Randy Pausch died today.  If you don’t know who he was please watch this video:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1488655258

This man was an authentic inspiration and reminded us all to not waste one second or take anything for granted.  The way he lived his life will inspire you and his words will remind you to focus on what you value most!

Randy “accidentally” became famous after his final lecture found its way on the internet.  In the months to follow this lecture he has appeared on Oprah and many other programs and has inspired millions to live life more fully!

Below is a link to watch his final lecture (its about one hour) on his website:

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/

He was the real deal and I know he will inspire you too!

This weekend’s certification class had, as always, some amazing people from a variety of backgrounds.  We’ve had quite a few lawyers lately getting certified as a Life Coach to add more “soft skills” to their bag of tools!  In our most recent class testimonial you’ll hear  lawyer Rita Hartmann share how our training can have a positive impact on a number of potential “legal” situations!

The Life Coaching and Executive Coaching business is booming!  Currently more than 52% of North American companies are working with coaches!  The primary reason companies chose to work with coaches is to increase productivity.  The primary reason why companies may chose one coach over another is the “life experience” of the coach.  Where they went to school, who certified them, and all the other “important” information was down the list. 

Coaching is becoming big business.  Even Ivy League schools are getting on the band wagon, offering certification programs.  Columbia is currently offering a 6 day certification program.  Just google the word “coach training” and you’ll be up for hours going through all the different programs from a variety of companies and organizations.  You’ll find 2 day courses to 2 year courses.  What’s the difference between one and the next?  What is considered “good” information?

Well, let’s first talk about what coaching is.  Coaching is, in a nutshell, PERSPECTIVE.  Coaching is about helping an individual or organization see a way to achieve a goal, remove a roadblock to achieving a goal, or a combination of the two.  Obviously, there are a number of additional skills, tools, and resources that can be used to help coaches succeed at this process, but that’s basically what coaching is about!

How long should a coaching course be?  Well, how long does it take to develop PERSPECTIVE?  The only person who should answer this question is you…the potential coach!  Do you drive?  If you live in North America, I’m sure you, at the very least, have spent some time in a car.  And, you may have had the experience of driving a particular route, on your way to work, to a friend’s house, or to the grocery store.  And on this familiar route, that you’ve been on a “bazillion” times, one day you notice something that you haven’t seen before!  Maybe it was a statue, or a building or a big tall oak tree that’s been there for a 100 years!  Bingo!  That’s what perspective is!  It’s seeing something that may have been there all along, and that’s what coaching is all about!

You can do this in 2 days.  Our course is 2 days.  After the 2 days is finished you’re certified and we throw in our 1 year continuing education (on-line/recordings) program for free!  You don’t need to take our course!  You can take 2 months, 6 months or 12 months.  Or you can skip the fluff and go the facts!  It’s not rocket science and those who would tell you it is only have something to gain, otherwise they would tell you,”It’s not rocket science,” you can do this in 2 days! 

Where does the time go?  How many times have you heard this popular saying?  We, at the Certified Coaches Federation, have been saying it quite a bit these days as we attract more and more leaders who share our philosophy and add more and more cities and countries to our growing list of locations!  We are very proud of our CCF Europe President, Isabel Ferreria, who recently certified 26 new coaches in Lisbon, Portugal!  Isabel, like many of our coaches, first decided to fly to one of our events in North America to investigate our programs.  Because Isabel has been coaching and training for more than 20 years she knew what quality training was and she was quite excited to learn how powerful our course was.  Isabel was so excited that she decided to come back for our Master Coach certification program and has since become the President of CCF, Europe!

One of the things that sets our organization apart is the quality of our instructors.  Isabel Ferriera, for example, is the author of 4 highly acclaimed books and is widely known throughout Europe as a very gifted speaker and trainer.  All our instructors are highly qualified and go through more than 200 hours of training before they conduct their first CCF class.  After they become trained as Master Coaches they must “shadow” (watch a more experienced trainer) for an additional time period before they are permitted to conduct their own classes.  In addition to our amazing mentoring program, all our Master Coaches actually have a coach, which means they really do “eat they’re own cooking,” and “walk their talk.”

If you’re considering becoming a certified life coach or executive coach you just learned a few reasons why you might want to consider taking our course.  The biggest reason to take our course is the content!  Our program changes lives and teaches people how to live life to the fullest.  The main focus of our teaching is how to develop a perspective that sees through limitation and becomes aware of an unlimited sense of “what if!”  I’m only just getting started describing the 2 day course.  You’re not finished in 2 days.  Once you’re certified as a CCF Coach you’ll be registered into our continuing education program for 1 full year…at no additional cost to you!  Each month you’ll receive 2 recorded lessons on a variety of coaching themes to help you continue to learn and grow while you’re earning and expanding!

