Traditionally, industry training nudges professionals towards establishing connections with real estate agents, and I adhered to this by attending meetings, giving presentations, and engaging in personal conversations over coffee. However, when it came to the critical closing moment, I consistently fell short. It wasn’t due to a lack of belief in my services, but rather an overwhelming commitment to authenticity.

My passion, I’ve come to realize, extends beyond the confines of the inspection space. It lies in being a genuine support to real estate agents, listening to their stories, meeting them where they are, and encouraging them to build not just successful careers but fulfilling lives.

My personal struggle with sales calls led me to a profound revelation – I need to stay true to my lane, getting to know people and serving them genuinely, rather than just selling a service. I want to make a living helping real estate agents build great lives, not merely offering them a great inspection.

The Excuse Reveals a Truth

In my journey, my inability to close a deal unveiled a deeper truth about my passion. Do your excuses around certain aspects of your job reveal something about what truly motivates you? Are they rooted in fear or a desire to maintain authenticity? It might be an indicator that your career, which once started as a passion, has transformed into just a job.

What Do Your Excuses Reveal about You?

Take a moment to reflect on your own journey. If your excuses are hindering crucial aspects of your job, what do they disclose about your true motivations? Is it fear holding you back or an underlying passion for something beyond your current field?

If you find yourself at a crossroads or in need of clarity, I invite you to connect with me. Let’s explore the possibilities together and identify ways to live into your passion, not just your job. In a Free 30-minute Consult Call, I won’t try to sell you on an inspection. Instead, I’m confident we’ll discover something you genuinely believe in, and you’ll likely grow in your belief in yourself as well.

Let’s embark on a journey to unlock your true potential in the real estate industry. Book your Free 30-minute Consult Call, and let’s discover what resonates with your passion and aspirations.

The post Your Excuses May Be Revealing Something – Listen up first appeared on Circle of 5 Coaching.

Remember the 4-year-old you at the playground. You’d climb up the metal ladder. You’d have to stretch to grab ahold of the first metal bar—the bar that’s had the paint warn off the middle because it’s been there for 20+ years and at least 117,000 hands have grabbed this exact same bar you’re working up the courage to grab onto. But, can you do it this time?

There’s that moment when your feet and your hand are both secured. You can stay right there and have zero risk. But, the kid behind you in the tank top shirt, the scabbed knees, and dirty face is telling you to go. The only voice that’s worse than his voice is the one in your head trying to convince you that you can’t do this. You have to commit or you have to abandon the mission.

That Familiar Feeling

I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve felt like that 4-year-old at the first rung. There’s something I know I want to do. It’s something I’ll have to jump out in faith to accomplish. Once I start I have no idea if I’ll be able to finish or not. There’s the potential of falling (like these people—a little monkey bar fail compilation for you. Ouch!). There’s even the potential for getting hurt—physically, financially, emotionally, etc. But to experience the thrill of finishing you have to take that leap.

You finally commit. Then you move from one rung to the next. You keep moving toward your goal. Each time you release there’s the possibility of falling. But, there’s also the thrill of advancing.

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Questions

What are you holding onto for safety in your current season of life?  Does it make you feel like that four-year-old full of doubt all over again? Remember the times you took the leap and had the success? You can do it again!

What’s the next rung you need to grab hold of so you can let go of the last rung?  Who are you inviting into your life to help you achieve and hold you accountable to what you committed?  

Is it time to take the jump?  Is it time to grab the next rung?

Need Some More Encouragement

• When You’re a Piece Missing Its Puzzle – Feeling Purposeless
• The Art of Contentment In World of Discontentment

The post When You Feel 4-Years-Old Again first appeared on Circle of 5 Coaching.

Read Time: 3-4 minutes

I recently launched a product that did not go over as well as I’d hoped. Greg, a member of my Circle of 5 blessed me with the gift of a great question.  He asked, “Ryan, do the people you’ve been promoting this to see you as an expert in the area?” 

That question was a gift.  It’s been on my mind ever since.  I’m re-orienting so many things about how I operate because of that powerful question.

