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Who Am I? by: Gerard O'Donovan
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| Saturday, November 15, 2008 |
The question that is the gateway to spiritual enlightenment)
Having been a coach for many years, in addition to having been involved in the training of at least 1400 coaches in the world, I came to the conclusion that one of the greatest powers that we, the coaches, possess and the need for better is the "art of the matter." In fact, one could say that another definition of a coach is Questioner Master.
It is important to remember that the quality of our lives is determined by the quality of questions we ask. Some people have questions very poor indeed. For example, "What time do we go to the pub?" Others look at someone who has done great things and ask: "Why not me?". It is similar to the difference between "I can not pay" and "How can I afford it?"
As coaches, we have two responsibilities towards our client. The first is to provide a first class management through the effective use of questioning skills. The second is to educate them in technology and the benefits of self-questioning, helping them realize the importance of regularly ask key questions.
Of course, when it comes to ask questions can be very sophisticated and intelligent in fact. We can use questions with suppositions and assumptions. We can use open and closed questions, we can engage in nested loops, we can use hidden issues and open questions and, in fact, we can make ourselves feel and look very smart indeed.
However, I learned long ago the importance of simplicity and it is my opinion that the greatest coaching question of all is "Who am I?"
This question is often ignored. Why? Because it is easy to ignore, it can take us on a journey uncomfortable and perhaps that we prefer to avoid. Yet, it is essential if we want to understand our heart, the real person, the immutable, incorruptible and authentic 'me'. The "me" we are really intended to be.
This issue is one that helps people come to a profound realization and appreciation of who they really are. So one of the main issues that we must teach our clients to apply themselves on a regular basis. "Who am I?" Again and again.
True happiness and fulfillment in life is only when our actions and our goals are consistent with our values. Yet the sad truth is most of us do not really know what our core values are. Unfortunately, we take on board the values of others, the values that we are impressed by the media bombard us constantly, and values of the people we work with businesses and we work for. It is rare that the values we attach to ourselves are our true values. The internal conflict that this creates is one of the underlying causes for the level of discontent and depression in today's society.
You can see our values are indeed the mirror of who we really are still few of us look deep enough in the mirror to see the truth. Thousands of years there was a word written above a door in ancient Greece. The word was "Knost" and it was written above the door of the oracle of Delphi. It is as true today as it ever was thousands of years. It simply means "know thyself"
There is an old adage that says if you do not know where you just do not know where you go. The same is true here, if you do not know who you really are how can you know what you really want life, which is really important and how do you know where you're headed. I learned long ago that most people do not really know what they want in life, but are willing to go through hell to get it!
Being able to answer the question "Who am I?" In the clarity and honesty begin the process that will make a profound change in the direction your life takes. This will affect those who are close to you, your family, your friends and your work. The way to make a real difference in the world today is simply to a person, a spirit at once. Start with the person who is closest to you - you of course!
How can I ask?
It is important that when we ask ourselves the question "Who am I?" We allow time for responses to come. The truth May to filter through a number of layers, and this takes time. You May to ask you this question a few times. For example, you May ask "Who am I?" And the answer back in May "I am a teacher ',' I'm an electrician," I am a lawyer "etc The truth is that you none of these things. You do not see what you do! You are much more than that.
So when you ask the question "Who am I?" And you'll have an answer, you need to ask May and then again "and who else am I?" And yet "Who am I?" .
It is morally imperative that we finally know who we are. So many of us wander through life in a sort of emotional and spiritual amnesia, camcorders our response to life by producing images of ourselves that are far from the truth.
I recommend that when we engage in this important process that we are doing in a place of solitude and quiet so that we can be truly present for the answer. We can not really something without being present with him. Presence true, we must be attentive to what is happening in the here and now. It is our responsibility to be aware.
EXERCISES
AN EXERCISE - Six months to live
Imagine that you just returned from a visit to your doctor if you have been informed that you have an incurable disease and six months to live. However, during these 6 months, you're perfectly healthy, fit and active. Now, write what you do, you see, where you want to go and, very important that you spend your time with - and why. Would you change any aspect of your life now? Would you continue to work in your job / career? If not, why not?
Explanation: It is very clear you in the direction of what is important, even indispensable in your life. It is so easy to procrastinate, but you need to deal with these things now. It is obvious that these things are extremely important for you if you should strive to achieve as soon as possible - as a matter of urgency.
