When I started focusing on the right things

My husband recently summed up a work-life conversation, saying, “It’s a funny thing, but when you start focusing on the right things, everything else starts falling into place.”

I cling to this, as I pursue a new phase in my journey.

Just seven months ago, I felt adrift as frustration began seeping into my foundation. My resume and career storytelling business was booming, and life at the lake with my husband was an actualization of dreams. Unable to pinpoint what was amiss, returning to shore became difficult.

As the intensity of these feelings grew, solution cues began to sail into my line of vision, and one Saturday last spring, Whitney Johnson became a beacon.

I have known Whitney through social media for several years, as we connected initially through Twitter and on several occasions have worked together or referred business.

In a moment of emotional aha, I clicked on her website and then the Coaching tab. I felt the hope of possibility surge, took the leap and emailed her, asking if she would consider me as a coaching client.

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Whitney and I began working together in August of this year. She aptly describes herself as an accountability and thought partner. After some initial worksheet homework, akin to what I have my clients complete, she and I began mapping out a plan.

We are nearly three months into our coaching, and change is afoot.

1. The eye of the focus needle is helping me sort through overwhelm.
2. My revenue is increasing. The power of a thought partner has helped me articulate value into revenue, converting prospective client concerns into enthusiasm to invest in their careers.
3. Profit margins are growing. Reframing my offerings to be more profitable for both my clients and myself is foundational to our coaching.
4. I’m baring my strengths. When overwhelm started to grip my life, I could feel my intellectual and creative powers waning. Having a coach cut through the fog and gently remind me of strengths – my superpowers, as Whitney refers to them – has been powerful in helping me to rev up those strengths for my clients, while also fulfilling my own satisfaction goals.
5. I’m sharpening my ‘no.’ While declining invitations to collaborate or contribute to a new project had become a familiar act, the ‘why’ behind my ‘no’ had become dull. Looking at the most interesting-sounding opportunities through the lens of current goals helps me to determine if they are truly part of my overall focus. It also makes my ‘yeses’ more exhilarating.

I love how I feel after an hour of lightning-round coaching, my head stuffed full of new ideas while also ratcheting up plans in progress. As with any bold change in life, the outcomes are rich with experiences and stories well beyond what I originally imagined. Coaching with Whitney is an empowering journey of disruption.

PS – Check out Whitney Johnson’s new book book on personal disruption, named an Amazon Top Pick Business + Leadership Book of the Month.

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© Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter | I am one of only 50 master resume writers and have crafted more than 1,500 career stories that drive game-changing results. My bachelor’s degree in writing/journalism allows me to apply a journalist’s eye to your career.