Over a glass of good red wine I reflected on my working life. Not the first time I`d done this. Procrastination was now not an option. It was decision time. Time for change!
I`d been in education for so long. I figured I was sure doing something I loved to do, but wondered what else? Any change from the various roles within educating 7 to 13 year olds would require considerable effort, time and another huge bunch of energy. I would have to move outside the safe environment I`d created over all these years.
The notion of becoming a Professional Coach had been on the horizon for some time. Challenged? Scary? …. Yes! Where to start?
Napoleon Hill in his 1937 highly acclaimed book, ‘Think and Grow Rich’, writes about how to build success. He writes of business man and philanthropist, the famous Andrew Carnegie’s formula for money making success, based on thirteen principles. Hill embarked on what turned out to be a twenty year research project of interviewing and working alongside the greats of American business and industry. His classic book has become the blueprint of success for individuals, groups, and small and large business across the years and even today.
In ‘Grow Rich With Peace of Mind’ (1967),Hill states: ‘Anything the human mind can believe, the human mind can achieve’. Today we are perhaps not overwhelmed by such words. Creative thinking we know will produce great ideas. Add a good dose of conviction, persistence and resilience and we can see stunning change.
Setting precise goals coupled with clear intentions and accompanied by powerful strategic actions will certainly produce outstanding results. This I sort of knew but hadn`t necessarily adhered to as well as I might. So could I learn from Napoleon Hill? (great name!)
Hill’s principals include having strong desire, unshakeable faith, clarity of thinking, wanting to gain knowledge, skill in creative imaginative thinking, clarity of organisation and precise decision making methods, free from procrastination. This was a set of guidelines I set myself to work at.
About Hill’s ninth principal; the Power of the Master Mind. This principal is in this instance about the total power contained in any group of carefully selected talented, skilled advisors. The collective contribution of skill, talent and intellect will likely ensure the attainment of any ‘precise’ goal. This interactive social group provides the wisdom not generally apparent in one individual.
So I sought talent from outside my sphere of influence, experience and connection. I needed talents to move me productively forward to my goal, that being to move forward to have a successful coaching business alongside a teaching career.
How great does it feel to meet new people! Our brains thrive on the interacting electrical energy of challenge, new ideas, new thinking, different expertise and different life experiences. We are inspired and refreshed! Change is not so bad!
I liken this refreshment to that when our senses are refreshed with quality chocolate, with great wine, with superbly prepared and cooked food, with great sex. We experience feelings of aliveness and enhanced wellbeing. Our brain and our internal self is inspired. From the inside out we are inspired. Our outlook and thus our contributions is expanded.
This change of mine has only just begun: too hard? No, but a refreshing challenge.
I`d like to acknowledge my Master Mind group. Alex Kebbell at www.akebbell.com for Website Design and Hosting; Lucinda Lions at www.lionwriting.com.au for her creative and persuasive literary skills; www.flyingsolo.com.au for their huge reservoir of material that supports individuals and small business owners. To Results Coaching Systems and to Kate, Carole, Jo, Neil, and Deonne; your expertise, guidance, support and encouragement are received with thanks.
