Choose What You Want

Do you ever feel stuck - that what you want to happen just isn’t, and you don’t know what to do about it? Your answer could be CHOICE.

That’s right, making a choice. Choosing. Deciding, and then doing something about it.

At a recent training on Business Leadership Mastery, Rachael Jayne Groover, the coach and trainer, began the conversation with “Where are you in your business?” Participants in Business Leadership Mastery with Rachael Jayne Groover – Denver July 2014

Are you a Hobbyist who dabbles with your work, has fun, and pays attention to the work when you want to, but not daily? [Little Responsibility]

Are you a Practitioner who attends to your work routinely, has clients and groups, and has some support from an Administrative Assistant or Virtual Assistant? [Medium Responsibility]

Or are you a Business Owner who is involved with your work very intensively with group programs, individual clients and a full support team? [Gobs of Responsibility]

Truth to tell, I thought I needed to be a Business Owner, but the thought of it just frightened me.  I’ve worked with very successful coaches who are making millions of dollars in their business every year.  They are great at what they do, they are dynamic and gifted, and they are making a big impact on the lives of others.  They also work really hard.

I didn’t really want to have a million-dollar business and that made me a little ashamed.  Didn’t I want to work really hard, have lots of responsibility, make my mark on the world, and hopefully make boatloads of money?

Well, no … I don’t want to do any of that.  I really want to be happy doing what I’m great at, help some people, earn some money, and have some time to travel and enjoy the people I love.

During the discussion with Rachael Jayne and afterwards with one of my colleagues, in the Business Leadership Mastery Program, I realized that I could be very happy as a Practice Owner.

For the first time in a long time I can see the path ahead of me and know that I can negotiate that path in ways that work for me.

Especially if I continue to choose to do what makes me happy, keeps me healthy, and gives me time for creativity and connection (and yes, there are some things even as a Practice Owner that I may not like so much, but I’ll do them because they will get me where I want to go).

Let me ask you:

• What are you struggling with?
• Where could you use some clarity about what you want?
• Where could you choose a next step and take action to get a different result than you have now?

Here’s a simple exercise to help you choose what you want:

1. Get quiet and think about your choice.  Check in with your head.  Does this choice feel heavy or light?  Does it make you happy or sad?
2. Keep thinking about your choice.  Check in with your heart.  Does this choice feel heavy or light, happy or sad?
3. Still thinking about your choice, check in with your gut.  How does that feel – heavy or light, happy or sad?

You may have other sensations as you check in – colors, sounds, or movement.  Incorporate that information as you make your decision.  Remember that if you choose mainly from your head that your heart and gut may not be on board to help you make it happen.  Or, if you always make decisions from your heart that your mind and gut may have other opinions and not work with you.

Making your choices when your head, heart, and gut all agree may take some negotiation between those different parts of yourself, but they will bring you the most success and satisfaction in the long run.

And remember that your choice can be small - like choosing to hire a bookkeeper – or BIG – like choosing to be a business owner. But once you choose, then you need to take the next little step, followed by the next little step, and on and on.  And cheer yourself on along the way. Choosing and taking little steps might not seem like a lot right now, but it really is the only way to get where you wanna go!

What are you ready to choose?