Articles

The word "coach" has had many different applications since the 16th century, but most uses shared a common theme: transportation.

Dating back to 1556, the Oxford English Dictionary states that a coach was "a wheeled vehicle designed for carrying passengers..." i.e., a carriage. Subsequent uses of "coach" referred to a cabin near the stern of a ship, a railway passenger carriage, a bus, and a commercial aircraft.

I believe this is the perfect picture of the role of a coach! 

Your coach should help you go where you want to go.

How does a good coach help you reach your desired destination?

A good coach will:

• Ask lots of questions in order to understand your desired destination 

• Help you identify roadblocks that could hinder your progress

• Assist you in prioritizing your ideas, plans, and actions

• Partner with you in mapping out your own action plan 

When you hire a coach, you are choosing a partner who will walk with you toward your next destination.

If you are interested in hiring your own coach, email me at info@jamesbakerconsulting.com.

Our Western culture promotes constriction. 

"How is that possible?" you ask. "Aren't we living in the most productive, wealthy, collaborative period in history?"

While that appears true on the surface, our very souls are paying the price for this "success."

Our societal addiction to results, peak performance, and self-optimization has convinced us that stress is the way to achieve our highest potential. Our general obsession with continuous improvement and relentless productivity has mandated that everything, everyone, and every moment be purpose-driven and laser-focused.

We exist in a state of extreme constriction, resulting in pandemic-level burn out. 

For example,

• We believe that life is a continuous stream of competitive opportunities where winning is the only option  

• We believe that life prefers those who self-optimize, eliminate weakness, and thrive in high-stress environments

• We believe in the growth mindset, but this growth must happen at light speed

The Expanded Mindset

If that is a picture of constriction, what does expansion look like?

Here's a picture of expansion in the form of an affirmation:

I am enough. 

• I am blessed with unique earned experiences, strengths, and perspectives

• I am engaged in life's infinite game of altruistic support and contribution to others

• I am optimistic in my view of problems and challenges

• I am courageously embracing incremental growth in the here-and-now

What is your personal level of expansion?