In that article, Daniel pointed out three very distinct types of time – In Time, Growth Time and On Time. If you want the article, simply let us know and we will send you a copy.

Over the years I have tried to coach and write about another type of time that I have called Off Time.

Certainly there have been others that call it something else, but the gist of it is that we simply cannot be “on” all the time. There has to be a time where you take some R&R and regroup. It seems like our very physiology reminds us of this daily as we have the need for sleep.

If you are in a season where you need some Off Time, you need to take it. There is nothing quite like regrouping by giving your mind a break. I am always up for a good debate. So if you disagree with me, I would be eager to hear your point.

Mine is this: you must take time away from being productive and on. If you don’t, many negative side effects can happen, but at the very least you will get a seriously diminished return on your efforts.

Then, there is a time to get back to what you once did – hopefully with a refreshed perspective and a new sense of historical purpose.

I want to come back to writing Reality and Hope, and it is my Hope that these semi-weekly snippets give you some perspective and even possibly some food for the proverbial trail.

As I kick back off, I can only encourage you to evaluate where you are now and your need to either take some needed time away or to re-commit yourself with fervor. Remember that the second law of thermodynamics states that “in all energy exchanges, if no energy enters or leaves the system, the potential energy of the state will always be less than that of the initial state.”

What that means is that if we don’t give intentional energy to something, it will by default diminish.

Cheers to you and the energy you will give. May the season that you are in today be met with intentionality.

We forge ahead!

Peace.

Coach Steve

I have kept the discipline of this blog alive for the better part of three years. Now it is time to regroup and rethink.

The idea behind Reality and Hope has always been to bring out the thoughts, ideas, and actions that I am hearing in coaching, in hopes of adding value to a larger audience. It is time now to evaluate the effectiveness of the blog as it is, and to think through whether or not we should continue with the current format or move on to something else entirely.

I want to thank all of you who have followed along on the journey thus far, and I hope to bring something of more value to you soon. I am grateful to all of you who have read, shared, and commented on the blog.

If you have any suggestions or requests, I welcome your feedback, whether in the comments below or your messages to me directly. This blog, after all, is for YOU.

I will keep you apprised as we consider what comes next.

Cheers to you and to your own Reality and Hope,

Coach Steve

P.S. It really does end with great HOPE!

I can conjure up in my mind so many books about how we should do a better job of thinking about who we are and what we are doing. In fact, we should all have time blocked for intentionally thinking about our vision, our plans, our strategy and our relationships.

True. But there is a time to stop thinking, too.

Irrespective of who you are or what you do, your mind needs a break. This is good news because there are so many things that you probably won’t figure out anyway. It is nice to know that you can give yourself some needed time away. I think this is what my friend Daniel calls a “morning vacation.”

Please don’t over-think this. That would be too ironic. And if it is something you choose to embrace, please don’t over-embrace it.

Of course we need to spend some time thinking, but it occurs to me that when we don’t allow for down time, we get a diminished return on our investment. The mind was meant to stop – what do you suppose sleeping is all about? I wonder how much more effective we could be if we intentionally tried to stop being so effective.

There are so many amazing analogies that will help us see the truth in this if we allow it. Golf is one such analogy.

Right before you hit a ball, try intensifying your thinking about what you are going to do, how you are going to do it, every minute detail from start to finish… Suddenly, what once came easily now seems overwhelmingly complicated. Every pro and coach in the world will tell you not to “over-think.” Ah, how applicable this is to our daily life.

Give your mind a break. Often. You may see some amazing benefits from allowing your thoughts some needed time off.

May you find peace and energy in time away. See you on the other side,

Coach Steve

When you see this word, what goes through your mind? What is a “manager,” and what does it mean to “manage” a group of people?

The idea of great management has been coming up a lot lately. In some ways, it is a dying art. Unfortunately, too many people think something quite negative when they consider the word.

