The Sky's The Limit

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT
STOP SURVIVING AND START THRIVING. LIFE COACH DEBBIE DEVOE DELIVERS
THE TIPS AND TOOLS YOU NEED TO FINALLY GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER AND
SUCCEED BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS

THE FAMILY GROOVE: What is a life coach?
Debbie DeVoe: A life coach is someone that is on your side, helping you to become the best that you can
and want to be. A coach will stretch you, and give you the personalized support to help you to maneuver
through the game of your life in many different ways, such as goal setting, time management, decision
making, planning or celebrating your accomplishments.

The Sky's The Limit

TFG: With the juggling of work, kids, marriage, etc., how does one begin to get his/her act together?
DD: You have to decide that you want to get it together and then make a commitment to actually do it. Wanting to change and deciding to change are very different. When you’ve decided that it’s time to change, you must be willing to change your approach until you achieve what it is you’re after. Start by focusing on yourself—you have to get your own ‘act’ together before you incorporate work, kids, marriage, etc. Prepare to be flexible along the way. Remember that your schedule doesn’t necessarily mean a thing to your boss at work or to your kids who may be sick or to your husband who is also juggling.

Work to calm the chaos in your life by getting out of your own head. Plan each new day the night before or first thing in the morning. Follow these three simple steps:
1. Make a list of what you want to get done. A common mistake people make is that they will only include the extras. You must include everything, even the cleaning, dinner and errands, that you intend to accomplish that day. Making this accurate list forces you to examine the demands on your time.
2. Now that you've made a list, prioritize it. What are the most important things to get done?
3. Take a look at the top three items on your list and ask yourself: “How long will that take?” Jot down the number of minutes or hours next to the top three tasks. Then block the time out in your calendar/planner and do it.

If your top three fail to get done, pay attention to what is preventing achievement. What can you do differently next time to make sure that you do accomplish your daily goals?

TFG: What's the most important thing to know about achieving your goals?
DD: That you can!

TFG: What are some pitfalls to look out for when in pursuit of your goals?
DD: Be aware of is a shift in focus. The focus may shift to how to achieve the goal rather than the goal itself. A great example is someone that has set a goal to lose weight and one of the ways they endeavor to accomplish this goal is to go running every morning. Oftentimes, if the weather is bad or they sleep late and can’t get out, it throws them off track because the goal shifted to running every morning rather than to losing the weight. If you keep your goal in focus and the weather is not so great, then you would likely choose to pop in a workout video; if you sleep late, then you'd choose to run in the evening after work. It's vital to stay focused on the goal—your end result. Put up pictures, practice mantras—do anything that will be a reminder of what it is you're going for. Also, you must watch out for inflexibility. Again, when the focus shifts to the how, one may stop looking for ways to achieve their goals, instead stubbornly sticking to one approach that may not even work.

TFG: Can you really achieve anything you put your mind to? How?
DD: Yes! Get clear what it is that you exactly want. Have you ever heard anyone say they want more money? Well, if you find a dollar, you’ve just achieved your goal, but is that really what you wanted? Be specific, make it measurable and then put together a plan of how to get there.

TFG: What are five tips for being a successful person?
DD: 1. Develop an attitude of gratitude.
2. Stretch yourself beyond what you think you can do.
3. Be kind. Smile, utter a kind word, volunteer, listen—it can be anything, really. Remember to give to others in any way that you can.
4. Be your word. Many honor their words when it comes to others but neglect to keep their words to themselves.
5. Learn from the past, look to the future but live in the now

TFG: How do you create lasting change?
DD: You create change by conditioning it daily.

TFG: What's the secret of your own success?
DD: Using the above tips, I focus on being the best that I can be each and every day.

Debbie DeVoe joined the Anthony Robbins companies in 1999, coaching with the organization for the the past seven years. Endowed with an elite sales and marketing background, DeVoe has been recognized and awarded multiple times for her performance as one of the top 15 percent in the company.

Between the Anthony Robbins Companies and DeVoe’s private practice, New Life Coaching Now, DeVoe has helped to improve the lives of hundreds of clients through 7,000-plus coaching sessions. Her common sense approach to coaching is derived from many years of her own life experiences. Debbie has a true knack for finding the right solutions to help her clients achieve their goals.

DeVoe earned her coaching credentials through the Anthony Robbins Coaches Academy in 2000 and has been a member of Coachville since 2001. She grew up in Jackson, Michigan, where she met and married Todd DeVoe in 1982. She has three daughters and two granddaughters.

For more information, go to www.newlifecoachingnow.com.