CompassCast™

Last night I received an urgent call from a coaching client. His voicemail sounded a bit frantic, so, although I typically call clients back withing 24 hours (included in my coaching services), I called him back right away – even thought it was Saturday at 10:00 pm.

“Hi Joe,” I said. “What’s up?”
“I did it Scott. I did it. I can’t believe I did it but I did it.”
“That sounds like a song from ‘My Fair Lady’ – what did you do, exactly?”
“I quit my job.”

Joe came to me two months ago for help in growing his carpentry business. A solo entrepreneur, Joe had been unemployed. Suddenly. He tapped his unemployment and struggled to find a job. But instead of just sitting around and feeling sorry for himself and his predicament, he took action. What did he have to lose after all?

Then in the midst of his modest entrepreneurial efforts – he called me for help. I know it sounds a little like Dr. Mcoy from Star Trek, but Joe literally said to me on his first call, “I’m a carpenter Scott, not a business man!” We started to work together.

At almost the same time, he found a part time job at the QuickMart selling slurpies and gas. (Gasoline that is – I don’t want to imply in any way that slurpies give you gas).

Now his business is going full steam – he is working, working, working. And he is still at the QuickMart. He has no time to WORK ON his business – he is so busy WORKING IN his business. This is the #1 mistake most business owners make, BTW. No accounting system, no marketing plan, no business plan. Giving invoices to people in Excel worksheets – or worse yet paper! Everything piling up. QuickBooks? He hasn’t even purchased the software. Still using a gmail for email – no no domain name – no corporate identity. And the QuickMart. No time.

So giving three weeks notice was a big deal for Joe.

Turns out, Joe is also an “admitted people pleaser” – he says, “I can’t say no to anybody for fear that they won’t like me.”

I often say to people that you can’t separate business coaching from personal coaching. Why? Because YOU are the source of your success. I don’t care how great your business plan or market plan is – if YOU don’t have it together, you will never get your business to sustain in any way that means anything.

Because I not only have a Masters degree in Business but a solid background in the counseling profession, it was natural for Joe and I to work on his “people pleasing.”

So giving three weeks notice was a REALLY big deal for Joe.

Are you unemployed?  

What are you doing? Sitting around feeling sorry for yourself? Or are you challenging yourself while you are looking around for work? You could be training for a triathalon, getting your DTM in Toastmasters, writing a book, launching a new career, starting a new business (whether a trade, service – or even a sales rep for an MLM like Juice Plus -- $50 bucks is all you need to get going with that business).

If you were hungry and you only had one fishing pole and you just went to the same pond – different spots – to try to catch the same type of fish with the same lure – you might go hungry. This is – unfortunately what many unemployed folks do. Sitting on the side of the pond lamenting how they are hungry. Truth is what they are saying is that they are hungry because they are holding out for a trout. They could get another pole with a DIFFERENT lure and go for bass. They could set traps for rabbits. They could plant a vegetable garden. They could buy a bow and arrow and go hunintg. But no, they just sit on the side of the bank and go hungry.

If people like Joe are quitting jobs, there is still plenty of work to go around.

Are you sitting on the side of the bank?

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Scott Graham announced today that the business Mastermind Group in the Upper Valley is expanding to Tuesday evenings beginning June 7 2011. The new group will kick off with an 8-week coaching program built around the book, "Karmic Management: What Goes Around Comes Around in Your Business and Your Life."

"The primary idea threaded throughout the text is that by helping others succeed and grounding your business in ethics focused on helping others, your business will expand and flourish," says Graham, a business and personal coach.

To underscore this business approach Graham will donate all of his coaching fees for the program to the Haven in White River Junction Vermont. "The Haven's mission is to serve people struggling with poverty by providing food, shelter, education, clothing and support. This fits amazingly with the approach to business and life that Geshe Michael Roach, the Tibetan Buddhist Master who wrote the book, outlines," says Graham.

The Mastermind Group, a collaboration with Borders Books in West Lebanon, NH, will meet each Tuesday in June and July from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm for this initial series.

Graham points out that the addition of coaching brings the book to life. "It's much more than just reading a book and talking about it," says Graham. "Through masterminding you take action and are held accountable to the actions you commit to by others in the group."

The text, appropriate for both small business owners and mid- and upper- level managers / supervisors, includes a to-do list each week. Participants will get a practical, step-by-step plan that will help them adopt a more successful way of working and living. "Taking time for yourself to be calm and centered is a core concept of the text," adds Graham who has been practicing Vipassana meditation since 1996, and currently participates in two 10-day Vipassana retreats each year.

True Azimuth, LLC, headquartered in West Fairlee, Vermont, began offering business, personal and relationship coaching in 2006. For more information about the Mastermind Group, call 802-380-1026 or go to http://Mastermind.TrueAzimuth.biz.

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If you are considering making at least one 2011 New Year Resolution, you may be thinking with the SMART an acronym for goal setting. Although everyone from Ken Blanchard to Tony Robbins to Edwards Deming are credited (or take credit) for SMART, the reality is that no one really knows where SMART started. The letters is SMART stand most often for (Specific, Measurable, Attainable or Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound or Timely).

As a coach, I use SMART all the time with my clients. Until this week, I always thought of most of the components of SMART as more mechanical strategies to work a goal into or a litmus test for "good goals" versus "bad goals." It never occurred to me the motivational power of the SMART component. I'd like to share a story about the motivating power of the "A."

