The mindsets and practices of excellent CEOs
I am my word.
I am like no one else.
I am boldly creating even when uncertain.
I am in pursuit of an extraordinary life.
I had an exceptional second quarter. I did an evaluation of the quarter and couldn't put my finger on anything different or exceptional that I'd done versus previous quarters.
While I rarely go back and read my journal, I was curious about what I was thinking and writing at the time to give me any new insight into my growth.
What I saw in my morning journal pages was a lot of work on organizing my thoughts, but also on those pages, were daily entries of ‘I Am’ statements. A new practice I began in the quarter after reading the book, The Ultimate Coach.
Who you are being is everything.
My 'I Am' statements are an expression of that. I shared just a few here with you. Writing them has me taking ownership of who I am being and how I see my future. They are reflections and reminders of my identity, and the behaviors that go with them.
For nearly a month, I consistently showed up for my morning writing time with these statements.
The Ultimate Coach begins with Coach Steve Hardison asking the reader to answer a list of writing prompts before you read the book. I did, and I hope you will too, as I believe with 100% certainty that writing my 'I Am' statements was the source, the difference, the energy which elevated my performance.
Each morning I wrote my list of "I Am" statements from these questions.
I retrained my brain with my conviction of who I want to be.
The funny thing about the brain, and is backed by Neuroscience research, is that when you imagine a possibility, the brain cannot tell the difference between what you’ve imagined and if it's actually happened.
My 'I Am' statements helped me build belief in myself and my work which elevated how I was showing up personally and professionally.
I consistently wrote them in my journal. The art and science of journaling is a proven performance enhancer when done consistently and with intention. Just ask Oprah, Arianna Huffington, and Bill Gates who journal.
You may be reading this thinking: I can't. Not me. I don't have time. If billionaires and multi-millionaires are believers, why not you? This was the question I asked myself when I was resisting and it inspired me to start a daily journal practice.
You can retrain your brain in 10-minutes a day.
When I journal, I see what I couldn’t see before.
When I journal, I see with more clarity.
When I journal, new thoughts surface that wouldn't have if I hadn’t put pen to paper.
These new thoughts have literally changed my business.
New concepts.
New understanding.
New ideas.
New POVs.
Journaling helps me navigate energetic conversations ahead of time. Winner winner, chicken dinner!
As I write my three pages each day, things emerge out of nowhere. Thoughts magically find their way on the page without much thought. (What!?)
I always have a separate sheet of paper next to me as ideas come up along with some 'To Dos' that I may have forgotten in the rush of the day.
You may be thinking that all you'll write about will be negative. That it will be too much complaining. Think about it - better there, where you can leave it on the page, rather then carrying it into your day.
Writing daily helps you unload the baggage, make sense of it, and focus on what you want to create.
You will find the days you skip journaling will be the days when you need it most.
Moving from a messy mind to a managed mind (at least closer to it). That’s retraining the brain to serve you.
I write my 'I Am' statements followed by a download of the previous day -- what worked, what didn't work, and what I would do differently. I then write about my coming day and what outcomes I will have when I show up on my 'A game'. Many days, I write about who I'm becoming.
For me, the pen to paper freehand in a notebook is what frees my mind to unload and create. I don't get the same impact when I'm typing.
That's my practice.
What's yours? Write me. I’d love to learn from you.
If you haven’t started a journaling practice, what do you want yours to look like?
Oh, the stories you will write, the places you will go, the life you will create. A managed mind, clarity, a place to design what you want. It's waiting for you on the page.
10-minutes a day may just change your life.
If you are considering working with a Coach or want to know more about the components of a Coaching engagement, let’s get on a call with this link.
The biggest impact working with Christina....
The biggest change I've noticed about myself internally is.... “Increased comfort with uncertainty. I now have confidence in my ability to manage difficult situations and control my own destiny. I'm taking a much more 'offensive' approach to managing my career, even when the immediate next step isn't clear.”
