A Business Coach is Key to Success

Many sincere small business owners launch their companies with plans for how to reach 3-year, 5-year - even 10-year financial goals. Then reality hits. Every small business owner knows time can easily get consumed by the daily running of the business, leaving you with a well thought out business plan that never materializes. A key way to stay on track is to take time to schedule business coaching sessions with someone who will energize you into action or renewed action on a regular basis. Then, following these steps to get the most out of your coach: 

Identify the right coach for you. Successful business owners focus on continual innovation to remain competitive. They often seek out and rely on advice from others who are more knowledgeable than they are. Similarly, you should seek a coach who has experienced what you are facing and who has triumphed. In business, they are often outspoken, leaders in industry and trade associations or policy researchers in government and university settings. In life, they are frequently counselors, pastors, and retired volunteers in non-profits organizations. By selecting a coach that fits your need, you are more assured your coach will impart guidance that is based on real business experiences.  

Set a goal for each coaching session. Good mentors are invaluable and often in high demand. Decide which 1-2 items you want to address for each meeting. Determine what one, key question you want answered on each topic in advance of the meeting. By being prepared, you will show your coach that you value his or her opinion and time, and you will find your coaching sessions are more productive and useful to your own business plans.   

Reach out before you face a crisis. The best way to avoid a calamity is to head it off when possible. Call your coach as you see potential changes developing to strategize on how you might handle the changes if necessary. Some of the best new ideas come from free-flowing discussions and debate about possible solutions when there’s no pressure to show immediate results.

Periodically reassess your coach. As seasons change, so do family, work, and professional relationships. A good coaching relationship offers ongoing useful guidance. If your coach has provided all the support he or she can and seems to be recycling the same messages, consider whether you need to pay closer attention to your coach or if it is time to find a new advisor.  

A successful coaching relationship requires careful preparation and opening yourself to critiques. But it is an investment that can help steer your business to greater profitability, exposure and success.  

Patricia Adams is the CEO of Zeitgeist Expressions and the author of “ABCs of Change: Three Building Blocks to Happy Relationships.” In 2011, she was named one of Ernst & Young LLP’s 2011 Entrepreneurial Winning Women, one of Enterprising W omen magazine’s 2011 Enterprising Women of the Year Award and the SBA’s 2011 Small Business Person of the Year for Region VI. Her company Zeitgeist Wellness Group offers a full-service Employee Assistance Program to businesses in the San Antonio region. For more information, visit http://www.thedoctorclick.com

Removing Obstacles From Your Path

Sometimes we self-sabotage ourselves by placing obstacles in our path, and we do this out of fear. What is fear? Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. Fear starts in the brain and sends messages throughout our body, i.e., rapid heart rate, etc. Fear can be crippling, if fear takes over it causes the body and mind not to take action. Some fears are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. You conquer your fears by removing the obstacles which you put in your path. You have to quiet the brain. You have to replace any negative thought with a positive thought. It doesn't matter if you are afraid to ask for a raise out of fear that it might be denied or that you don't feel worthy of a raise, if you are afraid to fly in an airplane or afraid to speak in public, all of these are based from fear. When you go to do something, something in your brain tells you that you can't do it, it makes up reasons why you can't do it and those reasons are called obstacles. You are putting obstacles in your own path. You conquer fear by removing those obstacles. A lot of obstacles are formed from self-doubt and out of low self-worth. Some people won't aim higher in life because they might feel that they are unworthy of better things or aren't smart enough for a better job. One very important thing to remember is, "You will never receive it if you never ask for it or if you don't step outside your comfort zone to obtain it."

You have to reaffirm what you already know, so that fear doesn't interfere with your thought process. Your self-confidence is a major key to overcoming your fears. The more self-confidence you exude the less fear you will have. You have to reaffirm the facts such as; I am smart, capable, intelligent, courageous, self-reliant, I have faith in myself and all decisions that I make, I am important, I am worthy, strong, prepared for whatever comes my way, my ability to remain calm and stay focused will see me through, I am lovable and kind, I demand respect, etc.

