Posts Tagged ‘vision’

The Power of Vision?

Friday, June 4th, 2010 by Allison

Have you ever thought about what might happen if you gave a blind kid a sword? Or…what might be possible?

I recently saw a story on msnbc’s “Making a Difference” segment about a Cuban-born immigrant who is teaching students to Fence at two Boston area schools for the blind.

Fencing has been great for these students because it teaches them better balance, coordination and physical orientation to their surroundings. However, what struck me the most about this story is how learning to fence has expanded these students’ vision.

Not literally, of course. But by learning a new skill that they never would have thought possible given their limitations, they are achieving new levels of personal potential.

I am left wondering, what’s my fencing foil? What’s the tool that I am most afraid to pick up that could help me craft a vision of a more powerful future for myself? And who are those coaches in my life, the more knowledgeable others, who see what I can’t?

The old addage says that seeing is believing. What I have learned from these students is that believing really has nothing to do with seeing, but everything to do with vision.

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Posted in Leading a Great Life | 1 Comment »

Living with or without Vision?

Friday, May 14th, 2010 by Angela

My colleague, Kate, sent me the quote: “A vision without a task is merely a dream; a task without a vision is drudgery; but a vision with a task is the hope of the world.” I had just finished leading our Vision in Action training. Her quote made me think maybe we should call the training Vision With Action.

More importantly, it reminded me that my victimhood of feeling overworked, burned out, or not being nourished is when I am in task mode only and I have lost sight of the bigger picture or vision. Thus, a little vision and a little hard work go a long way. It gets us out of the drama triangle, promotes responsibility and creates nourishment. Now that sounds like fun!

Vision and Action (Task) to me it is another example harmonizing of the masculine and feminine values. Vision is the feminine and task is the masculine. Without this harmony, there is no hope. Without this harmony, our world continues to stay out of balance and in trouble. With it, there can be peace. Both are necessary and important. One is not more important than the other.

What would it take to create this harmony? I think it takes being more conscious, living purposefully, and taking responsibility for my actions. I know I can’t do it alone and I need other like minded people on the journey. If you are looking for something to get you re-focus or to remember what matters and why you are doing what you are doing, if you are a woman and want to learn more about understanding feminine power and harmonizing the masculine and feminine values join Dr. Judith Wright on her Woman’s essential training http://wrightliving.com/programs/more-life-program/year-of-more/spirit-and-purpose.php

What do you think it takes to create the harmony of the masculine and feminine?

Angela

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Posted in Leading a Great Life, Personal Growth, Women | 1 Comment »

Coaching or therapy – THAT is the question

Thursday, November 12th, 2009 by Beryl

I have my dream job, and I don’t meet many other people who can honestly say that. I’m a life coach — but I have an education and experience in therapy and counselling. I have also personally experienced both coaching and therapy. One of the most frequent questions that comes up in my coaching sessions is: what is the difference between therapy and coaching and how do I know which one would most benefit me?

Therapy is based on the medical model – i.e. you have something broken or “wrong” and you need it fixed or cured. Treatment is typically counseling and often medication as well.

Coaching is based on a more holistic model. Everyone is whole and complete. Problems generally arise out of skill gaps – coaches help clients identify and learn the skills they need to have a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Therapists and counselors have an expert/client model and are generally (although not always) more passive. They tend not to share from their own experience with clients and it tends to be a more formal relationship.

Coaches have a more mutual model and are more active – typically sharing their own experiences with the client in the area of conversation. It is a personal relationship for both the coach and the coachee.

Therapy looks mostly backwards into your past and relies heavily on insight and understanding as tools to cure.

Coaches seek to help clients make sense of and understand their past as well, but even more importantly to look forward into the future in a powerful way that helps the client get a vision of what the possibilities are for their life that they had not considered before. Then the coach helps the client create a powerful map, including pathways (or actions steps) – strategically chosen to move the client from point A (the present) to point B (the vision), turning insight into powerful action.

Do you have a story about how coaching has improved your life?

If you want to find out more about how coaching can transform your life – go to http://www.wrightliving.com/coaching/index.php.

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Posted in Coaching, Leading a Great Life, Personal Growth | No Comments »

Selling in Challenging Times

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 by Angela

The economy has created a difficult or you can look at it as challenging time for sales people. Everyone is trying to make it and sell what they can. I get so nervous and scared about the economy. I ask myself- “What do I believe”- “What’s true”- “How bad is it really”? “How do I sell in this time?” What I do know is this- I believe in what I do and I know it is even more important in this time for people to learn about what it is we do.

