Self Improvement Tips | Self Improvement Advice

In the previous four posts we have looked at the fears that is based on indifference, indecision, doubt and worry. In this post we will look at timidity. And, like the other fears, timidity at times can certainly be appropriate. Yet, when you are overcome with timidity it will keep you from advancing. As a  business coach in The Woodlands  and as a  business coach in Houston  I have seen and experienced timidity. What is timidity? Quite simply, timidity is overly cautious. Timidity or over caution, will keep people on the sidelines when they need to be in the game of business and life. Interestingly, timidity can hold back talented and nice people. Why? A timid person will not take a risk. They always want to have both feet planted firmly on the ground. If you think about it, when you take a step forward, you get out of balance. Timid people love balance. Yet, when you are totally in balance, you cannot move. Very often timid people although qualified will not get the promotion

In my personal coaching business I find that one of the most important keys to success is to recognize the “bus stop mentality.” And, having recognized it, do something about it. What is the “bus stop mentality?” It’s a pattern where you Allow yourself to be distracted You fail to accomplish what you need to accomplish You have a sense of frustration and reduced energy Keys To Success: What Are Your Distractions? Distractions can range from always checking email, to surfing the web, to Facebook, to the impromptu meeting, to the phone. There are others but those are some of the major ones. As a self-employed business owner the first step is to become aware of your distractions. The second step is to take control of them. Everyone starts their day. You start out with worthy goals to be accomplished. Yet, you somehow get side tracked. You make a bus stop. You take time away from accomplishing what you set out to do. Here’s the key. Some of it is necessary. But, a great

“Discernment can be described as the ability to find the root of the matter, and it relies on intuition as well as rational thought. Discernment is an indispensable quality for any leader who desires to maximize effectiveness.” — John Maxwell Over the years in my personal business coaching practice I have observed clients with a great deal of discernment. They always see the opportunities before others and they also see the dangers before others. Whether you are a self-employed business owner, entrepreneur, solo professional, corporate manager or corporate executive discernment can serve you well personally and professionally. Discernment—Get to the Heart of the Matter Whether you are starting your own business, running a small business or working in a large corporation you are required to lead in some shape or form. The way you lead is to get to the heart of whatever is holding you or your organization back from progress. Most of us have to deal with complexity and some chaos da

In the previous post on peace we looked at one of the keys to success, finding peace. We looked at what is peace and what is causing distress. In this post I am going to start out and explore what peace is a little further. And, we will look at some ways to create peace. We will finish up with the concept that peace is best achieved by running your small business and your life by your expectations. Keys To Success: Know What Peace Is. What Peace Is Not. A Definition Sometimes in defining a subject it is easier to say what it is not rather than what it is. Peace is Not: Based on external influences Based on other people Based on the absence of pressure Peace is Internally Based Definition : Peace is to be set at “one” again. What does it mean to be set at “one” again? Primarily, this means living your life in alignment. Keys To Success: How To Create Peace... Read More

There is some gold to be mined during the Holidays in discovering your keys to success in life. For most of us, the normal routine is gone. It disappeared during the Christmas. And it was good. Now we have entered that twilight zone. What is the twilight zone? It is a time and place where the rhythm of business, life or both has changed. For most, it is a time where things have slowed down. If you have children in school you will not get to enter the twilight zone until after they go back. The twilight zone is a time for reflection and evaluation. It is a time, with the coming of the new year, to take stock of who you are and where you are at. It is a time to reflect on what has been and what is to come. It is a time of transition as we move from a Holiday mode back into our normal every day routines. One of the keys to success, whether you are a self-employed business owner, entrepreneur, solo professional or an individual, working or not, is to enjoy and learn from your time in t

