This is the first in a series of posts and articles that will address topics, issues, and discussions about our new book.  It is ironic that one would think that you would come up with a title and then write the book.  At the time co-author  Christine Stiller CHRP, CPCC, ACC (also a Compass Coach) and I were about to embark on this journey I was reading a friends book “Just The Bones” by Marcia F. Pearce, D.D.  Marcia is a retired Minister and wrote this book to help others prepare for the rigors of writing and giving weekly messages or sermons.  One very important point Marcia makes is that the title of your talk should come after you have developed and written your message.  This process tends not to box you in to the true potential and unlimited possibilities of your message.  “A good, snappy, upbeat, or funny, attention-getting title is important.  However, if you insist on letting the title dictate your structure, you could find yourself trying to contort your skeleton and getting yourself stuck in the process.” (Just The Bones, Dr. Marcia F. Pearce, pg 23. 2009). She was right on here as well. 

Christine and I started with a title, something like Transform Your Thinking Transform Your Life.  Well I’m here to say that title is gone to the dark side.  Now that we are over halfway done with the book, there seems to be a message coming out of it something around “~The Sticking Point~ What Is Yours?”  Subtitle something like this,  A Cursory Guide to Helping You Solve Those Sticking Points in Your Life.  We have not confirmed anything as of yet, it is still evolving and growing.

Christine and I wish very much to be catalysis for change in the lives of the people we touch.  One such way to do this is to create and develop a powerful how-to book on transforming your life without all the mystery and suspense.  Changing ones path or journey in life does not need to be a difficult process.  It does however need to be authentic, open and truthful in order to be lasting.  We have found that there are several paths to transformation.  We also will share theory, case studies, and solutions based on the actual practice of our coaching clients.

The ironic thing here is just the fact that we are writing the book in the first place.  When I first approached Christine with this idea, she thought I was nuts, but yes I have grown on her or should I say the book idea has grown on her.  We have learned a lot about collaboration, and trusting each other’s viewpoints.  I can say that I have grown and evolved in this process.  One such area is that of allowing others to help me and not be the lone ranger.  I have gained a great deal of wisdom, knowledge, and vision from sharing this awesome journey with Christine, but you the reader will also gain a great deal of power from this book as well.  Moreover, I believe you be able to take back your personal power because of this book.  That leads me to the first topic for discussion: taking back one’s own power.  

The sticking point here is that so very often we feel that we do not have the power to control our own life.  It seems that there is some external influence which has control.  Have you ever caught yourself saying things like: If I had only done this or that my life would have been better, or if I had this kind of job I would have been a success.  Maybe you have said or thought if I had gone to college I would be a success, or I am not smart enough to go to college.  What about something like this, if I was not always sick I could have been someone special, or I was not allowed to do that because I was sick as a kid.  There are literally hundreds of excuses one could use to hold them to a specific path, a path of limiting belief.  Moreover the underlying Sticking Point here is Fear!  Yes Fear.

It seems as though this is a very common emotion that is playing out in many lives throughout the universe right now.  Fear will be the first Sticking Point that I will address.  What a powerful emotion fear is, just imagine for a moment that you use every excuse in the world to limit your path all in the name of Fear.
I am reminded of a story that was told to me by John Kehoe about the conversation we have with ourselves and how powerful our mind is and how destructive it is as well.  Now follow a long in this chain of limiting beliefs.

Just the notion that you could convince yourself that if you lost your job, you would lose your car, then you would lose your home, and then you would be homeless on the street begging, then you would lose your legs and arms, and then you would be stump of a person with no place to go and your life would hopeless.  WOW what a powerful imagination we have.

Just a thought, if we have so much power in us to create a thought process like that don’t you think we have the same awesome power to create a thought process like this.  Say you lost your job, and next you ran into an old friend at the market you had not seen in years.  He asks you how it going to inform him of your new good fortune and he says I have a TV show I am producing and I would like you to come join me.  Then the next thing you know is that you are a co-host or even a host of your own show, a talk show on personal transformation. Then you write a book and begin speaking publicly, and your book makes it to the best-seller-list. Then next you send the next several years traveling the world helping many people with their own personal transitions.

All that from losing your job, which thought process would you rather entertain?  Which thought process is empowering and which is not?  Where are you going to put your valuable energy to work, where are you going to focus your thoughts and vision of your current situation?

Stepping into your Fear, and not running from it, is the only way to transition to that place in your life that will truly take you where you are meant to be.  Stepping into that place of Fear is how you will master the thoughts and feelings that take place inside your mind.  This and many other topics will be addressed over the next several months, as Christine and I finish this book.  We look forward to your comments and dialogue about this and other topics.  Please feel free to leave your comments.  For more information about our come book, our coaching practice, our speaking engagements or just want to chat, give us a call of email us at……

Persist Without Exception

Jed A. Reay