Turn Off Autopilot & Take Control of Your Dreams

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I think it was my mentor, David Neagle, that said a map doesn’t do you any good if you don’t know where you are. You have to know where you’re starting to get where you want to go. This is why I use the Whole Life Assessment and High Performance Habits Assessment in my High Performance Planner regularly, and why I share it with my clients. It makes me aware of where I’m at and what I’m doing, so I can see what needs to change (or not!) to achieve my goals and dreams. 

This works because most of us are unaware of what we’re doing unless we start tracking it. For example, when I taught childbirth classes I gave the moms-to-be a weekly worksheet to track what they ate because eating enough protein, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats is important to growing a healthy baby and increasing the chances of an easier birth. But if you’re on autopilot and not conscious of what you're eating, you don't know what needs to be changed. What you measure improves. 

The same goes for all six of the high-performance habits. These are the habits the most successful people in the world have in common, however you define success. Remember, this is not just for the CEOs or elite athletes, this is for everyone! To help you get a handle on where you're at with these habits, I’m going to go through them one by one and ask you questions about yourself. 

Questions to Ask Yourself About the High Performance Habits

As you think about the questions below, score yourself on a scale from one to ten for each habit. By doing this weekly or monthly, you’ll gain insight on the things you may want to work on to achieve your dreams faster. 

1. Seeking Clarity. Are you intentional in how you spend your days? Do you decide the feelings you want to generate or how you'll make your day meaningful? Do you know who you want to be? Or are you going with the flow of your day, taking things as they come and not really taking charge?

If you feel like your score is too low for your liking, try setting an intention for your day while you drink your coffee or eat breakfast, even in just one area of your life. Read more about seeking clarity. 

2. Generating Energy. Do you manage your energy well? Consider your physical, mental, and emotional energy. Do you have a way to recharge throughout the day to stay energized and relieve stress? Do you exercise? 

If your score feels low and you want to generate more energy, try tracking what you’re eating, how much you’re moving your body, or the quality of your sleep. All three of these things affect your overall energy, so it’s a great place to start. Read more about generating energy.

3. Raising Necessity. Are you emotionally connected to doing your best? Do you know your “why"? As in, why are you doing the things that you're doing, or why do you want to improve? Are you meeting your deadlines? Are you managing your self-talk?

If you feel like you aren't connected to your why, or aren’t committed to succeeding, spend time examining that. Listen to my recent podcast, What if You Don’t Have a Dream?, for inspiration, and figure that out first. 

Necessity was one of the reasons I became a high-performance coach. Prior to this, I was a health coach, but I realized that for the women I was working with to be successful, they needed to connect with why they wanted to be healthy. For some, they realized that they wanted to be there for their children or grandchildren, while others needed to clean up their spirituality, finances, or relationships before they could work on their physical health. Read more about raising necessity. 

4. Increasing Productivity. Are you working and spending time on the things that matter most? Are you avoiding distractions and progressing toward your goals? 

I think most people want to increase their productivity, and if that’s the case for you, I have a gentle reminder. If you want to be more productive to fit in more work, that’s a recipe for burnout. Rather, focus on things that matter most and avoid things that distract you from that. 

For example, a lot of women I work with want to have more time for exercise, hobbies, or their family. I know that if I don’t have time to take my dogs for a walk before dinner, I have to be honest with myself about how I spent the day. Was it scrolling social media? Or did I get lost in a creative project? And how do those things rank with the importance I put on taking myself and the dogs for a walk? 

When it comes to productivity, we need to be real with ourselves. We all have the same twenty-four hours in a day. And those excuses of why someone has more time than you won’t do you any good; instead, it puts you into a victim mindset and slows your progress. In the end, you are in charge of how you spend your time. Read more about increasing productivity.

5. Developing Influence. Are you being a role model? Are you challenging others or guiding them to think or be better? Are you caring for others? 

When we struggle to make changes for ourselves, it can be helpful to use the perspective that by making those changes, you can influence others. For example, taking that painting class you’re nervous about will show your children that it’s okay to try new things. Read more about developing influence.

6. Demonstrating courage. Are you dealing well with fear or unknowns? Are you sharing your real self with others? Are you responding well and quickly to life's challenges? 

Getting from here to there usually requires dealing with fear and becoming more aware of what your particular fears are. When you do that, it will help you move past them. Last weekend, I was facing the fear of my first mountain bike race in over twenty years. As I looked at my fear, I realized that I wasn’t afraid of losing or that it would be hard, but that I’d look like a fool for being slow. I was afraid of being seen not doing well.

I decided to race anyway, because I wanted to be a role model for the kids on my son’s mountain bike team; for the boys and girls that don’t expect to win races, but just love riding. So I raced, it was fun, I wasn’t fast, but I finished. And I felt great about my accomplishment. Read more about demonstrating courage. 

Using the High Performance Habits

As you start to become familiar with these habits, you’ll realize that they all work together. In The Extraordinary Life Tribe we spend the first half of the year becoming aware of your starting point in all these areas, and then use the High Performance Habits to improve your life. As we go along, we’ll also use the habits to help deal with any obstacles that come up. 

To bring about sudden change isn't something you can plan, control or schedule. The soul has its own way of timing the experience we call epiphany, but you can cultivate the state of awareness that opens the way for insight and revelation. The state is known as simple awareness and reaching it is effortless. - Deepak Chopra

Many of my clients invest in coaching because they have one specific area of their lives that they want to improve. But as we work together through the year, they realize that there are other areas that they would like to improve as well, or even first. Or sometimes life happens and other areas of their life need more focus from them for a while.

The outside perspective from me and/or a community of women is so important when you're trying to make changes and improve your life. You'll often be surprised that you're not the only one who’s experienced whatever it is you're going through. And then sometimes the answer or solution is right in front of you, but you can't see it because you're too close. When somebody else points it out or has experienced something similar, facing the challenge becomes easier. 

So whatever area of your life you're trying to improve, increasing your awareness is key, and the High Performance Habits can help. 

If you want to learn more about The Extraordinary Life Tribe group coaching program, and if it would be a good fit for you, make your appointment for a free consultation soon! The next cohort starts in April. And if you'd like to work with me one-on-one, I do have space for a small number of private clients. 

Book your free consultation now.