Personal Focus

Be Happier in Your Career by Finding and Expressing Your True Values

November 2, 2011 By Barry

If you’re going in the wrong direction, derailing yourself intentionally is very difficult – but very worthwhile.

During the current economic troubles, many people’s plans have been derailed – and perhaps this has happened to you too. If so, see it as a time of excitement and opportunity: a chance to re-explore the question of what you were meant to do.

Alternatively, you may be carrying on in a role that hasn’t suited you for some time, if ever. Perhaps it’s time to do something different.

When people are doing what they’re meant to do, most of them have a big grin on their face. Do you? Consider this: How you spend your day and who you spend it with is your life.

Perhaps you feel that you have to spend your day around people who you’d rather not be with. Ask yourself: If I knew I couldn’t fail, what would I do?

What Are Your Values?

Our core values rarely change – they’re constant throughout our lives. We can bring them to any situation and examine where and how they could be expressed.

Here are some questions you could ask yourself, based on my own core values:

What actions could you take to enjoy better health?
How could you show more integrity?
Where could you be more courageous?
What opportunities exist to build extraordinary relationships in your life?
How can you model greater leadership at work and at home?

Look at your skills and passions, and ask yourself how your values could be expressed through these. How could doing this be a catalyst for a new career opportunity?

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Your Best Future Self

February 25, 2011 By Barry

A favorite exercise that I use in my Personal Excellence Training is for my clients to describe their best future self in the coming year and beyond. They often ask numerous questions for clarification and I end up answering them by saying something like. “What are the qualities and characteristics of the people you most admire?”

Below are some additional questions for your consideration if you too are thinking about your best future self:

Who are the most inspiring leaders you have ever seen or met? What characteristics make or made them so great?
Who do your know that most exemplifies integrity, honor, and compassion? How do they best demonstrate these characteristics?
Who do you know that is an outstanding husband/wife, father, or mother? What makes them stand out in these roles?
Who do your know that is in optimum health? What are their daily routines and habits?
Who do your know that demonstrates, confidence, courage, creativity, and a strong desire to contribute their best to others?
What other values do you most admire in others?

By observing the very best in others and modeling these behaviors and qualities in our own lives, we can all become the best version of ourselves.

Please let me know what characteristics you most admire and your thoughts about this post by contacting me at www.dempcoaching.com.

Making It Stick: Achieving Sustainable Change

December 15, 2010 By Barry

Coach Barry Demp was recently asked some questions about why people have great difficulty in achieving sustainable change in their lives. Here are a few excerpts from the interview:

What causes change to be difficult to sustain for many individuals?

There are three primary things that seem to affect people’s ability to change. First appears to be a lack of commitment. Second is an inadequate support structure both socially and structurally. And the third is the great difficulty people have turning new behavior into sustainable habits.

What are some of the things that you recommend for those who struggle with sustaining personal change?

Select only one, or very few, highly important commitments and provide ongoing rigorous support both on a social and structural level. Breakdown the goal into measurable milestones to make the goal that you set less overwhelming and more achievable.

You mentioned a Project Action Plan or Blueprint. What is that?

A Project Action Plan is a roadmap that allows you to identify and execute on a powerful committed goal with a clear destination. By designing specific, iterative action steps that you enjoy you will have a greater rate of success. Key ingredients that assist in seeing the best results from your action plan are establishing time sensitive tasks and using scoreboards to record and visualize your progress towards achieving your goal.

Visualize the Achievement of Your Goal

It is important to review your goal frequently. The more detailed you can make your vision, the more powerful it will be. Tools that you can use to help envision the achievement your goal are using a picture or image as a reminder, and creating relevant scorecards to measure progress.

Goal Affirmation

Every morning read your goal either silently or aloud. Reflect on your progress at the end of your day. Consider using a buddy system or a family member to help sustain the process. Additional support structures can include email and voicemail accountabilities.

Take Massive Action

Persistence and determination will keep you on the success track anytime obstacles stand in your way. By taking continuous massive action, you will eventually reach the point where nothing can stop you. What stopped you in the past is now just a tiny bump in the road.

Take One Specific Action

Take at least one specific action every day to propel you toward your goal. By taking continuous specific action, you develop the necessary discipline and momentum that you will need to achieve your goals. Any worthwhile goal requires sustained effort and continual organization such as placing important events or tasks in a calendar system. By consistently applying the methods above, you will develop the success habits that will enable you to achieve the goal that you desire.

Recommended reading resources from Barry Demp:

The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield

Getting Things Done by David Allen

Work Less, Make More by Jennifer White

Made to Stick by Chip Heath

Influencer: The Power to Change Anything