Early one morning last week, while sitting on the shore of a small lake on Manitoulin Island, I was caused to reflect on the amazing wonder and power of wings. The lake was completely still and there was a very slight mist hovering over the water. As I sipped my first coffee of the morning, I was enthralled by the enchanting call of the loon, and then captivated by the sight of two Herons as they flew in tandum just a few yards from where I was sitting and what appeared to be a foot above the water.

The evening before, as we sat around our campfire, we were caused to look up in awe at the site of an eagle overhead. The eagle appears to soar effortlessly with those mighty wings spread, the herons wings flap rhythmically, and the loon, although it can fly 110 km per hour, never soars, but must work its wings continually to maintain flight.

» Continue reading “IT’S ALL ABOUT THE WINGS …”

A couple of weeks ago Gloria and I celebrated our 40th anniversary at one of our favorite places in the world, our friends cottage on Lake Huron. As I sat on the deck, and watched yet another magnificent Port Albert sunset, I was reflecting on the beauty of the moment, the countless special moments over the years, and how critical it is that we not miss the moment.

I remembered, as I often do (some of you have heard me recount this story) that moment sitting on the deck of my London home, grumbling about the fact that half the children in the neighbourhood were in my back yard chewing up my grass and trampling my flowers. Gloria’s comment has been forever etched in my mind and heart … “One day the kids will be gone and the grass will still be here” WOW, how true!

» Continue reading “CHERISH THE MOMENTS !!”

Leo Buscaglia wrote, “Life lived for tomorrow will always be just a day away from being realized”

I spend a great deal of time planning and strategyzing for myself, and helping others build their success plans. I believe this to be the absolute most critical key to acheiving success. It is however very important to realize that there is only one point in time that we ever really have control over, and that is the present moment. To fail to plan will result in missing life’s most important moments, and to fail to followthrough with your plan will get you the same results.

Let’s take a moment here … I want to encourage you to STOP and reflect in this moment. Are there memories of past moments lost? Are there present opportunities you are in danger of missing? Is there someone you need to connect with or something you need to do that you have been putting off? Is the noise and clutter of your mind causing you to not be present in important moments?
» Continue reading “SOME KEYS TO SEIZING THE MOMENT”

I enjoy watching my grandkids play sports.  Most intriguing the past couple of years has been watching 10 year old Adam experience the learning curve of playing baseball.  Here, after hitting a single, he gets instruction from the first base coach  … pay attention to the signs, watch the pitch, get ready to run, go when I tell you, don’t go if it is a catchable fly ball, watch the runner on second, etc. etc. When in the field, there is another list of things to remember … move in, play deeper, move over, back up the throw to at first base, watch the runner, check the sign, try to get the lead runner, etc. etc.  Sometimes these young player are just spinning and total confusion results, other times they simply lose focus and forget to follow through with their assignment.  It is interesting for me to watch the frustration levels of the coach elevate, adding to the confusion on the field.

Watching baseball is a different experience to watching hockey. Although I would rather watch a hockey game any day, I thoroughly enjoy watching Adam’s ball games (sitting in a lawn chair on a warm summer evening beats the cold arena hands down). The slower pace however allows for a more cerebral and strategic interaction between the coach and the player.  While watching  the game, my mind often wanders as I reflect on coaching experience I may have had earlier that day.  I wonder if I had been effective in helping my client, think through the options and proceed to the next base.

I want my grandson to develop the skills, pay attention to the coaches, learn the game, but above all else, I want him to experience personal joy and fullfillment in the process.  We all know how debilitating it can be when joy and fulfillment has vacated the experience.

With this ezine greeting, goes out my sincere wish that you will find the personal fulfillment and experience genuine joy as you engage the challenge of the game.        H Byne

Recently someone asked me why I enjoyed my work coaching individuals and teams in a business context.  Before I had chance to answer, he added,“it has to be the most frustrating way to make a living!” The question and his subsequent comment was stimulus for me to think about what I do and why I do it.

