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April 20th, 2009
by Liz Fisch, VP of Academic Affairs
Spring is here – and it’s time for baseball. Though I have to admit that my favorite baseball games are those that my son plays in, I’m surrounded by die-hard Yankee fans at home and at work (and Bruce, who loves the Mets), and so, I follow Major League Baseball a bit and enjoy watching some games.
This year, I’ve been fascinated by Nick Swisher’s story. In a nutshell, for those of you who don’t know it, he was a 2002 first-round draft pick who came to the majors to play with the Oakland A’s in 2004 and then was traded to the White Sox. He had a pretty dismal year in 2008, and then came to the Yankees this year – and he is doing incredibly well.
So what happened in between last season and this one? Nick went home to his father’s house in West Virginia and got back to basics. He trained in a local gym, lifting weights and doing drills. He hit in a makeshift batting cage, and worked on regaining his swing.
Why? He made a choice. Look at some of the things he has to say:
“I got knocked down last year. You’ve got one of two choices: Get back up or you can stay down. I chose to get back up. I’ve been blessed to be put in such a wonderful situation to be over here, just to learn from these guys and to get that passion and flavor back into the game. I’m just really, really excited to be part of it.”
“That was really all the battle for me. Just believing in what I was doing.”
“I have my passion back. Somewhere along the line, I lost it.”
Making a choice to get back in the game (literally in this case) and believing in yourself and what you’re doing…what great lessons for the game of life from the game of baseball!
What game do you want to get back into? Is it time to put a spark back into your career/business? Your relationships? Your own enjoyment? What is it? It’s easy to lose that spark right now with stressful situations and seemingly difficult circumstances all around… but maybe this is the PERFECT opportunity to shed what’s not working for you and reinvest your time, energy, and effort into the areas of your life and work that have always meant so much to you.
I’m inspired by Nick – how about you?
To read more about Nick’s story, click here.
Tags: baseball, inspiration, motivation, Nick Swisher, personal achievement, self-improvement, Yankees
Posted in Coaching and Coach Training, Current Affairs, Uncategorized
28 Comments »
April 11th, 2009
by Michelle Kunz, Admissions/Career Coach and DC School Director
On a recent E-Factor call, iPEC founder Bruce D Schneider touched on a very timely topic for those of us who feel impacted by recent changes in the economy. He talked about how we define security.
Many of us have been taught to look outside of ourselves for security: find a great job, get into a great relationship, save a certain amount for retirement, get a great education, build this or that which will guarantee an outcome now or later. We feel secure when we have those “details” in place. As a result, when certain events change the details, our security can be shaken or even crumble.
Like any value, security is something we can choose to define for ourselves. We can choose to redefine what security means so that we become the source of our own security – instead of basing it on external details over which we have no control. When we are the CAUSE of our security, only we control whether we feel secure. When something else is at the CAUSE of our security, our security is reduced to an EFFECT of that cause.
As iPEC coaches, we have the unique opportunity to redefine security not only for ourselves, but also to support our clients in redefining what that means to them, whether that client is an organization or an individual. Once we help them reframe security such that they see themselves as the CAUSE rather than the EFFECT, they feel empowered, energized, and engaged. This is the shift our world is looking for right now.
Where are you putting your security in the hands of others? How can you reclaim that security and redefine it such that you are the cause? How will you feel when you have accomplished that?
To listen to the E-Factor show referenced in this post, “Overcoming the Fear of Recession,” click here.
Tags: cause and effect, coach, coach training, economy, life coach, motivation, new perspective, recession, security, values
Posted in Coaching and Coach Training, Current Affairs, Energy Leadership, Uncategorized
5 Comments »
October 16th, 2008
iPEC is a group of truly amazing people, and I’d like for you to get to know them better so that they can inspire you and enrich your life as they do mine. So there will be a “guest” writer on this blog from time to time. Today’s guest is Evie DiPiazza. You can read more about Evie, and all of the iPEC family, at http://www.ipeccoaching.com/about-coaching/about-life-coaching-team.html. - BDS
In Don Miguel Ruiz’ book, “The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom” he exposes self-limiting beliefs and presents a simple yet effective code of personal conduct learned from his Toltec ancestors. The book is full of grace and simple truths that all of us might benefit from choosing to implement.
