“Change is a measure of time and, in the autumn, time seems speeded up.  What was, is not and never again will be; what is, is change.” – Edwin Teale

The summer has come and gone and we are now entering a new fall season and I’m sure many of us are looking forward to ending the year finishing what we started earlier.

With back to school and work getting back into full swing, what better time than now to put yourself back into the forefront?  I’ve always looked at September as a great time to get back into gear by revisiting goals. When it comes to goal setting, there are a few ACTIONS I challenge my clients to stick to, in order to help make this unofficial second half of the year even better than the
first. Follow the “THREE Rs” of SUCCESS “Getting REAL” “REASSESSING” and “The time is RIGHT NOW” to make sure we create those completions.

Your Action Steps:
GET REAL -- getting real means staying realistic with your thinking. There’s no better way to discourage yourself than to make a goal that you cannot achieve. AND in getting REAL, reflect on why you wanted that goal in the first place and why it is important to you?  This way you can move to reassessing with clarity.
REASSESS -- let’s think about this as halftime in the big game of the year. What goals did you set in the beginning of the year or earlier in life that haven’t worked for you? Why haven’t they worked? What did work? And, why did they work?  Reassess doesn’t necessarily mean to throw that goal out the window. It means to see what needs to be tweaked so it can be achieved.  Remember that though a challenge is important to growth, we also want to always set ourselves
up for success to stay motivated. 
WRITE IT DOWN, RIGHT NOW -- a goal that is  unwritten is like a lost song that no one will ever hear. It’s important to write things down and place it in a place where you will constantly see it. For some reason, it’s like making a contract with ourselves and works as a constant reminder of what you are trying to achieve. This also helps if you live with others because surprisingly enough, they will also keep you on your toes by asking you about your goals routinely. This serves as a constant reminder to get off your rear and get into gear.

Fall is an excellent time to get back into a routine dedicated to creating that change you want! Let’s go, what’s on your list?  Happy Fall!

I was having coffee with a good friend of mine the other day,  and we were talking about what stops people from really taking on change.  Fear of failure or fear of success
seems like the obvious answers, right? Is it really the fear of failure or success?  Let’s chat about that for a moment.  The conversation with my friend reminded me of the power of our belief system and what responsibility really is, and that with a good look and an action plan, we  can accomplish anything! 

Now strap in people, I’m going to share what I have learned
along the way and it just might make you go hmm! Fear of success is really fear of R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y.  Are we really afraid of success?  I don’t think so!  If you think about it, when we step into change it brings about new responsibilities and that’s when our belief system
starts having a field day with us!  Fear can trigger all sorts of doubts. When we take on something new or something more, or something different, can we handle the
responsibility?  I say YES WE CAN! It is a matter of looking at capabilities, competencies, and commitment. 

Responsibility consists of the ability to respond to what
is happening.  As a coach, I ask my clients to look here when they are stuck. Do they have the capabilities? Are they competent?  If the answer is no, then we explore what is wanted and needed to become more proficient. What resources are available? This leads to action.  We also take a look at commitment, because with a high level of commitment toward what they want, it is amazing how
they will stretch and what they will overcome to make
it happen.  

So, the next time you or someone you know says they have a fear of failure or success – challenge it! Because you deserve success, it’s nothing to be afraid of!