Verbs

Coaching, whether life, executive or sports, is all about taking action, moving ahead, and having a desirable outcome. We can’t talk our way to change or think our way to success. We must put one foot in front of the other, literally or figuratively.

The cliché “actions speak louder than words” is actually very useful advice. You can promise a work product all you want, but until you deliver it, it’s mere words. You can say “I love you” one hundred times each day, but if you are always putting down your partner and act uninterested in their life, then you are hardly acting in a loving way. You can profess your love for animals, but when you flip that burger on the grill, your actions speak more of violence than compassion.

I love words. I talk to clients for a living. I speak to groups and give workshops. I blog. I wrote a book. I’m preparing to launch two new coaching options (stay tuned), both of which offer new ways of, well, talking with me. But talking takes us just so far in our journey.

My clients who reach new heights are the ones who take action in between our coaching sessions. They face their challenges and go after what they want. They take our conversations, our words, and then do something with them. It’s my honor to watch it unfold.

Think about the people you trust most at work and at home. If I were a betting woman, my money would be on the doers, the ones who back up their statements with actions. Keep those people around you.

This brings us to the cliché “it takes one to know one.” Surround yourself with doers to reinforce your own motivation. In turn, you will help inspire others. What could be better?