I want to encourage you with two questions today.  

• What are you wanting to be an expert in today?  
• Who’s the audience that you need to believe that about you?

See the following chart for some examples.

The post Are You An Expert? first appeared on Circle of 5 Coaching.

How many times have you not completed a mission you set out to achieve? I’ve done it more times than I care to admit. It’s very humbling. But, I’m going to share a few. Here’s a list of my attempts at business that have since closed:

• Consulting company for small churches
• Coffee roasting company
• Church planting pastor
• Real Estate Investor

Those are just the ice breaker conversations. I could go on to share the dozens of things within those and other efforts that failed. It could be easy to look back and say tell myself I’m not capable of success. But, not succeeding is not the same as not being capable.

Despite the voices in your head telling you you’re not enough, you are enough. I love what Jon Acuff says in his book Start: “Simply put, if you don’t kill your voices, they will kill you.”

What if you discover that you just haven’t gone after the thing you’re supposed to become great at? Here’s another quote from Acuff’s book: “I’m not a find of ‘finding your purpose.’ I’m a fan of ‘living your purpose.'” Check out Jon’s brief thoughts on purpose and resilience below.

Living Your Purpose

If you’re not living your purpose you likely haven’t found a place that fits. We’ve all been there. I’ve tried. So, have you. We’ve struggled, lost our satisfaction, and started looking for greener grass.

What would happen if we discover why we are here? Could our lives be better if we live that out even in our present role? Could living with purpose bring satisfaction and fulfillment? What if that uncovers new opportunities for us to thrive in our careers because we are living in purpose? By the way, this post won’t answer all the how-tos about this topic. But, I would highly recommend Acuff’s book to explore this further.

Your Missing Puzzle

You are a piece of the puzzle. There are parts that curve in. There are parts that stick out. The shape of each of those curves and points need to fit in the right place to complete the puzzle. You can’t cram a piece that’s the wrong shape and size into another puzzle.

What if there’s a puzzle out there that is almost completed and you’re the last piece they’re looking for? You are what will complete their picture and their goal. Your unique piece is the right shape, the right size, with the right image to bring about their success and fulfillment.

I can’t promise you that the next opportunity you explore will be the completed puzzle you’ve been looking for. But, I am 100% confident that you won’t feel like you complete fit until you are living in your purpose instead of trying to find a job to fulfill your purpose.

Where to Look

Instead of going after a new job to find your purpose it’s time to go inward. Spend some time considering you are, what you’re uniquely equipped to do, and who you can serve in doing that. Then put those realizations into effect so you can start experiencing the satisfaction of those experiences.

Your adventure in self-discovering may start with having just one or two opportunities a day. But, look for the chance to do it at work, in your neighborhood, or with a non-profit. When you start to experience the satisfaction you may also uncover new opportunities where you can put your purpose into effect. Who knows? You might even start likely the job you have when you deploy the purpose within that context.

If you need some encouragement to get going again check out my other blog posts. If you specifically need help figuring out how to get a good start each morning to check out my article on Getting Unstuck with Your Morning Routine.

The post When You’re a Piece Missing Its Puzzle – Feeling Purposeless first appeared on Circle of 5 Coaching.

I’m a fan of the fairly obscure sport of disc golf. Despite its lack of popularity, I love to watch it. Watching pros throw a disc 300-400+’ and getting it to land on an island hole that’s less than 40′ wide is a beautiful art form to me. Some of these players can throw a disc 500-600′. I love watching these moments. Here’s a few great ones from Calvin Heimburg.

(Article continues below video.)

I started playing disc golf when I was 49 years old. I feel great about throwing a disc 275+’. Recently I even hit 330′. I was incredibly excited about that throw. Still, I don’t have a lot of aspirations of throwing 600′ bombs. My sons see it in their future. But, they’re 20, 14, and 11. I think they’ll achieve that (#NelsonBoysDiscGolf). Nonetheless, I’m still working on my game.

