Wednesday, May 19, 2010

EVERYONE NEEDS A LITTLE COACH IN THEIR CORNER

Some people say it's hard to stay motivated...others say it's hard to get motivated, and being someone whose business it is to motivate others, I think that today overall it's a little harder to get, stay and be motivated!


That's why I'm a fan of coaching! All types of coaching...both formal and informal, for work and play!

  • I have a friend who is a jazz singer, and she works with a voice coach.

  • I have a young friend who is a baseball coach for executives who want to play baseball better in their free time.

  • I belong to a gang of three couples who coach each other to try new things.

  • And I have many friends who are executive, life or retirement coaches.

  • Even a few who are business and entrepreneur coaches!

My point is, as people face the future I want them to undertake new ventures. To me, it's all about rewiring energy and actions. But some time you need a little help from your friends. Yes, famous words from a great song! But it's true! Regardless of your age I hope you want to try something new; maybe a new job, or you want to excel at a sport or take a risk and create a new business and need some support to either get started or stay in the game! Knowing that someone is in your corner, is in the ring with you, is a big help.

The truth is sometimes you just plain need a jumpstart or some on-going support.

That's why I loved the article in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday entitled: "The Power Of A Gentle Nudge." The article's focus was on "older" people and exercise.The story presented the findings on a Stanford University study which showed that small amounts of social support, from friends who encourage each other via e-mail or the phone, to having an actual meeting with a fitness coach, kept people motivated and exercising. I loved the premise because to me the support aspect could refer to anyone or anything.

Even the most committed people could use a nudge and those who are venturing out and trying something new need a nudge, or rwo or three!

So why do some people feel that they have to accomplish a goal solely on their own? Why do they beat themselves up if they are tired and don't feel motivated to do something? It's human nature to want to "bag something because you're tired." And once you do that, you usually end up kicking yourself later for not being motivated! So it becomes a vicious circle and you end up frustrated with yourself, twice! Accept the fact that even the most motivated of us need a little coach in our corner! Whether it be a formal or informal arrangement, see if a little coaching helps you hit your next goal!

Friday, May 14, 2010

The Last Ziegfeld Follies Girl Had Rewired Many Times



You might not recognize the name, Doris Eaton Travis, but she just passed away at 106. She was the last of the Ziegfield Follies chorus girls and had been a "hoofer" for over 90 years! She was from Michigan, which I am also, so I took extra interest in this unbelievable woman!

They said that Travis' love of dancing and musical theater was shaken when the stock market crash of 1929 ushered in the Depression and many theaters closed. Travis had been dancing on Broadway since 1907 so in the early 1930's, as a result of the Depression she had to rewire!

She took a job as a tap dance instructor at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in New York, then branched out into social dancing, which led to her opening a Murray franchise in Michigan, which became a second career. Sound familiar?

Doris Eaton Travis used her passion for dancing and her love of the stage as the foundation for her lifelong career. How about you? Has your job become redundant? Has your industry been affected by the economy? Think about it. Do you have a passion or idea that you could pursue as your encore or next career?

Having to rewire into a new career is nothing new! Today there are more tools and resources to help you jumpstart your thinking.