I realize I need to keep asking and to keep selling. I can’t give up and won’t—not even with a no. I share the vision I have for them. I share what is possible and what the return on the investment will be if they do the work. That’s my job. I have to hold the possibility and the faith—to be a bright light in a dark time and let them decide.

I believe by hording our resources, continuing to be afraid to buy or risk is what makes the times worse. In my opinion, by us becoming more fearful, closed in and holding on- we help to create the recession rather than seeing new possibilities. I am not asking people to be mindless and carelessly spend. I am asking that people stay engaged and be more conscious. It is about flow. Flow means engaging, risking responsibly, giving, receiving (or in other words- sharing resources, helping each other out, giving referrals, selling and buying).

Engage in life- buy and sell!

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Posted in Coaching, Sales | 1 Comment »

Quick Decisions and Career Visions

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 by Kate

When I left my last full-time job to come to Chicago for graduate school, there were many reasons it seemed like the right move at the right time.

I had discovered what some might call a passion, but what I was only willing to admit was a deep curiosity, about the subject–theology. I knew I could get financial support through several initiatives being launched in my home state of South Dakota. And I knew that if I stayed in my post at my alma mater through a succession of leadership, it would be several more years before I would consider transitioning out. All signs pointed to that moment being just right.

Now, having a few years’ perspective on the switch, I can see that in many ways I was running from a situation I didn’t have a handle on. I didn’t have the training I needed or the skill to ask for it. And while the choice I made has added value to my life in countless ways, I certainly didn’t have a long-term vision for the career I wanted to create.

How do you plan your career moves? Do you follow your gut and spring for the latest opportunity? Do you have a five or ten year plan you’re working to implement? Or do you fall somewhere in the middle –having a vision that would guide your toward your long-term goals when each potential fork in the road emerges?

Whether you’re in transition or in a position you intend to keep, chances are you could benefit from a solid career vision. If so, join Dr. Bob Wright for the first in a series of career workshops Wednesday night: Create Your Dream Job in Transformational Times.

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Leading by Empowering #4

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 by Angela

We had our team empowerment continued training meeting this morning. Most people were in breakdown around leadership and not sure what to do. In order to transform the breakdown, we taught a tool called the Vision Realization Process.

In a nutshell, you are at position A and you want to get to position B. Along the way, you will experience things that take you off track. As you are striving towards your goal, you will experience breakdown. Typically, most of us will keep cycling down rather than re-engaging towards the goal. Then we are at failure.

It helps when you can identify the type of breakdown. Then you can address the issue at hand, you can get back on track. The types of breakdown are categorized as:

1. Stinking Thinking
2. Need Information
3. Process Problem
4. Skill Development
5. Purpose Shift
6. Emotional block
7. Complex Emotional Block

Now that you know where the issue is, you can act differently and achieve your goal. You can also support your team members out of a funk by getting to the core of the issue. This week, participants are focusing on being aware of their breakdowns and working towards shifting it more quickly.

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Fitness Vision or Workout Routine

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 by Angela

Since grammar school, I was a workout fanatic. I worked out all the time. I played sports and wanted to be involved in active activities. I couldn’t stand being on the beach unless I was doing something. It was really more of a frenzy and fanatic lifestyle. I was doing it more to avoid certain things in my life and to not gain weight. They were all reactive reasons rather than for a higher purpose.

Don’t get me wrong- it was a better choice to be active and engaged than a lot of things I could have chosen. The only problem was it wasn’t fulfilling. I was just trying to get through the workout- didn’t really experience it all. After I graduated college, I continued being committed to working out, however I started making fitness goals. I started running and doing races. I was striving towards improving my times. I tried new things. I learned how to swim again to be able to do a triathlon. So, now I was focused on positive outcomes and goals. Better step, but still unfulfilling to what I was hoping for.

I did some work with Judith Wright and her Soft Addictions work and The One Decision. I began to understand what it meant to have a vision for my body- a higher purpose. My vision includes that I am a fit and healthy woman. My body is flexible and strong. I enjoy experiencing my body in all ways. It was from this that then the goals for running, working out, lifting weights started to have more meaning. I would use my vision to help me get started on the days I didn’t want to. I used my vision to decide the choice of workout that was important for me. I got more creative. I had more workout partners to be engaged with while I was working out. I would notice my breathing, feel my muscles, think through ideas, and have feelings when I worked out now. I was more alive and enjoying working out as something more not just something I had to do. Having a vision in all areas my life has helped provide me with more meaning, purpose and connection in my life and a greater reason to keep working out.

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