In the second of this three part series on taking action, we discussed how to recognize and overcome limiting beliefs to bring yourself closer to attaining what you want from life. In Part 3, you will learn how to get the support you need to get you the rest of the way there.
If you missed the previous part of the series you can access them here:
Part 1: Create clarity and accuracy
Part 2: Recognize and overcome your limiting beliefs
Part 3: Get support
In his groundbreaking article in Fast Company magazine – and in his book that followed two years later – writer Alan Deutschman illustrated the critical importance of a support system in making real and lasting change in one’s life.
“Even when leaders have reframed the issues brilliantly, it’s still vital to give people the multifaceted support they need. That’s a big reason why 90% of heart patients can’t change their lifestyles but 77% of [Dr. Dean] Ornish’s patients could — because he buttressed them with weekly support groups with other patients, as well as attention from dieticians, psychologists, nurses, and yoga and meditation instructors.”
“Change or Die”, Fast Company, May 2005
The key to getting the support you need is to connect with people who will hold you accountable. This could mean partnering up with an accountability buddy, joining a Mastermind Group, forming a Sounding Board, or connecting with a coach.
Accountability Buddy
An effective accountability buddy is a colleague or friend who is committed to doing the same thing you are doing. An accountability buddy is especially useful when undertaking writing projects, but can be very useful with other goals as well provided they are on a journey similar to your own. Check in with this person daily and make a commitment. What are you going to get done this day? Did you follow through on your commitments from yesterday?
Mastermind Group
Mastermind Groups are popular among business people seeking insight and accountability on desired results. In this ad hoc board of directors’ atmosphere, group members declare what they’re trying to accomplish and share how they’re doing against their plan on a biweekly basis. Read Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich or Philip Humbert’s The New Mastermind to learn more about joining or starting an effective Mastermind Group. You may also search www.Meetup.com for a listing of active Mastermind Groups near you.
Sounding Board
A more intimate option to the Mastermind Group is to develop your own personal Sounding Board filled with people that you can count on to support you as you form and take action on your life or business plan.
Like Mastermind Groups, a Sounding Board forces you to clarify and to commit to behaviors that will move you forward toward your dreams and visions. At the same time, it gives you feedback, support, and wise counsel on your next steps. Unlike Mastermind Groups, you are in control of who sits on this most critical panel of advisors, and you can tailor membership to suit your needs.
A Sounding Board is particularly useful for people moving into the “Bonus Years”, my term for people who are looking at what they will do with the next 25 years of life. As they define their new priorities and goals, people in this exciting time of life often need to check their reasoning and thinking with people who care about and support them.
Coach
I am a firm believer in the value of a coach who knows how to help people get clear, move through challenges and stuck spots, hold them accountable, and generate and implement solutions. There is something very powerful about making promises to someone in addition to yourself – your coach.
As a life on purpose coach, I employ the Byron Katie method and EFT in shifting limiting beliefs as discussed in Part 2 of this series on taking action. I also nurture support systems for my clients with my “Bonus Years Support & Achievement Circles” – a ready-made Sounding Board just for my clients – where we explore and shift belief systems about retirement to open up possibilities for what our group members will do in next 25 years of life. Group members learn to take risks, celebrate accomplishments, examine disappointments, identify opportunities, and discover the help they need to get the job done.
Now it’s your turn
Stop now and consider your dreams.
What do you hope to create?
Where would shifting your belief system make a difference for you in taking action today?
If you could use help sorting it all out, I hope you will check in with your Sounding Board or give me a call. Let’s get you clear, accurate, free of barriers and taking action. Let’s get you on the path to achieving your dreams.
