Make Progress Now: Take the Hand Brakes Off Your Life!

Do you find yourself striving upward in life yet making little or no progress?

Are you high on activity but low on achievement?

Very clearly, it's time to stop, look and listen. You're obviously not doing something right.

I'll share with you something that happened to me recently. I believe it will help you understand my point.

I am an "Advanced Learner" driver. By now I shouldn't still be wearing my learner plates, I guess I just love the fact that people clear out of the way when I'm coming, and clamour to help me at the slightest sign of driver-distress. Talk about loving thy neighbour!

Any way, I was driving up a steep hill one bright Sunday morning when I noticed the car making some not-so-funny growling noises. Also, to my alarm, no matter how hard I stepped on the throttle, the car would not accelerate. It continued its belaboured, uphill climb, growling grudgingly as it went.

I made it some how to the top of the hill and pulled over to see what all the fuss was about.

As the smell of burning rubber reached my nose, my teenage son, sitting next to me exclaimed, "Mom, the hand brakes are on!"

I had been striving upward, making very little progress. I was "high on activity, but low on achievement." Thank God it occurred to me to "stop, look and listen."

I had the hand brakes on the whole time; the trouble was entirely my fault! The strange part was that it took some one else to spot the problem. It could have taken me ages, and much further damage, to see it myself.

Albert Einstein is reported to have said, "You can't solve a problem with the same mind that created it." Quite often in life we have the hand brakes on and don't even know it.

When a little effort doesn't give us the results we desire, we apply more of the same effort. We know something is wrong, we can even smell burning rubber.

But sadly, many of us just keep on "screeching on," not taking time out for a re-think, and not asking anyone else for help.

The point I'm making is that when we apply ourselves as best we know how, and still do not get the results we desire, it should be obvious that "the best we know how" just isn't good enough. We need to stop, look and listen. We might need outside help. Any further activity could cause even more damage.

These hand brakes quite often take the form of self-limiting beliefs. We usually don't know we have them.

But if we take the time out, with a trusted friend or coach, our words, actions, inactions and assumptions will quite likely reveal their existence.

A case in point: I have a friend who was not getting enough business contracts. She was qualified, capable and her prospects often gave her audience. She presented her business well and had a sound, desirable service to offer. But somehow, prospect-conversion rate remained low.

We talked, and after a while her problem became evident. I could tell that she had self-doubt.

Because hers was a young, small business she felt intimidated by the older giants.

She felt she wasn't as experienced and didn't have impressive client lists like they did.

As a result, she approached mainly small business owners, who, though impressed, could not afford her fees. Occasionally she serviced larger clients, but that was when "a friend of a friend" gave her a referral.

When made aware of these limiting beliefs she admitted, though surprised, that it was true. It was as if scales had suddenly fallen off her eyes. She had no idea that she had self-doubt. She had re-examined her services, her presentation and everything else she could think of, to no avail.

In the end, I sent her off to a business consultant who helped her repackage her offerings and drew up a new marketing plan for her. I took her through a series of coaching sessions to build self-belief and handle procrastination.

Today my friend has a sizeable, paying client base, and has learnt to stop often to look and listen when things don�t go as planned. She has also learnt to seek help.

Dear reader, is yours a case of struggle without success?

Have you taken time out to examine your case?

Remember, it isn't likely that you will spot the problem yourself. It's probably your thinking that created it in the first place.

A trip to a consultant or coach might be just what you need. He/she is more likely to see that your hand brakes are on than you are. A coach is also better able to determine the nature of your hand brakes, as self-doubt is only one of them.

And with a network of other consultants, a coach can recommend the help you need.

Not being personally and emotionally involved, a coach's opinion will most likely be objective.

He/she will not be critical of you but supportive.

There is no reason why you should continue with high activity and low achievement.

You owe it to yourself to stop, look and listen. People today avail themselves of coaching and consulting for a variety of problems: business strategy, weight-loss, image-making, school work, career management the list could go on.

