The game-changing approach you need to uplevel your business and career

“Every minute you spend in planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1,000 percent Return on Energy!” ― Brian Tracy

Recently, I was asked: “Can everyone benefit from a coach?” 

Without taking a beat, I replied: “Capital Y-E-S, YES.”

The next question I offered was: “But is everyone ready to be coached?”

Coaching requires commitment. 

To yourself. 

To showing up. 

To having the courage to say what you want out loud. 

To being bold in taking action in service of that which you most desire. 

And to believe that it is possible.

Each and every day we have an opportunity to create our lives. Yes, you read that right. Each thought, decision, and action, leads us to create the lives we are living. When you become aware that you have agency in your choices and the life you are living is a result of those choices, it opens up a new perspective - one that can help you move forward towards your goals with more ease and clarity.

We all want something; something more for ourselves, our businesses, our careers, our communities. Whether it’s a promotion, a lateral transition, or taking the lead on a passion project, we want our work to feel good. If it’s starting a business, creating a new line of business, or simply putting our idea out into the world, we want it to feel good. We want our contribution in the world to matter. To have an impact. And while sometimes we are unclear of the destination, other times we are unclear about how to get there. When we get caught in the grey of indecision and uncertainty, the work is hard and we suffer a lack of flow. If you can’t see where you’re going and if the work ain’t fun, how can it serve where you’re going next?

Let’s get back to Bryan Tracy’s quote with a new approach while maintaining its ratio: “One hour of preparation saves you 10 hours of work.” Let’s take it one step further as my coach, Erin Anderson, did: 1 hour committed to self awareness, coaching, improvement could save you a year of your life!! 

So, how do you go about this preparation? How do you accelerate the path towards our goals? How do you see our success soar?  

You build yourself a team. 

No different than a professional athlete, you seek out the experts that align with your goals to bring the best of your abilities, strengths, and skills forward. We live in a world where we have access to every resource we need to support us in our quest for success (coach, mentor, therapist, sponsor, advisor, broker…); but we have to be willing to commit. 

Investing energy (time, money, learning, emotions…) in yourself is committing to yourself. It is committing to moving your life and work forward, to making change and taking meaningful steps toward that which you desire. 

Where to start?

Be open to new perspectives and fresh ideas. Release the need to be right, to know the answers, to be perfect. There is a wealth of wisdom out there if you’re willing to open your mind and your heart to it. 

Next: Invite coaches, mentors, managers, etc. into conversations with a clear intention. 

Hot tip: Eliminate “I want to be respectful of your time…” from the narrative. It’s over. Those words go without saying if you focus on three things: Be professional. Be prepared. Be present. 

It is in our nature to want to help others; it feels good to contribute to the success of others. A sign of a great potential candidate to add to your team is their generosity. I’m often asked how to choose a coach and I encourage potential clients to listen to their intuition; when you’ve found the right person for your team, it will feel right. 

The world we live in gives us the opportunity to engage the professionals who can help us reach unprecedented levels of success in our lives and careers, but too often we are struggling and suffering alone. 

A coach is your sounding board, thinking partner, guiding you towards transformation. A mentor provides you with tactics and advice specific to your industry or stage of business. A sponsor is a key influencer or decision maker that can impact a successful promotion or business deal. A therapist helps to treat and heal the past. Other key team members might include a financial advisor, real estate agent, insurance broker, 

It’s time to build your team. 

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Success takes time. There’s nothing instant about achieving goals. But imagine what would be possible if you committed to preparation, learning, self awareness, and the work that could accelerate your path to success? 

If one hour of commitment to yourself and your team saved you 10 hours of work, what would be possible with that extra time?

Kirsten Schmidtke is a professional coach, speaker, and lover of lake life. She works with leaders, creators, and entrepreneurs to help them up-level their careers, businesses, and lives. Are you ready to explore what’s possible for you? Contact Kirsten to start the conversation!