay Ash, a business mentor-from-afar of mine, the top of my list includes Faith, Family, and Meaningful Work.

While I could write another Ph.D. dissertation on each of these areas, here is what they mean to me in a nutshell, and I encourage you to reflect on what these areas mean for you, too:

FAITH. In three words: Meaning And Purpose. It’s what I’ve built my business around and what I constantly strive for in life. The main point here? It’s not about me. I am here to serve, to help others grow, to make a positive difference. I am not perfect, but I am trying my darndest to be a role model and servant leader to all who cross my path.

FAMILY. Whenever I do anything, one of my first thoughts is, how will this impact my husband and kiddos? And family extends beyond that: friends, long-distance relatives, your furry family members, your community, your people. Life and work are about relationships, and they are worth every ounce of time, energy, and care we can offer.

MEANINGFUL WORK. Folks, let’s be honest here: You likely work more than the average 2,000 hours each year. That’s a lot of your time – a lot of your life. Do what’s necessary to engage your strengths, make your difference, and bring meaning to your work. Know, with 100% certainty, that what you do matters.

Despite my best efforts, I lose focus from time to time. When that happens, I always come back to these 3 core life dimensions. Yes, I focus on my annual Bold Goals, my projects, and of course my ongoing attempt to be present in the moment. But I have created a life and career where, for the most part, all of those goals and projects and activities connect to my purpose, and to these 3 categories.

So, what needs your focus in 2015? Goals, projects, deadlines – yes. But underneath it all, at the core of who you are and everything you do, what do you need to focus on? What matters most?

I’m hooked on an Imagine Dragons song, I Bet My Life, and particularly this line: “Now I tell a single truth: There’s you in everything I do.” Wow, do I feel that way about my Mom. You can read more about her amazing legacy here.

May we all leave that kind of legacy and make that kind of impact. Live and work so that when others focus on the joys and highlights of their lives, YOU come to mind. I will strive to do the same.

Focus on what matters, my dear friends.

Live, work, and lead with no regrets.

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