Looking at the Big Picture: Success, Happiness & Impact on Business. Part 2 of 4
In Part 1 of this series on success and happiness we asked some important questions: What is complete happiness and why does it matter? With the help of Arun Kattel, a sociologist in Kathmandu, Nepal, we interviewed Sherpas about success and happiness. What did we learn from these world-renowned expert mountain guides?
We expected to learn something powerful and unique from the Sherpas – and that’s exactly what we got. We want to share this Sherpa Inspiration. How does their wisdom relate to what you do every day? How can their experiences influence your choices as a coach and as a person?
These Sherpas have personally stood atop the highest point on earth. They know this challenging terrain better than anyone in the world. And they use this knowledge to help countless others attain the summit. They lead climbers in the same way coaches do: Offering knowledge and resources but making sure their clients reach the summit through their own effort and determination.
What did we learn from the Sherpas? It’s no surprise, but ‘success and happiness’ takes work. Lots of work. No matter what you do, no matter what you say, no matter how you act, everything you do that relates to ‘success, happiness, and completion of self’ takes work.
Does that sound intimidating to you? It’s ok! You work all the time. You can do this.
We challenge you to ask: Are you working on yourself? Working on your ‘self’? Frankly, working on yourself is a lost art in the Western World. Our mission is to bring that work ethic back. The lost part of our being is a work ethic that says “I am going to work on myself.” This involves thinking differently. This involves reflecting differently. This involves speaking differently and acting differently. Ultimately, this involves brand new behavior.
Once you know how to do it, how to work on your ‘self,’ you will be rewarded. You will discover that all the work is worth it. We know this truth; People who change their behavior for the better are better people. They gain success and happiness. Without effort, they also improve everything around them: their relationships, the organizations they serve, the individuals they coach. People who work on their behavior will ultimately make different choices. They will be successful. They will choose to be happy.
In the next part of this series, we’ll talk about how important you are and how much influence you really have. You have an impact on your business, your relationships, and a lot more.
About the Author:
Brenda Corbett co-authored “The Sherpa Guide: Process-Driven Executive Coaching,” which has been used by ten executive education programs. The Sherpa certification is the only one endorsed by multiple universities. She has trained and certified executive coaches for Stanley Black & Decker, The National Cancer Institute, Toyota and US Bank, among others.
Find out more here about Sherpa.
The Expert Series is brought to you by choice Magazine as part of our ongoing efforts to bring opportunities for learning and growth to the coaching community. Delivered in four parts every two weeks, each series covers useful topics for business development and coaching insights, serving the needs of leaders in all areas and walks of life. Archived copies of the previous series can be found here.
