Making Change as Easy as “ABC”. If only it were always that easy. But here is to giving it a try, with one of MY Top 5 Lists
Dave’s Top 5 Lists:
Sharing some ideas and insights on transformation and change with YOU!
(Oh! and as a bonus if you can make it to the end. A challenge for YOU!)
Chapter 1: Setting the Stage (a.k.a. The background and context)
Making change.
Making it and Maintaining it.
If only it was always easy.
If only it was always as easy as ABC.
Unfortunately, from what I have experienced first hand.
Unfortunately, from what I have read about and heard about from others.
Unfortunately, from what I have observed and discussed with others.
It takes time and effort.
Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts.
It takes time and effort to reflect.
It takes time and effort to explore.
It takes time and effort to try things out for fit.
It takes time and effort to practice, practice, practice.
And then it takes times and effort to make those things a habit.
Oh, and BTW (By The Way),
the above process works for both positive and negative changes in one’s life.
However, in this blog, I would like to focus on the positive ones,
if you don’t mind. 😊
For those of you who are regular readers of my blogs (a.k.a. my short stories).
You are likely aware of the positive changes (more like transformation),
that I have undertaken over the past 7 years.
If not, you can take a peek on my website in the “Who AM I” section.
I am actually writing a book about the experience.
I am hoping to share it with you all soon.
And yes, it will include a top 10 list. 😊
But in the meantime, I would like to share some stories from it with YOU.
Some of those stories will end up in the final version of the book and some will not.
Regardless, I would like to share some of those stories with YOU now.
In this case, it is the story about how I developed a “making change in one’s Life” model,
over a lunch with a fellow accountant.
A long lunch. 3 hours as it turned out.
It began innocently enough with a discussion on managing change and transitions.
But before you knew it, we were coming up with our own change model.
Kind of a back of the napkin type approach.
I guess we figured that if Warren Buffet can value a company on the back of a napkin over lunch,
The two of us could come up with a change model.
And one of our goals was to try and make the approach as easy as possible.
As many of you may be aware,
I am a big fan of making things easy on oneself.
It served me well during my own transformation.
It is serving me well now in trying to maintain them.
And the acronym that we came up with?
Just by coincidence, it came out as “ABC”.
As easy as “ABC”.
Well, I was so excited that I went home and wrote it up in the draft of my book.
I am sharing it with you in Chapter 2 of this blog.
I will then take a crack at sharing a few thoughts on it with you in Chapter 3 of this blog.
And of course, as always, in Chapter 4 of this blog,
I have included a challenge for YOU!
So, ready or not, here we go.
Chapter 2: Exploring the Topic (a.k.a. ideating, reflecting, researching and connecting)
Unlike death and taxes,
Everything else seems open for change,
And that includes the draft of my book,
But in the meantime,
Here is the extract introducing our “ABC” Model:
Book Extract #1:
THE ABC Self-Transformation Transition Model. Oops sorry, the Accountant in ME (and Her)
Talk about making it easy on oneself in undergoing a self-transformation. What about a nice little model to help you along the way? I was having lunch the other day with someone who I consider very aware and very wise. We were discussing life altering changes and what it takes to enable them. Before you knew it, she and I came up with a model, and of course, a nice little acronym to go along with it. Everyone likes acronyms. O.k. Maybe not everyone, but accountants do, and we are both accountants. Ironically enough, we used to work together in a previous chapter of our lives. One of our service lines was something called ABC (Activity Based Costing). And guess what? That is the acronym we came up with, ABC. It does not get any simpler than that to remember. A.B.C.
A = Awareness.
Awareness of WHO YOU are and where YOU are (a.k.a. Your situation). This is an important element since awareness is 9/10th of the journey according to the life coaching books (yes, as a coach myself, I know I am biased.)
B = Belief
A belief in yourself and your desired outcome (i.e. realizing your goals, living your dreams, etc.). This is also another important element since your desired outcome could also be considered as your motivator. What better way of motivating yourself than believing in your motivator and your ability to achieve it. Believing in yourself. Trusting yourself. Loving yourself.
C = Courage
The courage to Just TRY it. To take that next step in making your goals and dreams come true. The next step and the next step after that. After all, transformation is a journey. A journey of many steps. It starts with just one, the first one, which is often, the toughest, and often scariest one.
So, there you have it. The ABC Self-Transformation Transition Model. A nice little model. If only life and self-transforming one’s life were really that easy. But as you will see in this book, those elements, along with some others, and other people, played a huge part in enabling my transformation. It took a while for everything to kick in. It took a lot of effort. It took a lot of courage. But when all of the elements came together. Wow. What a ride.
Well, there YOU have it.
What do YOU think?
Not bad for a couple of accountants,
if I do say so myself. 😊
Chapter 3: My Takeaway(s) (a.k.a. What I have I learned? How have I grown?)
ABC.
123.
Top 3.
The ABC Self-Transformation Transition Model.
Call it what you like.
Here are some of my thoughts on that approach.
My thoughts upon some more reflection post-lunch.
In the form of a top 4 list.
Yes, I am cheating again,
but I just could not help myself.
The 4th item, in my humble opinion,
deserves some more prominence given it’s importance as a change enabler.
#1 (a.k.a. The “A”) = Awareness
Awareness of WHO we are.
Our unique selves.
And Awareness of our unique situation.
Pretty hard to make change if YOU are not really sure where YOU are
And where YOU are and want to go.
The development of MY “WHO are YOU workbook” came in handy on the WHO side.