Check your own heart. Did the word conjure up something positive or negative for you? Did you think of someone you know or were you thinking of the person in the mirror? Does the word describe someone who has to tow the company line, or even someone who misuses authority?

It is possible you thought of good things, too. Without endeavoring to add to the inexhaustible list of traits of a good manager, I wish to offer one trait that may arguably be the most crucial.

That trait is freedom.

As a manager, it is so crucial to learn the difference between compelling people to do something and freeing them to do the same thing. Do you know anyone who likes to be compelled to accomplish something? Most people don’t. And yet, so many managers keep on doing it. The idea that we would allow people freedom of choice while guiding them to a desirable outcome is possibly the single greatest strength or skill of a great manager.

Now, some will resist this because it seems like such a fluffy, hands-off approach. It is quite the opposite. In fact, when, as managers, we take the time to learn what will uniquely inspire each of our people to take action, it is completely hands-on. But the instant you try to force them to do something – even the right thing – you may lose the spirit of that person.

We must continue to learn what it means to free people and not chain them through compulsion. This is no mere laissez-faire approach. It is something much more precise and effective.

Every one of us has someone we can free. Let us take the time to examine the best way to do that, the way that is uniquely theirs. Of course, doing so means you may have to let go of the old ways you once held onto so tightly.

But it is only through such freedom that the people around us will grow and thrive.

Coach Steve

As for me, I have come across a certain trait that, when present, renders the client uncoachable. The trait is what I will call a “divided heart.”

There are some people who find themselves in a season where their inability to make a decision and move forward absolutely cripples them. Unless I can assist them in reclaiming a whole heart, it becomes horribly painful to press ahead with any real, meaningful progress.

I notice the warning signs when I hear thing like, “Part of me wants to do this, and another part wants to do that.” You see, when “part” of you wants to go in one direction, it is very difficult to build a strategy and a plan around that. Unless you embrace something fully, you will find it is insidiously difficult to commit to the little things that are required for success.

Now, we are all human, and thus it is probable that from time to time our hearts are divided about something. But I am talking about the kind that truly tears people in half and strips them of any meaningful plan.

For me, success is doing the little things over and over with excellence. If your heart is divided, you may find it difficult to go the distance because those little things often require you to turn away from distractions. And distractions, my friends, are plentiful these days.

If you catch yourself thinking, “part of me,” it is often a sign that you have a divided heart. Work to get that heart whole, with a singular purpose, and you will find the strength to go the distance.

Coach Steve

I suppose it is much more comfortable than to say “Hi, my name is Steve. Tell me, where in life do you procrastinate?” I think it’s a fair question, but one that would leave you standing by yourself a lot.

In the spirit of “What do you do?,” today I would like to encourage you to think beyond your job.

Some of my most successful clients engage in their communities in ways that completely transcend what it is that they do to earn a living. For example, I have clients who are sales managers who also put together weekend events with Habitat for Humanity. I have clients who serve one evening a week at a homeless shelter and invite people around them to join in. I have clients who are fundraisers for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. I could come up with more examples, but you get the gist.

One bad by-product of our own busyness is that too many of us aren’t thinking of ways to extend ourselves beyond what we do.

If building a great culture is something that is important for you at work, you may want to come up with a way to serve in your world beyond just growing in your career. Obviously, growing and improving is crucial, but you may be surprised at just how much more you can grow if you do something to make a positive difference in the very community that your business is there to serve.

There are countless organizations and ideas that await your initiative. Do a walk for cancer research, support a local food bank, hold a golf tournament for a charity. Start your own event, or simply get involved with something that is already going.

If all you do every day is what you “do” and you have convinced yourself that you are too busy to think about doing anything else, I can assure you that you are missing out. Go beyond the role you play at work, and you may find that your willingness to do so is a greater vehicle to your own personal growth than just becoming great at your job.

The next time someone asks, “What do you do?,” you may have a bigger answer than just a job title.  I can’t wait to hear what you come up with.

Now, get out there. The world awaits your willingness.

Coach Steve