We just added quite a few new dates and locations.  In early 2009 we’ll be opening new locations in London, Paris and Australia!  Thanks to all of you who have taken our course and thanks to all of you who have sent us your letters and video feedback!

In the last month we’ve certified new Life Coaches and Executive Coaches from New York to California as well as Europe.  In the next few months we’ll have new Master Coaches offering our popular certification programs in Chicago, Denver, Manhattan, St. Paul, Calgary and Portugal! It’s so exciting to hear such positive feedback from our course participants! 

We’ve just posted a new video last night on our homepage.  Just look how excited these new graduates are after taking our course! Our graduates come from all walks of life. Psychologists, social workers, weight loss consultants, fitness consultants, financial planners, authors, career consultants and many other “advisory” type of professionals tell us that our programs and tools have empowered them to really make a difference with their clients! 

Many of our graduates like our program so much that they join our team as a Master Coach.  The attraction is quite appealing because we only accept a limited number of Master Coaches in any one region or territory and our profit sharing program has been called the best in the industry!  Derrick Sweet, our Founder, has been busy training new Master Coaches to keep up with demand. 

We have three Master Coach training courses coming up in the next two months:
2 in Ontario and 1 in California! 

You must have completed our 2 day Certified Coach Practitioner course prior to taking our 3 day Master Coach Training. 
If you would like to discuss the possibility of joining CCF please contact Derrick Sweet at 866-455-2155.

There are times when we allow ourselves to wallow in self-pity, doubt and fear. It’s a marvelous day when we realize that we are in control of our thoughts and feelings. We can actually choose to feel things! Here are some things that really feel good to me. If you’d like to share things that make you feel good, please register for our blog and post a comment!

As you think about these “feel good” thoughts one at a time , notice how great you begin to feel! As you spend time with each thought, you now realize that you can use these thoughts at any time to shift your mood! What a wonderful feeling!

1. Falling in Love
2. Laughing so much your face hurts
3. A hot, steamy shower
4. Being at the right place, at the right time
5. Being on the receiving end of that “special glance”
6. Receiving good news from a friend or loved one
7. Driving on a beautiful tree-lined road, or along side the ocean
8. Deep breathing as you enjoy an amazing view
9. Hearing your favorite song on the radio
10. Snuggling in bed as you listen to the rain outside
11. Wrapping in a hot towel after a bath
12. Creamy ice cream smothered in hot fudge
13. Relaxing in a deliciously fragrant bubble bath
14. Getting the giggles for no reason at all
15. Contributing to a great conversation
16. Walking on the beach barefoot
17. Finding money in a jacket you hung in the closet last winter
18. Feeling unconditionally loved
19. A midnight phone call with a new friend that lasts for hours
20. Running through the sprinklers on a hot, sunny day
21. Hearing someone tell you: “You’re beautiful, inside and out!”
22. Sleeping until you’re completely rested and raring to go
23. A first kiss
24. Spending quality time with friends
25. Making new friends
26. Puppy kisses, kittens purring
27. Getting a massage with essential oils filling the room
28. Getting your hair gently combed or brushed
29. Waking up to the memory of an amazing dream
30. Hot chocolate on a snowy day
31. Road trips with best friends
32. Swinging as high as your swing can go
33. Making eye contact with an attractive stranger
34. The smell of baking chocolate chip cookies
35. Eating chocolate chip cookies while they are still warm from the oven
36. Being present with someone you care about
37. Running into an old friend and talking like it was just yesterday that you last saw each other
38. Knowing you’ve made someone’s day by giving a little extra
39. Watching the sunrise
40. Feeling grateful for another day to make a difference in the world
41. Being hugged by loved ones
42. Doing the right thing
43. Knowing you stepped up to the plate when you were called

A Sioux Indian Story

My grandfather took me out to a fish pond when I was about seven,
And he told me to throw a stone into the water.
He told me to watch the circles created by the stone.
Then he asked me to think of myself as that stone.

He said, “You may create lots of splashes in your life but the waves
That come from those splashes will disturb the peace of all your fellow creatures.”
“Remember that you are responsible for what you put in your circle,
And that circle will also touch many other circles.

You will need to live in a way that allows the good that comes from
Your circle to send the peace of that goodness to others.
The splash that comes from anger or jealousy or greed
Will send those feelings to other circles.

You are responsible for both.

That was the first time I realized each person
Creates the inner peace or discord that flows out into the world.
We cannot create world peace
If we are riddled with inner conflict, hatred, doubt, or anger.

