THE REAL DRIVER OF SUCCESS IS YOU.

by Ellyn Herbert,

IAC-CC

I've been studying coaching, human dynamics, adult learning styles and energyhealing for years now. At the end of the day we all want the same things -- peace,happiness, love, respect and admiration. We want to feel comfortable and capableand competent. We all want to show up in the world without fear. Not such a secret.However, what is a secret is that while most of us don't feel these things (love,respect, etc) on a consistent basis, if at all, many of us think we are the only onesthat don't. We look around us and it seems as if there are so many people that haveit all. What the hell is wrong with me? is such a common question in a coachingsession. The really interesting thing is most people don't even consider hiring me initially tohelp them get the very things they want -- peace, happiness, love and respect, thatis. Those things are pie-in-the-sky, after all. Some want my marketing expertise &/ormy help with developing new business. Many want help getting more clients (moreclients = more income).

The common denominator here is that most think, atleast at first, the answer lies in the systems, operations, information andstrategies.

That if they just work a little harder (or a lot harder) or have the rightmarketing plan or develop a new skill that their life will change. They will have peaceand happiness and somehow, they will miraculously feel comfortable in their skin.Sound familiar? The out of balance level of esteem placed on knowledge andinformation as a way out is what my mother would call "stinkin thinkin". It's out of whack. The access to information these days is so instantaneous. There are so manyhow-to classes and keys to success programs and marketing-your-way-to-wealthseminars that we have let the pendulum swing way too far. Our minds are in overloadand overwhelm. We are so out of control with our need for information that we simplycan't act or respond in ways that serve us.It usually all starts to unravel pretty quickly though after a few questions -- how afraidwe all are of failing, of success, of being "less than", of losing everything. We all havebeen conditioned to look for success, satisfaction, security and fulfillment outside of ourselves. We tend to get our sense of self-worth from achievement and other'sopinions of us.

The systems, operations and strategies are extremelyimportant, don't get me wrong, but not at the expense of personaldevelopment.

When you put the emphasis on developing a deep understanding of yourself and yourdeeply held beliefs you open the door to getting all the things you want. It is ourdeeply held beliefs that create our lives. When you have an awareness around whatyou truly believe you can actually make a conscious choice as to whether or not thebelief serves you as an adult and even if the belief serves you within the context of aparticular situation. It's in those moments of consciousness that happiness and joystart to emerge.I do help clients work on systems and strategies and such but these things have theirplace -- as support mechanisms, tools if you will, not as the drivers of success. I helpclients get in touch with who they really are. We work on developing courage andconfidence levels and then we branch out from there.

The real driver of success is YOU; consider spending more time developing yourself than you do ondeveloping your resume, business plan or marketing strategy

The bottom line

: Most of us struggle for too long and sometimes let things get