It Changed My Life! And Why Not?

My two older brothers are as different as night and day. Very close in age, they are worlds apart. One is tall, the other isn't. One is rabidly independent, the other not so much. One deeply embedded and successful in the corporate world, the other successfully self employed. One happily married to his high school sweetheart, the other married a woman with four children, joyfully taking on the responsibilities that come with a ready made family.

The deep connection they share is their level of passion for the people and things they love. And while they do it very differently, the effects of that passion are very similar.

Michael's passion is fly fishing. This man gets down right giddy when he gets to stand waist deep in a freezing cold stream for hours on end, dressed in his goofy overalls, boots, jacket, vest, etc.. It seems crazy to me that he puts all of his lower extremities in danger all for the sake of catching a fish. Once he catches the gill flapping treasure, the keepsake photo is taken and then he tosses the trophy back into the river! What the heck is that all about?

The distinction between the two is that Patrick has many passions. Literally, this guy loves everything! Over the years, he has called me countless times all jazzed up about hiring a new salesperson, test driving a new Porsche he'd been dreaming about or finding the perfect 9-iron. Each time, he would end the sentence with "...and it has changed my life!"

Over the years, I've teased him about the fact that everything seemed to change his life. To this day, I answer the phone and say, "Let me guess, something has changed your life!" His immediate response, "Yes! How did you know?"

It wasn't until after I started my coaching practice that a silly little phrase like "it changed my life" took on a whole new meaning. What I have come to know is that many people want something, anything to change their life. They just don't give themselves permission to let that happen.

And my question is why not?

Why not let a new spouse or relationship change your life and give you a reason to leave the office at a reasonable hour instead of staying all night trying to earn bonus points?

Why not let a new car change your life and give you permission to take a road trip this weekend instead of going into the office?

Why not let your new baby change your life and allow you to focus on being a great Mom or Dad instead of being the "killer" sales executive everyone has come to rely on?

Why not let your new 9-iron change your life and instead of taking a client to lunch, you choose spend that time working on your short game?

Why not? A powerful and perplexing question. And it's not easy to answer. Most of us are not "wired" to do what is best for us. Instead, we do what we think we should do for our company, clients, bosses, friends and family, and the list goes on. Noble, but where does that leave us if all we do is take care of other people's needs?

I work with many people who push their own needs to the bottom of the pile. The end result is that they feel resentful and unappreciated because they are knocking themselves out and not doing what they need to take care of themselves by tapping into their passions.

We have all been on an airline that's getting ready to take off. The flight attendant comes on the PA system and says, "if we lose cabin pressure and the oxygen masks drop down, put your mask on first before you help anyone else". Note: they don't say, put your oxygen mask on and let everyone else die.

Heaven forbid that the only place you give yourself permission to take care of yourself is when you're buckled into a seat on an airplane! The lesson here is if we take care of ourselves, those we care about will be better for it.

Bottom line...since it doesn't come naturally, we need to challenge ourselves to allow the things we care about to change our lives for the better...even if it is only for an evening!

Now for the moment of truth. Admit it, you are already thinking of the people you love who are stressed and overworked. There you are, finger poised and ready to hit the forward button to share this simple truth. You're hoping that once they read this, maybe, just maybe they'll do a better job of taking care of themselves. Go ahead and forward because you are a great friend. And while that is a noble gesture, when is it going to be your turn?

If you aren't allowing your passion and personal happiness to fit into your life, please give this some thought. Better yet, go to my web site and contact me. In one complimentary session, I promise to help you move in a new direction. It is my gift to you. Like my whacky brothers, I am passionate and love what I do. It just might change your life...if only for a day. Why not?

It's only fitting that I end with a thank you to my stinky brothers for showing me how good life can be when I allow myself to make room in my life for the things and the people I truly love!
I love you guys and will always make room for you in my life.

The coaching process is a thought-provoking, creative process that will inspire you to maximize your personal and professional potential. If you're interested in talking to either Bob or me, you'll find an offer for a complimentary session on our web site. We'll get back to you within 24 hours to set up our time together.

Jean-Ann Cooper
Business & Personal Performance Coach
http://www.cooperworldwidecoaching.com

All coaching sessions are 100% confidential. Period.