How John stepped through
his fantasies, and began living his dreams
THE BEGINNING
John was 34 when we met, and had spent his adult life in a series of
underpaid, overworked, dull jobs. He fantasized about living out life on a
beach, and despaired that this was a financial impossibility. John was so
disillusioned with work that he believed that winning the lottery was the
only way he’d ever be happy. Needless to say, this belief only made him
feel completely stuck and miserable!
THE BREAKTHROUGH
Doing what we love makes us feel wonderfully alive. Most of us have a
passion, however hidden it might be, and John’s was buried so deep under
his dislike of work that he just couldn’t find it. So we worked with what
we had. I asked him to find anything he liked about his current job.
John admitted that he did enjoy working with computers, though that was a
very small part of his job. So he threw himself into that aspect of work,
doing courses, meeting people. Rapidly his increasing confidence and
skills got him promoted. Twice. And he was soon earning a lot more money.
But the best was yet to come. He was released from his fantasy by
achieving it, and realising that it wasn’t what he wanted after all. He
now had wealth, and his job was very easy and stress-free, almost like
laying on a beach, but without the sand. And John was bored! He did want
to work after all. He wanted to jump out of bed in the morning into
something that he loved.
THE RESULTS
Liberated from his fantasies, John started putting his power and energy
into starting his own business. He decided that while he liked money, what
he wanted more was freedom. And now, with a thriving computer business, he
has both. The best part of this, in John’s heart, is that, when we started
coaching, he was trudging through life with his eyes closed, and now he’s
flying!
How Paul Finally made the
dream he’d held for twenty years into a reality!
THE BEGINNING
Paul had left his teaching job a decade ago in favour of a more creative
career as a freelance writer. But his dreams of creativity were thwarted
by the endless hours of admin his business required, and by the apparent
demands of the market which he met by writing uninspired magazine articles
and website copy. Paul was disillusioned and thinking of giving up
altogether.
THE BREAKTHROUGH
During our first call I discovered Paul’s true desire, to write novels.
He’d longed to do his own work, but had buried this dream long ago because
he believed it to be impossible. And since all his admin and unexciting
articles took up most of his time, he’d also long since given up trying to
write them.
First we addressed the internal, the dream that Paul believed was too big
for him. We challenged his fear of failure and how it ruled his life. Then
we looked at the external factors standing in between Paul and his dream.
We took an inventory of his working hours and discovered Paul needed an
extra 4 hours a day, for 6 months, to prepare work to send to an agent.
THE RESULTS
Emboldened by our coaching, Paul took a tremendous step in the direction
of his dream. He hired someone to do his admin, for 4 hours a day for 6
months, and set about writing his novel. This fresh courage also led to
Paul turning down work he didn’t really want to do, he began taking his
life back!
Together we investigated agents and publishers and began pitching his
novel. Within a short time Paul had an agent. He also started getting
articles published that he enjoyed writing. Today he’s published his first
novel, is writing his second, and has someone to do all his admin!
How Ben Stepped Beyond
His Fears and Created His Perfect Life
THE BEGINNING
Ben’s life was dominated by the need for security. He’d spent 20 years in
a job he hated because he had a house he needed to pay for and a family he
needed to support. Sadly, Ben’s job made him so moody that his marriage
was in trouble. Ben was deeply frustrated and depressed.
THE BREAKTHROUGH
When we talked about true security, the security inside oneself, Ben saw
how he’d sacrificed himself, his sense of worth and self-respect, by
living a life based on fear. He soon saw that, far from giving him
security, these fears were ruining himself and his marriage, the
foundations of his life.
As soon as Ben realised this, he couldn’t keep living the way he had been.
Suddenly, with the complete support of his wife, he handed in his notice.
Instantly he re-discovered his self-respect. And, without those fears, we
found a man with enough power and energy to do anything he wanted!
THE RESULTS
With energy, spirit and passion he never knew he had, Ben began his own
business. His new lease for life created an excellence of service that
people couldn’t resist. Word of mouth quickly spread and Ben had built a
thriving business in record time. He was very soon making far more money
than he’d ever made in his life, and now has self-respect, a happy
marriage, and joie de vivre to go with it!
How Ellen Overcame her
Disappointment and Reached for the Sky
THE BEGINNING
Ellen was utterly lost. At 54 she’d recently given up a job as a teacher
she’d had for thirty years. Since then she’d tried everything else under
the sun but just couldn’t find anything she wanted to do. She was
exhausted and wondering what on earth to do next.
THE BREAKTHROUGH
In the first session we investigated what had taken Ellen to teaching in
the first place. It became clear that the gem of passion she’d had in her
20s was for changing people’s lives with the aim of creating a happier
world. As with many passions, this had long since been eroded by the
system. Her high ideals had seemed impossible and she’d let them die.
We found a career that truly excited her and she began training to be a
business coach. However, once she’d began working with office-managers,
she became massively resistant to building her business. Time for another
breakthrough!
We discussed the fact that resistance is often a sign, not of fear, but of
something being out of place. Soon it became clear that there was another
level to Ellen’s desires for her career. She had high ideals that she was
hiding again, believing that they too would be impossible to fulfill. For
Ellen didn’t really want to work with individual managers, she wanted to
work with entire companies, to transform entire workplaces, as many of
them as she could get her hands on!
THE RESULTS
Now Ellen is leaping towards her high ideals with boundless enthusiasm and
self-belief, her doubt and resistance has completely disappeared. Once she
decided to go for her true goals, the ones her heart really longed for,
Ellen found that everything fell into place. She began with small
companies and soon had the confidence and experience to move onto the big
ones! Finally she’s transforming the world in the she always wanted to.
How Ellen stopped giving
herself away and gave herself a great life
THE BEGINNING
Ellen was a therapist, a very good therapist, but she didn’t really love
what she did. She took her profession into her life and helped everyone.
She was drained and exhausted and started to feel that soon she’d have
nothing left to give. Megan had completely lost her passion for life, and
could barely summon the energy to get out of bed in the morning.
THE BREAKTHROUGH
We soon discovered that Ellen was running her whole life from a misguided
attempt to compensate for beliefs she’d developed as a child, and still
held. When she was young Ellen had frequently been accused of being
selfish, an accusation that hurt her deeply. She’d since spent the rest of
her life in a desperate bid trying to prove that she wasn’t.
Once this realization came to light we were able to challenge it. Of
course this wasn’t hard, and Ellen quickly came to see how she’d been
living far beyond the normal boundaries of selflessness, and had given her
whole life away!
We explored things that Ellen wanted to do just for Ellen. She loved to
sculpt, but had only indulged once or twice, fearing also that with a lack
of professional training, her efforts were worthless. The idea of calling
herself an artist felt like shoes far too big for her to fill. But art is
in the eye of the beholder, and as she started to do more of it, she
actually started to sell some of her sculptures!
THE RESULTS
Ellen left her job as a therapist and got a job in an art gallery! She has
never felt happier or more fulfilled. She takes art classes and holds
shows in her home. She’s selling more work than ever and is so inspired
that she has no problem jumping out of bed every morning. Of course, the
happy Ellen doesn’t need to help people with their problems anymore, she
just spreads good feelings everywhere she goes!
How John stepped through
his fantasies, and began living his dreams