One of the Agreements, “Don’t Take Anything Personally,” is a practice I am choosing to embrace.
As I ponder the instances where I take things personally, the reaction, the energy and time wasted it costs me, I began to realize that other people’s choices have no place in my life. What others say or do is not because of me. What they say and do is a reflection of how they are responding to the universe. It is the reality they are creating and choosing to live. I don’t have to buy into their reality; I may choose to live my own life.
By choosing to become immune from the opinions, reactions and words of others, I stay grounded and moving forward.
How might choosing to not take anything personally support you today?
Evie
Tags: choice, coach, coaching, corporate coach training, life coach, motivation, power of choice, self-discipline, training
Posted in Books, Business Development, Coaching and Coach Training, Current Affairs, Energy Leadership, Law of Being, Life Potentials, Training Programs
1 Comment »
August 5th, 2008
When most people hear the word "coach," they first think of a sports coach - maybe the coach of a local professional team, or perhaps their child’s soccer or baseball coach. The term "Life Coach," though, is an enigma to many people - though Life Coaching is becoming more widely known, people who have not experienced it really aren’t sure what it is.
"Rent-a-friend," "Cheerleader," and "Professional Nag" are just a few of the terms I’ve heard to describe what a life coach is. All of those terms actually have a degree of truth in them - yet none come remotely close to describing the power of what an alliance with a Life Coach can bring to someone’s life.
A life coach listens to you ("Rent-a-friend"), encourages you to do more than you would on your own ("Cheerleader") and holds you accountable for doing what you say you will do ("Professional Nag"). But it is the partnership that is formed between the coach and client that allows clients to make far reaching and sustainable changes, and to come into their own greatness. Life Coaching combines inspiration with empowerment, creativity with planning, and purpose with action.
If you want to make a change in your life or career, if you feel something is holding you back, if you need clarity around where you are headed, or want to speed up and achieve even greater results than you are seeing now, then hiring a life coach will lead you to where you want to be. Life coaching is an investment in yourself – one that will pay off in ways that you may not even be able to imagine right now.
Tags: achievement, coaching, life coach, mentor, mentor coach, motivation, personal enrichment, support
Posted in Business Development, Coaching and Coach Training, Energy Leadership, Life Potentials, Training Programs
No Comments »
June 30th, 2008
Someone recently gave me a book about Eddie Feigner, who is known as the “King,” from the famous softball team, “The King and His Court.” Feigner was a great athlete, and his “Court” consisted of him as pitcher, and only 4 other players. They would consistently beat full teams of players and were quite entertaining in the process.
The book was not particularly well-written, and yet, for me, something about it was very emotional. This is the story of a boy who was given up for adoption at birth, and who struggled to make ends meet throughout his entire life. Ironically, he was at the top of his profession, but compared to baseball and other sports, fast-pitch softball wasn’t really recognized as equal to the others, and so, he received very little notoriety, even after he mastered his gift.
So in reading his story, it occurred to me that life’s masters are not just those who earn a great deal of money or recognition. And probably more often than not, they themselves don’t even recognize their full achievement and impact on others.
I saw the King and His Court in the 90’s. Eddie was in his 70’s, I think, and obviously past his prime. However, he still threw the ball nearly 100 miles per hour, and blew away all those who tried to hit against him. Eddie passed away a few years ago, leaving records that will probably remain unsurpassed. But most important to me was that he left me with the memory of someone who walked the talk and excelled in greatness. He didn’t just pitch. He was THE pitcher.
So whatever you do, do it with all you have, and regardless of what the masses think, let your actions be your success. Rest peacefully, Eddie.
Tags: achievement, actions, become a coach, coach, coach training, excellence, life passion, motivation, self realization, self-improvement, success
Posted in Books, Coaching and Coach Training, Current Affairs, Law of Being, Life Potentials
3 Comments »
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