One of the things we life coaches do is keep our eyes open for coaching that comes from unusual places, and in this case it was the final episode of the Apprentice. Certainly television can be used to provoke intelligent dialogue about ethics and principles. Did you see The Apprentice the night Randall was hired and Rebecca wasn’t hired? Randall took a stand. He said, “No” when directly asked by Donald Trump whether Rebecca should be hired the same night. He was clear. He was living within his beliefs and values. He had a choice. As do you. We always have choices.

As life coaches we are often asked to support our clients to make new choices. Often these represent significant changes from the way they used to do things, and these new actions may seem awkward or out of the blue, especially to our loved ones. Yet, when we define our values and personal standards and chose to make choices based upon those, our life moves forward with much more ease. That awkward phase lasts only a short time as we step into the new way of being and behaving.

Try on these words as you think about the professional and competent behavior demonstrated by Rebecca and Randall during The Apprentice:

•Alert
•Clear
•Courageous
•Empowering
•Flexible
•Focused

You have a choice and can decide to adopt some of these words to describe how you will behave the rest of the week…the rest of the month, or all year. You can design your own degree of competency whether visiting a spa for relaxation and rejuvenation or preparing to deliver a motivating and inspiring presentation to your colleagues. The choice is yours; it always is. You are on this earth to add your unique piece to this puzzle called life and you have opportunities to turn every obstacle into a chance for greatness much as you saw Rebecca do during her time on The Apprentice.

Randall was put on the spot, took a stand, made a decision. It’s proven to be a controversial one and probably responsible for propelling Rebecca into a very desirable position she wouldn’t otherwise have had if Randall’s answer been “Yes.” So, bear this in mind when you get a ‘no’ from one of your colleagues or family members. It could be a ‘yes’ in disguise and the start of a fantastic new beginning.

Questions to ponder:

•What no can give that is actually a yes?
•Are you willing to ask for support to making a change?
•Do you have something you know you’ve been wanting to do, yet keep postponing?
•Are you aware that there is a contribution that only you can make?

As coaches, one of our favorite reminders is the following sentence: “The best way to get somewhere is to let yourself go.” It’s time. It’s the New Year. You can go. With support from a coach or this article or your own inner courage, you, too, can take a stand and design the life of your dreams. Yes you can!

About The Author

Kristine Carey & Leslie Gebhart, The Lifestyle Catalysts

Lifestyle Catalysts Kristine Carey & Leslie Gebhart are life coaches who reflect the maxim that despite life’s obstacles you can have a life well lived. Known for their professional, fun approach, they regularly lead workshops and coach 1:1. Click here to learn more and join their complimentary monthly conversation: http://www.lifestylecatalyst.com/register.shtml. Remember, action creates change!

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