I recently had a conversation with a potential client who talks a really good game.
The challenge with this person is that I’ve “been there and done that,” so I’m very familiar with the “talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk” syndrome. Up until two years ago, I could talk just about anyone under the table with all of my big plans. Unfortunately, all I did was talk. I never took action on anything. Just ask my former trainer; he’ll tell you just how true that statement really is!
Fortunately, that’s not the case anymore. Now I talk the talk AND walk the walk, and my life has changed 360 degrees because of it.
So what changed? Just one thing: I stopped talking and started walking. (i.e. I actually took the first step on something.)
For example: When it came to exercise, I started working out at the gym for just 10 minutes at a time. (This area is definitely a challenge for me, as I’m not a big fan of exercising, but I’m getting there!) When it came to nutrition, I drank one extra glass of water. (Soda is my preferred beverage of choice!) When it came to getting my office organized, I set the timer for 10 minutes and worked on a pile of papers. (My assistant lives in Canada, so when it comes to keeping my office straight, it’s really up to me!)
See how simple it was? The most important thing was to make each step I took small enough for me to succeed and feel like I had actually accomplished something. After that, momentum built on momentum, and the steps I took got a little bit larger each time, until I was no longer talking, but actually walking!
Now, let’s be honest: The exercise thing and the water thing are still a challenge for me, as I’d still rather sit on the couch reading a good book and drinking a can of soda, than working out, drinking a bottle of water. But, I’m working on it!
I don’t think that most people who talk a good game intend to just talk. I really do think they want to accomplish the things they talk about. I know I did. I’ve also come to realize that the reason I wasn’t getting anywhere was two-fold: (1) I wanted to do it perfectly and (2) If there was too much to do, I became completely overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start.
Finally, after many conversations with one of my own coaches, I realized that perfection was never going to happen. After that, she helped me break things down into bite-size pieces, which gave me a place to start.
So what about you? Do you talk the talk or walk the walk?
If you discover that you’re doing more talking than walking, I would encourage you to take an hour or two and figure out exactly what’s holding you back from actively pursuing your goals. And if you can’t figure it out on your own, talk to your friends or even consider hiring a coach, like myself, to help you.
Then, once you have the answers you need to break through your stuck spots, the sky is the limit on what you can achieve, so go for it!
Copyright © 2009 Sharon Moist. All Rights Reserved.
P.S. If you enjoyed this article, then I'd invite you to subscribe to my free email newsletter, the Industry News Digest. The next issue comes out this Thursday, May 14th and you can subscribe at: http://www.IndustryNewsDigest.com
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Sharon Moist, also known as The Industry Coach®, is a highly sought-after professional career coach, whose clients include Hollywood Power Brokers and A-List Celebrities. After 5 years as a Hollywood Agent, Sharon left the agency to open her own coaching company. For more information, or to work with Sharon directly, you can visit her website at: http://www.TheIndustryCoach.com