EXERCISE two - Direction
This exercise will give you excellent pointers to the direction in life when you should be headed. It is important that you sit quietly with pen and paper, and write clear, precise answers to the following questions. Do not be influenced by others or let negative thoughts distort your answers. Please give time and consideration of this exercise, it is not uncommon for its completion to take several hours.
1. Imagine that there were no obstacles whatsoever to achieve anything you want in life, what and where you want to be more? Would you be president? An opera singer? Perhaps a great athlete, or business success?
2. What in the past has given you the most satisfaction and pleasure?
3. The following list of words usually includes what we want in our lives. Write clearly your own definition of what each word means to you.
Wealth
Happiness
Health
Success
Explanation: If you do not really know what you want in life, then how can you achieve? The answers you provide in this exercise are at the heart of your goal list. They will guide you towards what makes you happy and a real value in your life.
Who am I at work?
I am surprised when I see the leaders of large companies such as BAT (British American Tobacco) has been hailed by the business community worldwide as models, and real examples of how business should be managed. Yet there are tens of thousands of people die each month in the world because of their product. The company is to set up men and women who create products that kill, purely for profit. I sometimes wonder if the inmates have taken over the asylum!
However, that price was paid by these decisions men and women?
As in many other scenarios being played out in all societies throughout the world, they are subjecting their own values for the company for which they work. If only they ask "Who am I?" You can see a profound and radical change in the thinking of those leaders.
I noticed that when I worked with men and women in these positions and supported them in answer to my question "Who are you?" I loved watching Travel slowly toward true self-realization. That's when they started to make a change, to really make a difference in their businesses. The development and implementation of decisions that are based on power rather than force. Make a positive difference in the lives of employees and thousands of customers in this society.
Much is said about corporate social responsibility, it is an expression which, subject to renounce gay, and in some cases, a solomneous that belies the truth, which is that most people follow and adopt the corporate culture, ethics, morals and values rather than expressing their own thoughts. This leads them to do things that are not in harmony with their own values.
Therefore, there is a great need for us to get back in touch with our core values, because the truth is that most of us who are highly commendable. This is just a case of back and re-remember who we are.
May I know who I am?
If we are not sure who we are now then how difficult it is to try and work that we really want to be in the future. Especially since the media does such a fantastic job of indoctrinating we believe that we should be. In television advertising, we know that we should all be young, thin, beautiful, tanned, without spots or glasses. Many magazines, we learn that by paying a lot more attention to ourselves and spending much of our hard earned money (and in some cases, which must still be won silver), we can really do ourselves young, sexually desirable, beautiful, and successful.
The result of this is that we end up setting goals for ourselves that have been imposed on us. Those who are not in harmony with or even on the basis of our own fundamental values true.
IN CONCLUSION
For many years, I think one of the biggest issues of all coaching was "What do you want?". This question can be posed in many ways, you can come to it so many angles and for several years, I thought was the question of questions.
However, long ago I realized that for some of the reasons given above, this is not the big question should be, because, as we have seen, we do not really know what we want at all.
I know now with a deep feeling and knowledge, there is a larger question, a more important issue, an issue that touches deep inside the base. That question is "Who am I?
You see coaching is to do on your best through the individual and private assistance of someone who will boost the challenge and guide you to keep growing.
Essentially, this is to help you achieve self-realization - a point at which not only you know you really, but this knowledge have a sense of comfort and understanding of the person you discover.
Coaching (or if we do not have a coach, self-coaching) is indispensable if we really want to achieve our full potential to be whatever we can be, to really reach a point of self-transcendence.
Written by Gerard O'Donovan founder of Noble Manhattan Coaching Ltd
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http://www.gerardodonovan.com
About the author
Gerard O'Donovan
Founder and CEO of Noble Manhattan Coaching Ltd
One of Europe's oldest coach training companies, and CEO of the European Institute of Coaching one of the largest bodies of the profession of coaching.
Gerard's whose previous experience includes many years in the armed forces, he asked the attitude of discipline and rigor to the development of its own business.
He wishes to Manhattan Noble be regarded as the first in "providing invaluable and professional service" to all its customers, and is able to achieve this because of his own achievements, bringing to the company extensive experience personal knowledge and unique style of teaching essential life.
One of the most sought-after executive coaches in Europe.
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posted by neptunus @ 2:08 PM
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