Tag Archives: goals

I love the New Year

tags: goals, happy new year, life coaching, motivation, new beginning, new year, reflect, setting goals

I love the New Year.

What makes this time of year so special?

First of all, the weather of course. The skies are crisp blue, the temperatures are perfect. We can finally live outdoors for a while, soak up the energy of the sun.

But what I like most of all around this time of year is looking back, and the thrill of a new beginning.

What have we done the past year, how far have we come? What went well, what didn’t? This particular time of year gives us the opportunity to look back and celebrate. Yes, we’ve achieved so many things. And yes, from time to time things went wrong. Even that can be a reason to celebrate. Sometimes, we learn our lessons the hard way and we fail. And still, that’s where we learn the most, and what moves us fast-forward.

This is also the time to look ahead. Set intentions and goals for the year ahead of us .

What do I want to achieve?

What do I want to do better this year?

What did I learn of the past year that I want to improve now?

One of the items high on my list is improving the lives of employers and employees. Various studies show that employee satisfaction and loyalty in the Gulf is painfully low. The cost of this is very high: Just think of staff retention: having to train new people on the job all the time. And this won’t come as a surprise to anyone: If you can’t retain your staff, your staff won’t retain your customers. And, what’s worse, the impact on the health of all the people who aren’t happy at work. So, this is what I will do this year: offer more coaching and workshops, so that employers and employees get empowered to create a happy work environment.

Watch this space!

Also at this time of year, I indulge in giving and receiving all the best wishes to and from friends and family. We’re all in celebratory mood, and at our best behavior. It’s the time for forgiving and for acknowledging how wonderful it is to know each other. My resolution is to keep this going for a while longer. Why only appreciate others at New Year, their birthday or their funeral?

Life is too wonderful and most of all, too short to not celebrate the good things every day. And to me, having wonderful relationships, with my husband and kids, my relatives, my colleagues and clients, is what makes me happy. So, I’ll be acknowledging and appreciating them all, every day.

Habits sometimes take a while to get well established, so I’ll be writing it in my new diary just to remind myself of this promise.

Happy New Year everyone!

 

José de Heer

jose@authenticity.ae

olympic goal

tags: 2012 olympics, expert coaches, goals, how to achieve your goals, life coaching, motivation

It’s peak season for athletes and their coaches now, as the count down to the 2012 Olympics in London has begun. I was wondering, does a coach have to be an expert? I don’t think so. Actually, I believe the opposite. Sports is one area where it’s very common and even maybe required, to have a coach. Sports people are driven to get better every day.

In sports, it’s important to get results. To score the more goals the better. Teams and individual athletes want to win. So, they use the coaches’ services to achieve that aim. The athletes need to have the strength, technique, skill, etc. to get there. The coach doesn’t. Great athletes have coaches who support them, believe in them, share the vision of their highest aim, remind them of their training routine, nutritional needs and maybe even bedtime schedule.

Most great athletes have coaches whom we’ve never heard of. Those coaches were never world champions in the sport they’re now coaching in. They are expert coaches, to great athletes. That’s a winning combination.

Great athletes may not make great coaches. They may have won the world cup, but do you know of any world champion who became a coach and then brought their team or athlete to the same level? I don’t think so. It’s not impossible, but it’s rare.

Wanting to do better on a daily basis is not limited to the sports arena. I believe everyone wants to be better all the time. A need for continuous development and improvement is in our blood. So, if you’re looking for a life coach, don’t look for someone who’s done it all and knows it all. You know the type. That kind could easily get on your nerves, and that would have the reverse result. Look for someone who believes in you and in your vision, who knows your strengths and who wants to be your most enthusiastic supporter….

How Olympic is your goal in life?

 

José de Heer

jose@authenticity.ae