Do you feel stuck? Do you have a sense of being overwhelmed? Sometimes the solution to getting jump started and to accelerate the process of your successful performance is right in front of you. Here’s the challenge. Are you going to take the step to grab what is right in front of you? If this is where you are at now then start the process of taking control of your destiny and go to www.SelfImprovement-Tips.com. Steve Scott, Personal Business Coach, Author and Public Speaker has put together several offerings from his work over the last ten years that are foundational to self improvement and creating the business, the life, or both that you desire. There are self study guides on Character, Personal Development, The 8 Pieces of the Business and Life Puzzle and Business Keys to Success. There are also self coaching videos on self improvement and fear as well as a 10 part audio mini course, Imprisoned by Progress and the Treadmill Philosophy. Besides these offerings there is also th

As you embrace the process of  self improvement  there will be many positive transformations in your life. And, this is especially true in the area of relationships. At times this may be painful because you will let go of some relationships as you discover they are no longer working for you. The first relationship that will benefit from self improvement is the relationship you have with yourself. You will embrace doing positive things for yourself. You will know and understand yourself better. And when you do, you will start making better decisions in your life. As you achieve greater alignment and peace with yourself internally, you will be ready to share and to support others in their self improvement. You understand the challenges, the pain and the joys that come from self improvement. You will have a self awareness that will guide you in your thoughts and emotions to better relationships. You will become a guide to others. With your improved self you will share yourself a

One of the questions we must answer to have greater success in business and life is this: How can we change the errors in the formula for failure into the disciplines required in the formula for success? The answer is by making the future part of our current philosophy. Both success and failure involve future consequences, namely inevitable rewards or unavoidable regrets resulting from past activities. So what do we need to do daily to be on the path to success? We must develop the discipline to look down the road every day. Why are new disciplines so important? They cause us to amend our thinking to keep us on track to creating the successful future we desire. Also, disciplines tend to multiply. We start with one new successful discipline and we build momentum and self-confidence to develop others. Success is about paying attention to what we are doing each day to move us to the future we desire. Failure, on the other hand, is largely a function of neglect. And, not doing t

We are not born with courage. And, we are not born with fear. Both courage and fear are acquired through our business and life experiences. Collaborating with and supporting clients as a personal business coach in The Woodlands and as a personal business coach in Houston we encounter fears that are holding us back, yet we don’t recognize them. One such fear is indifference. It is certainly okay to be indifferent at times. But, if indifference is dominating your reactions and thought processes it will lead you in a bad direction. Indifference is about a fear of setting priorities or knowing how to set priorities. You can be indifferent because you don’t think something matters. For example, there is a small error in your business that keeps needing to be corrected. It does not get corrected. Ultimately, it will lead or impact you with a poor result. It is not a question of if, but when. When you see an error, whether it be in your judgement, how you react or how you do things i

In previous posts I have looked at building safety and sharing vulnerability which are two components to building a winning culture. A winning culture is one where people want to work at the company they are at. It is where, in your personal relationships that people want to be with you. The third component to building a winning culture is to establish a clear purpose. I clear purpose is critical to guide the actions and decision making within a company or in relationships. As a personal business coach in The Woodlands and as a personal business coach in Houston, regardless of where I am at or who I have the privilege of collaborating with, establishing a clear purpose for what we wish to accomplish is critical to our success. In a company, establishing a clear purpose is like a lighthouse. It becomes a beacon of light to guide your thoughts and actions. Establishing a clear purpose is critical to having a winning culture. First, with a clear purpose that involves others, you

Here’s another look at sharing vulnerability to build on the previous post. A winning culture starts inside of you. Then, in your business and relationships you spread your beliefs about yourself, your world and most importantly how you care for others. Culture, in a business or in personal relationships , is defined by how you care for others. One of the key components in building a winning culture with others is to create an atmosphere where you can share vulnerability. Sharing vulnerability is not easy for most people. If you share vulnerability you may say to someone, “I don’t know.” Or, “I need your help.” Another way to share vulnerability is to ask for someone’s opinion or expertise. You are not asking for direct help in this case. You want their opinion to help you gain clarity on something where you are stuck or confused. But when you share your vulnerability is this truly sharing vulnerability . There is a subtle yet important difference. The answer when it comes to s

