John S. Gordon - Business and Personal Coach

"You have the greatness and the power.  I just help you turn on the switch."

Welcome to Issue 169.  If you did not receive a previous issue, you may use the archive link below to view it now.  The mission of "Marvelous Mondays" is to offer an inspirational thought, a practical exercise, some humor, or a simple tip to jump-start your week and to enhance your life, business, outlook or relationships. 

Please feel free to forward "Marvelous Mondays" to others who will enjoy it.  Even better, have your friends contact me to add them to the list. 

BRONNIE WARE'S BOOK

Last week we examined two of the five common regrets expressed to Bonnie in her interviews with terminally ill patients. Click Here for issue  168. Today we will examine another common regret.

I WISH I HADN'T WORKED SO HARD 

Every male patient interviewed by Bronnie expressed this. Everyone said they DEEPLY regretted missing the early years of their children growing up and the joy and companionship of their partners. Since the women interviewed were from a generation where they did not work outside the home, most did not have this same regret as the men. However since women constitute a substantial number in today's workforce, there is every reason to believe many of women, too, would have this same regret.

MY HISTORY

Here are some reasons:

1.   Fear of Failure (losing a job, not getting a promotion, or not getting a raise)

2.   Need for Approval of Others

3.   Escapism

4.   Ego-pride

5.   Materialism

6.   An exaggerated sense of responsibility to others

7.   An inflated belief in indispensability

8.   Keeping up with the Joneses

I invite you this week to do the following:

1.   If your mother or father were workaholics, are you patterning yourself after them. Instead

      of being conflicted, what can you learn from them?  

2.   If your overworking parent is alive and retired, have a conversation with them. Ask them what

      they have learned from this and be ready to listen.

3.   If your parent is still overworking, have a conversation and explain what you want for your life

      and why you want to do it differently.

4.   Are you a person who is overworking or a workaholic? If yes, why do you overwork? Look at the

      8 reasons listed above. Which ones apply to you? If you'd like, talk to your family

      or friends and listen to what they have to say.

5.   What do you want for yourself? Do you want to reinvent yourself and create a new way of

      working  and living? Everyone is coachable. Call me.

  

  "My one regret in life is that I'm not someone else."  -Woody Allen

                   **John is currently accepting a few new coaching clients.**

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