I’ve been in the personal development business for nearly sixteen years and, to be quite honest, a get a little fed up when I see people, who are all over the place themselves, suddenly proclaiming themselves to be a life coach because they did a weekend course or get some online accreditation. Life coaching is a serious business. The life coach is in a position to play with people’s minds – and some of them do just that with terrible consequences. People ‘follow their heart’ – a phrase that I’ve heard more than once – or people ‘go with the flow’ – another choice phrase. But I often find myself in the position of having to help someone pick up the pieces of their lives having followed such advice.
I do a two-day workshop – I’ve been doing it since 1996 – and I tell participants that they’ve been given all the tools that they need to do whatever they want to do with their lives, whether that’s get rich quick, find their ‘soul-mate’ (whatever that means!) or simply find happiness. The problem with most people is that they want someone to hold their hands for them. When you were young, your parents led you by the hand – your teachers did the same, at least metaphorically. Now that you’re an adult, you’ve got to grow up. You’ve got to take responsibility for your life – you’re the only one who can. You’ve got to stop leaning on the crutches provided by others and start doing things for yourself – that’s what self help and self improvement mean.
You’ve got to realize that the only person who can get inside your head is you. And, more importantly, you’ve got to realize that, until you get inside your head and take charge, nothing in your life will change. Seventy years research in the field of psychology tells us that the normal mind controls the normal person and that the normal mind is haunted by the ghosts of our formative years. Neuro-psychological research also confirms that, if we take control of our minds, we can enter what sportspeople call the ‘peak performance zone’ and change our lives. But only you can do that.
You’ve got to tame your wild mind. It’s wild because, as things stand, it is a law unto itself. It’s preoccupied with your past and worried about your future – and you’re stuck, helpless, in the middle. You’ve got to grab the levers of power – tell your mind who’s boss. Teach your mind to focus on the here and now – the bit that your mind won’t focus on at all – the time and place that life is lived, risks are taken, great journeys are embarked upon.
So, having read these few words, take ten minutes to, quite literally, smell the roses. Close your eyes, experience the sounds of reality, the aromas of now, the rhythm of your own breathing – the reality of the moment. For, until you come to your senses, your life will stay the same.
Willie Horton has been enabling his clients live their dream since he launched is now acclaimed two-day Personal Development Seminars all the way back in 1996. His clients include top leaders in major corporations such as Pfizer, Deloitte, Nestle, Merrill Lynch, KPMG, G4S and Allergan together with everyone from the stay-at-home parent to sports-people. An Irish ex-banker and published author he now lives in the French Alps from where he travels the world as a much sought after motivational speaker and mentor. All his work, his weekly Free Personal Development Ezine videos and articles, together with his highly-acclaimed Personal Development Workshops are online at Gurdy.Net