The Reality of the Body

The truth we all face is that our bodies will not keep getting stronger. At some point, the weight of this world and the wear of age cause us to peak. Nonetheless,This reality doesn’t mean we should justify being unhealthy. But, it does mean that age will eventually limit our ability to throw longer, lift more, or do a variety of other things we used to do when we were younger.

What Does Last?

As I was reading this week I encountered a concept I hadn’t given much thought to. Our bodies will wear down. Yet, there are things in our lives that will get stronger and healthier when invested in.

While contemplating this premise and the nine elements of a person I realize that many of these things are within our control. I believe at least 7 of these elements cannot be weakened by age. In fact, I think they will be strengthened. Here they are:

• Spiritual
• Relational
• Emotional
• Intellectual
• Financial
• Environmental
• Cultural

Perhaps this begs the another question. What are the two things that may have limitations by age? Ironically, they are the two things most of us put most of our attention towards.

• Physical
• Vocational (Although one could argue this just changes in retirement.)

This prompts me to reconsider all the time we invest in careers and health. It’s not that those things are not important. Indeed, they absolutely are. Without good health you may not have a season after retirement. Without a good vocational track you may struggle to achieve some of the other things (If your miserable in your career are you going to thrive in these other areas?). However, intentional investment in these other areas will create impact beyond the peak of our health and careers.

Thoughts? How can you be more intentional about longer-lasting impacts in your life?

Comment below or join in on this conversations and others at our Facebook Page.

The post Your Obsession with Health and Careers May Be Unhealthy first appeared on Circle of 5 Coaching.

In the final week of the MLB Regular Season in 2023, the Texas Rangers were leading Boston Red Sox in the 7th inning.  The pitcher threw the exact pitch he wanted.  It was a perfect strike.  But, the umpire disagreed.  He called it a ball.  The batter gets on base and the go-ahead run is now at 1st.  Rangers Manager Bruce Bochy was livid.  He yells at the umpire from the dugout.  The umpire yells back and finally says, “Stop it! Enough!”  Literally less than two seconds later, the umpire ejects Bochy from the game.

This is where it gets interesting.  Bochy, 68 years old, proceeds to work his way out of the dugout–after having been ejected–to go face to face with the second year umpire.  The commentator says, “Now Boch is going to come get a pound of flesh for this one.  When you pay for it you might as well take it with you.”  Here’s the clip if you’re interested in seeing how it played out. Bochy’s time in the dugout came to a close.  The Rangers went on to lose the game. Bochy absolutely had great clarity about the umpire’s poor umping skills.

We often gain great clarity when things are coming to an end. Along with that clarity comes a boldness.  But, that’ may need to wait for another blog post.

A child is graduating, there’s a new-found sense for a parent around what is important for their child to know before leaving home.  Someone quitting their job finds new clarity (and boldness) and expresses their views about their colleagues or bosses; comments they likely would never have made a few days prior.   A family has outgrown a home, they need to move and have a new clarity around what they want from the next home.  There’s clarity in times of transition. 

A Terminal Diagnosis
In 2014 my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  The diagnosis was grim.  He was given approximately 6 months to live.  He passed just weeks before that projected timeline.

Those final 5+ months were some of the most inspiring months I remember with my dad.  He attempted chemo and the results were not promising. He chose to pursue quality of life over quantity of life.  At this point, he had no doubt that his days were numbered.  He also had no need to hold back.  He knew that if he was ever going to share something he needed to do it in these days. His I love yous, his shared opinions, and his statements about his personal faith had new strength unlike any other season in my lifetime. I had clarity that he wasn’t going to hold back anything. It was beautiful!

Most of us want clarity.  But, none of us want to go through a crisis to get it.

While we can’t truly simulate such a scenario to produce the same result, we can take actions to create transitions.  

A Threat to Clarity
We have routines and rhythms and relationships that are set.  Disrupting them seems a threat to our comfort–despite our dissatisfaction.  As long as everything stays the same and is predictable, then nothing needs to change.   But, sometimes we need a change because familiarity often restricts our clarity.