Wherever progress is slow, or results are undesirable, a coach could save the day.

At the end of my ordeal with the hand brakes, my mechanic presented me with a hair-raising bill. I had burned my clutch plates, but thankfully they could be replaced.

Repairing the damage done to our lives or businesses might not be that easy.

We might never even get the chance.

Before the damage is extensive, stop, look and listen. You just might need a coach to help you.

Copyright 2005 Oma Edoja

Oma Edoja is a published writer, motivational speaker and infopreneur. She speaks to, and works with people seeking more out of life. She would love to answer questions on self-limiting beliefs. Visit her blog http://omaslounge.blogspot.com (for inspiration and motivation). Contact her (via blog) for a free assessment of your coaching needs.

---

Successful Implementation of Company Wide Coaching Programmes

Ten years ago I was fortunate enough to be heavily... Read More

Be A Champion Communicator by Becoming a Chameleon

Recently, I worked with a client who was having a... Read More

The Rewards and Risks Of Personal Freedom

We all need to decide whether to "play it safe"... Read More

The Secret of Self-Esteem

Have you ever thought about what really creates self-esteem? Having... Read More

How to Tune In Your Brain & Feel Confident with People in Moments

One day when I was in school, many years ago,... Read More

4 Amazing Tips To Successfully Persuade Anyone

Having excellent persuasion skills is one of the most important... Read More

How to Kill Fear When Dealing with Aggressive People

The book Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway by... Read More

That Little Bit Of Extra

The "little bit extra" is a very powerful concept to... Read More

Coaching Skills Does Matter At Chick?fil-A

In this discussion, we talk about Coaching Skills with Phil... Read More

Poise, Posture, and Performance

Good posture is seen to have many advantages. From an... Read More

Searching For Your Calling ? Quest or Curse?

Judging by the extraordinarily positive reader response to Po Bronson's... Read More

Are You A Work Addict?

Work addiction is very common in our society today, yet... Read More

Mindfulness and Multiple Intelligences: 8 Ways to Pay Attention

How are you smart?Let me count the ways.Harvard professor Howard... Read More

Coaching Prime Time

An awful lot of fantastic coaching has been coming out... Read More

What Do You Really Want ?

Being a coach is such a rewarding profession. The enormous... Read More

Success at Work : People Skills : Complaining

Do you know an individual at work who is a... Read More

Living On Purpose

The purpose of life is to live a life of... Read More

How To Give Criticism Without Bruising Egos

As responsible employers, parents, and friends, we have an obligation... Read More

Are You Invisible?

Ellen was brought up to be invisible. She was taught... Read More

New Definition of Retirement

A new definition of retirement is evolving. It's one that's... Read More

Expectations Can Get In Our Way

There are times when we truly look forward to something... Read More

What Is Executive Presence?

Often our clients refer someone to us for Executive Coaching... Read More

Dare To Be Inconsistent, Lopsided, And Totally Courageous

I was talking to one of my coaching clients and... Read More

How to be Your Authentic Self

Most of us play many different roles in the course... Read More

A Call To Do Better

I'm calling you out. Issuing a Challenge. Relax, It's not... Read More

Coaching vs. Directing - How Does Improv Theater Suggest You Should Lead Your Team

An age old battle in improv that I believe resonates... Read More

W Edwards Deming

Immediately post second world war W Edwards Deming went to... Read More

Q-Tip It!

Back in the 1920's when Polish-American entrepreneur Leo Gerstenzang invented... Read More

Ten Benefits of Having a Relationship Coach

As a Master Certified Relationship Coach, I work with singles... Read More

How Could Choosing to Not Do It All Enhance Your Impact?

How often have you heard yourself say, "I've got so... Read More

What is the Success Lesson in this Story?

One of my clients gave me permission to tell you... Read More

Different New-Years Resolution - Pass-It-Forward

Every 12 months, as the New-Year rolls around, we all... Read More

Personal Power

All of us would love to have personal power ?... Read More