In or Out? Stay or Go? Five Easy Steps to Help You Make Decisions

Make The Call!

Have you ever gone around and around in circles on an issue/topic without ever identifying the sticking points? I know for a fact that I have subjected family and friends to my own indecision countless times.  I’ve also listened to hundreds of clients talk about the pluses and minuses of decisions they’re making. Often, they are trapped in indecision because they have not identified the critical factors or sticking points on  a job offer,  a decision about where to go to school or a decision about whether r not to stay in a relationship.

We’ve all played the +/- game many times over. It’s a game that’s particularly effective and critical during times of difficult discernment. I’ve discovered that at the end of the game, I walk away inspired and with a sense of clarity about the moves I must make in order for my life to improve. I invite you to play it with me now.

1. Use a blank sheet of paper. Put a line in the middle. Label one column “+” and the other column “-“. Title the page. It could be titled  “Finding a New Job” or “Starting My Own Company” or “My Marriage” or “Going Back To School” or “Relocating to D.C.” . Whatever the topic of the voices in your head, that’s probably a great name for your document.
2. In the upper left-hand corner, write the words Before and After. Next to the word Before, rate (on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being high) how strongly you are drawn to the topic you’re assessing (For example, “Relocating to D.C.” – if you really are leaning toward wanting to relocate, you’d probably rate it somewhere between 7 and 10. If you have much trepidation and doubt or just an uneasy feeling, you’d probably rate it somewhere between 1 and 3).
3. Now, spend about ten minutes listing the pluses and the minuses related to your selected topic.
4. When your list is complete, go back up to the upper left-hand corner of the page. Next to the word After, rate (on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being high) how strongly you are drawn to the topic you’ve assessed. Compare the two scores.  On the back of the page, make a few notes about how the scores compare and why they differ or match.
5. Next, circle the single most major ” +”  and “-” .  If that + or – was absent from your list, would your thoughts/leanings about the topic change dramatically? It’s likely that the major + or  – is the critical factors that may be holding up your ability to decide which direction to go.

Whether or not this exercise will provides your “final answer”, you’ll certainly have a clearer sense of the direction you’re headed.

As always, I welcome your comments.

Make it a great week!

Copyright 2011

Destiny Rising, LLC

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back?

Ups and Downs For Women in Business

Women and Careers has been an area of key interest for me for many years. I am proud of the advances  that women have made in the past hundred years. We have gained access to the boardroom, the courtroom and the operating room. So….. I found a report by Diane Sawyer in the news this week quite unnerving. 90% of the  jobs created during the economic recovery have gone to men. Now, more than ever, women need to be creative and passionate about creating opportunities for themselves. I welcome your comments on this topic! Here you go: Enjoy The Show.

Back to Basics

Break Down The Equation

This week, I feel like a high school freshman. Everything about building a business feels raw and new this week. Perhaps I feel this way because in this moment, I am living through a multitude of firsts: First year doing taxes for my new company. First time publishing a book. First time hosting a radio show. First time adding video to my weekly blog postings. 

I don’t know about you, but when I am new at so many things at one time, my confidence runs off somewhere. Then again, who ISN’T somewhat fearful the first time they attempt new things?  Don’t most people come up breathless at times like these?

Here’s my pep talk to myself and to anyone else who cares to listen: What’s important to remember when faced with a pile of firsts is to look around at all of the skills I’ve mastered.When I list my skills and accomplishments, my list of firsts looks downright elementary.  I can easily stand in front of a crowd of 10,000 and speak. I can put together a fundraising event that will gross $500,000. I can host a scholarship competition. I can run a restaurant. I can develop a curriculum for corporations and universities. I can plan a cross-country move. I can make presentations to corporate CEO’s. I can and do coach and encourage people to success.

With the fresh perspective in mind, I remind myself that I need to simply get back to basics and tackle the firsts one at a time. Just as I tell others not to expect perfection the first time out, I need to be gentle with myself while learning new skills . Of the firsts I’m facing, none is daunting all by itself. It’s the snowball effect that gets overwhelming. When we get back to basics, things become manageable and we accomplish more.

Today, I’ll simply end with a quote from our old friend Bill Shakespeare: “Our doubts are traitors,  And make us lose the good we oft might win By fearing to attempt.”

This week, I invite you to identify what firsts you may be facing and summon the courage to accomplish them, one step at a time.

As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Make it a great week

~ Tess

 

Hello! I Know You’re In There…

Key to Leadership

I open this week with a call to those who are in the process of discovering the leader inside them. I don’t know if it’s true for you, but I’ve seen more in the news about female leadership development in the past two months than I did in the second half of 2010.  I’ve had some great teachers and mentors to model in developing my leadership style. Leadership is in demand, and I want to help you deliver!

Given the pace at which world affairs are unfolding, now is a perfect time for all of us, female or male to transform ourselves into the leaders we were born to be. Leadership knows no gender, and I’ve got a great book title to share with you:Iron Butterflies: Women Transforming Themselves and the World .  Its author is Birute Regine. I was introduced to the book through a blog post by Dawn Reiss, a Chicago-based journalist who has written for a variety of outlets including: TIME magazine, Chicago Tribune and Travel + Leisure.

I hope that you enjoy the post and find the leader in you. As always, I invite you to share and to comment.
Make it a great week!

~ Tess
Copyright 2011

Destiny Rising, LLC

Quick Post For My Business Readers: Great Minds Think Alike?

"Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?"

As a quick follow up to last week’s post about employee Retention and Development, a new report by Taleo found that employers will be prioritizing employee development over hiring in 2011 as they seek to boost staff retention and develop internal talent.  Catch the link to HR Magazine here 🙂

If you’re an entrepreneur, there may be some great information in this article for you about keeping customers rather than focusing only on new business. Enjoy! And… I can’t wait to share my next post with you. Watch for it later this week.

As always, I welcome your comments and forwards.

~ Tess