There are things in your life that are familiar but not helpful.  They’re keeping you stuck. They are known entities that keep you feeling safe.  But, at the same time, these very things are tying you down and keeping you from thriving.  

Starting New Chapters
What in your life needs to be brought to an end?  Is there something that you need to turn the page to a new chapter so you can get clarity? Is there a transition you can create to help gain clarity? Perhaps it is a job.  It may be a relationship.  It may be a volunteer role.  What can you shift yourself away from to create perspective that brings clarity?

In the examples I mentioned earlier we see good and challenging things coming to a close.  A child leaving can be good or bad, but it brings clarity to what you want them to know.  A job change may be good or bad, but it brings clarity to what you believe about the environment you want to work in. Moving from a home may be for good reasons or challenging reasons, but it brings clarity to what you want in your next home or neighborhood.

Take Action
When you are in transition you tend to get greater clarity.  Is there a transition you need to make to get greater clarity?  Spend some time contemplating that. Journaling your thoughts. Then create a plan of action to stop something in pursuit of greater clarity.

You’ve got this.  Here’s to new starts and greater clarity.

HTC

The post Gaining Clarity and Peace of Mind (without a Crisis) first appeared on Circle of 5 Coaching.

It’s never a good day for it.  It inevitably happens when you are already feeling rushed.  You get ready, load your car, hop in the driver’s seat to start it.  Then, nothing.  No turnover. You’re stuck until you can get the car jumped or the battery replaced.

You likely know that experience.  Most people have had it at some point in their adult life.  But, for many of us, the “stuckness” began even before we got into the car.  It began when the alarm went off…for the second or third time.

Does the word “morning” create a strong feeling in you?  For some people the feeling is excitement.  They have a clear routine that’s working.  They love the calm before the storm of life.  They get things done.

For some it is a feeling of dread.  They anticipate not having energy.  The thought of getting out of bed sounds like work and most definitely doesn’t sound like something to look forward too.

I’ve tried a number of routines in my career.  I’ve read the books on getting up at 5 AM.  That model hasn’t really worked for me–especially since having teenagers that stay up later and those late hours are when we connect.  I’ve made New Year resolutions.  I’ve tried working out first thing in the morning.   I’ve headed to the office before everyone else, trying to get ready to take on the day.   I’ve tried huge structure and little structure.  But, after daylight savings time or a few bad nights of sleep (did I mention I have four children) the routine can easily get sabotaged.  

When my new commitment to the new routine starts fading the guilt and shame kick in. Around this time, I likely just give up on the routine with confidence that the new routine was the wrong one for me. Giving up these routines has never resulted in getting more out of my day.

I’m about to share with you a brief formula that can help you renew your commitment to your mornings.  Whether you have 10 minutes or an hour to devote to starting your day with some focus, you can use this routine. I am confident that when you use it, your day has a much higher likelihood of being better.

The formula is called “The Three G’s.”  Here’s what it looks like:

  Gratitude + Growth + Goals = Good Start

Grab a journal.  Be ready to start when you’re finished reading this. Let’s break it down.

The #1 G:  Gratitude
The first G to journal about is Gratitude.  Write the headline “Gratitude.”  Then, put the numbers 1, 2, and 3 beneath it.  Enter three things from the past 24 hours that you are grateful for.  These things may be opportunities, relationships, victories, spiritual experiences, connections, accomplishments in your discipline, or anything you want to express gratitude for today.

This exercise can happen in as short as 2-3 minutes or you can really contemplate it and spend 10-15 minutes and pick the top three things among the many you consider.  Just orient yourself towards noticing the things you can be grateful for.  This focus on gratitude helps you appreciate the past day as well as the day to come.

The #2 G:  Growth
Next in your journal write the headline of “Growth” followed be 1,2, and 3.   Identify and fill in the spaces with areas you recognize growth in your life over the past 24 hours. Again, you could spend as little as 2 or 3 minutes on this or as long as you want.

