Is Your Life In Motion?

Ever since the Internet bubble and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I've seen many people; including friends and family lose their jobs and/or personal fortunes overnight. The struggling economy has been merciless on the job market. It has affected every industry at every level, from line operators in manufacturing plants to upper management of Fortune 500's. I was confident back then, that if I were thrown into such a situation I would be prepared. Late in 2001, I experienced my own version of downsizing, when I sold my delivery and logistics business. What I actually did, was sell myself out of a job. After the sale was completed, I was suddenly questioning what to do with my life. The sale provided tremendous advantages, allowing me the financial flexibility and time to actually put some real thought behind this decision. I was convinced that within 3-6 months of the sale, I would be happily and successfully on my professional way. I've always thought of myself as an active participant in my own life, never sitting on the sidelines waiting for an opportunity to seek me out. I have to admit, it was one of the most difficult times, requiring enormous soul searching and reflection. And just think, I asked for this and knew it was coming. During my first year of "planned unemployed", I tried day trading, business consulting, writing a screenplay, producing a film, graduate school and a variety of new hobbies. All of these career options were well thought out. I was just waiting to see which one would stick. Well, guess what? None of them provided enough enthusiasm to further pursue. This is when the panic really set in. I was back at the drawing board, thinking of new business ideas and developing extensive lists of pros and cons for each. Over the next few months, I drove my wife, family, friends and myself crazy with dozens of career/business ideas.

In the end, I was no closer to making a decision. I now knew firsthand what everyone else was going through and I was doing exactly the same, just spinning my wheels. The words came screaming through in a song I heard by Colin Hay, titled "Waiting for my real life to begin." I was sitting at my desk looking at one of my newest career lists, music playing in the background. A verse kept repeating that described how I was feeling at that very moment, "Don't you understand, I already have a plan, I'm waiting for my real life to begin."

I realized then that I wasn't being productive but instead I was confusing it with being busy, two completely different things. What was lacking in my life was accountability. When you are put in a situation where all the decisions are yours, it's very easy to change your mind. Who's going to call you on it? You can rationalize to the end of the earth why you did or didn't do something. Thankfully, at the time I was career hunting, the bookstores were flooded with new titles dealing with exactly this issue.

I came across a book by Po Bronson, titled " What Should I do With My Life." Although reading the book didn't provide me an immediate solution, it did point me to a website with other people in my situation. I belonged again! During a discussion group, someone mentioned the success they had while working with a life coach. Immediately, I thought not for me. As I learned more about what coaching was, I thought it might be the push I needed to address my accountability problems.

After many failed attempts, I finally got enough courage to call thecoach. The first couple of sessions were "feelers". General questions andthe exchange of background information. Over the next few months we workedon my agenda, finding a new career. Each week I returned, I knew my coachwould be there to see if I stuck to the plan. I had a partner, someone Icould trust, exchange ideas with and someone just as interested as me atfinding an answer. The energy from our meetings carried me from week toweek. Towards the end of a year, I starting doubting I would figure thecareer thing out. We worked through dozens of potential scenarios togetherbut in the end they would come up "no". I began realizing that I wastalking more about my coaching experiences than about anything else.

I felt obligated to tell everyone I knew and even some people I didn't about how powerful the process was. I was finding things out about myself that I never took the time to think about. Then it came to me. Life coaching had all the things I was looking for in a career. Just think, two years ago I didn't know what a professional life coach was and now I wanted to be one. I'm happy to say I've spent the last year building my coaching practice.

My goal is to go out every day and touch at least one person through the powers of coaching. I have no regrets not finding coaching sooner. I believe we find things when we're ready, when our eyes and ears are open to seeing and listening. Life is so much more rewarding when we're not sitting around waiting for it.

For me it was life coaching that gave me the clarity and courage to take the next step. It doesn't matter who or what makes it possible for us to move forward as long as it's progress. My philosophy can be summed up in a quote I carry, "Time goes by and then it's gone, so in the end the only thing that counts is how we used it." I'm wishing everyone the courage to truly find his or her life calling, whatever that may be.

Anthony Grillo is a professional life coach and founder of Life In Motion Coaching located in New York City. He specializes in collaborating with passionate individuals to help them discover life's pathway.

