One of the concepts learned in the business world is that companies and individual workers possess different maturity levels, meaning that their ability to effectively complete activities differ. A non-business example could be: suppose you wanted somebody to prepare dinner for you. Would you expect the same results from your nine year old son as you would from your mother? Would you give them both the same level of instruction? With this in mind, improvement efforts must be tailored to the maturity level of the individuals who will be participating in the efforts. Therefore, successful improvement efforts in the business arena focus on the improvements as well as on developing the ability of their staff to make the improvements.

The Project-Transform system was designed so that you can easily adapt each activity to your current level. The activities get progressively more detailed as your ability to make improvements increases. If you are happy with your level of improvements before you reach the end of the method simply stop reading and continue repeating the activities that are working for you.

A system for improving your life should develop naturally out of activities that actually improve your life. As your life improves, so should your ability to make further improvements. My research of improvement systems led me to the realization that the authors of the improvement systems had probably spent years getting to the point where they were able to envision and utilize their systems. Yet their books did not normally include ramp up steps to allow me to get up to speed. It was sink or swim. I did not want a system. I wanted relief and I wanted it now.

Are you seeing changes in your life now? If not, maybe you need to change your efforts to match your ability to implement improvements. Sometimes it can be very difficult to find the balance between “biting off more than you can chew” and not pushing yourself hard enough to see significant changes. Try to find a mentor or coach who can help you decide what is needed to start seeing improvements right away. Based on my experience, you can experience the life you want now!

The Project-Transform system evolved from my own experiences of an overwhelmed personal life coupled with a career path as a business analyst/ project manager that left me feeling unfulfilled. My usual response to being overwhelmed was to search for a spiritual solution. Although my spiritual pursuits occasionally gave me moments of temporary peace, I realized that I had not addressed any of the causes of my lack of control. It was only a matter of time before I would become overwhelmed again and lose the ability to sustain my spiritual insight on a daily basis. Sometimes I became simply too tired to do anything but get through the day. I didn’t have any energy left over after taking care of my daily obligations to devote to spiritual activities. Then one day I had one of those “aha” moments that I had kept reading about but never seemed to experience. My business skills, process improvement and project management techniques, could be used to improve my life and enhance my spiritual growth!

I began by thinking of my life as a business—complete with processes and projects. I realized that making changes in my life was no different than a business implementing a formal project. If I could design and implement successful projects at work, surely I could implement projects that were meaningful to me in my own life. Using my business analyst skills, I researched current strategies for personal development and self improvement. And from that research, I defined processes and activities that could be used to improve different areas of my life. Using my project manager skills I then created a personal plan for transforming my life. Through trial and error and consultation with others, I refined my plan into the Project-Transform system so that others could benefit from what I have learned. Although it hasn’t always been an easy road, I am thankful that my life experiences led me towards this method of ongoing transformation and I am excited about the possibilities for my life. I hope the Project-Transform system will help you feel the same way about your life.

Silence as a Self-Coaching Tool

I grew up as the oldest child in a large family. Our home was filled with activity and noise, and if you wanted to be heard you had to talk fast and you had to be loud. I’ve noticed I’ve carried those habits of communication into my adulthood. Through my own spiritual practice and experiences as a life coach, I’ve discovered silence as a valuable improvement tool. As a life coach I have to frequently remind myself and my clients of the value of silence. It is easy to become so focused on goals, actions plans, to do lists, and activities that we forget to pause and make space for silence. However, as we practice creating more silence in our lives, we may be surprised by the wisdom, calm, and insight that often arises spontaneously out of silence. Listed below are several situations where silence can be particularly useful.

1.When you are listening.

Are you truly present to the other person when you have a conversation? Or are you already planning what you are going to say next? Or worse, are you thinking of something unrelated? Next time you are in a conversation with someone, try practicing being present with silence. In addition to paying attention to their words and gestures, just notice what it is like to simply be with them without needing to respond with words. Allow yourself to focus on the essence of the other person with exquisite attention and awareness. Perhaps you will notice something beautiful about this person that you have never noticed before.

2. When you are speaking.

We often fill up space with unnecessary words. If we take time to slow down when we speak we will likely express ourselves with more clarity and thoughtfulness. Most of us have probably experienced times where we spoke without thinking things through. In a recent news conference President Obama was being pressed by a reporter about why he waited several days to publically express his anger about a company who received money from the government bailout giving large bonuses to executives. Obama’s calm response was, “It took us a couple of days because I like to know what I’m talking about before I speak.” Regardless of your politics, the practice of waiting to speak until we know what we are talking about seems like a wise one. Even just a brief silence before we speak can help ensure that our words are a thoughtful response rather than an emotional reaction. Another way to improve communication with silence is taking brief pauses after making a point to make sure that the person we are talking with is following along and understanding what we are saying. Too often we rush through our thoughts without knowing if we are being understood. As a listener, I find that I feel more connected with the other person when I have those pauses to digest what they are saying and to ask questions if needed.

