View from the Summit

Twenty yearsago, when I was 35 years old, I never heard mention of a life or business coach. I was under the impression that you just needed to get in the game and figure it out. I read articles, books and news post to gain all the information I could in life and business. It never dawned on me to hire a professional that could walk me through the difficulties or more importantly point me in the right direction. 

Fast forward, it's now 2015, and my experience has taught me that it is necessary to hire an experienced coach in whatever arena I'm interested in tackling. I feel that I am capable of figuring out most problems or new processes alone and possibly even mastering them, but why would I want to travel the road alone, unaided, with no direction at all? Why would I want to invest the time, resources and energy dodging all the land mines and potholes? Why not pay a professional that has walked where you're headed, rather than get all banged up yourself?

There is no question; the number one challenge to your success is doubt. More often than not I hear, “I’m afraid of this or that”. You can fill in the blank. There could be a litany of reasons that you are fearful and for the sake of time, let’s agree that fear is real. If you predict a certain outcome and the results appear less than desirable, we instantly become anxious. I understand this feeling well and have dealt with the repercussions of anxiety many times in my personal and business life. As I grow in maturity, I’ve discovered that the majority of my fears never materialize. When I logically think through the potential downside, it historically doesn't end up as bad as the picture I conjured up in the beginning.

Having laser focus as an entrepreneur often is a difficult task. What do you do when all appears foggy? Are there times in your business or personal life that you simply need a lighthouse? When a decision is needed, and all you hear are crickets, where do you turn?

I have been faced so many times over the course of my career with multiple options, but no clarity. Many times a wrong decision could cost thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars. More damaging than the loss of profit or savings would be choosing the wrong person and ruining a relationship forever.

When you come to the fork in the road, do you analyze the pros and cons of your selected destination? I find more often than not a sense of self-preservation and personal interest have an enormous impact on our choice. Human beings, in general, are self-serving. If you will inventory your motives, and ask tough questions, you might turn right when you were headed left.