No Thanks! I'll buy the book 10/03/2011
I was having a meeting earlier with a guy called Shaun who is developing groups which inspire the attendees's to reach for their dreams. The groups meet regularly and in the future he is expecting them to expand along with a vision of making more and more of a difference. Well of course this seemed a fantastic project. The groups were inspired through Shaun's work as an NLP Practitioner and Coach. An area where we both shared common interests. After all, I'm also rolling out weekend courses showing individuals how they can use extremely simple tools to create fast and effective change. When clients see Shaun it is very rare that they EVER require a second appointment. He can move pretty much any of his clients forward in just one session and has a double bind gaurantee which assures his clients that they will get the result they want with his coaching. Naturally I was impressed with Shaun's integrity. He was offering superb value to his clients and was making significant change in just one session! I thought this guy must have a diary of appointments as long as your arm. Turns out he hadn't? In fact he'd experienced similar feedback to myself. His clients would rather buy a book about the theory of Coaching/ NLP than commit to a session with an expert facilitator? A book that could take weeks/ months to read. Further time to digest and absorb. And further time still to incorporate into their lifestyle. And after that they probably still don't really know how to use it to make the changes they want. However they would rather do this than book a session with an expert and get instant value?? And this isn't a Coaching industry problem. This is something I regularly witness across a range of specialist industries. People struggling with their accounts when it is very cheap to hire an accountant? Instead they are online struggling through websites and reading self help guides about subjects they don't understand. Businesses struggling with Sales and Marketing activity doing the same thing researching their own strategies by typing their challenges into Google? And each time you try and show them a more beneficial route they take your business card with that glazed look in their eye and say, 'Yeah, I'll keep this incase I need it'. Then they rush out and buy the book? If I go quiet soon then it'll be because I'm start my new range of self-help books. Over 295 pages I'm going to suggest they invest in a specialist who knows the answer. And it'll be one hell of a best-seller I can see it now! Add Comment Everybody has that place that they go to where they can clear their head and see things the way they really are. For me it is when I head out and breathe in mountain air. Last weekend I completed the 3 Peak Challenge scaling Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon one after the other. And each time I hit the peak I breathed in that fresh mountain air and everything seemed different. Away from the hustle and bustle of 'life' everything seemed so simple. It's like when you ask a silly question and someone points out the obvious. And to be fair it makes sense. After all business people are constantly advised to step back from their operations every once in a while so they can see what is actually going on and have the space to plan the next move. Because you can't work 'on' your business while you're stuck 'in' your business. And exactly the same is true of life. With all the hustle and bustle and the white noise you often can't see the wood for the trees. Which is why I regularly take to the hills and the mountains because I know that is what I feed from and where I get my clarity. Some people I know find it when they stare out to sea. Others find it in busier places. Either way, it doesn't matter where it is. Just take time out and allow yourself the freedom to find the answers. It sounds crazy, but when I hike up and down a mountain it could take all day, all weekend, or even all week. Yet when I get to the bottom I'm not tired and weakened. I'm re-energised. And that is how I feel now. Pumped and ready for the next phase. So where do you go to draw your power from {!name}? And do you factor this in to your diary to keep you on track? Remember you can't work 'on' your goals while you are stuck 'in' the process of hitting your goals. We all need that time to step back and gain further clarity. In the meantime, who fancies the 3 Peaks next year? Why not join me? http://www.teamwarrior.co.uk/3-peak-challenge.html To you in Success Dean Warrior Tip #1 - Write Your Goals Down 01/18/2011
I've committed to sharing with you in 2011 how to become the perfect Warrior in 365 easy steps. With a simple daily tip I'll be sharing how to make 2011 your year, and build a platform for the future you desire. The simple truth is a very small percentage of people will take these tips on board. I urge you to give them your attention. Life is very simple but that doesn't mean it is easy. Same as my tips. They are extremely simple but incorporating them isn't easy. But they are worth it. Warrior Tip #1 - Write your goals down and read them daily. Having them in your head is not enough, get them down on paper. It doesn't matter what the goal is there are numerous studies confirming that writing your goals down increases your chances of success. I could write an entire book on why this is true and how it works but you know what? I wouldn't sign up for that class. The research has been done for you and all you have to do is write your goals down for the year and look over them daily. Simples! I'll tell you tomorrow what Warrior Tip #2 is so stay tuned. In the meantime please forward this tip to someone who is ambitious and is planning to make this their biggest year ever. Yours all the way to the top in 2011 Keep up the Intensity! Dean Warrior Bootcamp 2010 08/09/2010
