Decide And Do It

“Good decisions must be followed through with action.  Without action, a good decision becomes meaningless, for the desire itself can die through lack of an attempt to achieve its fulfillment.  That's why you should act immediately on a good decision.”

– W. Clement Stone

(1902-2002) Author / Businessman

For most of us, if we did only a fraction of all that we said we were going to do, we would have already achieved more than humanly possible.  We love to talk about all that we are going to do and what dreams we have cooking in our heads and hearts.  The problem is that we talk so much about them we never really get around to doing them.

                As coaches, we see this reality from two sides, that of the clients and that from the coach (our own).  Clients many times can talk a good game.  You want them to tell you their hopes and dreams, however, if all they do is tell you about it then you should be a therapist not a coach.  Our responsibility as a coach is to encourage and demand action.  Without action nothing happens.

                This is why I always encourage coaches to give homework assignments with each session.  This is a way to cause action to happen.  The homework itself is not the point, it is the taking action to complete it that you want.  If it is not done, you know that your client is not serious about their success.  If they do the assignment, chances are great that they will take even more action to achieve their goals.

                And what about you.  I hear from many coaches that they want to develop their own practice and get more clients.  The reality is, too many do not do anything to make that happen.  People will not come and knock on your door to have you coach them.  They do not even know that you are out there.  Again, without action nothing happens.

                Take some time and sit down with pen and paper, or your computer, and write out what you would like to see happen in your coaching practice.  It does not matter if you have an over abundance of clients or you have never really coached anyone at all.  What do you want to see happen?  Now, start to write out just how do you go about making that happen.  Do you need to be more public?  Do you need to work with someone else till you develop clients of your own?  Do you need a coach to help you get started?  List everything you need to do in order to achieve your goals.

                Once you have completed that, start getting it done.  Start by doing the small easy things that you know to do and build from there.  The secret is to keep on going and not stop till you have achieved your goals.  It can happen for you just as it does with your clients, you only have to decide what you want, how to get it and take decisive, consistent and massive action.

                You matter to the world.  You are here to make a difference and that difference is good.  Remember the qualities of a real success-minded person: Be your best.  Love God.  Have good manners. Discover the unknown.  Change the world.

John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, and Life Coach. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2014 John Patrick Hickey