Because when we aren’t clear about what we are committed to, we tend to get over-involved, and this is what produces what we call “the mess” of not having enough time. Remember: involvement and commitment are not the same thing. Many times people have been operating out of such disempowering stances that they just “dummy down” and justify themselves and their actions with “that’s just the way I am” or “I was just born this way.” This can be an extremely painful, expensive, frustrating and confusing way to live life. You might know that a more organized week, and a more deliberately created day, will have you be more effective. But do you live this way?

Questions often make people uncomfortable, and when they are effective questions (as these have proven to be), they demonstrate the power of truly transformative coaching, versus “chatting” and “therapy lite” and “pumping the client up.” We all know that another diet isn’t going to work is not true because all diets work. It’s people’s inner stances that don’t work. Change your inner stance and any diet will work. Where are you choosing to come from? It’s been said that your life, when it’s over, will either be a warning or an example. So ask yourself, “Will my life be a warning to others? Or will it be a powerful example of what’s possible for a human being to do?”Really strong straight-line leaders are even effective at leading people who might not like their style. Because those people still respect them. They respect the leader for being responsible to be and do what’s required… even when they don’t approve of how it’s done. want to know why you want the experience of achieving that goal, so I also ask, “What purpose would that serve?” Straight-line individuals know that the only time you can ever change from a dream to a project is now. As Lindsay Brady asks in his book As the Pendulum Swings, “Which now are you going to change in?” Owners function from the viewpoint that no matter what they are faced with, they are going to get something good out of it—that it will be a learning experience—they will always live more powerfully thereafter. They grow stronger. Decisive action will defeat confidence and good feelings any day of the week. Just move ahead to take the decisive action that you are not taking but you know needs to be taken. Do this enough times and confidence and good feelings will no longer be an issue for you. You

You will not confuse the circumstance with the commitment ever again, which leaves you free to focus on and enjoy the fruits of your commitment. Once you see that the snake is a rope, it cannot return to being a snaHowever! When you take the easy way out and don’t do what’s required in the first place, it goes without saying that you are going to get further and further behind. Therefore, you come up with the greatest show on earth: excessive, dramatic, stressful busyness. What’s the fastest way to get to B? What’s the most effective way to get a result? It’s simple geometry. It’s a straight line. It’s a straight line from A to B, as in the shortest distance between two points. From where you are to where you want to be. The great Roman philosopher Seneca said, “It’s not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it’s because we do not dare that things are difficult.” When you have a problem, dare to make a bold decision and take decisive action now. Most people have multiple inner stances that they function from daily. Sometimes people are so familiar with the stances they function from that they just assume the stances are who they are rather than something they either choose directly or choose out of agreement with someone or something else. They don’t realize that they can re-choose or re-create their stance when the current stance doesn’t serve them. When I am unclear about my commitment, I procrastinate. When I am clear about my commitment, I act. When I am unclear about my commitment, I talk about my job. When I am clear about my commitment, I do my job. When I am unclear about my commitment, I maintain my image. When I am clear about my commitment, I maintain my integrity. When I am unclear about my commitment, I play it safe. When I am clear about my commitment, I empower others. When I am unclear about my commitment, I am dull and confused. When I am clear about my commitment, I am intentional and direct.