If you have questions or comments please email agrillo@lifeinmotiononline.com or call 212.604.9008

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Coaching Information:

Related Articles

Choosing The Perfect Coach
So, you're ready to start coaching. You either have some issues that you think a coach can help you overcome, or you just think it's time for a quality of life tune-up.
Tempering Temper
I'm almost always a calm and collected person. Or at least I think I am.
5 Minute Morning Balance Ritual
"3 Questions, 5 Minutes a Day: Make leaps towards greater balance in one single week with the Shicka Boom 5 Minute Morning Balance Ritual"By Laura Lallone, Certified Life CoachThis article is dedicated to a woman that I've never met and probably never will. Tall with dark, dark hair, she was perfectly manicured in a tailored suit with high-heeled pumps.
Can You Say No?
As a manager you are constantly being asked to do things - by your boss, by one of your fellow managers, by the head of another department, by one of your staff.Your working life is a constant bombardment of requests coming from all quarters.
Every Obstacle Always Presents an Opportunity
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.
The Rewards and Risks Of Personal Freedom
We all need to decide whether to "play it safe" in life and worry about the downside, or instead take a chance, by being who we really are and living the life our heart desires. Which choice are you making?One of the first things I noticed about my newly purchased parrot, was that he couldn't fly.
What The Buddha Says About Coaches
There is a Buddhist saying that goes like this: "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill it." This means to kill any concept of the Buddha as something apart from oneself.
A Small Piece Of Carpet
Have you ever noticed how the way you feel about yourself sometimes depends on whether or not you get confirmation of your value from others? When you enter into challenging situations with a positive self identity you will discover that you are living your life with a greater sense of enjoyment and fulfillment.I have learned a lot about nurturing a positive identity of love and appreciation from the man who taught me to train dogs.
It's All To Do With The Way You Wake Up
Do you start your day with anger, frustration and annoyance at the alarm and the need to get up? Do you wake up hoping the day will go away and you can get back to sleep? Have you lost the fun? The confidence to have a go at things. Are you struggling along? Are you just going through the rituals of life? Are you just doing enough at work? Doing what is necessary because you think you 'ought, should, must do this for the sake of others? Do you feel all washed up and no one is interested in you? Do you feel devoid of vibrancy, and sense of purpose, an aimless victim buffeted by the winds of change? It's all to do with the way you wake up.
Top Ten Tips for Living Authentically
1. Know your purposeAre you wandering through life with little direction - hoping that you'll find happiness, health and prosperity? Identify your life purpose or mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to your truth north every time.
4 Amazing Tips To Successfully Persuade Anyone
Having excellent persuasion skills is one of the most important abilities to possess in today's fast-paced world. We need thesupport and cooperation of other people to help us in reachingour goals.
Get Coached!
Coaching is a hot trend at a growing number of companies, from IBM and Dow Chemical to entrepreneurial start ups. According to a recent survey by The Hay Group, an international human resources consultancy, between 25 percent and 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies use executive coaches.
Are You Controlling or Loving Yourself?
How often do you hear a parental voice in your head that says things like, "You've got to lose weight," or "You should get up earlier every morning and exercise," or "Today I should get caught up on the bills," or "I've got to get rid of this clutter." Let's explore what happens in response to this voice.
Two Pillows and One Dead Husband
That's what I needed when I delved deeply into my first acting class. I was 60 years old and had a lifetime of experiences behind me but anger or rather the act of reacting to it was not in my skill set.
Living In The Now
I hope you are sitting down as you read this! You cannot begin to work on this kind of subject without addressing the subject of time itself - and when was the last time you did that?There are three basic areas or modules of time that are most commonly referred to:1)The Past2)The Present3)The FutureWhat I would like to do is have you work out where the "present" is though. In the time it has taken you to read just those last few words, that space in time that we might refer to as the present has gone.
Top Ten Reasons to Hire a Personal Coach
Have you considered hiring a personal coach? Jack Canfield, in The Success Principles says hiring a "personal coach is one of the best-kept secrets of the successful."1.
Change the Words and Change the World
Excerpt From The Relationship Handbook: How to Understand and Improve Every Relationship in Your Life by Kevin B. BurkIf we want to change our lives in any way, all we need to do is to change our words, thoughts and beliefs.
4 Steps to Successful Goal-Setting
Successful people have always had clear, focused goals that guide them to greatness.It took Thomas Edison thousands of attempts and thousands of failures over many years to invent the electric light bulb, but he new exactly what he wanted, and his goal kept him going until he achieved it The rest, as they say, is history.
Helping Relationships: Understanding the Helpee
One of the most distressing observations I have made among my social work colleagues, is the overwhelming proclivity on the part of many of us so-called helpers, to lack understanding and sensitivity to the position helpees are in when they agree to accept intervention.Many of us take "professionalism" out of context and become more of a burden to families than a helping resource.
Use a Journal for Self-Discovery and Self-Expression
As a therapist, I often suggest to clients that they explore their feelings and thoughts by keeping a journal. Sometimes clients ask for a bit of direction with this process.