IT HAS BEEN A WHILE…
Since COVID descended, it’s been a rough go for everyone. I know I’m one of the lucky ones – still have my job, the family is healthy, still have access to food/water/shelter. But this whole thing has been challenging. The duration is much longer than I expected. And the ambiguous ending makes this feel like it’s going to go on forever. The uncertainty put me in a down cycle that’s lasted since about April. These are certainly “First World Problems” – but I was bummed that the Boston Marathon was postponed and then canceled. I was bummed when the New York Marathon canceled also. Travel is out of the question. And along with it a lot of the goals I had planned for 2020 went out the window. And then the fudge I kept making. And cookies. And so on. The exercise started to go out of the window. I stopped reading. No writing. And business was not going as well as I had expected.
When faced with this pandemic, it feels like many people went underground. They found the nearest cave and started to hibernate – settling in for as long as this will take. There just aren’t a lot of people looking for running coaches, personal development coaches, or business coaches. Everyone seems to be stuck. And now is the time when people need the most help.
A FRESH START
But I am starting to come out of this. I think of it as the start of a new cycle. And others are emerging as well. I’m finding great clients now. They are investing in accelerating out of this down cycle. They are entering a new cycle - and ready to put in the work. A fresh start.
“The beginning is the most important part of the work.”
I started to think about how to come out of a down cycle. What is the work that I needed to do? What might kick start a new cycle?
LEARN NEW STUFF
Start reading - I picked up my (ever-growing) “To Read” list and found something light and fun to dive into. I started with 11 Rings: The Soul of Success. It’s a fast read about the teams Phil Jackson coached. I found it interesting to learn about his Zen influences and how he was able to redirect his anger into a more productive outlet (while still retaining the energy). One book led to another.
Try something new - I set an appointment with a nutritionist to see if I could learn more about healthy eating. I know I stress eat, but perhaps I could learn why - and maybe even find some healthy alternatives.
Take a course - I went to a running certification course (that’s #2), so I could share some new knowledge with clients.
HELP OTHERS
Teach something - I decided I’d keep track of my nutrition journey and share my thoughts for potential running clients. I have a lot to learn about healthy eating. I’m willing to share.
Build a course - many of my clients lead teams and struggle with similar challenges. Building a high performing team can be challenging - especially when it’s full-time remote. I spent a couple of weekends distilling what I’ve learned over the last 20 years and put it into a course that makes building a team much simpler. Not easy, but simple and approachable. You can check it out here.
I’M CURIOUS
What would kick off a new cycle for you? I’m interested in hearing for you.
- Mike Sweeney, www.sabercoaching.com
If you found this post valuable, please share it far and wide so others can benefit. If you want to start a new cycle, shoot me a note @ mikesweeney@sabercoaching.com. Maybe we can get things rolling.