“If you focus on results and finding shortcuts, you’ll get impatient. If you focus on the process and doing the right thing, you’ll be unstoppable.”
― Maxime Lagacé, Canadian Ice Hockey Goaltender

September marks the next seasonal change that, for many, generates attention on the ritual of returning to school after summertime fun and vacations. In business, the attention often turns toward what’s not yet accomplished in the annual plan goals. As the quote above suggests, placing focus on results and seeking shortcuts to get there generates impatience. Resist. Imagine if NASA had sought shortcuts. Would we have multiple space adventures or the glorious views from the Hubble telescope? I think not. When you feel yourself complaining about not having enough time, pause, because pause gives more time than it takes. Breathe into the possibility that with focused attention on doing the things that you most desire and that occur because it’s YOU in action, you are unstoppable.

Having just returned from the ICF Converge23 conference, I feel inspired and fired up to finish the year with gusto and gratitude, by building on all we’ve experienced and contributed so far. Being with old and new friends and colleagues who are all dedicated to the common core values of professional coaching - humanity, professionalism, collaboration, and equity – reinforced my long held “why” for choosing coaching as a livelihood. Coaching in all its forms awakens consciousness and with that, coaching energizes love, the quality that binds human society together with dignity, even when we are not so good at expressing it. Alas, I sustain hope, a confident expectation, that when it really counts, we humans can be counted on. The natural disasters occurring here in the US this year are fine examples of communities coming together to lend support, healing and yes, love for each other beyond our differing ideologies. Focus, bringing my attention into focus on what’s important, allowing focus to motivate curiosity and trusting that wonder can and will emerge, turns any fear into faith and being scared into seeing the sacred in all things.

Coaches around the world shared their success stories and joy in being a professional coach. They also invited dialogue about their concerns for planet Earth, inequitable decision-making, racism, and all other forms of marginalization. Our collective ability to recognize wholeness means accepting all that is occurring, clear-eyed and vocal, because silence condones what hurts, rather than heals. From the opening to the closing keynote, session after session I witnessed passion building passion to live an authentic and sovereign life, learning how to artfully evoke that with our clients.

This newsletter is full of new opportunities to dive into the topics you care about: from the extraordinary Vanguard Conversation Series featuring global visionary leader, Eldra Jackson, III of Inside Circle, to podcasts past and coming up on the subject of Generative Wholeness™, plus a special event, called the Purpose and Profit Summit where you will hear from 25 thought leaders in business profitability and global impact sharing their ideas and tips to help everyone feel purpose-driven as you build a profitable business.

I’m keeping it short this month in the spirit of FOCUS, so you can choose to give attention toward loving your life's work throughout September and beyond!