Is life a journey or do we need to have a plan and stick to it?
In 2002 I launched my Coaching Practice, I had studied with the Achievement Specialists and I had my Diploma. All that I needed now was some paying clients, and I looked everywhere to find them.
I gave hundreds of free (pro bona) sessions, to hone my skills. I gave free seminars in gyms and hotels and slowly the clients did begin to trickle in. However, I then decided that most of my clients were in need of Relationship advice. They, either didn’t have a relationship (and wanted one). Or, they had a relationship but (either they didn’t want it), or it just wasn’t working. So, I joined the Relationship Coaching Institute and I studied with them. By this time it was 2003 and my busy coaching practice had still failed to materialise.
I did have a few clients who were working on their business and life style goals and a few more clients who were working on their relationships. So, what did I do next, (yeah you guessed it). I decided that what clients really needed was more help with their career choices. I undertook the Post Graduate Diploma in Career Guidance at Napier University. By the time that I had completed this course, I decided that it was too difficult to run your own business. After all, hadn’t I been working and studying hard for three years now, with little to show for it.
I thought, what I really need now is a JOB with security and I found a job in a prison. There I could coach the prisoners who wanted to be coached and help them to secure education, training or employment opportunities, on their release. I liked working with the prisoners who (on the whole), appeared to be as much sinned against as sinned. Anyhow, I soon came to the conclusion that there was little out there for young men who had just been released from prison. This led me to my next detour because I took up the post of project leader, to a newly funded pilot project. The projects remit is to help clients with drug & alcohol backgrounds, find routes back into Education, Training & Employment. The project launched on 1st August 2005 and to date we have helped 350 people to move on with their lives. If you are interested in finding out more about the project, then you can see what we do here PETE Project.
Now back to my original question. Is life a journey to be savoured or do we do ourselves a disservice when we fail to stick to our plans? If you are looking to me for any wisdom on this one, then I’m sorry but I cannot help. As a coach, I have always subscribed to the “If you fail to plan then you plan to fail” analogy. I’m sure that any marketers reading this will laugh, at the amount of time which I have “wasted”. They might say that all I really needed back in 2002, was a good marketing strategy.
Well here we are in February 2010 and I’ve decided that it’s time to dust down the old dream of having a successful business. I’m working on building an online coaching practice but this time I’m leaving nothing to chance. I’ve brought in the Big Guns. If you want to find out what I’m doing this time, that I didn’t do last time, and why, then all will be revealed in my next blog.
© Theresa Sives 2010
Meantime, I’d love to hear your views!
Is life a journey to be savoured or do we need to have a plan and stick to it?
No plan needed in my opinion…
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Mandy
I suppose that the whole thing about life is that we can plan all that we want (and if you really want to achieve anything much, then you really should plan).
However, there are times in your life when no matter how much you try to make something happen, or indeed try to stop something from happening, it appears that you are not in charge of the game and at such times we really need to go with the flow.
I suppose that it’s all part of the magic of life.
Best, Theresa
Hi Randolph
I’m delighted to hear that my post was helpful to you.
Thank you for taking the time to acknowledge it.
Best, Theresa
This the best article I have seen!
A Good Read – Very helpful info thanks…
Hi
“This is the best article I have never seen before….”
Perhaps you will never see any more.
Best, Theresa
Hi
I’m glad to hear that you found the post helpful.
Best, Theresa
I read you post, this is informative and helpful. Thanks for sharing your knowledge about it.
My mum and I wish to create a blog site much like this for our web site, I stumbled across your website looking for some ideas on the theme along with design. I am taking some html coding class in college and not certain that I would be able to develop a internet site such as this one at this time. Did you code this website yourself or employ a professional?
Hi
It’s good to hear that this information helped you, this is why I post.
Best, Theresa
Hi Shanon
Although I have built this blog by myself I am no techie, I have been following John Thornhill’s Masterclass. If you want to know more about the course then you can either read my blog on Mentors or read my About Me page, at the top right hand corner of my blog. I have a link to John’s course there.
I hope that this helps!
Best, Theresa
You made some good points there.
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