Aim and SHOOT!

Henry Thoreau said “In the long run, you only hit what you aim at.” So many of us go along our lives without aim.

”I want to be a good person," "I want to have respectful teenagers," "I would like to travel when I retire,” are just a few goals I’ve heard this week. Having a desire to aim for IT puts you 1/4 of the way there. But then you must mark your aim and move forward towards achieving it.

“Yes, I would like to start a business this year but I don’t know how to begin.”
“I would love to quit my job and stay home with my children.”
“I want to retire in Arizona; how can I make that happen?”

Finding clarity and a plan can be a daunting task, but here are a few questions that might be helpful.

Where would you like to be in 5 years?

What is preventing you from moving forward with your goal?

Can you explain your long-term goal on paper?

Where are you spending most of your time?

Do you know someone who can help you in reaching your goal?

These helped me reach certain goals in my life. I spent many years wandering, many months wasting time and countless days doing things I did not want to do. I needed to aim, and shoot for my goals.

If you want a different outcome then you need a new action plan.

Gain clarity

Make a plan

Move towards your goal

Focus your time and energy

Seek wisdom

Please let me know if you found this helpful!

“The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.”

— Proverb

3 Tips for Growing Your Coaching Business on Instagram

In 2013 Instagram had 80 million users; just one year later that number grew to 200 million users. Everyone is getting a piece of that pie today. Businesses are using Instagram to promote, sell, and get followers. Many top name brands like Nike, Starbucks and Gucci are active on social media, including Instagram.

Even small business could benefit from engaging their potential clients on Instagram.

Engaging clients

Increase exposure

Gain followers

Increase engagement

So how can Instagram help coaches gain exposure and meet potential clients?

1. Use Hashtags.
   Use Hashtags often. When posting, use hashtags that pertain to your niche.
2. Interact with your community.
   Make sure you follow, comment and like other Instagrammers.  Find your target audience and interact with them by sharing tips and info.
3. Have an Instagram Loop Giveaway with a few other coaches to gain more followers. Coordinate with other Instagrammers and purchase a high dollar gift card to give away. They enter the giveaway by following all collaborators and/or tagging their friends.

These are just a few tips on how you can use Instagram to create a presence for your coaching business. See what works best for you and your coaching niche.

You can find me on Instagram at https://instagram.com/brentwoodlifecoach/.

New Year’s Resolutions: Don’t Bother

Don’t make any New Year's resolutions until you read this.

So many of us make New Year's resolutions and have great intentions to complete our goals and dreams. A resolution is only as good as the resolve because, when the inspiration dies down and old habits return, the resolution reaches a point of dissolution.

Make a Revolution

Create a plan of action with steps and ways to succeed. A coach can help you do just that. Have you been saying yes to a lot of things that were not a, “HECK YES, I wanna do that”? Have you been saying no to things that you knew you were really meant to do? It’s time for a revolution.

4 Steps to Succeed in Your Revolution

1. Set a Target – Ask yourself if your goal is practical and a part of your overall life plan.

2. Steps to Succeed & Achieve - Ask yourself what you have to do and what you need in order to achieve your goal. Plan out your action steps.

3. Time Frame - We all work best with a deadline. Set yourself time limits to fulfill the steps you listed in number two.

4. Make Yourself Accountable This is where a coach comes in. Hire a coach to report your progress to and do follow-ups. A coach will encourage and motivate you to continue the revolution. Declare it publicly. What we pay attention to grows and thrives. This is what makes goal-setting, declarations, and resolutions a sound strategy.

Pitfalls to Avoid

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you will only set the behavior and attitude change will come from within. For real change to occur in any area of your life or business you MUST actively interrupt your current environment. The bigger the goal or intention, the larger the disruption.

Don’t underestimate small environment changes. The simplest of changes can make all the difference.

People in your business or life are the biggest structure to retrain, dismantle, or get support from. You cannot design an environment that is conducive to your growth without including others.

Start Today: Plan for a New Year's Revolution, Not a New Year's Resolution!