3.When you are about to say something negative.

If what you are about to say is truthful, kind, and useful, then say it; if not, silence is often best. Although there are times when it is appropriate to share authentic frustrations and negative feelings, we often spend too much of our time saying things that are negative, gossipy, and unkind. Gossip and negative comments zap energy from ourselves and from those around us. The next time you notice yourself about to say something negative, pause for a moment. Consider what you want to get out of saying that thing. Are you looking for support? Sympathy? A way to connect with someone else? Is there another way to get what you are looking for? It can be helpful to have a supportive accountability partner because we often are unaware of the negative comments we’re making and the impact our comments have on those around us. For example, in my former workplace, we started a conscious practice that if you became aware that you were about to say something negative, you had to pause quietly and raise your hand. The physical act of raising our hand provided a means for us to get encouragement from each other whenever we showed constraint. We served as each other’s accountability partner by gently, even playfully, bringing to the speaker’s attention any negativity that they expressed. It was amazing how quickly the environment at work improved.

4. When you need to rest.

Our body-mind functions most optimally when it has an opportunity to restore. Many of us spend our free time watching television, on the computer, playing video games, or filling our minds with “noise” in other ways. While these may be enjoyable, they are not restful or restorative for the mind or body. Taking even just a few moments of conscious silence each day can be deeply restorative and rejuvenating. You can start by taking ten mindful breaths in silence. Silence allows you to enter a deeper state of relaxation. As you switch from doing to being you will notice your breath and heart rate slowing down and your body returns to balance.

5. When you are overwhelmed.

Thoughts have a physical effect on your body by releasing chemicals that are processed by cell receptors located in every organ of your body. Silence gives your body a break from the physical effects of your thoughts and provides your body a chance to start restoring balance.

6. When the answer to a problem can only be found within you.

When faced with a problem we often run to other people to find out what they think we should do. Taking time for silence can allow an opportunity for your inner wisdom to provide you with a solution that is best for you rather than what someone else thinks is best for you.

7. When you need to face yourself.

We often use noise as a distraction so that we don’t have to face some emotional or physical struggle within ourselves. These struggles will get progressively louder until we deal with them. I know of one lady whose body was signaling her that she was sick. She was convinced that she had cancer. Instead of seeking medical help she surrounded herself with increasingly more distractions until she could not put off going to the doctor. Unfortunately she did have cancer, and it was so far along that there was nothing she could do about it. She died soon after.

8. When you need to focus.

Spending a few minutes in silence before starting an activity can help you move forward with greater consciousness and presence, allowing you to focus and perform more optimally.

9. When you pray.

Too often our prayer life can be so focused on telling God what we want that we forget to listen to God. Silence in prayer allows us to receive God’s answer. How God “speaks” to us varies based on our particular situation and our own style of receiving and listening. Thomas Keating states it this way:

“The root of prayer is interior silence. We may think of prayer as thoughts or feelings expressed in words. But this is only one expression. Deep prayer is the laying aside of thoughts. It is the opening of mind and heart, body and feelings – our whole being – to God, the Ultimate Mystery, beyond words, thoughts and emotions.”
Thomas Keating. Open Mind, Open Heart.

Self-Coaching Steps

Look for moments during the day to add silence to your life. You may want to pause before making a phone call or before eating. When having a conversation, remember to give space to the other person. Try turning off the television for a few hours, a day, a week, or even a month. Notice the difference that makes. Experiment with having less time in front of the computer.

Will Self-Coaching Work for You?

You’ve probably heard about all the experts, the seminars and the gurus who can allegedly help you change, whatever your personal problem might be. But whether you experience anxiety, lack of confidence or any other condition, there’s one other method that will get you to where you want to go. Self-coaching is a more direct variant of life coaching, and it may very well start you off on the change that needs to happen.

Me, Myself and I

Under self-coaching, you essentially work with yourself. Why not? After all, you’re the best person to know how it feels to be in your shoes, to be living your life. And if there’s change that needs to happen, you’re the best person to bring that change to the finish line.

But this method isn’t 100% all about you. You’ll need other people on board as well, to help you ask the right questions and look in the right places. As for the answers to those questions and your discoveries in those places, those are all up to you. The change and the corresponding steps that need to be done will still be yours to outline and define.

All in all, it’s really quite similar to getting actual professional help, only the third party is only present at the start. Once you’ve answered a few questions and you know the kind of steps that you’ll have to take, it’s all up to you to improve your life on your own.

The Self-Coaching Profile

Like most other coaching methods, this technique will work best with certain kinds of people. For example, you’d have to be a fairly well-adjusted person on your own. It also tends to work better with single, isolated problems; coaching yourself tends to get more difficult and complicated when you’re dealing with complexes or a set of issues.

You also have to be in a position to make changes in your own life. That is, you have to enjoy a certain level of independence and decision-making in order for the coaching to be effective. Otherwise, you’ll just be stuck at the earlier stages of the self-coaching process. Whether it’s changing your routine or modifying your lifestyle, your circumstances have to be able to accommodate those kinds of alterations.

