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Dear Partners,

It has been a very eventful month in all our lives. I had the unbelievable experience of being in Singapore for 10 days during the very early stages of the SARS outbreak and the Iraqi war. Most days were spent working at the British Club where security was so tight that I couldn’t even get in without having my taxi number called in ahead of time and my car searched from stem to stern. I found it very difficult to focus during this high-anxiety time. I am sure most of you have had similar experiences as we’ve dealt with a strange contagious illness and a war being waged.

This question of maintaining focus came up again in a CEO round table group I was facilitating last week. “How do you maintain focus and deal with all the myriad responsibilities of running a successful business—especially in our volatile world?” was one of the most burning questions of the group. So I’d like to share a story and some ideas for your reflection. The subject…

The Power of Focus—How to Create it and Maintain it

(Our stories are from clients or coaching/partnering experiences-so please send any that you feel others would benefit from. You will receive attribution {or not} as you wish.)

My friend, Katy (not her real name), and I were having lunch recently, and she told me a story of a time in her life when she lost focus. Katy has had a very successful marketing business for many years. She creates well-done, effective print pieces for her clients. About nine months ago, she lost a very large client through no fault of her own and was horrified to realize that this client had represented about 80% of her business. Katy is a single mom and has the pressure of supporting herself as well as putting her 19-year-old son through college.

After a short period of shock and paralysis, Katy began to focus on all her financial obligations and her loss of cash flow. She uncharacteristically lost self-confidence, at one low point even considering selling a completely different service. She was lucky enough to have a conversation with her brother, who asked her an important question…”What do you really want?” It was very easy for her to answer, “I just want to go on helping people like I always have.” His next question: “So why would you give up on something you know and do so well, only to start at the bottom of the learning curve?” “You’re right, she said, I just don’t know what to do next.”

As a result of her brother’s support, Katy realized that all she really needed to do was focus on what she wanted—to help others, and that her existing clients were her greatest resource in building up her revenues. She began to focus on every name in her Rolodex and began to ask them to help her think of ways to expand her current business and contacts. This led to a new burst of energy, renewed self confidence, and increased revenues. Katy is back on track, having learned the valuable “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” lesson in spades, but she couldn’t have moved forward without an accurate assessment of current reality and really getting clear about what she wants.

 

??????? QUEST-ions for reflection ????????

• What is my current level of ability to create and maintain focus—on a scale of 1-10?
  
• Do I know what I want in my life and work?
  
• Am I willing to articulate to myself and others what I really want?
  
• Do I have a clear picture of what it would look like if I got it?
  
• Do I know accurately where I am in relationship to my desired future reality?
  
• Is there someone in my life who would be willing to partner with me as a thinking and accountability partner?
  

 

 

***Monthly Firecracker***
Ask yourself, “What do I want?” It is amazing how few people ask themselves that question. It does two things—focuses your attention and gives you the opportunity to tell yourself the truth. Now ask yourself, “What is happening now?” Telling yourself the truth about your vision (what your want) and current reality (what is happening now) can and should be done many times daily—not just about the earth-shattering decisions or monumental projects/goals in your life.

So here’s what I did in Singapore. Each morning as I prepared to go into a potentially life-threatening world, I asked myself, “What do I want today?” The answer always came back something like, “to share learning, fun, and partnership with the 25 people who are willing to be fellow adventurers with me.” “What is happening now?” “Well, the world feels pretty dangerous, and I will do my best to stay safe and well and do a good job.” I was able to stay centered and focused, in spite of seemingly overwhelming interference.

What can you do today to create the level of focus necessary to create the results you most desire?

 

I can teach anybody how to get what they
want out of life. The problem is that I can't
find anybody who can tell me what they want.
Mark Twain

 

Book of the Month

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Your Life as Art
Robert Fritz

 

 

Robert Fritz is a composer, filmmaker, writer, and consultant for some of the largest companies in the world. Over 80,000 people have taken courses created by him, and his pioneering work on structural dynamics has had impact on such diverse fields as the arts, third world development, organizational development, strategic planning, and personal and executive coaching. This book is about creating your life just as the artist creates a painting, a composer writes a symphony, or the poet writes a poem. Robert Fritz further develops his special insights that he introduced in his best selling book The Path of Least Resistance. In Your Life As Art, Fritz shows the relationship among the mechanics, the orientation, and the depth of the human spirit within the creative process, and how your life itself can be made like a work of art. Your Life As Art breaks new ground, shakes up the status quo, and, at once, is common sense and revolutionary insight that can change the way you understand the dynamics of your life-building process.

 

In closing…
Thanks so much to all of you who are fellow adventurers with me. Here’s to telling the truth about what we most want and learning to focus our energy toward creating it!!

In partnership,

Rebecca Bradley, MCC
President
Partnership Coaching, Inc.

Partnering to GROW Capacity

 

Coming Soon!!

P² Coaching Groups
The Power of Partnering for Exponential Results

We are beginning small group coaching programs (6-8 people). If you have wanted to experience the benefits of having a coaching partner for growing your capacity to create the personal and professional life you desire, but don't want the expense of individual coaching, small group coaching may be perfect for you. Please contact us if you would like more information and a free consultation to determine if P² Coaching Groups are for you!!

 

Contact Us:

Rebecca Bradley, is a Master Certified Coach (International Coach Federation), Consultant, Trainer, and Speaker, She partners with individuals, teams, and organizations to grow capacity…to do more, create more, enjoy more, and be more of what you want. Rebecca can be reached by e-mail at rebeccabradley@partnershipcoaching.com or by phone at 770-565-9560. We also invite you to visit our web site www.partnershipcoaching.com.

Copyright 2007 Rebecca Bradley
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