He Left His Comfort Zone...The Payoff Was, WOW!

Nine months ago, Tim came to me seeking career clarity and help to develop greater self-confidence. On his own, he had risen to the level of Senior Director but he couldn’t quite figure out how to crack into the “C” Suite.

Tim didn’t know for sure that he belonged in any company’s “C” Suite. After reviewing his unique personal Strengths and his Emotional Intelligence scores, there was no doubt in my mind that he belonged in some company’s “C” Suite.

Tim’s Resume and LinkedIn Profile needed work when we first met, but the bigger challenge was his mindset. By reviewing his Strengths report and his Emotional Intelligence scores, I instantly knew that he had what it takes to not just get to the “C” Suite but he had what it takes to perform at a high-level in the “C” Suite.

Tim possessed Strengths that many technology leaders do not possess and his Emotional Intelligence scores placed him in the realm of a benchmark I work from that represents 250 successful “C” Suite executives.

We worked together in a coaching relationship for 9 months to develop his unique Strengths and to fine-tune and polish his Emotional Intelligence. Tim’s new Resume and LinkedIn strategies generated many “C” Suite interviews with companies that didn’t know precisely what it was that they were seeking.

He interviewed with a company that had fired a previous technology leader who had poor business and people skills. Because Tim knew how to articulate his skills and accomplishments, but more importantly, he knew how to speak from a position of confidence about his unique personal Strengths and his higher than normal Emotional Intelligence, it didn’t take long for a healthy job offer to surface. The offer was significantly higher than his most recent compensation and Tim was convinced that he was being paid for bringing exceptional people skills, soft skills and business skills to the table.

What did Tim do that most people don’t do in order to achieve a result that most people don’t achieve? He stepped out of his own way, out of his comfort zone, in order to get help from someone who specializes in helping high-performing human beings to create their best performance and to excel.

He invested in himself and he took action that most people don’t take. He’s no longer a Senior Director. He’s now a well-compensated, self-confident “C” Suite executive.

Jeff Snyder Coaching for High Performers, 719.686.8810

Risking the Unusual to Experience Anything But Ordinary

Horse Thief Mountain Bike Trail overlooking the Colorado River in Fruita, CO

It was an open heart surgery anniversary trip that I returned from yesterday afternoon.  From the moment a good friend moved me from being a casual mountain biker to a more serious mountain biker several years ago, I’ve always wanted to ride in Fruita, CO where some of the best mountain biking on the planet can be found.

Over the weekend, two friends joined me to help me accomplish this goal.  The photo above is just one frame of the 20 or so miles we rode over the weekend.  In Fruita, whether you’re riding on the easiest trails or the most difficult trails or something in-between, you’re doing something that most people don't do in order to reap rewards that most people will never experience.

For my two buddies, this was a quick weekend road trip.  For me, this trip represented reaching a goal I set a while back.  For someone who hasn’t had open heart surgery, navigating the trails of Fruita is quite difficult.  For someone who has had open heart surgery, navigating the trails of Fruita is a huge mental and physical challenge.

I occasionally post other people’s quotes.  I post other people’s quotes because I take their quotes seriously.  Last week I shared this quote from Jim Rohn.

“IF YOU ARE UNWILLING TO RISK THE UNUSUAL, YOU WILL HAVE TO SETTLE FOR THE ORDINARY”

I risked the unusual and my reward was anything but ordinary.  What is it that you might need to risk in order to experience something other than ordinary?

In case you’re wondering if I wrecked over 20 miles of riding on rocks, the answer is yes.  Yesterday morning my front tire got stuck between two rocks and I proceeded to fly over the handlebars.  I landed on my chest and my chin on nothing but rock. The rock won that battle.

It hurts but I’ll get over it.  The puck drops soon for my next hockey game on Thursday and I have to start preparing for our next weekend mountain bike road trip to Wyoming!

Jeff Snyder Coaching

You Have To Start To Be Great

The Comfort Zone

Sometimes starting something new requires an uncomfortable journey outside of one's comfort zone.  I went on such a journey and it has changed my life.

6 Years Ago

It was 6 years ago this month that I started something new.  A friend talked me into playing ice hockey for the first time in my life.  The game had always intrigued me but I had never had an opportunity to give it a try earlier in life.

Most adults who play hockey started playing about the time they learned how to walk.  May of the guys I've met at rinks in Colorado grew up in Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, etc. 

Let's Play Hockey

The idea to start playing hockey didn't fully cross my mind until I was in my 40s.  On September 17, 2010, nine months after starting to play hockey for the first time and 75 games into my new armature hockey career, I ended up in an ambulance where it took the skills of a paramedic to get my my lifeless heart restarted. 

They Brought Me Back!

After the skills of the paramedic and the skills of a cardiologist in the emergency room saved my life, the cardiologist suggested that the heart attack I had should have killed me.  When he found out that I was in the shape I was in as a result of deciding to start playing hockey 9 months earlier, he quickly became a hockey fan. He suggested that my fitness likely saved my life. The fitness mostly came from hockey.

I Left My Comfort Zone

When I stepped outside of my comfort zone, I took on an activity that started out with humiliation because I didn't know what I was doing and pain because I had to get in shape to play hockey.  The first three months were challenging, difficult, discouraging and downright painful.  

The decision I once made to leave my comfort zone has resulted in a second chance at life, fitness, confidence, relationships with teammates and a weekly anticipation for more time on the ice that never comes soon enough!

 What's Sitting Outside Your Comfort Zone?

How do you need to stretch?  How do you need to step outside your comfort zone?

Jeff Snyder Coaching

Any Plans To Step Outside Your Comfort Zone Today?

Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

Jeff Snyder Coaching