Will It Work?

Believe it or not, it does in most cases. With the right structures in place, you can coach yourself to improve your life permanently. It’s all a question of commitment, motivation and dedication. Can you stick to a program that you set yourself? Are you changing for the right reasons? Is this something you really want? If you can answer those questions with conviction, then chances are good that you can succeed just by coaching yourself.

Are you interested in becoming a life coach?

Life coaching is a very rewarding profession which allows you to have the flexibility of working from home. If you enjoy working with people, are goal oriented and are willing to handle the administrative tasks associated with running your own business, then you should consider becoming a personal life coach.

Life Coaching Income Potential

It is important to point out that it can be very hard to make a lot of money as a life coach. Beginning life coaches can usually charge from $60 to $100 dollars per hour. At least half of your time will be used for administration tasks and finding new life coaching clients. This means that you will only have the potential to bill around 1,000 hours a year. Additionally, it will require a lot of work to find and maintain enough clients for you to be able to conduct 1,000 life coaching hours a year.

Life Coaching Certification

There is no legal requirement that life coaches be certified but certification is useful for distinguishing yourself from the competition. There are two main independent life coaching certification bodies:

• International Association of Coaching (IAC) Exam Based Life Coaching Certification
• International Coach Federation (ICF)Training Based Life Coaching Certification

Life Coaching Training

You will need to go through life coach training to become a competent life coach. The good news is that the life coaching skills you acquire will have a positive impact on your life and in the lives of others. Below is a list of companies that provide life coach training. This list was created to make it easier for you to research life coach training opportunities and is not intended to offer an endorsement for any of the life coach training companies listed. We have only received life coach training from Coach U.

• CoachU
• Coach Training Alliance
• The Coaches
• Life Coach Training
• Coach Training
• Coachville
• Invite Change
• IPEC
• NLP Coach Program

Life coaching sessions generally take place via phone, with e-mail follow-ups in between life coaching sessions to check on your progress and to help you resolve any issues you may have encountered. You schedule your telephone sessions with your life coach based on your availability. The agenda for the life coaching calls will be based on your particular goals and preferred communication style.

Initial Life Coaching Call

1. You will define what you want to accomplish through life coaching.
2. Your life coach will ask you questions to help you clarify your goals and provide you with direction for making your goals actionable.
3. You will set regular times to talk on the phone but you can contact your life coach by e-mail anytime between calls.

 Follow Up Life Coaching Calls

1. Your life coach will support you in reaching your goals by providing you with direct feedback and advice.
2. You will be asked to share your successes and challenges since your last life coaching call.
3. You will discuss your current agenda and the next actions steps.
4. Your life coach will work with you to improve the process you are using to reach your goals.

New life coaching clients are currently being accepted.

Project-Transform life coaches follow a specific process that will bring immediate improvements to your life while building the foundation needed to more easily implement future improvements.

While talking to other successful people can be beneficial and is encouraged, working with a professional coach can give you the individualized attention, time, and support to help you explore, clarify, and meet your goals. A life coach offers a concerned yet unbiased perspective that a friend cannot. Your coach is experienced with not only making improvements but also in effectively communicating that knowledge to others.

Your Project-Transform life coach will be focused on helping you make immediate improvements to the quality of your life. Sustaining those improvements and making more complex improvements will require you to keep working on implementing changes in your life.
 
The actual time frame for your activities and life plans depends on the complexity of your goals and your willingness to actively work towards achieving those goals. Some people make considerable progress within a month or two, while others stick with a program for several years.

Change can be a very difficult thing to do; it’s a personal journey, not a race against others. The important thing isn’t that you achieve change earlier than the other person, but that you make the improvements you wanted as effortlessly as possible.

Although life coaches share some techniques with psychologists and counselors, coaching is a distinct field with a different approach. Psychologists specialize in diagnosing conditions and identifying causes; a Project-Transform life coach focuses on helping you express your problems and identify solutions. Psychologists and counselors often work on underlying issues from the past, while life coaching is primarily focused on defining and completing concrete action steps to improve your life now. Your Project-Transform life coach may also be more directive than a psychologist and will present specific recommendations on how you might proceed with achieving your goals.

Our coaches do have active spiritual lives and belong to different religions. However, the coaches are careful to keep their spiritual practices and beliefs from affecting the coaching sessions they conduct. They’re there to guide you, not convert you.

Unless you specifically requested life coaching sessions that focused on religion, your life coach won’t delve into that region of your life with you. Life coaching targets more visible areas of your life, such as your career or your family. Your spiritual/religious life, which can include your values, hopes, longings, etc. may overlap in many ways with other areas of your life. In that case your coach may provide feedback on those areas but his/her response will not be guided by religious dogma.

Project-Transform does offer spiritual life coaching if you’re looking for guidance and direction with your spirituality and faith.