Volume 6, Issue 2

June 22, 2006

Beyond Success Newsletter

Get Back on Your Game -- Take a Hike!

by Trish Pratt

In the last newsletter we focused on how to recognize when you are "off your game." We looked at seven signs that can help you notice when you are experiencing anywhere from a slight to a major energy derailment.

As a coach, I view an important part of my job as supporting clients in their best energy and enthusiasm. Whether a client is in the middle of a job search or sorting out strategies for managing their organization, a disconnect in the area of energy not only creates more effort for the client, but can also restrict their perspective. When this happens, the primary focus of our coaching work is simply to get them back on track.

A while back, I worked with a client, I'll call Mary, who managed a sales organization. She had been recently promoted and I was hired to support her in broadening her management style. One of the challenges she was sorting through was the fact that her organization had not made its quarterly goals. This, along with added pressure Mary was putting on herself, was shutting down Mary's enthusiasm and shutting down her communication with her team as well. Using the coaching sessions to simply focus on sales or management strategies would have had Mary taking the more difficult path to her success. Once Mary became aware of how the energy drain was affecting her communication with her staff, we partnered in getting her back on her game where she reconnected with her role as leader and so reconnected with her team and their success.

There are many types of issues or challenges that can take us off our game. These challenges can leave us feeling that life or work is a steep, uphill, trudge up a very big mountain. And so as the going gets tough... turn your trudge into a pleasant hiking trip!

Ways to turn your up-hill trudge into a pleasant hiking trip:

  1. Climb out of the ditch. As with so many challenges, the first step to getting yourself out of the ditch is noticing when you're in one to begin with. The sooner you recognize that your energy is off (see previous newsletter), the sooner you can get yourself aligned with your power.


  2. Take the time to reconnoiter. It may be an unnoticed veering off your path that has you disconnected from your energy. For reasons such as fear, lack of clarity, or perhaps settling for whatever shows up, you may find the plan that you've set for yourself to be the map that you're not using. In this case, getting back on the track involves pulling the map out of your pocket and assessing where you are in the context of where you want to be. Being clear with yourself about where you are in relation to where you are headed can help keep you connected to the truth rather than the discomfort of change. Stay honest with yourself. Don't make up any stories. Ground yourself to your plan. No need to turn a simple two-mile hike into a twenty-mile swamp walk.


  3. Remember what this destination holds for you. Maybe it was the process itself that drew you or the view from the top of the mountain. Remembering the vision that motivated you to begin with can keep you energized and inspired. If the vision excites you, it will be worth it!


  4. Get the "dead end" beliefs out of your backpack! Walking around with limiting or draining beliefs is like carrying large-sized rocks in your backpack. Too much weight can drag you down. These beliefs or perceptions may be about yourself, your ability to be successful, the economy, your boss, etc. I've heard clients say "Of course, no one is going to hire me when they see that I haven't been working for four years." Or "Companies don't want to hire people in their fifties." Too often we are so comfortable with our perceptions and beliefs that we declare them as fact and look to cement them in concrete. Be aware of beliefs that you may be twisting into facts. If they energize or support you in your vision, use them as you see fit. As for those belief patterns that drag you down, notice them for the created story that they are and throw them back into the woods.


  5. Take in the beauty. Whether wildflowers, trees or special rocks along the path, life is always teaching us - offering us the perfect lessons at the perfect time. Check in with yourself as to what lesson life is presenting you. The sooner you embrace the lesson, the sooner you can translate that learning into happiness and understanding.


  6. Take rest breaks. Remember to step off the trail from time to time to take a rest break and re-energize. Sometimes we need to step away from our work to take a walk, take some time off, or simply have some fun. A rest break can improve your attitude and refresh your creative process.


  7. Consider getting the support of a trail guide. Whether you have been snagged by a thorny bush, or have come to what seems an impassable part of the trail, perspective and support from someone familiar with the territory can be just the support you need to keep you moving forward. Whether you are looking to make changes in your business, workplace, career or life, a coach can support you in understanding what's snagging you on your path and turning your hike into an uphill trudge. The support of a coach can help you get back on top of your game -- back to enjoyment and back to your path to success.

Your energy and enthusiasm are innate and powerful guides that will assist you in successful strategies and decision-making. Remember to take stock periodically. When you recognize you're off, take the time to do what you need to do to get back on the trail and go to the top of your peak.

Wishing you happy trails,
- Trish

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About Trish

Trish Pratt is a professional certified coach and consultant. She is also a certified PaperRoom coach trained in pattern recognition (see www.momentumcoaching.com/paperroom.html for more details). Trish helps managers and other professionals bring their best clarity, communication and leadership to their work. She does this with one-on-one coaching, training/workshops, and through articles she writes. Contact Trish today for a complimentary consultation at: 978-635-0603 or via email at: trish@momentumcoaching.com.

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