Yesterday marked the 12th anniversary of the launch of New Insights in South Africa (some 4 years after its original inception in the UK).
I’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of our supporters around the world.
Whether you have trained through us or are currently in training with us and/or you are a regular reader of this blog, we owe our longevity to you. I know of few institutes completely and solely dedicated to life coach training who can claim to have been around for more than a dozen years.
To mark the occasion, I’d like to dedicate this post to life coaches everywhere, New Insights trained or not. You are making a critical difference in the lives of others and – as a result – in the world at large.
“Hope is wishing something will happen. Faith is believing something will happen. Power is making something happen.”
– Unknown
Stopped me in my tracks
Yesterday I spotted the latest edition of a weekly newspaper on sale with the banner headline “The Good News Edition”. That rather stopped me in my tracks as I have long given up expecting to open a newspaper and find good news of any substance.
I like to keep up with current affairs but I have had to train myself not to get too emotionally invested in the joy sapping stuff that the media dishes up day after day.
As I reflected on the “Good News Edition” concept, it made me wonder why bad news always dominates over good and the effect that this imbalance has on the psyche of people generally.
Bad news vs Good news = no contest
When it comes to events that might be considered equivalent in terms of the degree of ‘bad’ or ‘good’ that they represent, there is absolutely no contest when it comes to the likelihood of being featured as a headline in breaking news. The bad wins almost every time.
Why this is is probably too complex an issue to delve into deeply here. They say that bad news sells and good news doesn’t but my guess is that’s simply because we are programmed to expect bad news. There’s a vicious spiral at work here!
Feeling powerless
The unfortunate result of this vicious spiral is that it leaves more and more people feeling disheartened, anxious, concerned and, ultimately, powerless to make a difference.
The perception of powerlessness is a real scourge of modern living. The symptoms are a lack of motivation, procrastination, a feeling that one has no direction, struggling to see the point in life, deep rooted anxiety about the future and a feeling of life just passing one by.
In life coaching we talk about the Makers, the Watchers and the Wonderers. There are a few special people who Make things happen, a lot more people who Watch what happens and the great majority of people – those who have fallen prey to the perception of powerlessness – who Wonder what happened!
Good news in a bad world?
In a world where – thanks to the bad news that we are bombarded with on a daily basis – it is easy to assume that we are powerless to stop our self destruction, there is good news … plenty of it!
Life coaching is right up there as far as the good news goes.
Authentic power comes from within
Life coaches are experts at helping people get back their power. Rehabilitation starts when people learn to form new relationships with the concept of power realising that authentic power comes from within and has nothing to do with exerting control over others.
Realising, harnessing and developing one’s inner power requires a great deal of self introspection and self awareness or, in other words, coming to terms with who we are, what we are here to do and how that will make a positive difference in the world.
Maker potential in everyone
Many of us feel we are too small or insignificant to be Makers and the best we can do is be an admiring Watcher. But the truth is that every one of us has the potential to be a Maker.
The scale of what we make happen is far less important than the fact that we do make things happen! A great number of people making a small positive difference in the world can have a tremendous effect on our common future.
Happy, fulfilled, joyful
And the other thing to remember is that Makers – people who find their purpose and harness their inner power and passion to make things happen – are happy, fulfilled, joyful people, immune from the grasp of the twilight world in which those who perceive themselves to be powerless live.
As Robert Byrne once said, \”The Purpose of Life is to Live a Life of Purpose\”.
Power to the People!
Congratulations Bill, I thoroughly enjoyed the course and use what I have learnt in all the places I go to and with all the people I meet. May New Insights continue to grow in strength! -Avy
Thanks Avy – much appreciated!
Congratulations Bill for making New Insights South Africa what it is today. Always inspiring to read your posts, always motivational…..thank you! If its too be, its up to me! 🙂
Thank you Tracey. I appreciate your comments!
Congratulations on reaching such an incredible milestone, Bill. I am so proud to be associated with New Insights. What an excellent leader and role model you are. Thank you most of all, for making us think, learn and grow as a result of the interesting topics upon which you choose to write. It is an honour and a privilege to represent New Insights as a Life Coach. May you continue to inspire us for many more years to come.
Thanks for the kind words Karen. Thank you too and all the wonderful coaches out there for the great work they are doing to help this rather troubled planet!
Here is to the next 12 years and may there be many more! Thank you for making a difference in my life with your excellent training program- it made my dream come true. I will pay it forward by continuously striving to help others make their dreams come true.
For those who still wonder if life coaching is worth it- absolutely and its worth in your life just keeps on growing like compound interest long after the program is done !
A lovely comment – thank you Michelle 🙂
Thank you for this empowering post. It is something I really needed to read today. One can get so caught up in the daily challenges and forget the power within. Thank you for the reminder.
Thanks for your comment 🙂
Thank you Bill for your message . Whenever we act in such little way , we contributed to help the humanity, a smile is enough… And action is louder that the word.
🙂
SO GRATEFUL to be part of this MAKER-coaching training programme. It still serves and trains me even a year after certification.
Thank you Bill, I can honestly say that I personally experienced the power of moving from a wonderer to a watcher stepping into the shoes of a maker through the process of this training programme.
What a privilege!
I appreciate your comments Liezl. Thanks and keep up the great work!
Congratulations on New Insights anniversary! Thank you for an empowering post, Bill. Always good to be reminded that the power lies within each and every one of us and that we can make things happen in a positive and fulfilling way.
Thanks Jana!