You can also conquer your fears by calming down and thoroughly thinking the situation through. Here is an example: I want a better job, I am struggling to pay my bills. A friend told me there is a better job but it is a little further away than I anticipated. I'm not sure if my car will make the commute. What if the commute effects how late I get home? What if it really doesn't pay much more than I am currently making? Why does life have to be so unfair! Ugh. There, you talked yourself out of a possible better job because of fear. Your fear controlled your thought process! You did not remain open to new possibilities. The reality is, it is a much higher rate of pay than you currently earn, enough to cover repair expenses if needed. You work fewer hours than you currently work, you get more vacation time and better insurance. What was the obstacle that your mind devised? Was it the fear of traveling out of your comfort zone? Was it because you didn't want to leave the familiar surroundings associated with your current job? Was it the fear of not feeling worthy of a better paying job? You have to determine what the obstacle is, once you do that, you can resolve the issue. The underlying fear was traveling outside of their comfort zone. That fear was overcome with time. Small trips were taken, each time going just a little further beyond their comfort zone until the fear was overcome.

You have to ask yourself some important questions:

Why am I feeling fear? What is it that I fear? Who will it affect? Where will it lead if I do not listen to my fears? Again, once you determine what you are afraid of, you can remove the obstacle that is blocking your success.

Don't let fear interfere with all of the possibilities that this life holds for you. Conquer your fears by keeping an open mind to all possibilities presented to you and by searching for new possibilities to improve upon yourself. Be rich in knowing who you are and have faith in all of your capabilities.

When Past Meets Present

When couples exchange marriage vows, they promise to love and cherish “from this day forward”. However, they often fail to understand this implies a vow to embrace their mate’s past as well.

Marriage is usually defined as a legal union between a man and a woman. A more complete definition would include reference to a blending of personal characteristics and prior life experiences. Once you get caught up in the moment, it is quite easy to accept or make a proposal of marriage before considering how our mate’s past will impact the marriage. There are several areas of our mate’s past we should take into account prior to getting down on one knee or taking that walk down the aisle. Some of the major factors to consider are emotional health, medical history, financial responsibility, and spiritual development.

Emotional Health 

Past relationships can have both a positive and negative impact on one’s emotional health. How you react to certain situations today will be influenced by the way in which you handled the pain and joys of the past.Marriage, as a contract, should require a finding that both parties are of sound mind before signing that license or vowing “till death do us part”. You may attempt to determine whether your mate is emotionally healthy by asking certain key questions. No matter how extensive the list of questions, you still have no assurance of what you will actually see in practice. A more reliable gauge would be long-term observation in a variety of settings and under differing conditions.

Medical History 

When thinking of medical history, the more obvious issues related to sexually transmitted diseases are quick to come to mind. Although if you’re planning to have a family, there are other important health issues that must be divulged. In order to anticipate potential risks your children may face, you need to know your mate’s medical past as well as their parents and siblings. Inherited traits may range from those as simple as poor vision to more life changing diseases such as diabetes, heart conditions, or cancer. The extent to which your mate knows their family medical history could be an indication of past family dynamics. Their lack of this knowledge could be a result of  dysfunctional or non-existent relationships within the family.

Financial History 

Unresolved debt and pressures to meet routine financial responsibilities in a household can have a devastating effect on a marriage. As you consider a life mate, it’s critical that you not ignore their past financial history. This doesn't mean you have to request a credit report and judge them based on their credit score or the average daily balance in the bank accounts. Even if you do have access to this information, you also want to know how they handle financial responsibility in general. One’s past attitude toward fulfilling financial obligations to creditors and managing their own personal finances is often a reliable predictor of what your future may hold.

Spiritual Development 

Whether you’re contemplating a new union or working to improve your current marriage relationship, your spiritual maturity will play an invaluable role in overcoming your past personal challenges. As we continue to feel negative emotions and replay scenes from the past, couples must work together to put past mistakes behind them. They must rely on God’s arm of love and forgiveness to experience freedom from past mistakes and