As we get back home from this years Bootcamp and start to unpack our kit it is a good time to recount the experiences we had and the lessons learned. As always there were some strong themes that kept arising and they were very relevant to everyday life, even when you’re not in the middle of nowhere trying to get up a steep incline. There a few blogs coming this week to share the stories, the experiences and the lessons learned. Here is the first instalment. Teamwork/ Communication Straight from the off it was evident how fast situations can get complicated simply through a lack of teamwork and communication. As we travelled down we went in two car loads with the brief that we would stay together and go at a steady rate. However, the excitement over the weekend ahead lead to some over enthusiasm and one car started to pull away during the journey along the M4. Before long the two cars were out of sight of each other. Theoretically this was not a problem as all parties were briefed on where they were going so as long as they followed the plan everything would fall into place. But as we know from life, it doesn’t always work according to a plan does it? Sure enough by the time we got across the bridge into Wales we had learned that the M4 was closed from junction 24 onwards. The plan was to drive to junction 32 so this clearly through the prepared tactics off track. First thing to do was make a quick call to the other car. No answer. No doubt a combination of driving and listening to some tunes along the journey meant they didn’t notice their phone going. And in the space of a couple of hours the smooth plan had turned into a situation where the team was split up, out of communication and having to tackle a change of plan with no knowledge of have the other party were approaching the challenge. Well, we had to stick with the plan that we had originally set. After all the destination was the same it was just the route that had to be adjusted to account for unforeseen circumstances. Out came the AA road map and after some quick adjustments we were on track driving up the A449 to meet with the A40 and travel into Brecon without any real problems. We’d see the other car there. As we closed in on the campsite that we always go to every year it seemed to be a great deal busier than usual. Essentially the campsite is a sheep farm and the farmers are happy for hikers to camp out in their fields for a relatively small amount of money which always suited us very well. However as we closed in it appeared that the campsite had been organised into some form of an event with stewards/ marshals, a music tent and a beer tent? None of us had ever seen this before? Well it turned out we had arrived on the same weekend of the Jazz Festival which sees people from all over Wales flock to Brecon for what appeared to mainly be a heavy weekend of boozing. From the untrained eye it looked the camping area of V Festival which was a long way off what we were used to finding when we got there. And as you can imagine with such organisation the deal we were used to having with the farmer was drastically different to today’s prices which were quoted to us at £30 a night? So naturally we explained our situation and that we weren’t going to be attending the festival and enquired about where to camp without all the facilities. As they recognised us from our annual trip a deal was made. However, we were unable to speak for the other car load? In fact as they had raced ahead they were probably already there and the Brecons being the Brecons there wasn’t really a great deal of phone signal to establish contact. So after 2 incidences which affected the previously concrete plans, we were now driving amongst dozens and dozens of tents trying to locate the rest of our team. We couldn’t find their tents/ car anywhere? After a couple of laps of the area we simply decided to head for the quietest area we could find and start pitching the tent. After all it was pitch black at night what else could we do? Sure enough within about 15-20 minutes there must have been just enough signal for them to phone us. And we had a couple on the phone the other end explaining that they had just got here and did we know that a Jazz Festival was on? As it had turned out, despite racing ahead on the M4 they had managed to get the navigation wrong once they were faced with an obstruction. They couldn’t understand how it had happened as they were using a sat nav, and pointed out the kit took them the long way around. And there was the first lesson of the weekend and we hadn’t even pitched our tent. In fact there were two good lessons. Lesson One When working as a team, stay as a team with good communication and a clear plan that everyone understands. Naturally unforeseen circumstances can mean that plans have to be adjusted so having the team in close communication these changes can be made without any party being out of the loop. On our trip we had all had to make decisions as individuals and it led to one group making inefficient choices because they were isolated in unfamiliar terrain. Lesson Two Don’t assume technology will save you if you don’t know the basics. A big part of our Bootcamp weekends is navigation and one thing we talk about is the use of maps against GPS. Which is very similar to using the AA road map against Sat Nav. Now both groups had Sat Nav technology in the cars, however one car went straight for the technology and the other car checked the road map first, and never needed the aid of technology. After all, the technology only helps if you already understand the basics and you should not be hiking according to GPS if you don’t know how to read a map with a compass. Same for car journeys though admittedly many rely on technology now the Sat Nav is available. The question is where else do we rely on technology where we don’t have the basic knowledge to verify if it is taking us in the right direction? Next we’ll talk about the next lesson which true to form with Warrior Bootcamp is never very far away. R is for Resilience 08/02/2010
