Commitment,and,Accountability, DIY Commitment and Accountability Should Outrank Cost When Consi

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in When starting a new work at home business it is very easy to become consumed by it. We spend so much time trying to get the business up and running that we may end up becoming burned out and lose our motivation. There is so much to learn and

800x600 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}When I meet people for the first time andespecially at various business networking events, the subject eventually getsaround to what business am I in.  After Iidentify myself as a Midlife Transition Coach I have sometimes heard thecomment from those who are familiar with what a coach does say to me, “Given myfinancial situation, I probably can’t afford your rates”.  While I do feel it is a bit presumptuous tomake that comment when a conversation on fees has not even taken place, itactually leaves out a couple of very important factors that a coach considersbefore taking on a relationship with a client.     Fora client to receive the full benefit of a coaching relationship, the clientmust be able to answer for themselves where their level of commitment is inlooking to examine and ultimately take the life changing actions they seek inmoving forward with their life.  Afterthey have answered that question, an equally important one is their willingnessto work with an individual who will hold them accountable to what they committo doing between sessions as they look to assimilate the actions they indicatethey will take into their every day life.      Yes, as a coach I do like being paid for myservices.  I also realize that eachindividual has their own financial situation which they must consider beforecommitting to working with a coach. However, even if one believes they cannot afford an ongoing coachingrelationship, there are plenty of things they can do for themselves to helpmove forward in their life.    Group coaching is often far less expensive for the individual thanindividual coaching.  Finding a group ofpeople who are sharing the same issues as you, (or even putting together agroup of friends sharing similar issues), and being led by a trainedfacilitator to help lead group discussion and uncover solutions, is an option opento you.  Individual sessions may beoffered by coaches at discount or complimentary rates, even if to provide onean example of how a coaching relationship works.  Are you taking advantage of them?  If not, why are you not?  There are numerous self improvement books inthe library or at local bookstores to which one can avail oneself.  The internet provides access to manydifferent self improvement sites with insightful articles and blogs which canhelp provide guidance to the individual.     However, taking advantage of what these and any other sources of similarnature offer you, start with the individual. Just reading articles or discussing change, without commitment to action,is going to lead you nowhere.  Taking thesame actions over and over again, and expecting to get different results, isalso not going to work for one either. Being reluctant to get the support of others and just relying onyourself to solve your problems is admirable on the surface but limits you onlyto the ideas and thought process of one person. Sharing with others, and then making a commitment to them that you willlook to take action that is different from the normal for you, or which getsyou out of your comfort zone, is a step on the road to progress.     Ifyou find yourself stuck and can’t move forward or seem to find the answer, askyourself some of the following questions?  What help can I seek?  Which hurtsme more, to make a change and try something different in my life or to keep thestatus quo as is and continue to suffer with those items that are bothering mein my every day life?  When will I puttime aside for my needs and not worry about only the needs of those around me,or what those around me might say if I spent some time focusing on myself?    And, when you have the answers to some of these questions and others likethem, then ask yourself if there is going to be a cost to getting theassistance I need to move my life forward?  How much do I value myself?  What am I spending money on now or have inthe past that was a choice I made based on the value I placed on it assomething I wanted as part of my life? If I made that choice, what is different about making this choice toinvest in myself and helping to discover what I want for my life, when thereturns on that investment have the chance of being so much greater for me?     Yes, thefinancial cost of investing in oneself is definitely a consideration whenmaking that choice.  However, even moreimportant is the commitment to both exploring and making the life changingactions you seek, and the subsequent commitment of being accountable to both anaccountability partner and yourself for trying to implement those actions intoyour life on a regular basis.