Today's letter -- the letter A

Like a good coach. I practice what I preach. So every year about this time I set out to create a road map for the coming year. I print it out on nice paper and frame it at the top of the stairs outside my bedroom so I see it every morning. I print it on a transparency and tape it to the window next to my office desk so I can't help but see it when I look outdoors. It's nothing fancy -- just a list of big goals or daily habits I am commiting to focus on for the next 12 months. This whole creative process is fairly straightforward: I brainstorm some ideas, ask key people in my life for input, type up a draft and print it out, let it percolate, ask for feedback, etc. This year I wrote down "hike the Long Trail" and gave little thought to logistics or anything else. My thinking went kind of like this: "I definitely need to get in shape in the Spring and a lofty goal will help me -- what could it be -- other than my usual summer one-day Presidential traverse?" Bing! The Long Trail came to mind and I jotted it down.

The Long Trail runs the length of Vermont from Massachusetts to Canada. 275 miles long, it's the first long distance hiking trail in the US. I hiked a major part of this when I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1987. I thought nothing of it -- I just wrote it down.

Then the "A" started to happen.

I did a little research on just how I might do this at this point in my life. Ten weekends, 8 weekends and a week -- many options. I looked at my planned schedule for the summer / fall 2010. "Wow," I thought to myself. "I might really be able to do this I have the time." I noticed a shift in my feelings -- in my motivation about this particular goal.

I looked at the map. I saw that the trail passes near Serenity House in Wallingford, VT where I consult on a regular basis. "I could hike there, get into town, get cleaned up, work -- heck -- I could hike for a week not a weekend -- and still do coaching work -- hey I do coaching on the phone -- I could hike for 5 days at a shot, work for 2 and get back on the Long Trail." Suddenly, my motivation and emotions about this seemed to grow exponentially. "I could actually do this," I thought.

I caught myself saying it outloud while I was driving down the road: "S**t I could REALLY do this!"

When I got home, I rushed to my library and dug out a Long Trail Guide from my days with Outward Bound. "1992. Won't do," I thought. I checked out the Internet for some ideas about section hiking -- found a whole blog about this -- posted a comment -- got a reply. I decided I would check out EMS or LL Bean -- both nearby -- to get a map, guidebook and other resources. Suddenly I found myself now thinking about the prospect of hiking the Long Trail in 2011 with excitement -- I could literally feel my heart pounding when I thought about it. "This could really happen!"

Well , not so suddenly in reality. Chunking the goal down / thinking and planning the how had increased the power of the "A" -- Attainable/Achievable -- provoking new energy into what only a few days ago was just an idea on a list.

How many times do you set the goal but do not jump start your motivation by considering and envisioning the "A"? I have done it many times.

Not this year!

So this week when you think about what you want to do in 2011 -- spend some time and envision the how. It will infuse your goal with new power and excitement. Post a comment and let me know how your resolutionizing goes!

The coaching-focused Mastermind Group in the Upper Valley of Vermont / New Hampshire will begin a new text on September 7th, 2010 that will help you expand your network, gain support and reach your goals.

The group, in collaboration with Borders Books, meets each Tuesday at 10:00 am in West Lebanon, NH. The new text, "Who's Got Your Back", by Keith Ferrazzi, provides an executable strategy for your most important plans without costing your sanity.

Many of us are caught up in the day-to-day struggle between work and family and fun and wellness. How do you do keeping yourself balanced? How do you keep yourself grounded? How do you keep yourself focused? How do you insure you reach your goals in a focused but mindful way? Ferrazzi's book explains a nine-step approach to building what he calls lifeline relationships.

With "Who's Got Your Back" you will learn to create meaningful and trusting relationships well beyond your success. You will benefit from reading this book regardless of whether you engage the Mastermind Process.

If you are like most people, however, just read books and don't engage them fully. Coaching brings the book to life. Through masterminding this book won't be another piece of information but will become an actionable strategy you can depend on being accountable to.

If you live near the West Lebanon, NH / White River Junction, VT area -- you owe it to yourself to check out the power of Masterminding.

"Who's Got Your Back" shows us that relationships are the key to our success in business. You will learn the kinds of relationships that really make a difference. Ferrazzi also shows us how to get further in setting your goals and staying more powerful in your career.

The Mastermind Group works through each book slowly - one text about every three months - so participants can easily keep up with the reading.

Have you read this book? Do you think it is as impactful as Ferrazzi's last book, "Never Eat Alone" (which we also covered in the Mastermind Group).

For more information about the Mastermind Group, call me at 802-380-1026 or go to http://Mastermind.TrueAzimuth.biz.

What would your life would be like if 2008 was your best year ever?

Watch the Video

Download File

Complete the Program / Fill out the Worksheet

Download the BEST YEAR EVER program and complete the worksheet.  Click here. 

Want to really rev up your year?  Download a worksheet for each of your immediate family members / spouse.  Complete the worksheets separately and then sit down together and compare your lists. (We don't typically talk about this stuff).  Make sure your entire family is navigating together and that you are supporting each other.

Join the Group Coaching Call

Join me for a group coaching call to explore the Best Year Ever Program and to talk about the question: 

How would you have to be for 2008 to be your best year ever even if the things that mattered most didn't happen?

There are two times to choose from: January 2 or January 7 2008, 7:00 pm EST on either day.  Conference Call: Dial-In Number: (712) 429-0690; participant PIN: 647892# . 

I look forward to talking to you.

Consider Coaching

• Its not too late to take advantage of a special 3-month Coaching package I am offering and go from good to great!



• 3 months of coaching for $495 includes DiSC Profile,Intake Assessment, Coaching Packets, Free Seminars and Coaching Review.



• Go to:  http://Gift.TrueAzimuth.biz

Offer valid for new individual business- and personal- coaching clients only. Corporate clients excluded.  Not valid with any other offers, open or previous invoices.  No cash value.  This Offer Valid For A Limited Time Only.  OFFER EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31, 2007.