Already it is August and many of us are starting to reflect on how we stand with the goals that we set ourselves back in January. Are you on track? In this blog I’m continuing with the acrostic word to help explain exactly what Warrior Coaching is all about, as a recent survey highlighted that over 50% of people don’t really know what a Mindset Coach can do for an individual. So far we have already covered 3 of the letters which include: W is for Winning Mentality A is for Attitude R is for Responsibility I you missed any of these then you can find them on the website here: http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/blog.html Today I want to talk about another R which stands for Resilience. This weekend I am hosting a Bootcamp in the Brecons where I help people understand how to work with their bodies and get the most from themselves. And a huge part of the lesson over this weekend is how to be more Resilient. After all life sure does knock you down when you’re least expecting it and it is not a sign of weakness when it happens because sure enough everyone will experience being hit for 6 at some point in their lives. Now the Bootcamp although we use the terrain and physical activity to prove the point, doesn’t really have anything to do with either, it’s all about developing the mindset and attitude to go the extra mile when you need to. For quite often we are stood shoulder to shoulder with the path that our dreams are on and all we need is a bit more resilience to weather the storm and we’ll make it. When the military are assessing new recruits they have less interest in how fit the recruit is (within reason of course) and more interest in what his/ her attitude is under pressure. After all, everyone has that point when their body starts to fail on them and it is how they react at this point which determines their value within a team. The Warrior that shows Resilience and is able to weather the storm when everyone around them is running for cover is the one that will succeed when others quit. Not because they are better than everyone else but because they have the belief and confidence in themselves that they can always move forwards. One of my favourite speeches which epitomises this was when Rocky had a chat with his son in the film Rocky Balboa. Now I don’t know if you’re a Rocky fan but here is the youtube clip for you to take a peek at if you’re interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uASVzkrEKgs The tools in Warrior Coaching take people on a journey to understand what really motivates them and develops the mindset that keeps them on track no matter what the terrain is outside. Of course, part of the skills developed is how to navigate the terrain to find the most appropriate route, however even when you are an expert navigator there will always be a few parts of the journey that aren’t quite as luxurious as you’d like. That’s ok, just keep moving forwards. Remember to book in for your Free 1-2-1 if you haven’t already so we can help you accelerate forwards and set yourself up early for an awesome 2011. Looking forward to hearing form you. Till the next time Keep up the Intensity! Dean R is for Responsibility 07/26/2010
Here we are at the start of a new week already and I’m continuing the series detailing what ‘Warrior Coaching’ is and what it stands for through an acrostic word. Already we have covered W which stands for Winning Mentality: http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/1/post/2010/07/w-is-for-winning-mentality.html And A which was all about Attitude http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/1/post/2010/07/a-is-for-attitude.html Today we talk about the first R which is all about Responsibility. Responsibility is all about taking full control of your situation. Responsibility is what binds you to the course of action that you need to undertake to succeed in your goals. And nothing and no one is responsible for your success more than you are. Now one thing you will learn about Warrior Coaching is that it is never about re-inventing the wheel. It is only about getting clients from A to B in the most effective and efficient process. However, no amount of advice, input and information can help the individual who refuses to accept full responsibility for their situation. This is not a new concept and the reason I insist on continuing to bring it up is because across the board many people refuse to pay attention to it. We appear to live in a society where we’re all thirsty for knowledge, the new killer piece of information, the shortcuts and the holy grail of expert advice. And in truth people have never known as much as they do now. However, many people are not living that knowledge or applying it which is why we must all take full responsibility for that right away. The ones that do stand up and accept responsibility are the only ones that allow themselves to grow to their full potential. All aspects of your life that you don’t particularly like are there because of choices and actions that were your responsibility. And by the same token, all aspects of your life that you truly cherish and love are there because of choices and actions that were your responsibility. That’s the great thing about life. You get to claim all of the credit for everything you achieve, as well as all the credit for what you don’t. So be responsible for your results and accept that they are in your hands. This concept although simple in principal can be a challenge for some clients to fully take on board. Warrior Coaching simply works in partnership with them and develops within them the skills, belief and courage to face that responsibility and take charge of their destiny. After all we are all masters of our own destiny, and the captains of our soul. Be Responsible for your success today. And if you have any questions at all about aspects of your life you would like to have more control over or questions about how you can be more responsible then email me right away. Even better, if we haven’t spoken yet then remember to book your free 1-2-1 and I’ll get you started with some tools you can use immediately. Keep up the Intensity Dean A is for Attitude 07/19/2010