I’ve been doing this exercise with my 11-year old for several weeks.  It started out as a struggle for him.  As we’ve helped him see success in his own growth, he’s starting to identify 2 or 3 things pretty quickly.  His definition of growth has changed and he sees it a lot more than he did before we started this.  It’s amazing even on the rough days he’s finding areas of growth in his life.

Look for growth wherever you can spot it.  It may be in your professional, spiritual, emotional, relational, financial, intellectual, or any area of your life.  Often we get focused on one slice of our life like our career.  Our careers can have hard days but our life can still be showing signs of growth.  We need to recognize these areas of growth.  

One of my areas of growth recently was around my emotional volatility on the disc golf course. It’s one thing to throw one bad shot.  But, I’ve been known to throw three, four, or five bad shots in a row.  While the bad shots still happen, my emotional range has narrowed because I’m more emotionally healthy these days.  I’ve calmed down and learned to enjoy the game and the time with my boys.

Think of three areas in your life where you’ve grown in the last 24 hours.  This daily practice can help you get more out of your day and remind you that you are still developing.

The #3 G:  Goals
The next area to journal about is your three (3) Goals for today.  Write “Goals” as your heading and then put in your 1, 2, and 3.  

The goals do not have to be monumental in nature.  They should be things you are committed to accomplishing before you conclude this day.  If you accomplish these three things your day will be a success regardless of what else happens.

I had a recent goal of scheduling a date with my daughter.  On that same day I committed to updating contracts for a client and writing two articles for an upcoming issue of my newsletter.  (Sign up here if you want to be a part of The Neighborhood: An Encouraging Email.)  Those were the highest priorities for that day.  I still had other responsibilities.  But, those three goals were my non-negotiables for the day.

Your goals set your day’s priorities.  This isn’t your checklist for the day.  But, these are the big rocks you’ll build your day around.  Set your three goals and then go knock them out.

Conclusion
When you are feeling stuck, this routine may help to jump start your day.  It doesn’t mean the battery in your car will work.  But, it does mean that your emotional wellness will get off to a great start.  Try using “The Three G’s” method of journaling to start your day.  Once you try it, string a few days together with this practice and see how it impacts your mindset.  When you discover the impact it has set a goal to do this at least 5 or 6 days a week.

The post Getting Unstuck with Your Morning Routine first appeared on Circle of 5 Coaching.

This idea of moving the goal posts is one that many of us confront.  We make progress toward our goal but the goal continues to change.  Whether the goal relates to our career, financial position, home, or anything else, it seems inevitable that once we “arrive” we move beyond contentment to needing more.

The Cost of More Ideas
I was a part of an extraordinary business network for a few years. The people in this group are successful, hungry, visionaries, and get things done. I loved this community.  I still do.

Each year they have a conference that is top-notch.  The event was as good as anything I had ever been a part of.  They created a balance between scheduled activity and space to engage with others.  

After having become a regular to this event, one of the organizers had noticed I wasn’t registered for the upcoming event. They appreciated me and wanted me to personally invite me to be a part of the upcoming event.  I was flattered that they would even notice my name missing.

I shared with the organizer that it was important that I not attend the event that year.  In the previous months, I had gained clarity. I knew the specific things in my business and life I needed to focus on.  If I attended that event, the likelihood of that clarity getting derailed was high.  I would see incredible ideas and be inspired by great leaders and my clarity would get muddy. I’d likely end up abandoning the track I was pursuing. This probably says more about me than the event.  But, I knew myself well enough to know this was a concern.

Do not get me wrong.  Being inspired is not bad!  But, chasing rabbits that are not aligned with your commitments can be destructive.

Capitalism. We Have a Problem
The American way is to give everyone the opportunity to pursue their dreams.  (For those getting nervous, I’m not about to go political, I promise.)  The dream of the immigrant is inspiring.  But, I think it’s changed in recent decades.  The whole culture has changed.  The definition of success has changed.  The defining characteristic of capitalism is wealth.  But, not everyone is pursuing financial wealth as their currency. In fact, many attaining wealth soon discover it’s not the fulfilling thing they were seeking all those years.

