You Matter, And So Does Your Work

Christi Hegstad November 3rd, 2023

You matter, and your work matters.

If I could shout a message from the mountaintops, I think it would be this!

Regardless of your title, salary, level of public acknowledgment, or other external factors, you make a difference. What you do matters, and no one can do it quite like you – with your unique set of strengths, values, and capabilities.

“Burnout results not from hard work – people are capable of working very hard,” wrote Rabbi Harold Kushner over 20 years ago, “but from a sense of futility, the fear that all the hard work isn’t making a difference.”

While burnout can be a very complex and multifaceted issue, I agree with Rabbi Kushner’s sentiment about the importance in knowing our work makes a difference.

And I just wanted to put that reminder out today – you matter and your work does make a difference!

If you’d like to connect the dots between the work you do and the difference it makes, or want support in helping your team connect those dots, please contact me. Meaningful work is one of my #1 coaching topics!

Whether you are in the midst of a huge assignment, or between jobs, or working in the home or on a volunteer basis or exploring a new venture in retirement or countless other possibilities:

Thank you for who you are, and for what you do.

Time Blocks For Loose Ends

Christi Hegstad October 19th, 2023

Last week, I scheduled a block of time dedicated to tying up loose ends.

I had several items piling up – decisions waiting to be finalized and tasks needing completion. These items were necessary but not super time-sensitive, so it felt easy to push them back another day or week.

When that happens, however, the ‘lingeringness’ eventually gets to me. So I periodically schedule an appointment with myself and implement one of my top guiding principles: Decide And Take Action.

During that time block, I make decisions, take action, and commit to getting stuff done!

And I feel lighter afterwards.

This week, consider a task(s) that’s been lingering and would feel good to complete. Block the time in your planner, then Decide And Take Action!

Take note of how you feel afterwards, too – that can serve as helpful motivation!

Nontraditional Questions For Crafting Your Life Plan

Christi Hegstad October 15th, 2023

If you’ve been with me for a while, you know I’m a fan of goals. Bold, meaningful, beyond-your-own-expectations types of goals in particular. Search my blog and you’ll find oodles of tips, ideas, and resources for setting and achieving goals that matter.

But despite my affinity for goals, I know not everyone shares this passion. If you’re in a season of ‘I just need to get through this challenge,’ for example, setting an audacious goal may just not feel in the cards right now.

Or if you’re focused more on daily routines or small habits, adding bold new actions into the mix may interrupt the steady progress you’re making.

Not all goals are created equal, and no one-size-fits-all goal works for everyone, all the time.

So in the spirit of high-variety goals for unique individuals, today I simply want to offer some ‘nontraditional’ questions to ask yourself as you look ahead to the end of the year, the start of a new one, and beyond.

Ponder one or a few of these on a walk, while washing the dishes, or in your journal, and see where your ideas take you:

* What topics of conversation absolutely light you up?

* What dream has hung around forever, but you’ve never let yourself think about it too much?

* If you could help make a difference for one or two causes near to your heart, which would you choose?

* What hobby or creative pursuit would be fun to explore or spend more time on?

* What did you love about your job, career, or business when you first started?

* What would you enjoy doing more of during your week? Less of?

* Where do you need to be a bit more gentle with yourself?

* What book on your TBR (to be read) list would you really love to dive into?

* What words do you most want people to use when describing you?

Whether you turn some of your answers into goals, habits, dreams, or direction markers is up to you. (And if you’d like help crafting your year or life plan, be sure to contact me!) Whatever you decide, I hope you have fun considering possibilities + ideas and seeing where they take you!

Q3 Reading Wrap-Up

Christi Hegstad October 10th, 2023

What type of book comes to mind when you hear ‘beach read’? To me, that’s any book you read at the beach, whether romance, mystery, fantasy … or even personal / professional development! Below are five nonfiction books that really stood out for me this past quarter. And while I didn’t actually read all of them on the beach or poolside, if I see you doing so, I will definitely stop and chat with you about them!

