The "Wanter's" and the "Doer's"

Over the years and hundreds of introductory calls I have noticed that there seem to be two categories; the wanters and the doers. The wanters hang up with me after a complimentary session professing how much they would like to work with me and the doers say "yes" lets do this. For a long time I did not see this distinction, it was fogged up with the oh so well intentioned words of the "wanters". They even follow up with emails to "their next coach" and for a while they check-in to repeat their proclamation that we will work together soon. Now I don't think you are destined to either group for the rest of your life. Perhaps at different stages and in different situations we must switch membership to protect ourselves, I'm not sure. What I do know is that it is very hard to hang on to a want and it is much easier to stay focused when you are active and moving forward. After a while the inspiration, the lust, the spark of that first complimentary session wears off and is forgotten. Without the consistency it is easy to slip back into old habits and routines or perhaps even worse a new lust, a new shiny metal object. In the latter case you live jumping from shiny object to shiny object without ever landing anywhere. In life it is important to stand and take stock periodically, to stick with something to give it a chance and to have measurable standards so that you can learn what works and what doesn't and shift your strategy accordingly.

My clients, "the doers", amaze me with their progress, they stride forward and shift habits that have controlled them for years without even noticing. That's when I get to do one of my very important jobs, to applaud them, to send them off on a victory lap before they jump back into the race. The "wanters" tug at my heart strings. I bump into them and their intentions and they assure me that once they get this duck in line, or finish this project that they will be ready to work with me. I smile and hope that this is true, but as you have heard me say before hope is not an effective strategy for success. Life is about doing, if you are sitting in the stands with well intentions you are not in the game. I encourage you to, jump in the game, it's a lot of fun.