• I love to ask questions. I love watching as people are caused to think about and put words to important issues in their life and business.  I love to be a stimulus for discovery.
• I love to see people discover their value. Life experiences can cause us to feel devaluled and invalidated.  I love to help people clarify their worth and discover new confidence to face their challenge.
• I love to be a catalyst for change. I love helping people confront their barrjers, explore options, and develop response strategies, that result in increased levels and new horizons.
• I love to witness progress. I love it when the lights go on and a persons eyes sparkle as they see possibilities.  I love it when I hear their success stories and get to celebrate their victories with them.
• I love it when we connect to that deeper place. I love when a person discovers their unique self and is able to connect what they do, to who they are.  I love it when one’s experience of making a living becomes synchronized with one’s passion for being alive.

Recently waiting for a performance to begin, I was struck by the horrendous and seemingly chaotic noise emanating from the stage, as the orchestra members were warming up, tuning their various instruments.  It was like finger nails on a blackboard.  A group of individuals with unique musical gifts, marvellously crafted instruments in hand, and the sound was unbearable.  A few minutes later, the random noise was transformed into a mesmerizingly beautiful piece of music, under the leadership of a very talented and impassioned conductor.

Our lives and our work are often more in tune with an orchestra in warm up mode.  We have the talent, we have everything we need, but the modus operandi is at best random and at worst, chaotic.  The music is in us, but our symphony awaits some structure, order, rhythm and leadership.

The work of a coach is to support you in the discovery of your capacity to achieve, by introducing structure, order, rhythm, and leadership, so the symphony in you is released.

 This is without a doubt my favourite season of the year.  I love the new and ever increasing warmth of the sun.  It is always exciting to me to see those first crocuses pushing their way up through the hardened earth and displaying their regal colour.  I love to look at the new buds on trees dripping with the life generating moisture of an April shower.  It is all such a reminder of the intriguing mystery and power of life. It shouts to us that we have potential and possibilities for change and growth. 

One of the real gratifying things about my work is the wide variety of people and organizations I get to interact with.  Although there are many universal realities about all people, it is the uniquenesses that really intrigue me.

 

» Continue reading “The Power and Potential of YOU, with inspiration from Dr. Seuss.”

The past couple of years, Gloria and I  have taken a mid January vacation in Virgin Gorda, in the British Virgin Islands.  We stay in a villa in a small, quiet resort, and enjoy a re-energizing week of warmth and relaxation.  (Photo is a shot from the rocks looking back on the small beach).  Apart from the obvious (the warmth of the Caribbean) this is always for me a wonderful opportunity for reading, writing and reflection.

This trip, I took Donald Miller’s latest book, “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years“, a wonderful stimulation for the heart and soul, and great cause of reflection for the beginning of a new year and new decade.  Miller’s point is a simple one, a great life will have the ingredients of a great story.  Great stories or movies are full of tension and struggle and overcoming the challenge.  He writes, “Writing a story isn’t about making your peaceful fantasies come true.  The whole point of the story is the character arc. You didn’t think joy could change a person did you?  Joy is what you feel when the conflict is over.  But it’s the conflict that changes a person.” Interesting don’t you think, how we spend so much time and energy trying to keep safe and comfortable, all the while robbing ourselves of the ingredients of a great story.

» Continue reading “2010 … Engaging the Character Arc”

In his third book Conversations with God, Neal Donald Walsch wrote – “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” I think he is right don’t you. At least it has been my experience.

Erica Jong wrote – “Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads”. We really do not discover who we are or what we are made of, until we pass through the fringe of our experience and enter that place where comfort and convenience are left behind and discovery and risk take over. It is the place where life really gets interesting and fully rewarding, but for most of us, we opt for that place of comfort and status quo. We can read an idea, hear a challenge, think a possibility, and just not respond. We may move close, take a look, make a wish or even dare to dream, and then something happens inside, and we shrink back to a previous, safer place.

» Continue reading “Confronting the COMFORT ZONE…”