Don’t Wait – Leave the Cave

There is a scene in the movie “The English Patient” where the heroine lies dying in the cave while her lover goes off to seek help. As the days wear on, she writes in her journal, “no one is coming.”

I had a client who reached this same realization, and it was a dramatic turning point in his life. Bill’s business (and his personal life) were near bankruptcy. He was working fast and furiously chasing what leads he had, but kept coming up empty. Bill kept waiting for the client or the job that would rescue him in one fell swoop.

Realizing that “no one was coming” catapulted Bill into a new level of thinking whereby he recognized that he hadn’t built a solid foundation for his business or his life, and that the only person who could rescue him from that shaky ground was himself. During his coaching over the next four months, Bill developed systems that helped him market his business on a regular basis, improved his self confidence, and broadened his client base and network so that he would not be dependent upon a few clients. In short, Bill expanded and solidified his foundation. His business is once again a viable concern, and he’s working on improving the foundation for his personal life, too.

It’s our nature as a society to want a quick fix, or the “Cure de Jour.” We hope that the right relationship, the right job, or the right house will make us feel more “right.” We latch onto the possibilities that other people or situations represent to us and neglect to continually look inward to see whether we’re creating our own possibility.

Coaching is not a quick fix, either. Coaching can, however, help in the creation of possibility and a practical plan of action and strategy development. Some ways to effect a shift from looking for rescue to leaving the cave include the following:

The shift is from limitation and dependence to possibility and freedom. It’s great to have support alliances. Relationships can nurture us and make us stronger than we could ever be on our own. The key is to distinguish between relationships that foster growth and those that lull us into dependence. It’s not a static thing – the pendulum can swing back and forth, and it’s up to each us to maintain balance.

When you catch yourself hanging your hopes too ardently on specific people or situations, it may be time for a rigorous self-inventory.

Don’t wait for something, or someone, external to galvanize you into action. Decide what you want to have happen, and what you’re willing to do to bring it about. You can’t control the outcome, but you can lay the foundation for luck and other people to contribute to your success. This will increase your odds immeasurably.

While a coach can help you make the shift from limitation and dependence to possibility and freedom, ultimately “no one is coming.” It’s up to you to decide how you want to structure your life. Choose possibility and freedom.

Coldwell Banker National Team

I’ve been selected for a national team of 22 coaches to serve the coaching needs of Coldwell Banker’s 70,000 associates internationally.

This will be an exciting opportunity to meld my real estate experience with coaching and to reach a very broad audience. It’s also great to see the desire for coaching recognized by such a well known international firm, and a cohesive approach being designed.

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Reach Me: Telephone: (970) 259-4847; Fax: (970) 259-4874
E-mail: ginger@magellangj.com
Web: www.magellangj.com

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