Recently I’ve started a series of blogs which breaks down what Warrior Coaching is all about. The blogs aims to share exactly how it helps individuals and teams break through barriers standing in their path and to do that I broke Warrior down into an acrostic word so we could explore it further. You may have noticed last week that I started with W which stood for Winning Mentality. If you missed it you can check out the blog here: http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/1/post/2010/07/w-is-for-winning-mentality.html Well A stands for the most important aspect of any individuals success. A stands for Attitude. It is why the home page of my website contains this quote at the bottom from from Thomas Jefferson. Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. This is not new information to us, we hear it all the time. However how many of us actually commit to investing in our attitude? How many of us spend hours forging an attitude that has the strength to empower us to the level that we aspire to? The sad truth is not very many. We live in the information age where knowledge is deemed as power though that is not the case. It is the application of knowledge which is power and only those with the right attitude are out there taking the appropriate action when it is necessary to do so. And it is action which drives you forward which is why the Middle East claim that when you start moving, God shows willing. They believe God gives them further power the moment they start acting on their goals and dreams. Though they are also totally aware that to proceed action they need the right attitude as without it too many of us procrastinate. My first ever day in Sales I was told that selling was 99% Attitude and 1% Ability. I would say this was true of many areas and I have observed the proof many times. How many of you would like to be fitter and know what you have to do, but don’t? How many of you know what activity you need to do to get that next sales lead, but don’t? How many of you know exactly what your dreams are, but are waiting for the right time to act? Well tomorrow never comes. Start developing your attitude today and use time more wisely. And yes, Attitude is not as simple as positive thinking. It is partly about positive thinking but it is so much more than that. For instance if you are up to your waist in crap and you have a positive attitude then it means your up to your waist in crap and happy about it. It hasn’t done anything to deal with the problem. Many of us use PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) as a tool to try and mask the pain and hide the fact we’re unhappy. This is not strength of attitude and will not help you succeed. It just makes your boss happier to hire you because you complain less. Start focusing on your attitude today as it is the single one thing that stops 99% of people achieving their goals. Knowledge and information is worthless without the right attitude. Next blog I’ll tell you what the first R stands for. Keep up the Intensity Dean Show me the Money! – Beyond Coincidence 07/15/2010
Sometimes things happen and they are just beyond coincidence. These occurrences happen all the time though they often slip under the radar and just take on the cloak of everyday life and pure chance. Today I know I was given a sign that I’ve been asking for to confirm the road I’m on is heading the right way. And I heard it loud and clear! Earlier in the week I was working with an 18 year old who has been taken care of by Social Services as a child. Now he has turned the corner into adulthood he has the added responsibility of taking care of himself and sourcing his own income/ benefits. In the past he has been involved in crime and has never worried about where the next pound is coming from. However as with all people in his situation the law finally caught up with him and treated him to a forced vacation at Her Majesty’s Pleasure. Now to his credit he is giving going straight a fair crack and exploring a new way of living. But it isn’t easy. After all, he knows how to make a grand in a heartbeat yet here he is filling in forms, being talked down to by the jobsworth in the job centre (yes, it’s awful how they talk to these young adults!), jumping through hoops and waiting weeks and weeks to find out if he can get JSA while he hunts for more meaningful work. Well I say meaningful, it means working 40 hours a week for a month to claim less money than he is used to getting hold of in a couple of hours. No wonder he thinks the system is laughing at him when he is doing all that he can to tow the line. So he turns round to me and says….. ‘Show me the Money!!’ Money talks in their world and they are being deprived of it. Imagine how hard my job is keeping them motivated to take the lawful route? Like convincing a 5 year old they really don’t need sweets anymore. Yes, try that one sometime and see how far you get. But don’t worry if the Warrior Coach can’t do the job then no one can so it’s a good job I’m on it. Ever since that episode with the child I’ve had the Jerry Maguire film spinning around and around in my head. ‘Show me the Money!!’ I haven’t seen that film in ages but all of a sudden I was impulsed to watch it. And I had no idea why? This morning I attended a 4N Networking breakfast in Bushey, Watford and I listened to a guy with a strong aura talk about his Buddhist faith. He shared some wisdom and also shared a prayer which I wasn’t expecting and had certainly never experienced before. He then informed us all that the prayer and the ‘chang’ would help us access our subconscious. Well I don’t know if it did that but I knew I had to connect with this guy and arrange an opportunity to chat one to one. As it was clear his spiritual journey overlapped with some of my ‘Warrior Coaching’ philosophies about how to live a full life. Was this coincidence or irrelevant to the story? Who knows? Lunchtime today I visited town with my fiancé Sara and the young girl she is a Nanny for. It entered my head that I should look for a copy of the film but we were heading away from the DVD shops and back to the car. Sara asked me if I wanted to turn back and I declined. I only wanted to look on the off chance and even then I did not want to pay more than £4 so it wasn’t worth a special change of direction to hunt for a copy. After all, I still had no idea why I needed to watch it? We made it back to the car park in St Albans and were just fishing for change for the parking ticket when Sara noticed there was a Wilkinson next to the parking ticket payment machine. Suddenly realising she needed some make-up she dragged us in to the bargain shop. I have to admit make-up isn’t my scene so I decided to head to the Stationary section as I needed some supplies myself and being an opportunist in a good value shop I thought now was as good a time as any to get some bits. Now you’re probably wondering where this thread is heading aren’t you? Yes, I know I’ll get to the point. Well lo and behold as I turned down the aisle containing paper and pens I found a tiny stand with a few CD’s and DVD’s on it. A minimal collection of drop bottom priced items. I don’t know how I knew, but I just did. I knew with certainty that the film ‘Jerry Maguire’ was on that rack and I also knew it was less than £4. (It actually turned out to be £3.97!). And I also know with certainty that I am supposed to watch this film for an important reason though as I write this I haven’t even removed the cellophane yet. How freaky is that?! So what is the lesson and why was I guided to this film through a course of events that could easily be dismissed as coincidental? And why when it did happen did I instantly receive the knowledge that it was absolutely NO coincidence and I knew it was for a reason?? Heck, my Ecademy status even said this morning that I had a strange urge to watch the film and I had no reason why? That was hours before this course of events guided me straight to a copy? Well like I say, I still don’t know what the lesson is yet but you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be sticking the flick on tonight and enjoying finding out. Maybe it will confirm that fighting with your heart and retaining integrity does pay in the finish? Even if in the short term it is one hell of a bumpy ride? Or maybe I just need to reconnect with my ‘Quan’? We’ll see. Either way I know one thing with certainty. I’ve been handed a sign and I’ve registered it. And as crazy as it sounds it has given me a huge lift and re-affirmed many things to me which I am grateful for. What a wonderful gift. W is for Winning Mentality 07/10/2010
As the summer finally emerges it we all start thinking about making the most of those sunny days and making sure we are all in shape. And with the amount of sports events that are on the TV inspiring us at the moment, it is no wonder that more of us are heading outside to enjoy the weather. Which is great to see. In this newsletter I wanted to begin writing about what Warrior Coaching means to me as I’m often asked what it is. I guess when you know the answer sometimes you forget that it isn’t obvious to everyone so I’m going to begin here by breaking down the different aspects of Warrior Coaching by turning Warrior into an acrostic word. Today I will focus on the ‘W’ which stands for Winning Mentality. It sounds obvious but in order to be successful we must be able to develop a Winning Mentality. And it is surprising how many people find this very hard to get an understanding of. Now a Winning Mentality is important to succeed in many areas of our lives from Business to Personal and from Academic to Athletic. The Winning Mentality is about knowing how to state an objective as an intention and align your mindset to achieving that path. Ultimately we are judged on what we do and Warrior Coaching is all about generating positive action. However it starts in the mind. Our actions are a product of our beliefs and if the Winning Mentality is missing then the action required normally falls short. Doubt causes hesitation and to stall is lost opportunity. With the Winning Mentality we can shift any wasted energy from doubt and fear into positive action which accelerates us towards our goals. Warrior Coaching places a very high value on developing the Winning Mentality in individuals and providing them with the skills to manage this mentality. After all to believe in yourself costs nothing but not to believe in you costs everything! And the good news is it really isn’t that hard to develop once you become aware of some really basic principles. But more on that another time. In the next newsletter I’ll tell you what the ‘A’ stands for. Keep up the Intensity Dean Watching England play against Germany yesterday got me thinking all about Team Building. The England side clearly were not operating as a team, lacked understanding between them and were unclear about their roles. Hard to believe I know when you consider that the management team has had them for over a month to work with? So here is a few short tips of how to Build Teams
‘They say motivation doesn’t last, well neither does bathing that’s why we recommend it daily’ Managing motivation levels has to be part of the initial plan and not something that gets thrown together later to resolve a crisis.
So there you go 5 quick tips! Enjoy | Dean Grimshawe
The Warrior Coach writes in response to demand. What do you want to know? Be sure to get in contact with your challenges. I look forward to hearing from YOU! ArchivesOctober 2011 CategoriesAll |
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