One of the most overlooked attributes in building a good culture, mostly because leaders are not aware of it, is sharing vulnerability. They are not aware of it because it is counterintuitive. You are told that to be a good leader you must be strong. Yet, the strongest leaders are the ones who admit to and share their vulnerabilities. What makes them stronger is several things. First of all, when you admit to your weaknesses, your vulnerabilities, you are showing self-awareness, and this causes others to see you as authentic and to trust you. Secondly, when you and your followers are aware of your vulnerabilities you can give those that support you responsibility for taking care of those things that are not in your strength zone. This gives them ownership which is important in creating a good culture. The third point is that sharing vulnerability puts the first two together and sparks cooperation and trust. As a business coach in the Woodlands and a business coach in Houston on

An individual’s personal foundation is his or her structural basis that supports him or her in living an exceptional life. Just as a house must be built on a strong personal foundation to avoid collapsing under stress, so must your life. A house’s foundation is made up of earth, cement, and steel. Confidence is the main aspect of personal development. If you have better positive self confidence then it groom yourself at every place. The confidence increase your presence of mind. Your personal foundation is also made up of three major elements. The are the What, the Who and the How. Let’s look at the “What.” The “What” is self-improvement business coaching is the package that person presents to the world. It is “What” the world sees when it looks at us. This element is also composed of several sub parts as well. We can include such things as behavior, the public self, what we show others. The “What” can be related to the “body” part of the body, mind and spirit. Read the comp

In the previous blog post we talked about the personal steps you can take as a leader to build a better culture.  In this post we are going to look at the business steps.  When I do personal business coaching in Houston and personal business coaching in The Woodlands Why?  The business steps determine the quality of the company and the employees.  If they are not willing or good at connecting, they will be able to have a good job. The first business step is absolutely focused on your hiring process.  This is the gateway to bringing in the right people who are not a fit.  And this alone, can bring you long-term success or failure.  I had one company as a customer that became less important in their hiring process.  Where they have been, and they have been likeable and qualified, they have settled on a different race during rapid growth.  They have been qualified but not necessarily likeable or connectors. These managers have to work with problems, resolve problems and other

In the previous two blog posts we talked about building a culture of safety and how it centers on our desire to belong. What are some steps we can take to create that culture? After all, very often it is easy to identify WHY we need to do something and WHAT needs to be done. But, it is the HOW that can hold us back. As a  personal development business coach in Houston  I am often reminded in collaborating with clients and even from my own experiences as a business owner, some of which were fairly large, that it is the start of instituting change that stops us. Yes, the start is what stops us. Here are some thoughts to get you started on building safety in your culture, in your life. And along with that to create a sense of belonging and collaboration. First you must be an active listener. Almost go overboard in letting people know that you are truly listening to them. In my personal business coaching in Houston and The Woodlands I have learned that I gain so much more in th

As a  business coach in The Woodlands , I am always struck by the great sense of belonging that this community generates. It is welcoming but not overly so. People there have to get to know you. Yet, there is something special about  The Woodlands . And the people who live there are proud to be part of this vibrant community. All of us want to belong. As human beings one of our primal instincts is to look for belonging cues. And, like The Woodlands, we want to belong to something bigger than ourselves. Belonging is about connection. Very often, one of the challenges I work with as a personal business coach in companies is with the culture and creating a greater sense of belonging. There are companies who want their employees to feel like family. That sounds good. And when applied correctly it is great. People feel safe. When applied incorrectly it can bring a sense of separation, anxiety and feeling isolated. People will feel that they are in danger. I had a client who ran his b

Today there are a multitude of options when it comes to business coaching in Houston .  And, at the very least, that can bring confusion for those who are seeking out business coaching in Houston. The real problem, if you are looking for business coaching in Houston is:  Who do I hire and partner with? To find the best business coach ask yourself one question: What is the real problem that I have? What are the consequences of not solving the problem? And, if I am presented with a solution, will I be open to utilizing it? Mentally and emotionally you must be in the right mindset for coaching to work.  Depending on who you hire and what you wish to accomplish plan to carve out anywhere from 2 to 8 hours a month.  You will have to be committed to fitting coaching into your schedule.  Also, you are very likely going to have assignments for which you will be held accountable. So, once you are clear on the above you are ready to pursue finding a business coach.  Fortunately, in

