Tips & Insights for Top Performance

Like organizing anything in life, a home, office, desk drawer, car, etc. you spend time carefully setting it up and then use it. Over time, most organized spaces gradually become disorganized. Depending on your level of type-”A”-ness, it will take longer then for others. Regardless, at some point, a system that was structured, organized and neat gets disorganized.

Our lives are also like this. We can design our schedules, routines, habits, and what not in a way that works for us. This might be to accommodate kid’s schedules, work schedules, fitness habits, etc. We set it up (sometimes intentionally and sometimes not) and work out a plan. (I just want to stop and note, even for people who are free spirits and tempted to argue with me that they don’t have a schedule, you DO have a schedule in your lack of schedule. Stop and notice your habits, patterns and mode of operation). Back to the plan, so we have that set up and working. Over time life evolves and changes and the structures we have set up begin to get “messy” and “stop working”.

The challenge is that in LIFE this disorganization is not as obvious as a grossly disorganized desk drawer. We keep running our lives using our old structures and experiencing the lack of them working, but not quite sure what to do about it.

When you feel this happening, I want to challenge you to step back and look at the big picture. Not the little activities you are doing, but the big habits, routines and schedule you are operating by. It is likely time for LIFE RE-DESIGN.

While some “habits” can be life serving, others are not. Consider, how you operated when you were in grade school often does not work when you are in high school. How you operated in high school, often needs to be adapted when you go to college. How you live when you are in college really needs to be shifted when you get a “job” and have a “family”. That is usually where we stop, but each stage of life brings new changes, challenges and opportunities. If you feel like you are out of control in your life, stop and take a look at your schedule, systems, beliefs, and habits. More than likely there are a few old paradigms that need to be shifted.

Christy Geiger, Executive Business Coach & Trainer, Minneapolis, MN

I asked some of the successful and talented business owners and professionals I know, what they consider their key to success… here is what they said…..

“Successful people are willing to make mistakes, learn from them, and move forward. “Analysis paralysis” is where you can’t take any action due to over-thinking about the details or over-planning. It is one of the best “action” killers we can possibly find.

Planning definitely helps when we are working on success for our business, but it should not be to the extent that it overwhelms us and causes us to fail to make a decision and take action.

The poet Nikki Giovanni says “Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to error that counts.”

Sharon A. Hill, President
www.sharonhillinternational.com

Christy Geiger, Executive Business Coach & Trainer, Minneapolis, MN

I asked some of the successful and talented business owners and professionals I know, what they consider their key to success… here is what they said…..

I asked some of the successful and talented business owners and professionals I know, what they consider their key to success… here is what they said…..

“Successful people are those who persevere – who stay committed to their goals regardless of how long it takes to get there.

Why? Whether building a business, in career transition, becoming fit and healthy (or anything else that matters to you) there will be plenty of detours and road blocks as well as high points and successes along the way. When we commit to a goal – we are able to ride out the slowdowns, work around roadblocks and even enjoy the scenery on our detours! When we expect specific outcomes too quickly – and they don’t happen – too often we stop. Perseverance keeps us going no matter what. It keeps us engaged, excited, focused and purposeful in our efforts as we work toward our vision and goals.”

Christy Geiger, Executive Business Coach & Trainer, Minneapolis, MN

Successful people are positive and surround themselves with other positive and progressive minded people.  Why? It is amazing the drain negativity and skepticism can have on a person’s energy. When business owners and people get stuck in questioning things, looking at what will not work and what is wrong in the world it is difficult to move forward. It can feel like the world is against you and the mountain you are climbing is taking everything you got.

On the other hand, a mental attitude of fortitude, optimism and positivity can do wonders for a business. It is that “what is possible”, “what can I do”, “how can that work” type attitude.

When you go into a restaurant and ask the server for a ‘special order’ do you want them to say, “we don’t make it that way”, or “this is what we can do for you” and to find a solution. Today companies are prized for their ability to be creative, innovate and provide solutions.

While we don’t want to be unrealistic with rosy glasses, there is a way that you can look at people, business and life from a glass ½ full vs. ½ empty perspective. The world naturally sees it ½ empty. If you start looking at business and people from the ½ full perspective, you will be amazed at the new traction you can get on activity and results.

Christy Geiger, Executive Business Coach & Trainer, Minneapolis, MN