Taking each step before us

Sometimes standing still is not a wise option, whereas taking each step before us represents the best way forward.

Taking each step before us and with a belief in our ability to reach our goal, need not be viewed as being ‘better than nothing’.

Focusing attention, itself a rare quality in many respects if the mindless actions all around us are an indicator of events, is akin to taking each step before us. The emphasis of our efforts is clear and we are moving in a decisive manner.

In a perfect world, we will be certain of where the steps before us lead to. Unfortunately, or not depending on the perspective, surprises occur. What starts as an intention to reach point B may end up getting us to point C, D or Z.

Action, in any case, is the key to progress once strategic intentions have been clarified and used to create tactical plans for their eventual realization.

Reading back these last few lines, this seems to imply we are discussing a major military campaign as opposed to a pleasant embracing of opportunities before us. Maybe the moment feels intense although, as ever, it is ours to live in the manner most befitting our values, goals and outlook in general.

Thanks for reading this and please feel free to share your thoughts on the question of taking each step before us by leaving a comment below if you wish.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian taught a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

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To what extent is the brand You iconic?

For the sake of this post, let’s accept the idea that each of us is a brand, hence the question to what extent is the brand You iconic?

Wherever we choose to look, we are surrounded by images and brands, all attempting to capture our attention and, directly or indirectly, our money. That said, the brand You is associated with much more than the transmission of a message, a storytelling vehicle or other such marketing tool.

Encapsulating your values and reflecting your outlook on life, the brand You is literally you with a capital Y. But again, to what extent is the brand Y iconic? Amongst family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances you are surely a leading light, the ‘Go to’ person.

How can I put forward such an idea? Because we all are to those we interact with, whether we realize it or not.

Attracting iconic status implies your impact extends beyond the immediate ‘circle of influence’ to reach a wider audience. Some time ago I read a thought-provoking tweet, the source, unfortunately, escapes me. “If your last tweet were the message on your tombstone, how would you be remembered?”

Brand You becomes iconic also through each social media post, hopefully, the latest one is not your last one all the same.

As I close here, let me leave you with the initial opening question for you to ponder: “To what extent is the brand You iconic?”

Kindest regards.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian taught a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Benefits of freeing our potential

The benefits of freeing our potential are most likely many. At any moment, the most relevant will be linked to our current mindset.

Focusing on the efforts we make each day to bring our best to the table of life, I think the following two are especially important benefits of freeing our potential.

1) There can be no question as to whether we are giving our all to all we do. We are living fully as we engage with the moment.

Likewise, there are no doubts as to if we could be doing more, right now our efforts represent our potential.

2) Operating in such a mode, and hoping others are doing the same, the world gets to experience the real us rather than a half-hearted version. If some folk decide we are ‘too much’ for them then that’s their choice. Playing small to please others is surely a waste of our potential.

Other benefits of freeing our potential are, as mentioned above, linked to the mindset of each of us at any moment.

To share your ideas related to the issue here, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.

In the meantime, thanks for reading this ‘Benefits of freeing our potential’ post.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian taught a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Where are our actions taking us?

 

1) Where are our actions taking us?

a) Towards our desired goal.
b) Towards the desired goal of someone else.
c) Around in circles.

2) Where are our actions taking us?

a) Hadn’t really thought about it.
b) To the next level of personal growth.
c) Somewhere, anywhere, away from here.

3) Where are our actions taking us?

a) Actions? What actions?
b) Back to where we started yesterday.
c) To a place longed for in the heart.

Whatever the response to the question ‘Where are our actions taking us?’ thanks for being here today.

Kindest regards.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian taught a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

How imposing to others is our presence?

Even as we march forward with our projects – doing this, completing that – it is useful to reflect on the question ‘How imposing to others is our presence?’

Our answer might bring to light some interesting insights. As much as our focus is on getting through the day with a positive mindset, we may be inspiring those around us to concentrate in a similar fashion without us being aware of it. The example we offer by ‘doing’ is also a way of ‘being’ and this is replicable.

Alternatively, our eyes could be so fixed on a goal we fail to notice any negative impact we are making on those with whom we interact. For these people, asking ‘How imposing to others is our presence?’ touches a nerve as a certain indifference or lack of concern sums up our imposing presence.

Regardless of the eventual response to the inquiry ‘How imposing to others is our presence?’, ideally, we are operating aligned with our values and living them through all our endeavours. And if we are not, then it is fair to suggest we have not yet unleashed our potential on the world so our impact is minimal at best.

Provided we are happy being in the shadow of who we are, all is good. When this is not the case, stepping into who we are becomes crucial. Possibly a complimentary coaching conversation with me, via Skype or Google+ hangout, is the first stage on this journey for you. Let me know and we can get it done.

For now, thanks for reading this ‘How imposing to others is our presence?’ post.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian taught a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Observing on a daily basis the tide of life

With the summer fading into the realm of memories, maybe now is not the time to think about the sea, yet observing on a daily basis the tide of life is always a beneficial practice.

We could take observing on a daily basis the tide of life to mean noticing our breathing and engaging in a moment of reflection.

Sitting quietly, being aware of the flow of our breath as thoughts pass through the mind, is a way of observing on a daily basis the tide of life. Ideas form, arrive then disperse as waves break on the shore. There is no need to hold onto anything, we can let everything come and then let everything go.

Input worthy of being followed up will remain in one form or another after the exercise. The rest will be long gone.

Watching the clouds is another method of observing on a daily basis the tide of life. Once again, it is unnecessary to endeavour to grasp onto a specific shape, image or thought. The value of observing on a daily basis the tide of life is found in the process, not the results.

Taking awareness beyond a single instance to a subsequent one then the next, on the other hand, does give us a tangible result, one of being present in a world seemingly doing everything to keep us as if in a trance.

Thanks for reading this ‘Observing on a daily basis the tide of life’ post today.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian taught a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.

Adding a splash of creativity to the day

What would change if we were to indulge in adding a splash of creativity to the day?

Hearing a group of postgraduate students moan and groan about room changes, timetable clashes and such like, makes me wonder how they will deal with the typical chaos associated with many working environments nowadays.

Deadlines brought forward, reports requiring last-minute additions, plus a whole host of other unexpected challenges are in their way adding a splash of creativity to the day we could say. Operating with flexibility is a skill worth acquiring and using in any setting, sooner rather than later.

So, getting back to the concept of adding a splash of creativity to the day, what would be different if we were to put ourselves mentally into the shoes of those with whom we are feeling stressed?

Let’s imagine ourselves as call centre operators before we send them away with a flea in their ear for having dared called us as part of their job. And to what extent can we experience empathy for airport ground crew who are attempting to make the best of trying situations caused by poorly produced check-in procedures?

Please feel free to share your input on the issue of adding a splash of creativity to the day by leaving a comment below.

Kindest regards.

Brian.

About Brian

Brian Groves DipM MCIM Chartered Marketer, Coach, Trainer and Author, supplies professional and personal development to a portfolio of corporate and individual clients.

As an Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Brian taught a postgraduate course, using four characters taken from dramatic texts as coaching clients, to examine various work-related performance matters.

Brian’s goal is to support through coaching, training and writing all who wish to live their potential, in education, work or life in general.

You can contact Brian via e-mail (brian@bgdtcoaching.com), by clicking on the icons or leaving a comment below.