YOU can check that blog out on my website if YOU like at: http://davewcoachingandstorytelling.com/blog/
It took me a while to flush that one out,
(Not the blog, the workbook and assessments themselves)
And really get to KNOW myself.
My true self.
My Authentic self.
And guess what?
The awareness building does not stop there.
There is also the time it takes to truly understand our goals and aspirations,
And what it will take to realize them given out present situations.
Time and effort.
Time and effort to sit back and reflect and process,
and then to go out and start to make it real by trying things out.
Is it just me, or does it seem to becoming harder and harder to find that time these days?
The world just seems to keep getting busier and busier everyday.
The amount and forms of communication just seem to be multiplying exponentially.
It is fast becoming a world where the distractions just seem to keep multiplying,
Yet the amount of time does not change (168 hours per week at last count).
Ooops! That reminds me.
Time to turn off my email and cellphone. ☹
#2 (a.k.a. The “B”) = Believe
To Believe.
To truly believe.
In oneself.
And in One’s goals and dreams and aspirations.
I find that Henry Ford summed it up well in one of his popular quotes.
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right.”
Easier said than done,
especially when times are tough.
That is where perseverance comes in.
And to persevere is easier if we truly believe in what we are trying to achieve,
And if we truly believe in ourselves.
Our unique selves and abilities.
Oh, and while we are on the topic of beliefs,
And making change.
Apparently, the ability to question one’s belief can make things easier along the way.
In her book, “Coaching Culture” my coach, Shawna, references a study on coachability,
And one’s willingness to question one’s belief.
I bring in coaching here, because Coaching is all about enabling change.
In the book, she references an International Coach Federation (ICF) study that states that;
“the willingness to question’s one’s beliefs was the number-one factor determining coachability”
Wow. Questioning our beliefs!
So, not only do we want to believe in our ourselves and our destination,
we also want to continue to be curious and keep questioning them.
O.k. I can see how time and effort might come in handy.
#3 (a.k.a. The “C”) = Courage
When I think of the word Courage.
Another C word comes to mind.
And that word is,
Confidence.
I don’t know about YOU, but for me,
the more confident I feel, the more change I am willing to take on.
To take on, and when push comes to shove,
to maintain that new change.
And my newfound level of courage has helped me big time in that regards.
Have you ever heard of the saying; “Courage is like a muscle, it is strengthened by use”.
Strengthened by use!
Well that is where the time and effort comes in to play again.
Using something takes time and effort.
Especially, when, “at first you don’t succeed”,
it takes time to “dust yourself off and try again”.
But before you can put in the time and effort.
It takes courage to get started.
Often the first step is the hardest.
And as that confidence builds over time,
so does your momentum.
And before you know it, you have made that change happen.
Momentum.
How cool is that!
How powerful is that!
But don’t forget,
It all starts with that first step,
And that often takes courage.
#4 (a.k.a. The “E”) = Easy (I.e. Make it Easy on Yourself)
As previously mentioned,
I am cheating and adding a fourth item to my Top 3 list.
It starts with the letter E.
An E, as in, Easy.
As in Making it Easy on YOURself.
Taking it easy on YOURself.
I am all for having fun as well, whenever possible,
But at a minimum,
Make it as Easy as possible on YOURself.
I am such a big fan of making things easy that
I am developing a habit of always asking,
“What can I do to make things easier on myself?”
Once again, allow me to share that concept via that same chapter of my book.
Here you go…
Book Extract #2:
My journey of change. Making it easy on myself and having FUN while at it!
F**k the “No pain, No gain” approach
Were there bumps along the road during my journey of self-transformation? Yes. Were there difficult periods during my journey of self-transformation? Yes. Were there painful moments during my journey of self-transformation? Yes. But in hindsight, they were few and far between. And in hindsight, there could have been fewer, if I wanted there to be. After all, it was up to me. If every decision is our choice, then making ones that make it as easy as possible on me would seem the logical choice to me. Easy on me and fun. As you will read and see, as I share my story with you throughout this book, that is what I tried to do, and when I look back on my journey now, it served me well. I think I will stick to this approach as I complete my self-transformation. I think that I will stick to this approach as I maintain my self-transformation. I think that I will stick to that approach as I take my life to the next level. And why not? It has been quite the fun journey. And I like to have fun. I will leave the painful approaches to the “others”. I think that those “others” refer to themselves as suckers for pain. To each is own.
How cool is that!
Chapter 4: MY Challenge to YOU (An opportunity for YOU to learn and grow.)
Optional of course. Like everything in Life. YOUR CHOICE!
Are YOU Ready for a challenge?
If Yes, here YOU GO!
Pick one change that you would like to make in YOUR life.
Just one.
And then ask YOURSELF the following question
“How can I make it easier on myself”
Then summon the courage to take that first step in making it happen.
Repeat as necessary.
The easier the better.
The more fun, the merrier.
And before YOU know it,
it will become a habit.
A positive one.😊
Well, that’s all folks.
Cheers
Dave
Looking at making a positive CHANGE in YOUR Life?
What would that change be?
MAKING THAT CHANGE A REALITY!
Make that change a reality and explore Life Coaching at the same time by participating in my “Life Coaching with Dave Experience”. A great opportunity to experience Life Coaching in a very timely and cost-effective way. The details are on MY website in the 1to1 Coaching Section.
And NO, that is not a typo in the $ rate of the offering. It looks low because it is. I am really trying to encourage YOU and others to give Life Coaching a try.
http://davewcoachingandstorytelling.com/coach/life-coaching-with-dave-experience/
