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April 2005
Peter Schneider
The Big Bear Coach
925.634.1551
Pete@discoversolutions.com
DiscoverSolutions.com
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Stuck in Information Age Anxiety, Stress and Overwhelm?
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Got Results? E-Zine Contents
Focus Quote
Finding your GREATNESS in your divine given gifts and from your recognized lessons learned from living your life to this point in time is the key to living a meaningful engaged life.
-Peter Schneider
Focus Coaching Insight
Finding your greatness is a little scary as it means looking into your own mirror and seeing yourself for what you are. Society tells us in so many ways that this is not acceptable for us to look for our own greatness as it is ego driven, self centered and is in bad taste. So we wear a mask that is a reflection of what other people think of us or better yet what we think other people think of us. Once in a while we get a peek at our greatness by the comments or feedback we receive from those around us into a true quality, character or action we have that allows us a real look into ourselves.
Funny how society talks to us about everyone should be special but it's not about being special it's about what makes a person great. I have found a universal truth in that we can not uncover what makes us great in our own way. So if you're trying to get new clients, sell your professional services, getting a promotion or new job you have to talk about your greatness and that's when you get stuck. You're unprepared to meet this challenge.
First you can't find the words that fit you without sounding conceited. Next you really don't know what greatness you posse and then you do the ultimate disservice of negotiating with yourself on your value. Jack Kaine points out that when you negotiate with yourself you start by discounting your value before you ever bring it in front of a prospect. Why, because you already engage in a make belief conversation with the prospect and perceive that they are going to devalue you. In fact you devalue yourself before they even get a chance to start the discussion or let the person say YES to your value.
Wouldn't it be beneficial to know what makes you Great? What if you wanted that job, client, raise, promotion and or that chance and nobody knew it or your abilities to be great. What if you were prepared to tell them what value you brought to the party and how you could help them solve the problem they are facing? The famous WIIFM (what's in it for me) saying that someone is always asking when they engage in getting their needs met. What if you could say WIIFY (what's in it for you) is that I bring these skills, insights, abilities and magic to solve your problems? They could ask for more information but you would be armed and ready to sell your value and profit from knowing your greatness and being able to act on it.
Do you know how hard it is to find the right person to solve my problems, needs and or service? How do I know if you don't share with me what you have to offer? It would be so easy if I knew what value you perceived of yourself so that I could choose to do business with you. This applies if you're a boss, client, partner, employee, service or product provider.
To know your Greatness is to know your value. Do you know yours?
Focus Exercise
Go to Authentichappiness.org and get a log on code and password. Don't worry they won't spam you or send endless solicitations. Go to the top of the page on the left hand side and take the VIA Signature Strengths Test. It is a 9 pages questionnaire that once filled in will give you your top 5 signature strengths. Review your strengths and see where a portion of your greatness lies. Once you discover what was right in front of you but not visible you will see that you have greatness that you are using that makes your value.
Pete's Perspective
One thing about not working in a conventional 8 to 5 job is that the different directions my life can take. Because I'm a divorced dad, I try to take the time off when my son has breaks and vacations from school to maximize the time we have together. We went on a week ski (for kids it's snowboarding) trip to Lake Tahoe. You know getting older sucks as it keeps getting harder and harder to keep up with teenagers. I tried but almost died a few times but I held up preserve some dignity for us over 50 guys. You know you can really get connected when you take some time to share the time with your kids and have some wonderful conversations. Needless to say we had a blast. My wonderful wife Mindy stayed at home avoiding the Spring Break crowds not wanting to be run over by the wild snowboarders.
I have been taking a course based on the book "Authentic Happiness" by Martin Seligman. In the book and course work he recommends an exercise called the Gratitude letter. He asks you to pick an influential person in your life that you never had a chance to thank them and write a letter to them. In it you write what that person meant to you, the life lessons you learned, the value of the relationship and the impact it made on your life. If at all possible read the letter in person to that special person. I had a chance to do it a second time this month and I have to say that it allowed me to give a gift to someone who made a difference in my life. The reaction to this gift I gave this person was phenomenal in a way to show them their own greatness and the effect it had on me. He made my life better by having been a part of my journey and letting me share that with him gave me time to reflect on what he taught me, gifted to me and meant to me. If you ever had such a special person in your life and haven't yet done so send him/her that gratitude letter and see what this gift can do for you and the other person.
Getting back to the ranch… my office in my house I'm back to finishing my first E-book on self marketing and my book on Information Age Overwhelm. Having taken my signature strength test "Creativity" was my number one strength so I'm applying that to my forth coming books.
Upcoming Events
Under development-coming soon.
E-mail pete@discoversolutions.com with questions or comments.
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Copyright April 2005, Discover Solutions, Pete Schneider
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