Townsville based business coach James Hooper

says there are some simple models that, if followed,

increase our chance of business success.

These models range from the broad, attitudinal rules that guide our strategy down to the very specific ones that work to optimize our systems.

An example of a broad model is the “Above the line, Below the line” structure.  The line is simply a decision curve that separates the ‘above’ from the ‘below’.  Above is when we take responsibility for all that happens in our life – everything.  No matter what happens – you did it.  It may not be clear exactly how you did it – but that is where you get to learn something and move on.

The “below’ the line is a different mental position.  It is where we give up our power by allocating responsibility to someone or something other than us.  We blame all and everything for our circumstance.  It was the government, the economy, too hot, too cold, whatever.  Or we justify it – yes divorce rates are high, most businesses fail, 60% of people are overweight, only 3% of businesses plan effectively for the next year, everyone cheats on taxes, and so on.  Another version of below is ‘beat yourself up’.  I am not good enough, I didn’t try hard enough, I keep doing stupid things.  And so on.

The model is simply that if we recognize when we have dropped ‘below the line’ into the attitude of ‘victims’, and that this place has low personal power and lower chances of business success – then we have the choice to stop.

To stop, take our power back, and to move to owning our lives again.  Instead of just being a log floating through life, buffeted by tides and winds and rocks, denied the chance to steer to what we want – we can by just deciding to – create a rudder for our log, a sail, or a motor.  And most importantly, we can choose the destinations for our adventures through life.

Once we are aware that each of us has the power to create the devices that will propel us in life instead of just floating with the current – then the decision not to choose a destination and use them – is the ultimate kind of victimhood.

For example, you know at some level within you that setting and writing goals massively increases the chances of them happening.  You know that.   And even if you do set and write your goals [Well done!] – you know that you could do it “better”.  If you have joined the big, safe, average group of people who “justify” not using goals to take responsibility for their lives because they are ‘too busy’, or it did not work once before, or there is no real need for it [denial] – then you are hereby invited to revisit the joy increasing your sense of power in the world.  The joy of deciding your life’s course.

What Would a Business Coach Say?

In our analogy – having a rudder, sail, motor, GPS on our life raft – is not useful unless we have somewhere to aim for.

Napoleon Hill (was the ultimate Business Coach?)  defined success as the ability to get what we want in life without hurting other.  It followed that power was our ability to get success.  Power was also ‘organized knowledge applied intelligently.”  Each of the words in the definition of power is vital.  In this discussion – it is the word ‘intelligently’ that is key.

It implies that there is a purpose for the application of the knowledge.  A goal.  An outcome of the action that is preferred to that of not applying the organized knowledge.

A Good Business Coach Can Help You Choose Goals

If we don’t have goals, we cannot apply our power, and ‘success’ in our life – whatever that means it can only come from the a lucky mix of the world just giving it to us.  This is not a good bet.  It is why so many people end their work careers with little to show.  It is why the health of our human race can not be described as ‘wonderful’.   It is the home of Victimhood.

There is a lot more to this “business coach” discussion for later.

Right now let’s add a little ‘what can I do right now’ to our mixture.  Here is an easy start.

1.  Think about what happiness means to you, and how you are going to decide to be happy regardless from on.

2.  List the roles that you fill in your life.

3.  List what needs to happen in each of the roles of your life for you to be able to be ‘successful’, whatever that means to you.

That is the start of your goals list.  Just now knowing them will change your life – for the better.  You can now use your “Power”.

Choose the best for you

James

Ps  The Business Coach Cheshire Cat said “If you don’t know where you are going – any road will take you there.”

Pps Another Business Coaching article