| I recently received an email from a journalist in the US | | | | actively thinking about them? Whether it's a simple |
| asking me what I knew about people gaining an online | | | | task like brushing your teeth (while your mind wanders |
| certification for life coaching. And a few weeks back, | | | | in all kinds of weird and wonderful directions) or |
| one of my clients mentioned to me that he'd been | | | | something more complex, like trying to communicate |
| approached by a life coach who had "qualified" | | | | successfully with your wayward teenage son - or, |
| following a weekend course and some follow-up | | | | indeed, a wayward work colleague. How often do you |
| telephone tutorials. At least, I suppose, that was better | | | | react (and make matters worse)? There's a world of |
| than being certified online! But the one that really sticks | | | | difference between reacting and taking calm, |
| out in my mind is the time a client told me that he'd | | | | level-headed real action and making matters so much |
| received a pitch from a life coach who was twenty | | | | better. |
| five years old. He asked me: | | | | Therein lies the mindlessness of the normal life. |
| "How can you give advice on what you have never | | | | Psychology proves that normal people are unable to |
| experienced? How could a twenty five year old | | | | devote enough of their attention to each task in hand - |
| contribute to the understanding of a fifty year old who | | | | to the extent that every task in hand is done |
| is on his second marriage, has seen one business fail, | | | | mindlessly. As a result, the normal everyday life is an |
| been through four or five high-powered jobs and is at | | | | unwitting treadmill created out of a subconscious |
| a crossroads in his business and personal life? How | | | | mindset that the normal person is completely unaware |
| can you be a life coach at twenty five?" | | | | of. |
| You can't! | | | | If only you could break that mindless, reactive process |
| I've been working with clients since 1996, before that I | | | | - then you'd be in a totally different place mentally, |
| headed up a bank (not a big bank - but a bank | | | | you'd be in a place where you were focused and |
| nevertheless) and before that I was marketing and | | | | single-minded - the hallmarks of abnormal success. |
| product development manager for a couple of life | | | | Many clients of life coaches and mentors develop a |
| assurers and I've been studying psychology (still | | | | dependence on the coach, without realising that they |
| studying and, I suspect will always be studying!) since | | | | have all the answers they need within - if only they'd |
| 1992. At many times in my career I've been ahead of | | | | pay attention to what really successful people call "gut |
| the curve (innovating in the financial world, inventing | | | | instinct". You'll notice your very own gut instinct or |
| financial planning software) - as a client said to me | | | | inspiration (call it what you will) if you break the habitual |
| recently: "When you started talking about quantum | | | | cycle of repetitive mindless behaviour. Why else would |
| physics and how your subconscious works you were | | | | Harvard insist that their executive summer school |
| 'way out there', now everyone's doing it". | | | | participants take their notes with the hand with which |
| However, I'm not a "life coach", whatever that actually | | | | they do not habitually write? |
| is exactly - I simply facilitate people in gaining an | | | | Break a couple of little habits and you break the |
| understanding and experience of the fact that we all | | | | biggest bad habit of your adult lifetime - reacting |
| possess our own inner wisdom and our own inner | | | | mindlessly. Then you will begin to notice and pay |
| compass that will, if encouraged through cultivating | | | | attention to the task in hand, however repetitive that |
| clarity of mind, lead us towards our life's purpose, | | | | task might be. Then you will begin to experience and |
| towards peace of mind, happiness and success. | | | | appreciate that you do indeed possess your own |
| That's a fairly hefty statement to make - that we can | | | | internal wisdom and your own internal compass. |
| all achieve our heart's desires if we only let ourselves | | | | Experience this and you're already on the road to a |
| off the leash to which so-called normal people are | | | | place where a life coach will be as superfluous to you |
| unwittingly tethered. The key word in that last | | | | as tennis coaches are to most of today's top players!! |
| sentence is "unwittingly"! Unfortunately, precious few | | | | Start right now. Eat with the knife and fork reversed, |
| people have ever explained to the normal masses that | | | | shave with the "other" hand, brush your teeth with the |
| they live unwitting lives. Years of research shows that | | | | "wrong" hand, put the "other" leg into your trousers first, |
| normal people live automatic reactive lives. Just stop | | | | sit somewhere else at the board- or dinner-table. |
| and think about it for a moment. How much of your | | | | Break little habits and you'll stop being mindless. |
| everyday repetitive tasks are done without you | | | | |