Great At Work by Morten Hansen

A terrific evidence-based look at what helps – and hinders – performance at work. Hansen coauthored Great By Choice with Jim Collins, a book I read years ago, but somehow I missed this particular title until now (it was also published several years ago). A great blend of theory and practical application; I particularly appreciated the chapter dedicated to passion, purpose, and work.

Wild & Precious, narrated by Sophia Bush and others

As its subtitle suggests, a celebration of Mary Oliver and her gorgeous poetry. Many contributors – including famous actors, Oliver’s students, and people who never met her but were changed by her writing – share the impact her work has had on their lives. I believe this is only available via audio and it is beautifully narrated, including clips of Mary Oliver herself reading her poetry.

All The Beauty In The World by Patrick Bringley

A thoughtful memoir from someone who left a busy + bustling career to quietly stand guard over the artwork at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art. This book provides a beautiful look at meaningful work, grief, relationships, personal growth, and deciding what matters most. I posted an overview of thoughts on my LinkedIn profile back in August if you’d like more detail.

Monsters by Claire Dederer

What do you do when you discover your favorite author, singer, or creator is problematic? When they behave badly or make statements that go against your values, do you no longer watch their movies or read their books? Dederer explores the complex questions around separating the art from the artist. I found this book challenging, at times infuriating, and incredibly thought-provoking.

The Good Enough Job by Simone Stolzoff

An intriguing look at our relationship to work, how much it defines us, what function it serves, and whether certain work is ‘required’ for a fulfilling life. If you feel like your definition of success has changed over the years, or you’re wondering if your job is supposed to look a certain way at a certain point in your life, I think you’ll appreciate this perspective. I especially liked how each section focused on a specific person and their actual career path.

If you have questions, have read any of these, or would like to know my top fiction reads of the quarter as well, please share in the comments below. Here’s to an excellent 4th quarter of reading!

Values, Vision, and Your 4th Quarter Achievement

Christi Hegstad October 5th, 2023

We have just begun the final quarter of the year.

Do you feel motivated and on track? Or more along the lines of, ‘Well, there’s always next year!’?

Wherever you land on the motivation scale, I encourage you to remember that with purposeful focus and intention, we can achieve something significant in the time remaining in 2023.

Twelve weeks can be enough time to:

Strengthen a relationship.

Build a leadership skill.

Learn a new activity.

Start a blog.

Craft a business plan.

Support a meaningful cause.

Re-engage with an organization.

Set and achieve a goal.

I could go on and on! The point is, we have plenty of time to achieve something that matters to us.

Maybe not everything, but something. The key is to prioritize in honor of your values and vision.

What will you commit to this quarter?

Take a deep breath, prioritize, secure your support, and begin! You’ve totally got this.

Lessons Learned – September 2023

Christi Hegstad October 4th, 2023

Although September flew by in the blink of an eye, it still brought its share of experiences, reminders, and life lessons. Here are a few that stand out for me:

1. If it inspires you or moves you, pay attention.

2. Say YES to the homemade pear crisp.

3. Take responsibility where necessary. But also remember not everything is your responsibility.

4. For a planning nerd, nothing feels quite like a new week, month, and quarter all starting on the same day.

5. Your experience depends tremendously on your mindset. Fuel it accordingly.

6. Grief can appear unexpectedly. Be gentle with yourself.

7. ‘But what will everyone think?’ is not a valid excuse to do/not do something. Trust yourself.

8. It’s never too early for Christmas music.

9. Fall is an excellent time for cleaning up, clearing out, and letting go.

10. You always have options.

Do any of these resonate with you? What lessons did you learn this month?

Easing The Weight Of Responsibility

Christi Hegstad August 15th, 2023

“I feel 100% responsible for 100% of the things 100% of the time…”

Can you relate?

I work primarily with ‘meaningful achievers’ – people who strive for bold, difference-making goals but in a purposeful and intentional way. And whether we’re talking about business ownership, leadership, household management, or another role, the weight of responsibility can feel overwhelming at times.