The metric of wealth is our cultural default.  Perhaps that’s because it’s the easiest dimension of our life to measure. Just click an app, enter your username and password and see your net-worth.  You immediately know if you’re meeting your expectations or not.  If you are, you promptly move the goal posts expecting more.  

But, some of us find our greatest satisfaction in relationships, spiritual activities, knowledge, or other priorities in life.  But, there’s not a bank account or app that allows us to track those areas.  How do we determine if we are achieving success?

In my own pursuit of committing myself to living more with an attitude of contentment, I came across this challenging quote: “The culturally accepted goals of health, wealth, and happiness which are essential to capitalism, are causing widespread misery (Andrew Spencer).”  Could this be true?  Could the very thing that has made America great cause our misery?

Let’s be honest about wealth.  There are a lot of extremely wealthy people that are miserable. They’ve had multiple marriages, battled health crises, and can’t stand the stillness that comes when they don’t have anything on their calendar.  Much like an addict looking for their next fix, those of us entrapped in this culture of building success through capitalism are constantly seeking more.  Many of us have lost our ability to be content.  We’ve given ourselves over to our pursuit of our goals, or worse yet, someone’s goals for us. We’ve exchanged it for the goal of living our best lives.

Breaking Free
There is no doubt that some will read this and vehemently disagree with the premise.  That’s perfectly fine.  There are people in this world wired for pursuing those things that our culture calls success.

For the rest of us, what if we were given permission to redefine success?  What if your bank account, while important to survival, was not what made you feel valued?  What if you could live your best life without depending on anyone else’s expectations of you?

This is a tough task to take on.  However, it is worth the effort.  

The process requires three key steps. I’m going to borrow language from the computer world to help navigate this process.  Here are the three steps:

1. Do a Factory Reset
   You’ve likely got programs running on your operating system (your brain and heart) that do not aligned with who you are.  You were born with some key drives and have some core values.  
   
   There are books you’ve consumed and podcasts you currently listen to that have re-shaped your views.  If you listen, you get fired up. Then, you get frustrated because their operating system isn’t working in your life. Their goals for your life do not align with your goals and values.  
   
   It’s time to do a reset and get your system running optimally again.  You’ll need to remove some things from your way of thinking that are not consistent with who you are.
2. Install the New Operating System
   You choose what software goes into your system.  You achieve this by what you listen to and read and who you engage with.  To filter those influences you need clarity on the things that matter to you.  This will keep you from getting emotionally hijacked. You don’t need to install another failed operating system.
   
   To install the right system, you need to prioritize the things that matter to you.  You have nine elements that all need to be a part of the operating system (Learn more here).  You are wired to value some of those elements more than others.  Those elements that you value at a higher level become the foundation. The rest of your system is built on that foundation. When we get this right, the pursuit of contentment becomes far more accessible.
3. Connect to a Secure Network
   When your operating system is installed it’s time to support it with the proper relationships.  This is called your network.  
   
   To protect your computer, you want to be sure not to plug into the wrong network. Doing so could create conflicts or install viruses on your computer.  The same is true in your life.  
   
   If you plug into relationships with people that do not support your pursuit and values, there is a greater risk of “viruses” getting installed on your system.  You need to surround yourself with content and people that help you pursue what you’ve realized is your priority.  This includes the books and podcasts you consume as well as the relationships you have.

Three steps sounds so easy.  But, it is a process–a hard process. You’ll need to give yourself a lot of grace.  Remember, whenever you log into email or onto social media those algorithms are going to keep the old operating system ideas in front of you.  You have to guard your system.  You have to actively pursue disconnecting from that content and keeping focused on the new orientation you’ve established.

Final Thoughts
You can find contentment even in a world of discontentment.  But, the world isn’t going to lead you to it.  It’s going to push you to drive harder and want more.  You don’t have to conform to that narrative and drive.

