Make a Decision and Take Action!

How are you progressing with the goals you set yourself this year?

Have you made a start? Or are you still thinking about it or caught the very popular "I'm too busy" epidemic?

Mary's Story

Mary runs her own publishing company employing 5 people. She is married with two teenagers.

When I first met Mary she told me how stressed out she was trying to juggle work and home effectively.

Her business although surviving (just) could have achieved major growth except for one major factor? Mary. She was very disorganised and ran her business that way.

Mary was always complaining about the pressures of running her business and having a life. I suggested to her that by having personal coaching she would dramatically improve her situation?guaranteed, providing she actioned the ideas, insights and solutions she would gain through the process.

She's A 'Gunna'

Mary was a 'gunna'. She was 'gunna' do this and 'gunna' do that. Unfortunately all she can and still does do is talk about it. She won't make a decision. Money wasn't the issue, after all she had invested thousands of dollars attending an American guru's week long "life changing" bootcamp. She thought that would be her "magic lifechanging pill". Unfortunately Mary did not action what she had learned. She got caught up in her chaotic life immediately on her return.

It's interesting to note that many people believe that the more they spend on some of these seminars, the better the results will be.

What they forget to factor into the equation is themselves.

The Latest Crisis

I have spoken with her a few times and suggested the best course of action to take and she always responds with "not right now, I have this to do and that to do (and everything else to do)". Mary always procrastinates and says to call her back in a few weeks' time when the current major crisis should be over.

One month her database was completely wiped out. It had mistakenly been deleted by a temporary assistant she had hired. Of course there was no back up. It took many hours to reproduce it.

Mary had to hire an extra person for the next month to establish a new database. In real terms this latest crisis cost her business thousands of dollars in lost productivity, not to mention the effect it had on her stress levels.

People often only think of having a back up when something goes wrong. They don't worry about their own business and systems. As long as they are 'busy', who needs to 'waste time' on systems?

Specialist skills are required and they are not just acquired by experience. Mary needs to equip herself with some basic life skills so she can live and work effectively. She has to be able to put those skills into action!

At the rate she's going, she won't be living long enough to enjoy the years of hard work she has contributed to her business.

It's been a couple of years since we first spoke and I'd forgotten all about Mary until I bumped into one of her former employees who had stayed with her for six months. Jan told me it was extremely stressful and unrewarding working for Mary. She could never complete her work as her duties were always changing. Mary made promises to clients which she would often break and Jan, being her personal assistant was the person the clients would go to make sure the work was done on time. She was also the key person who kept the peace with the rest of the staff.

Jan had given Mary one month's notice when she handed in her resignation, so Mary had plenty of time to find a replacement.

When Jan left, Mary still hadn't found a replacement as she left it to the week before Jan exited to advertise the position. Of course she did all the recruiting herself, advertised in the local paper and had 50 replies. No doubt she wasted the next month interviewing suitable applicants.

When Is The Right Time?

When is the right time to take action? Is it at Christmas, the new year, the beginning of the financial year, when you've got nothing else to do, when your spouse leaves you, when your business is on its last legs, when the kids finally go to school, when the boss leaves or when you become so sick from the stress of your life that you cannot get out of bed?

The Final Word

Henry Ford said "The hardest work known to man is thinking". I say "the second hardest work known to man is taking action".

About The Author

Lorraine Pirihi, principal of The Office Organiser (http://www.office-organiser.com.au) is Australia's Personal Productivity Coach

Lorraine specialises in working with businesspeople showing them how to dramatically boost their productivity, reduce the stress and the mess in their lives and have more time for enjoying their life.

We Offer a Broad Range of Services and Products including: Coaching for small business owners and professionals, keynote presentations and workshops, books, CD's, DVD's and on-line learning programs.

Take action today! Contact Lorraine to discuss your specific needs at lorraine@office-organiser.com.au

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Coaching Information:

Related Articles

HR Professional in New Avtaar: HR as a Coach and Mentor
IntroductionThese days in corporate sector, everybody is talking about the role of HR professional as a coach and mentor. People are exited as well as confused.
Mid Life Crisis, Life Transitions, & Ontological Coaching
Recently I have been watching a TV show called Blowout. It is a reality show about a hair designer, Jonathan Antin who struggles to get his Beverly Hills salon up and running.
Do You See Clearly?
"I don't see how I can just make up my mind to be happy and successful; and suddenly, magically, I will be. That seems to me to be a denial of my reality.
Top Ten Things to Build a Bridge and Get Over
God must love Top Ten lists because she made so many of them. They crowd my Inbox daily.
Poise, Posture, and Performance
Good posture is seen to have many advantages. From an aesthetic point of view it can enhance image, sending out the right signals (body language).
How to be Your Authentic Self
Most of us play many different roles in the course of any given day. We could be Mom, Boss, Employee, Student or Friend, to name just a few.
Corporate Coaching - Why Coach? C(5)+ED
Is it possible to make a strong "business case for corporate coaching?" Why is coaching vital to organizations? Why should leaders invest time developing their coaching skills? These are tough, important questions that organizations should consider before implementing coaching.The need for corporate coaching certainly depends on the situation.
How to Save Yourself from Negative Influences
Watching the news can be hazardous to your health.It's a fact, especially when you're watching events related to terrorism, kidnapping, murder, accidents, or calamities.
Stay Connected To WHY You Are Doing Things
"The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." Richard BachThis quote was shared with me by a fellow coach & colleague.
A Simple Strategy for Managing ADD
As an ADD Coach, I usually begin my conversations with new and potential clients by saying, "Tell me about yourself and why you're looking for coaching." Most people answer with a long list of their ADD challenges.
Anger: To Control or To Learn
Many of us will do anything to avoid another's anger, yet may be quick to anger ourselves. Many of us dread another's anger yet continue to use our own anger as a way to control others.
Skills for Change
The name of the game is CHANGE -- that's true at work, and it's also true in life. In both situations there are FOUR skills you can trust:1.
The Right Coach
Who is the Best Coach For Achieving Your Goals?A friend of mine was recently at a Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen workshop. They were promoting their Enlightened Millionaire Program.
Can I Be My Own ADD Coach?
Quite often I am in contact with people who discuss acting as an ADD Coach for their child or spouse. While supporting and helping loved ones with ADD is a great idea, acting as an ADD Coach really isn't a great idea.
What The Buddha Says About Coaches
There is a Buddhist saying that goes like this: "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill it." This means to kill any concept of the Buddha as something apart from oneself.
Making Changes in Your Personal Life
Making changes in your personal life can be a tough process. Change starts with a thought.
Good, Good, Good, Good Intentions
I always do a lot of thinking about good intentions in December.It's not because I'm inspired by the holidays.
Success: Cant Achieve It By Yourself? Pay A Professional!
So many people go through the motions of trying to achieve success. But just going through the motions doesn't work.
How to Optimize the Awesome Power of Thoughts and Imagination
Have you encountered a time when you were in a traffic jam and was running late for an important meeting? Did you stay calmand focused? Or did your mind wander into the dark side ofthe impending consequences that may occur?If you're always picturing people getting mad at you and thinking of negative outcomes, then your body suffers as well. You may experience chest pains, anxiety disorders, indigestion, and other health problems.
Corporate Coaching and Employees: One Step Ahead
"Don't shoot..