This often becomes one of the most important topics we coach through: How to honor our ‘inner achiever’ while also maintaining a healthy sense of balance/harmony.

We can do this in any number of ways:

Practicing effective and open communication with those around us,

Hiring a coach or other professional to support us,

Delegating,

Prioritizing, or

Recognizing that not all areas require 100% effort at all times and allocating accordingly.

If you feel 100% responsible for 100% of the things 100% of the time, consider one of the above ideas, or pull out a blank piece of paper and brainstorm ideas for yourself. Then, take an action to ease the weight so you can focus your energy effectively.

What other ideas would you add? Share your tips and wisdom below!

When I’m 90, Part 2

Christi Hegstad August 8th, 2023

In yesterday’s blog, I offered an exercise that can help you begin to clarify your vision through a perspective-shifting question.

Today, as promised, I pose the bonus question.

I have found this question so helpful over the years, particularly in times of difficulty or worry.

Like yesterday’s post suggests, imagine yourself at 90 years old. Then, ask your 90-year-self:

What advice do you have for me, today?

Here are a few things I’ve discovered about my 90-year-old self:

* She is calm. What feels like a big problem to today-me doesn’t seem to rattle future-me in the least.

* She is wise. Her big-picture perspective lets me know that things will, indeed, be o.k.

* She doesn’t take herself too seriously. (Today-me needs to practice this more!)

Take a question, situation, or decision you’re currently facing, and ask your 90-year-old self what they would recommend. You may find the answers coming much more readily than expected.

What’s one thing your 90-year-old self would likely tell your current-self? Share a bit of their wisdom below!

Two Practices To Boost Your Commitment

Christi Hegstad July 13th, 2023

Earlier this year, I agreed to a commitment that ticked all the right boxes for me:

It sounded exciting and fell within my area of expertise. It would challenge my skills in a good way and connect me with awesome people. And, in line with my purpose, it would inspire positive action and make a difference.

My ‘Yes’ was confident, quick, and truly felt right.

Then something weird happened.

Almost immediately upon signing on – still feeling motivated and enthusiastic – I did … nothing.

I didn’t dive into action.

I didn’t even crawl into action.

I did absolutely nothing – unless you can count ‘active procrastination’ as something.

Yet every time I checked in with myself, thinking maybe I had agreed to something I didn’t actually want to do, it still ticked all the right boxes.

I wanted to do this thing. I just wasn’t doing it.

What gives?

Wavering Commitment

Have you ever committed to something that you wanted to do, then found yourself feeling wishy-washy – or even indifferent – towards it?

Numerous factors can play into this, ranging from a values misalignment to fear to burnout to myriad possibilities in between. But in some cases, such as the one I describe above, no real root cause seems apparent, which – especially for achievers – can leave us quite baffled.

After reaffirming I truly wanted to pursue this project and after trying a number of strategies to then get myself to do it, I finally landed on the two that made the biggest difference for me. I share them here in the hopes that they may help you, too.

Two Go-To Practices

First, to no one’s surprise, I made a list. 🙂

Instead of a to-do list or pro/con list, however, this time I made a list of all the things I could do when my commitment begins to waver. This actually turned out to be a pretty extensive list! A few of my bullet points included:

* Remember my purpose. Specifically, why does this project matter, and how does it help me fulfill my purpose?

* Take one small action. One small action can build momentum – and even if it doesn’t, at least I’ve made movement in the right direction.

* Simplify. Consider the (very likely) possibility that I’ve made it harder than it needs to be, and construct ways to bring greater ease, focus, and flow.

* Talk with positive, helpful people.

* Step away for a moment – take a quick walk, cross-stitch for 20 minutes, listen to podcast. Shift perspective for a bit so I can come back with a fresh one.

I actually printed out my list and have it near the front of a binder dedicated to this project. I can’t tell you how helpful this Commitment Boosters list has been!