We radiate the feelings and thoughts that we hold inside,
Whether we speak them or not.
Whatever is splashing around inside of us is spilling out into the world,
Creating beauty or discord with all other circles of life.

2008 is fast approaching - only 46 days away!

What will you be doing? Will you be making New Year’s Resolutions
again this year? Will you wait until December 31 to plan out the next
365 days of your life and career?  

Will you belong to the frantic New Year’s Eve merrymakers who
celebrate like there’s no tomorrow and hope that the whopping
dose of accountability in the morning never comes? 

Now, consider this –

What if you had your goals and plans for 2008 in place right NOW?

What if you do what you want to do NOW so that in 46 days,
you’ve already got momentum, you’ve already started to achieve
your goals, and you’re already set to make 2008 your personal best?

Wouldn’t that relieve some of the New Year’s Resolution pressure
- and let you just enjoy the day?

Imagine this year celebrating New Year’s Eve with those nearest
and dearest to you, all the while secure and confident that your
2008 plans are already in gear? There’s no dreaded January 1st
list of dos and don’ts - you’re doing it already! The only thing
you need to do on New Year’s Day is flip over your calendar,
everything else is already in place.

Can you see yourself confident and focused? Relaxed yet energized?
Moving forward with your goals and plans?

Yes, I thought so.

How do you ensure this happens?

It’s a simple one-word answer: coach

Whether you’re starting out in a new career or are a seasoned
(even successful) professional, there are significant and direct
benefits to you that result from working with a coach.

A coach:

• integrates a structured system that aids you
  in setting and achieving your goals.
• acts as your guide as you reach important
  career or personal goals
• gives you open, direct, honest feedback
  that is objective and constructive
• teaches you how to identify and correct
  the negative beliefs and habits that are
  sabotaging your success
• identifies and maximizes your strengths
  while minimizing your weaknesses
• keeps you focused and moving towards your goals 

What can you do in the next 46 days to pave the way for 2008?
Here are three levels of possibilities:

Level 1. Work with a Certified Coaches Federation Master Coach,
click here or call 866-455-2155.

Level 2. Become a Certified Coach Practitioner - click here or
speak with a Certified Coaches Federation Master Coach,
call 866-455-2155 or email.

Level 3. Become a Certified Coach Practitioner and
work with a Certified Master Coach through the CCF exclusive
Coach Mentoring Program.

And if you’re ready to turn it up a notch higher…
register for the Certified Master Coach Course, a 3-day coaching intensive
facilitated by Master Coach and CCF Founder, Derrick Sweet.

So, what are you waiting for - New Year’s?

What’s going to be your first step? Share it here.

As a coach, it’s part of our job to make sure our clients are on a path to living a life of balance.  Often times, people who seek out a coach are already working hard, and also very successful.  You have to ask yourself, why would someone who is already a success bother to get a coach?  

Perhaps it’s because they know that something is missing, or they are feeling stuck.  Maybe they are listening to that “still small voice within” urging them to do something different.  Maybe deep inside, they know they need a fresh, unbiased perspective to reveal what is missing.  Or maybe they realize that they’ve been in the same situation, without any progress, for way too long.  

Understandably, this is the experience of many clients when they come to us.  Many clients already have financial, professional success.  Many clients are focused on taking their business to the next level.  If this is you, read on…. because I have something to share with you that may be counter-intuitive.  I know for me, it certainly was.

Someone who is already experiencing a great level of success, has probably worked their behind off to get where they are today.  Working your behind off, usually entails, perseverance, dedication, tenacity, diligence, among other things… all of which could be summed up as “hard work”.  Here’s an interesting thing.  When we spend too much time (all our time) wrapped up in work, we don’t allow our creative process to flourish.  We’re so focused on the next thing that needs to be done, we don’t take a step back from the details and look at the big picture.  We may be planting trees in the forest, but not realize that if we hired help to plant the trees in this forest, we could find another vacant lot and plant trees there too…  We might step back and see that we’ve been over planting trees in one area, only to find that we forgot to water the trees we planted two weeks ago.

When we take time to “stop and smell the roses”, something happens inside.  We’re able to breath a little easier, smile a little bigger, laugh a little more often.  We actually start to live a little.  When we take our minds off our immediate issues, we allow a natural process to occur.  This process may change our perspective about our issues, or maybe we’ll suddenly have a brilliant idea of how to solve the issue, or maybe even better, the phone will ring and the answer will come via special delivery!

The point here is taking a “time out” to allow the energy to flow can be rejuvenating and invigorating.

Please take a moment to share with me the different things you do to have fun.  See if you can come up with 20 ways that you “take a time out” for YOU and HAVE FUN!  Go ahead…  click on the comment button below.  I’m looking forward to seeing your ideas.