As a  personal business coach in The Woodlands  and also in my  business coaching in Housto n the first thing I must do to build trust and rapport is to create a culture of safety. This is true in collaborating with and supporting individuals and groups. Whether it is the small business owner, a large corporation or individual clients my primary goal is for them to feel safe. If you don’t feel safe you will always minimize your sharing of what is going on that needs to be addressed. In other words, without safety, fear rules. And when fear is your guiding force, whether it be in your business or personal relationships it will ultimately lead to difficult situations because it promotes a lack of trust. In organizations, this lack of trust creates a culture that will stifle creativity. Why is this important? The only way to remain relevant as a company, a team or organization is to embrace change. When there is a lack of trust and fear dominates people are not willing to change. T

As a  personal business coach in Houston  I have the opportunity to work with teams in corporations. In my personal business coaching in The Woodlands, I get to work with small businesses and the teams within the businesses. Whether the organization is large or small there is a desire to have good culture. It has been shown in studies that a strong culture can increase income by several hundred percent! We know that a good culture works. We are generally not sure why it works. But the bigger question is: How do we go about creating it? Like the kindergartners referenced in the last two posts, culture is created by a specific set of interactions. These interactions are based on social skills. In his book, The Culture Code, Daniel Coyle references three keys to building a good culture. 1. Build safety—which through our social signals build bonds of belonging and identity. 2. Share vulnerability—explains how habits of mutual risk drive trusting cooperation. 3. Establish purpose—

In the previous post I related an experiment that was done to highlight aspects that create a good culture in which teams can be productive. As a  self-improvement business coach in the Woodlands  one of the areas of focus in corporations and small businesses that I collaborate with has been regarding culture and how culture impacts not only a team’s efficiency but effectiveness. The kindergarteners in the experiment won against teams of business students. They also carried the experiment to other groups. The kindergarteners defeated lawyers and CEOs. So, what was going on that created this unexpected result? Let’s start with what we focus on, which is individual skills. If you think about it, individual skills are easy to focus on because they are the most visible. But, when it comes to team performance, it is not individual skills that matter. What matters is the interaction. Let’s take a look at the business students. As a  personal business coach in Houston , I have worked

I have observed in my in my practice of personal business coaching in the Woodlands and also in business coaching in Houston that certain concepts become the major focus of the time. Time management was big and coming into its own in the 1980’s and 1990’s. You just weren’t with it if you hadn’t taken a time management course. And, time management is still just as important today as it was back then. Today, much of what I encounter has to do with company culture and how it is either helping or hindering a company. Culture comes from the Latin word cultus, which means care. Culture at its highest level has a clear purpose as expressed in the vision and more importantly, the vision statements. These statements are more than just words. They define a purpose and a way to get there that is bigger than any one person. It gives the individual something to belong to and helps form a sense of team and cohesiveness. Culture sends a number of signals of how we belong to something. And whe

In the last post I spoke about some of the foundational components to building a strong culture. It is necessary for people to feel safe and to believe they belong to something bigger than themselves. Also, for a culture to thrive it needs a clear mission, vision and an established purpose. As a  business coach in the Woodlands and as a business coach in Houston , a clear sense of purpose makes the possibilities for growth and advancement of an organization much clearer. Why? With clarity comes pointed and focused action. The individuals and teams who make up the culture have a clear purpose. Several years ago, a designer and engineer, Peter Skillman, held a competition to find out the following: Why do certain groups add up to be greater than the sum of their parts, while others add up to be less? To this end he assembled a series of four-person groups at three major universities and a few other places. He challenged each group to build the tallest possible structure using th