SigmaU Blog

We need to be bold to reach our dreams.

When I say bold, it will have a different meaning for each of us. For some, being bold is having a difficult conversation. For others, it may mean leaving a job or partner to pursue a dream. Some may consider leaving the country bold, while others may consider speaking up in a meeting to be bold action. Each of us will face circumstances that require us to be bold to reach our goals and live our full potential.

In High Performance Coaching™ we talk about living a fully charged life! Part of that life is living with boldness. We can live in a place where we feel caged, as though we don’t have control and we’re not living anywhere near our potential. Then we can live a comfortable life, where we go through the motions, nothing too daring, nothing too exciting either. I would encourage us to live a fully charged life and that requires being bold!

B – Brazen Action

When I looked up the definition of brazen it was tied to...

You and I don't springboard to success, we level up one day, one habit, one strategic move at a time.

In High Performance coaching we often get people to rate themselves one through ten, one being low and ten being off the charts high in terms of their performance in a certain area of life.

We look at energy, courage, productivity, influence, purpose and so on. We rate these areas of life because we know that what is measured gets improved. If we don’t know how we are performing in a certain area, then we don’t know if there’s a need or opportunity for growth. This is the reason why we need feedback at work and in relationships. Are we on track? We naturally need to know.

We need to be progressing in life; we need to know that there’s a next level for us to attain. Very few people are joyful when they’re in a state of stagnant contentment. Most of us need to feel a drive towards something new and exciting that is different from where we are today.

The...

Did you know that the most successful people in the world are firm and vigilant about boundaries? They set boundaries with friends and family members. They set boundaries with team members, and they set boundaries with themselves. They know that boundaries are critical to their focus and success. They have heightened levels of clarity as they approach each day and anything that is a distraction needs to be eliminated. 

High performers think long-term vs. instant gratification. That means they can say no to what's in front of them right now if they know it will not impact them positively for their future long-term success.

Boundaries with Family and Friends

We all have that friend or family member who seems to be consistently operating in crisis mode. They need you and often call during work hours. They have a difficult time regulating emotion so often those phone calls are tear-filled or even manic. High performers must protect themselves from taking on that energy,...

The definition of stretched is “of something soft or elastic be made or be capable of being made longer or wider without tearing or breaking.”

I’ve been studying resiliency lately, listening to podcasts, reading books, and doing so because I feel like, recently, I’m being stretched. I also see colleagues and team members who seem stretched as well.

During one of the resiliency podcasts I was listening to, the speaker said that we don’t bounce back we rebound forward further. I’m paraphrasing but I loved the concept!

We don’t necessarily go back to where we were before because the situation changes us!

Go back to the definition above. It refers to something soft changing into something bigger without breaking. How cool is that? I don’t know about you but there are times when I feel soft when I feel like I can’t take on anymore and somehow, someway, I keep pushing and I do come out stronger.

When we’re at the gym, we mold...

I love studying people, watching people, being curious about how they act and react. When I first started studying Brendon Burchard’s work I was fascinated with the data and science behind what makes a High Performer… well a high performer!

I had some previous misconceptions about success. Let’s see if any of this holds true for you.

I thought that success was for people other than me. 

I believed that there was an elite group of pre-determined people that had access to success while the rest of us didn’t. I have since learned that success is not reserved for the elite. We can all be successful if we’re working towards a goal. We can all be high achievers if we’re disciplined enough to focus on the habits that support success. 

I thought that successful people had mentors in their corner cheering them on and building them up. 

What I have learned is that the most successful and resilient people do not need or look for approval...

How are you pursuing life? Is it in a reactive state or are you pursuing life with bold determination?

If you are unsure consider the following...

Leaders and High achievers set their sights on bigger goals. They are consistently chasing after a dream or goal that will require them to stretch. They may not meet their goal, but they know it is worth every moment of effort because it is shaping them into an excellent human.

As Jim Rohn famously said…

“The major value of reaching goals is not to acquire it, but it’s the person you become while you’re working to acquire it.”

Leaders and high achievers can think bigger and have possibility vs. limited thinking. You will rarely hear them say things like…

It’s never been done before?

I’m not sure I can do it?

What makes you think you can achieve this?

These questions are examples of limited thinking and a closed mind.

Achievers say things like…

If not me than who?

Why not?

What is...

There's an expression declaring there's freedom in discipline; and man is that true.

I've had periods in my life where I've lived very structured and disciplined and other times where I've really loosened my grip on healthy habits and routines.

Here's what I know. Ironically, we all think that structure and discipline will make us feel caged; when in fact those very boundaries are the key to making us feel free!

Let me explain.

When you have a structured life, you wake up at the same time each day, make your bed, spend time in gratitude, workout, eat healthy, it takes discipline and grit to remain consistent.

There are days it comes easily and other days it's difficult to drag yourself to get going. When your structured schedule becomes habitual, your habits take over on the difficult days, so you show up regardless. You don't have to think about negotiating because your habits have formed who you are. For example, I changed my mindset around working out. I was the type of person...

We’re near the end of the year and some of you are STOKED that you’ve reached or surpassed your goals – awesome! For others, you may feel frustrated that you’re off track and feeling in a bit of a funk.  Regardless of where you’re at, I want to encourage you today. You can reignite the fire with a few sparks!

First, revisit your north-star! What is your long-term goal?  Do you take on new things or develop daily habits that support your vision for the future. This also helps you eliminate the crap in your life that distracts you, like cat videos on social. Your north-star will keep petty things in perspective.  You’ll have to let some things go that aren’t worth your emotional, mental, or physical energy. Release and move on, if it’s out of alignment with future you!

Next, you want to revisit why your goal matters so much! What will you feel like once you’ve accomplished your goal? What do you wear? Where do you...

We all have blind spots and areas that are foreign to us.  We’re unskilled or have low level knowledge in areas and we all need help.

I was reminded of this during a self-rescue, self-defence course this past weekend.  I was going through one of the exercises of escaping a restraint.  I had conquered this restraint before so when I went to do it this time around and had trouble, I became overwhelmed very quickly. This made me try even harder and with even more force.  When I looked down, I realized there was blood all over my hands and I had tiny slivers in my fingertips.

My mentor Boris saw that I was frustrated and becoming emotional. He came over to assist. He calmly walked me through the steps and explained the mechanism to me.  He encouraged me to think through the process and instructed that less strength and force was required.  It was precision and alignment with the tool that would help me escape in this case.

All of this reminded me of...

I’ll be honest with y’all! I’ve been struggling a lot lately.  There have been about half a dozen life changes and crises happening at the same time.  While most have been positive, the negative ones have beaten me down.

This may surprise you given that I’m a high-performance coach. It has been small compromises in my training program that have led me here. I know this to be true, because I have navigated crises in the past while maintaining my perspective, a positive outlook, and healthy routine.

So, what went wrong this time around?

I allowed myself to take on a victim mentality and I stopped doing the basics that drive high performance.

Now don’t get me wrong, if you saw the laundry list of challenges perhaps you would say that my victim mentality was warranted. It was not and is not and today is a new day.

Today, I choose to manage my energy, to look for the good and the lessons. Today, I choose to get back to the basics, the habits that...