Second, and I know this can sound like a ‘duh’ tip, but it truly has made a profound difference:

I *decided* to stay committed.

Instead of passively wondering where my commitment went and when it would return and why I felt so darn wishy-washy, I made the conscious decision to be committed to this project – and to boost that commitment whenever I feel it start to waver. (This is where the aforementioned list has proven so useful!)

It kind of feels like fixing a dripping sink: Instead of hearing the constant drip-drip-drip and thinking about how much water it’s wasting and wondering when I’ll finally do something about it, just taking care of it. Then it’s out of my mind completely instead of serving as a constant hum of background noise.

I’m delighted to report that since taking these two actions, my commitment level has dramatically increased, and the project is now almost complete! In fact, if you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you’ll be hearing more about it soon.

What helps you when your commitment to a desired project, goal, or outcome wavers? Share your tips and insights below!

A New Question Toward Clarity

Christi Hegstad June 8th, 2023

Sometimes coaching clients come to me with very specific goals: Ideas they’ve had on the back burner too long, new possibilities they’ve just discovered, areas that showed up in their latest performance review. We can establish their steps, create their success plan, and make it happen.

Often, however, clients come with less clarity than that. “I don’t know what I want,” I’ll hear them say, “I just know it’s something different.”

“What do you want?” seems like a simple enough question, though it can be anything but. If you struggle to answer it, you’re not alone.

So what gets in the way of this clarity?

Any number of things. Maybe you’ve held the same roles and responsibilities for years and can’t quite imagine alternatives. Maybe you’ve felt continually pressed for time without a chance to really think about the next chapter. Maybe you’ve experienced some big changes and things look different than you once expected.

Maybe it’s for an altogether different reason.

And maybe deep down you know the what, you just have no idea how.

A Different Question

I’ve long said the quality of our answers depends on the quality of our questions. If we’re constantly asking, “Why can’t I figure this out?”, for example, we’ll probably continue to come up with reasons that keep us stuck – but not generate anything to move us forward.

And if you’re already feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or time-crunched, the difficulty in envisioning future possibilities – as well as trying to predict all the potential outcomes and what if’s of those possibilities – can be enough to put it all in a mental file drawer marked ‘Figure Out Later.’

If you’re craving clarity for your future, and questions like “What do you want?” and “What would you do if you could do anything?” aren’t quite cutting it, let me pose a different question and see if it prompts any insight for you:

What would you do if you didn’t have to figure out how?

The What and The How

When dreaming, goal-setting, or trying to imagine a clear, bright, vivid future, we can catch a glimpse of an idea – then immediately follow it with “But how would I ever make it happen?”

We quiet the possibility before giving ourselves a chance to really consider it.

And we often do this without even noticing or realizing it.

If you’re spinning in circles as you try to envision your ideal future, whether that’s your ten-years-from-now future or end-of-2023 future or even by-next-month future, try asking that question:

What would I do if I didn’t have to figure out how?

Ponder it while out on a walk, in a quiet moment, or – my personal go-to – in a Breakthrough Map format in your journal. See if removing the second part of the equation – the how – frees up any new ideas on the what.

“But I’ll still have to figure out the how,” you might be thinking. True. But in my experience, the how typically becomes much easier when we are crystal-clear on the what. We’re better able to break it down into steps, seek out support and resources, find others who strive for something similar.

And it can feel much more energizing to move toward a clear picture of possibility than to spin in indecision and ‘Yeah but…’ scenarios.

There are other questions and exercises that can bring about clarity, of course, and my role as a professional coach is to help you get unstuck, clear, and moving toward your picture of meaningful success. If you’d like to experience the power of coaching this summer, email me and we can discuss possibilities! Even a single, focused coaching session can prompt the clarity you’ve been seeking.

Here’s to your clear, confident, purposeful future!

Tag Archives: coach

Wavering Commitment

Two Go-To Practices

A Different Question

The What and The How