Finally

I just finished Let Your Life Speak www.letyourlifespeak.com by Parker Palmer. My good friend Seth Thomas has faithfully encouraged me to read the book (for quite some time). A great book on many levels. Vocation, the inner life, wholeness, leadership and more are explored. Seth was right, I needed to read Let Your Life Speak.

 

 

 

The 3 dreaded “P’s”

You may have never heard of the 3 P’s but you have probably met them. Much of our lives are spent managing a flow of responsibilities and commitments. Too often we are backlogged and overwhelmed.

We can find ourselves in situations where we are frustrated by our efforts and disappointed in the results. We often feel caught in a cyclical trap of: 1) procrastinate, 2) panic and 3) produce.

  • Procrastinate: First we receive a new responsibility. It may be assigned or the result of our own goal setting. It gets filed on our “To-do” list. Lists vary from mental reminders, to sticky notes to high powered web based systems. It likely goes to the back of some, already, overwhelming, overdue stack. So, we do what comes naturally. We ignore it. We let it sit and wait, wait until some unknown moment when we get a message.
  • Panic: The message is that something needs happen, happen now, or the consequences will be real and soon. We panic. Adrenaline spikes and we revert to the proverbial college student on an all-nighter.
  • Produce: We get it done. Maybe not our best effort and or the most satisfying results. But it is done and we can relax…until we notice the next thing moving toward deadline and renewed panic.

It’s habit, it normal, it’s what everybody does. We have plenty of excuses, but the question is, can there be a better way?

The answer is yes. But it is not a one size fits all, quick fix. Time and responsibility management needs to fit the person to be successful. You can buy programs, take classes and download apps, but if the system doesn’t match the person it will soon be abandoned.

Through coaching I can help you identify reasons for being trapped by the 3 P’s. Together we can develop your way of planning and managing life commitments and responsibilities. Contact me if you’d like to break the oppressive cycle and move forward toward better things.

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Change needs support

I love supporting others in life growth, change, goal clarification, decision-making and transitions. Here is a brief story from Breeze Potts related to our work together:

I am a counselor. I haven’t always been a counselor. At one point in my life, I was a college dropout with no clear direction or plan. This is when I met Jim.

I am a counselor in part because of Jim’s encouragement and investment in my life. He helped me uncover who I am and discover where I was headed. This included walking alongside me and helping me discover my gifts, passions and work style…Jim’s dedication to helping me become more “fully myself” nurtured me to be able to more honestly evaluate who I have been and who I am becoming…

Jim’s support, friendship and leadership have been a significant part of my self-discovery process.  I know I am not the only one who has been impacted by his leadership. I continue to discover new things about myself but it is no longer terrifying. I am grateful for new insight and for Jim’s encouragement to open myself up to exploration and possibility…

This is one of the things I love most about being a counselor. I get to invite others into a similar place and process. I am now a counselor and an advocate for self-discovery.

Breeze Potts, Bellingham, WA

If you are ready to take action and make changes, or to risk exploring the possibilities, I’m ready to help. The details: 1) We can arrange face to face meetings in the greater Puget Sound area (I live in Bellingham and meet monthly with people in the Seattle area), and 2) I can, and have, done Skype and/or phone meetings with people across the country and internationally. Let’s connect! https://jimschmotzer.com/contact

 

Best Books For Business

How JobShift Helped me Survive

In 1996 my family faced multiple—nearly overwhelming—crises that included me leaving a long-term stable job in a ministry setting. No big deal, just the loss of job, church, friends, and a deep-rooted support system.

One challenge involved helping family members make it through each new day. Another was the added pressure of an employment search. Oh, and because of the depth of our stress, I committed to not moving. I feared moving for work might become a final tipping point. I hoped that somehow holding place would provide a bit of hope that everything hadn’t been lost, a possible place to build from going forward.

Rare was the day I had energy and excitement about the search process.

Here is the link for the rest of my story:  http://www.thehighcalling.org/work/best-books-business-how-jobshift-helped-me-survive#.VCA1zytdU00

Life and Leadership implications of World Cup fever

I’m watching the game. You’re probably watching the game. I’m all in for USA. You probably are as well. Much has been written about the growth of soccer in America, how it is a youth movement and evidence of the globalization of the USA. I agree on both counts.

The growth in popularity of soccer can teach us that things are truly different. No longer will it be about juggling, tweaking or improving old American ways. It is now about doing new things in new ways. It is about substantive change. It is about transformation.

Through coaching, mentoring and organizational leadership consulting I can help you break old habits and grow into new ways of living, being and working. Contact me and we can start working together to get moving forward in new ways. Oh, and, Go USA!

Summer calls

While it is easy and common to think of summer as time off it can be dangerous. We all need down time, a break and time to re-charge. But we need to be careful to not miss opportunities. Summer can be a great time for reflection and refocusing. Summer can be a great time for new starts and directional shifts. Let’s connect and explore the possibility of this summer is as a time of opportunity. Currently I am scheduling June and July meetings (primarily in the Seattle /Bellingham area of anywhere via phone/skype).

 

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