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Reach For YOUR Dreams

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Don't miss this month's freebie call 4/28/08- “Spring into Organization” with guest expert Beth Fuchs.
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Back in September I sent out a survey to everyone on my e-zine list to better understand the challenges you are facing. My goal in doing so was to identify key areas of struggle you face and better target my articles and services to meet your needs. The topics of the last few freebie teleseminars are a direct result of your input. Time management and home or office organization are some of the biggest challenges working parents said they face.

Now that Spring has FINALLY sprung here in the Midwest, I have the desire (OK, and need) to do some Spring cleaning and organizing myself. If you are feeling the same way but are overwhelmed and don't know where to start, you'll definitely want to be on the line with professional organizer Beth Fuchs and me THIS Thursday!

Beth will be joining me on this month's freebie teleseminar titled “Spring into Organization”. We have two sessions from which you can choose, Noon or 7:30 PM CST. Beth has some great strategies to share and will answer as many of your specific questions as she can. You may submit your questions in advance to ensure they are covered. For more details, click here.

Lastly, another bit of interesting information that came out of last fall's survey was the overwhelming number of respondents who said they either didn't know what a coach does, didn't know where to find one, or weren't sure that coaching would be the "key to success" and worth the investment. That tells me I'm not doing a very good job at explaining what I do.

For starters, I am a Business and Personal Coach. I help my clients grow their career or business AND balance that with their priorities at home. This month's article is an interview with one of my former clients, Tim Stewart. I hope Tim's story will not only highlight a little bit about how coaching can be a tool to help you excel your success, but also inspire you to reach for YOUR dreams!

Keep Dreaming!

"To be able to look at change as an opportunity to grow--that is the secret to being happy." - - Joan Lunden

"Walking your talk is a great way to motivate yourself. No one likes to live a lie. Be honest with yourself, and you will find the motivation to do what you advise others to do." - - Vince Poscente

"Silence fertilizes the deep place where personality grows. A life with a peaceful center can weather all storms." - - Norman Vincent Peale

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Reach For YOUR Dreams

An Interview with Motivational Speaker & Author Tim Stewart

Prior to beginning our work together, Tim Stewart was a successful financial consultant. He also enjoyed speaking publically for many years, but didn't see it as a career path. After becoming frustrated within his current industry, Tim was looking for other opportunities. This quest led him to investigating careers in consulting and training, and researching starting his own business.

Tim is a great example of someone who had some long time dreams he wasn’t sure he could realize. He held onto those dreams and took small consistent steps to make them happen. He was able to start his own motivational speaking business and published his first novel, Positive Force. He even has four songs in Nashville being put to music and marketed to major talent. Read on to hear about some of the challenges Tim overcame to realize these goals. I’m proud to have played even a small part in helping him get there!

[Victoria Cook] Why did you decide that the time was right to work with a coach and ultimately hire me?

[Tim Stewart] I first met you at a McHenry Chamber 'Ask the Ambassador' meeting. You made the statement, "I help people not only climb the ladder of success, I help them make sure their ladder is leaning on the right wall." This statement planted the seed.

The next time I saw you we were at the McHenry Scramble Luncheon. You made the same statement and offered a complimentary coaching consultation. I figured that if Tiger Woods had a swing coach and Michael Jordon had a shooting coach, that I could probably use a business coach. I scheduled the session the next Monday and the rest is history.

[VC] What was the turning point that made you decide "I'm going for it and starting my own business!"?

[TS] The turning point actually came during my coaching sessions with you, Victoria. I didn't know it would happen so soon, but I am happy it did. During our initial session we went pretty deep into my dreams and desires. From there I made a commitment to get into speaking within the next five years, which turned out to be closer to five month! There were other extenuating circumstances that created the opportunity, but that was the turning point.

[VC] What were some of the obstacles you were facing?

[TS] Time. Money. Nerves. I think that about covers it. I was very busy with my job as a financial consultant. There wasn't a lot of time to make this happen. Working for yourself is always a bit unknown from the money aspect. And, I just didn't have the confidence that I could make it.

[VC] What changed that made it easier getting around or over those obstacles?

Some things happened in the financial industry that I couldn't work with and I made the decision to leave. Starting Reach for Your Dreams became a reality during this time since I now had more time. Through our coaching sessions I gained the confidence I needed to move forward. Still working on the money issues, but that is starting to come around as well.

The work we did on limiting beliefs and obstacles (gremlins as you call them). Whenever there was an obstacle, a gremlin, we went gremlin hunting to get rid of them. The second, and probably more effective for me, was the depth of the questions. You challenged me to look inside myself for the answers.

[VC] What other support helped you reach your goal?

[TS] Having the support of my family was huge. They have been told for years by people who heard me speak that I should be speaking for a living, so they believed in me. Second, was the support of a close family friend who offered startup capital and financial support to get the business off and running. Third is the support that the McHenry Area Chamber has given me. McHenry Chamber President, Kay Bates, has placed me on the microphone many times to increase awareness of my business.

[VC] What advice would you share with someone who desires to make a significant change in their personal or professional life in order to pursue THEIR dreams?

[TS] Reach for your dreams, but don't let go of your responsibilities. A survey was done at the University of Harvard on graduating seniors. They were asked why they chose their major. Ninety-three percent of them chose their major on current economic trends; 7% on their passion. Twenty years later these same people were surveyed. One hundred and one of them had become millionaires. One hundred of those millionaires were from the 7%. Economic trends change. Your dreams are with you for a lifetime. Make sure your financial needs are met then reach for your dream.


[VC] Any final thoughts?

[TS] You challenged me to look inside. I always had the ability and the answers I needed, and you help me find them. None of this would have happened if you hadn't helped me move my ladder. Did I ever say thank you? If not, thank you, thank you, thank you!

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