Some clients don’t always see things to fruition, because they move on at their own pace and or stall for large periods of time, which is natural and normal. Whilst success is often achieved by many, continuity is not always the final outcome. With other clients we pick up and start part way through a process and so I have put these all together for a complete example or a specific event or story here for the book. And so, these real situations are not written here exactly the same as what was directly experienced. I have also added or taken away some aspects of the shared experiences whilst working on a client’s Business or Life-Plan, so that the intended outcome is that my client’s experience is theirs alone. If you do recognise yourself, then ssshhhhh don’t tell anyone. It is purely coincidental and not intended, or I have yet to have the pleasure to meet you.
How to use this book for your own success
Summaries and Tools
You will note that each Chapter has a Summary, this is a place where readers can jump ahead and progress their individual plans and actions and then return to the broader text to explore each Chapter in greater detail. This detail adds to the summary and hopefully strikes a chord of resonance with you to feel able to put your plans into action. Chapter #4 details several specific and practical tools that I advocate for all readers. Feel welcome to jump forward and back across each Chapter as you feel interested in what I have to offer to all who are exploring your own adventures on goal setting and success achievement. I do hope that readers treat this book as a resource to access regularly as they experience change in their lives and for when specific matters present themselves.
A whole and happy life is not segmented or compartmentalized
My approach applies equally to both Business Planning and Life Coaching, so please consider each example as fitting perfectly with your own personal focus, at a relevant time in your life. I do this purposely, because I feel that every individual is complex and whole and cannot be separated from work and play. Contrary to some popular thinking of making such separation in order to better manage our busy lives, I believe in embracing the whole person and living with integrity and seeking balance to be the way forward to success. You may be curious regarding a chapter of Love and Relationships, Chapter #6 and how this could possibly relate to business planning, but believe me, relationships are complex and no more so than when running a business. The skills of communication and empathy relate strongly to both personal and business situations, particularly when many fumble and fail. And so I offer suggestions that follow this approach in recognition of our wholeness and remove the need to block out the work day/week from our lives in order to relax. With a different perspective on how to live life to the full, and make a good living wage at the same time, I contend that we are whole people and not only can we not make these mythical separations, but we should not try to segment ourselves, because we are more capable, resilient and creative when we access all our experiences and skills together and complete when needed. And so with these thoughts this book asked to be written and who am I to contradict a book, right?
A narrative for success
I offer these narratives as examples to be read as if they might relate to your own circumstances. Please take time to consider the examples offered and the positive steps imbedded in each story. If any of the tools and methods can be interpreted as relevant to your current situation, then I am happy you can make use of them. Each Chapter has something to offer and does relate to issues that affect us all, either in our business dealings and or in our personal lives or both. The Tools referred to earlier also are being used by the characters portrayed to improve or enhance their lives. Whilst not always spelled out, you may spot them being used and this may give you ideas of how to make the best use of them. Adaptations are always a great way to use tools and guides and to move forward with your own style.
If you do read from cover to cover, I hope you recognise a path that took me personally from a feeling of helplessness to that of contentment. Much of what I write is a reflection of myself, as much as it is an insight given to me from others. We all have many lessons to benefit from during our lives. These lessons often appear unexpectedly but I believe purposefully. Our teachers may not be obvious either because they are disguised as friends, combatants, acquaintances, work colleagues and the like. These life teachers are people who look like the local green grocer or DVD store owner or maybe our neighbour or that mum who helps out at the BBQ fundraiser every spring. Sometimes they look just like us. If we are awake and aware of them, the lesson may be more of a delightful realisation than a harsh wake up call, embrace it and you won’t be sorry.
Regardless, I hope that my stories and words offer some engagement and insight into another perspective worth considering.