How I Work

On this page I'll tell you what you can expect in working with me, about my coaching philosophy, my approach to clients' problems and how I'm different from other coaches.

I know you're looking for real change. You want something different for your life or career, you're in a transition, you want to design a fulfilling retirement, or you're looking for permanent shift in your perspective that genuinely reflects who you are today.

When you work with me, you will . . .

Find the clarity, meaning and direction you're searching for. It could mean a different career, a new life direction, or identifying a new life purpose that reflects who you are now.

Learn to confront, reframe and dismiss fears, doubts and beliefs that have been limiting you.

Gain new appreciation for your own skills, talents and values and learn how to leverage those traits in a career that is a true match for you. You will have a better understanding of your strengths and use them more effectively and in ways you had not thought of before.

Understand yourself as never before. You will know and appreciate exactly what it is you want. You'll clarify your most important values, tap into your passions, and find fulfillment and meaning. You will begin to make personal and professional choices that really work for you.

Reconnect with forgotten passions which can become a source of inspiration. You will balance your life and work in a way that will help you experience the engagement, presence and joy you've been missing.

You will have the structure, support and accountability needed to help you achieve insight, make plans, and take appropriate action steps toward a new way of living or working.

You will make the necessary changes to bring your life, career or retirement to a more fulfilling level, and you will do it faster than you ever thought possible.

My Coaching Philosophy

Great things are possible for my clients. To help them achieve their full potential, I work in accordance with the following ideas:

Having a central purpose in your life is not optional, it's a necessity. A central purpose not only focuses your intellect and energies, it serves as the standard by which you can measure the relative importance of the rest of your values.

You live in the present, and you acknowledge that only the present exists. Living in the present does not mean not planning or looking ahead. On the contrary, the way we take care of our future is by living to the fullest now, being present today, completing our tasks now.

Change and transition is inevitable. Life is a process in which change constantly occurs. Many of us see involuntary change, such as losing a job or relationship as a threat to our safety, health and emotional balance. We may try to control the changes in our lives and struggle through the process rather than allowing that change to activate and open us to possibilities for new growth and new directions.

The ultimate change you can make in career, life, and habits is to change your mindset and relationship with the future and the past and to engage fully with what's happening in the present.

When you live in the present you are more able to receive the messages coming to you all the time—from outside as well as from inside yourself—and to appreciate and fully enjoy what is around you. Then you understand that worry serves no purpose.

When you're over-focused on the past, which is gone, or on the future, which isn't here yet, you are not able to give your full attention to who or what is with you today. That full focus and attention is all you need to be able to respond completely to opportunities around you.

My Approach

I recognize and respect you as the unique individual you are. I get to know you personally, your particular circumstances, and listen for what's important to you—your priorities and values, the challenges you face and what you want to change. I partner with you to design and implement the strategies that will lead you to achieve your desired outcome.

You can count on me to always tell you the truth, and to always do so constructively. If something is off, I won't ignore it and pretend that everything's fine. I will not disrespect you by wasting your time or mine on goals, issues, directions or strategies that I know are not going to get you real results.

I bring a light-hearted attitude to my coaching. This does not mean acting silly or telling jokes. What it means is that when it comes to making changes, confronting difficult situations and creating new habits, having a light-hearted attitude not only makes the process easier, more memorable and motivating, but our minds are more receptive, relaxed and expansive when we experience positive emotions.

What Makes Me Different

When you're looking for a coach, there are many to choose from. What makes me different? One important difference lies in my guiding philosophy, Objectivism, the philosophical system developed by Ayn Rand, author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.

Briefly stated, Objectivism holds that:

• Reality exists independent of anyone's perception.
• Your mind is fully competent to understand it.
• Your life and happiness are your highest moral purpose.
• The world is the kind of place where it's possible to actualize your values and be happy.
• Individuals properly deal with one another not by initiating force, but by means of rational persuasion, trading value for value.

Another difference is my extensive knowledge of the processes of thinking and motivation and my studies and personal experience in the stages of change and transition.

I understand and sympathize with what one can—and must—endure going through a transition. I have experienced the intellectual and emotional turbulence of undergoing transition, of which there are two kinds: voluntary and involuntary. I have experienced both types, and can attest that the latter is much more difficult.

It can be a painful struggle, especially when going it alone. Going through my own transitions, I realize I would have saved a lot of time, uncertainty, money and false starts had I had a knowledgeable person helping and supporting me. This is the kind of guidance—the coaching—I now offer my clients.

But my coaching is not about me—it's a collaborative relationship with my clients, whom I help to re-establish a sense of direction, control and inspiration.

Now that you have a better idea about the results you can expect when you work with me, as well as an understanding of my philosophy and approach in working with clients, next go to the My Services page to learn about the coaching I offer.