To achieve this it will require your commitment to pursue it.  It’s a decision you have to make.  Then you follow it with constant daily choices to resist the temptation to consume the content and ideas you’ve been pursuing. Pursue the new content and a new community that aligns with who you are and who you are becoming.Warning: Shameless Self-Promotion
If you want to start your process of doing a factory reset, join us for our upcoming 4-week online Mastermind called Bring the Best You to Your Community.   We start October 16, 2023. I have some more spaces available.  The cost is $49.  If you need a scholarship to get this mastermind at no cost, feel free to use the coupon code:  Oct23Guest

The post The Art of Contentment In World of Discontentment first appeared on Circle of 5 Coaching.

I’d been up for a couple of hours to get my personal time in before the busyness of the day began.  My 11-year-old came down the stairs and announced that he was going to take on a task he really didn’t want to do as soon as he finished breakfast.  I actually loved that moment.

Ever get up in the moment with a sense of dread because of something you had to get done and didn’t want to.  We each have days when we have to tackle many things and don’t want to.  It can be paralyzing.  For some, the heaviness of dread may even inspire us to hit snooze for the second or third time.

I used to be a “snoozer” in the mornings.  When that alarm went off I didn’t want to get started.  A lot of the times I felt that way because I had no idea what I was going to do that day.  Don’t misunderstand, I had many things to do.  I just had no idea which things I would prioritize.

I’ve realized that my life works better when I place healthy rhythms into my day.  I call these rhythms and the guidelines for how I live my “Life SOPs.”

What are Life SOPs?  They are the rules you live by in your own life. They guide you through practices and processes to create predictability when we may be inclined to drift.  

When I worked retail many years ago we had very specific opening routines.  I was required to arrive before all the customers.  I had to stop by the office and pick up the money bag to put cash in my drawer. I then went to my department and powered up the cash register.  I had to put the cash in the drawer in a specific sequence (from left to right it went 1’s, 5’s, 10’s, 20’s).  After that was completed, I would walk the department and to make sure it was ready for our customers.  If I noticed some inventory was low I would put out new inventory to fill the spots.  All of this had to happen before the doors opened and customers arrived.

This routine was very specific every day. Whether I was there or another team member was there, this was how you were trained and how management expected it to operate.

Imagine if there was not an established SOP for the store.  If the department started every day with different procedures it would eventually become less and less predictable.  If someone came in later in the day and I hadn’t gotten the cash or powered up the register it would have created stress for my colleague and our customers.  If we want things to run smoothly and predictably we need to start them off the same way every time.  This same principle can be applied to our lives.

How you start your day has significant implications on how smoothly your day will run. When every day starts off with a different rhythm our results of the day ahead become less predictable. 

Consider how you “open your store” each day. Is the first thing you do a habit that prepares you and adds value?  Or, is it a habit that creates less predictability?  Many of us grab our phones and look at Social Media, emails, or news.  Before long we realize we spent 20 minutes and made no progress in our day.

Want to increase the likelihood of having a productive day?  Try this exercise out:

If you had an important day to plan for, how would you intentionally set the tone for your day?  When will your morning start?  Will you take a shower? Will it include quiet time? Exercise? Coffee?  Prayer?  What will your routine look like on this day when you need to get important work done? 

Now that you know what you plan to do on that important day, consider if that routine can be implemented daily?  If yes, write it down as your “Open the Store” SOP.  If this is not a sustainable practice, modify it accordingly and write it down.  Congratulations, you’ve established your “Open the Store” SOP.  Now get out there and implement it.
NOTE:  If you’re interested in developing your own Life SOP for the rest of your life, you might be interested in a course I’ll be offering this fall called “Building Your Life SOP.”  If you’d like more information on this course click here and we will let you know the details.

The post Get Up Right with Life SOPs first appeared on Circle of 5 Coaching.

Are there lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic that have impacted how we engage today? Some conveniences of that time have stuck with us. Some of them are wonderful, yet isolating. Without being purposeful, we can navigate life daily, even weekly, with little to no direct human engagement. That’s a problem because each of us needs interaction with other people…even the introverts lurking in the back!

The post A New Culture of Isolation? first appeared on Circle of 5 Coaching.