NO GOAL, NO PEACE.  KNOW GOAL, KNOW PEACE. 

Have you seen this bumper sticker, or something like it? 

This month has been a tough one for my toughest clients. 

Most are going through the motions, slugging it out to meet their financial goals.  And for the most part, most are making it.  Still, I have been on the phones and in meetings with clients who can’t seem to figure out why they are not having fun anymore.

First, there is Jack.  Jack is a successful consultant.  He is strong in business development, servicing his clients, and creating new strategies for his firm.  He is making great money, but is completely stressed out.

“The market is turning.”

“The people I am working with are not committing to me like they told me they would.”

“I am not getting out there enough.”

“I keep moving from one project to the next, without the results I want.”

Next, there is Jim.  Jim is a successful broker.  He represents a large share of his market.  He has a large team, and a very strong pipeline.

“My team is just working, but not working smart.”

“My business plan is not up to date.”

“My team members are not meeting on a regular basis, or coming up with great strategies.”

In both cases, we are tempted to band-aid many of these obstacles and tell Jack, “Find new people to work with, get out there more, determine what is important versus urgent.” 

We also want to tell Jim, “Have more meetings, do your plan, hold them more accountable.”

These are easy coaching answers.  Easy, but not long-lasting.

The obstacle that Jack and Jim place in their path every day is they forget to ask themselves: 

“What is the primary purpose of why I do what I do?”

and

“What strengths, and beliefs around my strengths, could propel me forward?”

Jack is a highly successful consultant.  His commitment is, and has been, to build a new product in the financial market.  He is the undisputed expert in his field.  He is excited about this new financial product, and has a lot of traction in bringing it to market.  His future lies in his passion and success around the product.

His issue? 

He keeps forgetting what he is passionate about.  He keeps forgetting the goal that he shaped around his passion. 

In the deluge of projects, phone calls, meetings, and airplane trips, he forgets his primary purpose and opportunity he has in being the best in this product type.

Next, Jack forgot what he is great at.  He is a fantastic networker.  He is a respected leader.  He is unsurpassed in his knowledge of the topic. 

His issue this time? 

His beliefs around all of these strengths dissipate in the noise of over-working and under-prioritizing.  He doesn’t catch himself when he discounts the strengths that got him to where he is in the first-place.

Jim, the broker, forgot that his purpose was to build the best team in the city, so that he can spend more time with his son and 2 daughters.  He forgot that his strengths are leadership, commitment, and focus.  He has laser-like ability to identify and seize the opportunity. 

He could take those strengths and use them to re-ignite his team; if only he would remember.

After five years of coaching, I am struck by the fact that we are not that complicated.  We just make life that way.  We discount what we are passionate about.  We forget who we are.  We forget our strengths, or we make up beliefs that cause us to negate our uniqueness.

We get lazy, because we think that the extraordinary is for someone else, and not ours for the taking.

June means summer.  It means heat, bathing suits, sand and surf (at least for those fortunate ones who live on the Pacific Coast.)

Re-unite yourself with your purpose.  Answer the question: 

What am I here to do?

Re-ignite yourself with your strengths.  Answer the questions: 

What are my beliefs around my strengths?

How can I best utilize my strengths?

I sometimes forget my passion and my strengths.  I forget the great relationships and results that I support people in creating.

As soon as I forget I ask someone to "remind" me.  Then I ask the dangerous question: 

What am I to do next? 

Through action, I remember that by living my GOAL, I truly find PEACE.

I urge you this summer to listen. 

What is your goal?

Then I urge you to live. 

What are your strengths?

I guarantee that by getting in touch with why you are doing the things you do, you will find PEACE.  I also guarantee that you will magically find the time you need to accomplish the things you cherish the most.