Rich Fettke

Focus on Three

Posted on 01. Dec, 2009 by Rich Fettke.

 "You are free to choose, but the choices you make today will determine what you will have, be, and do in the tomorrow of your life."
— Zig  Ziglar

When I first meet with a client to begin our coaching, I always ask them for the three main areas they would like to focus on during the first three months of our partnership. You can do the same thing with your most important goals. For each focus area write a simple heading, and underneath, a description of how to achieve it. Here is a sample of how this might look:

1. Be Financially Responsible
Have a system to track my spending and my income.  Reconcile my bank accounts each month. Create and follow a spending plan.



2. Improve My Fitness
Design and follow a workout program that will help me lower my body fat and improve my stamina. Eat nutritious, healthy meals on a regular schedule.

3. Have a More Romantic Relationship with My Husband
Plan a "date night" each week. Surprise him with loving things to let him know how much I care. Acknowledge him for all that he does and all that he is.



This simple, yet important, exercise can help you take action and stay focused on what is most important to you. Keep your list to no more than three major outcomes or goals. Trying to remember more than three can put the mind into overload. This is a proven way to help you stay clear on what you are currently working towards.



ACTION IDEA:
 Write out your three primary focus areas and put the note (or several of them) somewhere where you will see it throughout the day.  Then notice the difference in your focus and effectiveness. To get the most out of this strategy, ask a friend or a coach to support you by holding you accountable to your plan.

 

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Always Open

Posted on 24. Nov, 2009 by Rich Fettke.

Welcome to this place
A place of work and rest
There is no roof and the walls expand
To welcome in the best

Everyone’s invited
Come in to meet your dreams
This is where your future starts
And thoughts turn into things

This place is always open
It is you who holds the key
There are several ways to enter
Just close your eyes and see

Bring with you some questions
And step inside to learn
There are never-ending answers
To all of your concerns

Discover all your greatness
At this place we call the mind
A gift that’s born within us
In all of humankind

ACTION IDEA:

A curious mind creates possibilities. If you are seeking an answer to a challenge you are facing or a goal you would like to achieve, then take some time and use your mind. Right now, write down a question for the answer you are seeking on the back of a business card. It may be something like, "What do I need to accomplish my goal of ____________?" or maybe something like, "What is the answer to ______________?" Fill in the blanks with the outcome you desire and then carry this card with you and refer to it throughout the day.

Create a ritual to read your card on a regular basis — maybe before or after each meal or every morning and every evening — whatever you think would be the most consistent for you. Trust that you will discover an answer (or several answers!) and you will notice how powerful your mind can be.

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Systems, Structure, and Support

Posted on 21. Nov, 2009 by Rich Fettke.

"The happiest life is that which constantly exercises and educates what is best in us." ~Philip G. Hamerton

Creating Positive Momentum by Using Systems, Structures and Support

When he hired me to coach him, Greg wanted to take his business to the next level professionally and personally by giving better service and making more money. A realtor for almost four years, he had become the third highest producer in his office. But Greg wasn’t satisfied. "I’m frustrated with the lousy job I’m doing with my personal service," he told me. "I usually have several clients who are either in the process of buying or selling a home, so I want to stay in touch with them and make sure everything is going okay."

I asked, "What’s stopping you from making the calls?"

"I get so focused on following up with new prospects. Then I always seem to run out of time to make calls to my current clients, which is a bummer because if I served them better they would probably refer new prospects to me."

Here’s what Greg and I came up with:

THE SYSTEM: First, he made a commitment to invest half an hour each day to call the recent clients he had worked with.

THE STRUCTURE: Then, he decided to schedule that half an hour on his computerized calendar with a reminder box that would pop up on his screen.

THE SUPPORT: Finally, Greg promised that he would treat that appointment as if it were a meeting with a prospective new client. If he didn’t keep the appointment he would let me know during our next session, which would hold him accountable for his actions.

Greg’s Lesson:

"The simple habit of making a half hour appointment with my self, and actually putting it on my computer’s calendar, has been very effective for ensuring that I make client calls. Not only do I feel great about giving my clients the attention they deserve, I’m also getting more referrals than ever."

ACTION IDEA:

What is a goal you’ve set for this year that could benefit from a system, structure and support? Identify a daily action (your system) that will help you make progress toward the completion of your goal. Next, identify what type of reminder (your structure) you can set up to help remind you of the system you’ve set up on a regular basis. Finally, set up accountability (your support) around the daily action or system you have planned. You’ll find that this process will help you create and maintain momentum toward your most important goals.

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Use Process Goals

Posted on 16. Nov, 2009 by Rich Fettke.

"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." -Anonymous

Bob had started his own computer software training company almost a year before hiring me as his coach. His main goal from our partnership was to help him grow his business and make a "comfortable" income. One of Bob’s first comments during our initial session was: "By the end of this year I want to have five people working for me, each teaching at least five classes per week." Bob was obviously clear about his main goal and had a specific, measurable outcome he wanted to achieve. When I asked him what small steps he could take to move towards his goal, Bob came up with the following ideas:

- Mail 300 letters by April 30th to prospective students
- Attend three networking events per month
- Speak to four groups by May 31st on "How to Be Friends with Your Computer"

Bob had created a list of process goals. He clarified three measurable actions that he could take that would help him move towards his main intention.

Less than four months after our initial session, Bob had hired two employees and they were both teaching an average of six classes per week! Eventually, he exceeded his original goal. Before starting in the direction of any major goal, Bob now emphasizes the importance of clarifying the process goals along the path. It’s a simple step, but many folks don’t take the time to do it.

ACTION IDEA:

What is a major intention you would like to achieve? What smaller steps might help you make progress towards this long-term desire?

Write down three process goals that could help you move toward your main intention and ask your Success Partner to hold you accountable to their timely accomplishment.

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