Power of a Single Story

This video just touched me in a way I can't begin to explain.

Enjoy.

Power of Transformation

The other day I watched one of those films that comes with the newspaper and to my surprise it was about EXACTLY what I am currently interested in.

WHAT IS THAT YOU SAY?

The Transformation of Education...

Yes yes, a big topic and a big goal but I carry the belief that I can do anything I set my mind to.

Including transforming education in the next 15 years.

You can WATCH the film by clicking HERE.

And if you do, please send me your thoughts!

Quinn

Power of Compassion

How do you show compassion?

Let's make a small difference today, add your name.

CLICK HERE.

Power of Spotify

Have you heard of Spotify?

Check it out: http://www.spotify.com/en/

It's great for music - you just need the internet.

It is also an incredible little invention and we all know I love those.

If you don't have it, get it. If you want it free, email me as I have a connection!

Quinn xo

Power of Invention

This man has found a way to merge the PHYSICAL world with the TECHNOLOGICAL world.

When we have a dream, this is what is possible.

Classic example.

Power of Blogging

The power of blogs has been proven - over and over again. It helps with getting yourself noticed on the WORLD WIDE WEB....and it helps potential clients and friends get to know you a bit better.

Yet, why is it that some people (like me) can leave their blog for months?

What stops us?

It's interesting because at the end of the day, we know its good for us, just like eating vegetables, yet, we still push it off. We leave it for next week, and the week after and the week after that.

Then, its been months and what do you have to show for it?

NOTHING.

At the end of the day, who cares?

Just get back on that horse and ride. See what happens.

So I ask you - WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN PUTTING OFF?

Now, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

I say, just write that blog and have fun with it.

I sure did.

Power of Wisdom

I would like to begin by questioning the source of wisdom.

Where does it come from?

How do we learn it?

What does it feel like?

Whilst explaining the difference between knowledge and wisdom, Sandra Carey asserts that one should, “never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living, the other helps you make a life’.

For most of my life I was led to believe that knowledge lives in the external world and that it comes from experience. On the other hand, wisdom lives within us. Although it may come from many sources, I believed wisdom to be more of an ‘inner ‘knowing’ that is often difficult to explain or describe.

Throughout history, educational institutions have taught us how to learn, obey, think linearly and eventually pass this ‘knowledge’ on through teaching others. In many ways, it develops us into academics, placing us on a path to become a professor. School provides knowledge. It’s quite simple really.

However, wisdom is what one needs to “make a life” and to be fulfilled.

During the Industrial Revolution, everything was about knowledge. This was when we parted with wisdom and began to establish an educational system based on facts, figures and knowledge. Sometimes it feels like no one uses wisdom anymore.

Coaches coach people to gain an awareness of their wisdom and then show them hot to use it to lead them into a life they LOVE.

On my search to understand knowledge and wisdom I looked up the definition of wisdom and have been now led to believe that wisdom is how we USE knowledge….

Apparently wisdom is “accumulated knowledge”. The definition that resonated the most with me was “enlightenment”.

The claim that wisdom is “the trait of utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and insight” or “the quality of being prudent and sensible” seem far fetched. It can’t be that simple.

Or can it?

What does wisdom mean to you?

How do YOU use it?

Power of the OTHER 'Coach Quinn'

The term "coach" can be heard in many contexts but most often people naturally think of a sports coach. But, why am I bringing up a sports coach when I am a life coach?

Because, they are VERY similar.

Each and every time I explain what I do, a different answer comes out of my mouth depending on my audience. Naturally, I try to say something that the person can relate to.


Most often the following definition is well received:

A life coach is like a sports coach - they motivate you to get the most out of the task at hand. Tiger Woods didn't become the best golfer in the world by sitting at home on a couch thinking about golf. He got out on the course with a COACH and practiced.

Pat Quinn is known to many people as 'Coach Quinn' and I reckon him and I have a lot in common!

Power of the Best getting BETTER

Eric Schmidt, the chairman and CEO of Google recently wrote in FORTUNE magazine about advice that sticks out for him.

He claims that back in 2001 John Door told him, "My advice to you is to have a coach". to which Schmidt responded, "Why would I need a coach? Am I doing something wrong?...How could a coach advise me if I'm the best in the world at this?"

However, after his initial resentment, he realized, "that's not what a coach does. The coach doesn't have to play the sport as well as you do. They have to watch you and get you to be your best. In the business context a coach is not a repetitious coach. A coach is somebody who looks at something with another set of eyes, describes it to you in (his) words, and discusses how to approach the problem".

Schmidt saw himself in a position of power as a CEO but after hiring a coach he was able to recognize that even the best, can be better.

Power of a Continuous Journey

After watching this video I began to wonder about my own definition of success. Have I been driving on a one way street? 5 lane highway? Or, have I been circling on a round about?

Though more importantly....What is your success?

What does success look like to you?

What does success mean to you?

What does your success journey feel like?

I love what Richard St. John says about success. It truly is NOT a one way street...it is a continuous journey.

Do you want to simply reach success?

Or do you want to reach it and MAINTAIN it?

The choice is yours.

Power of ‘One choice’

A few days ago I found out that a girl I had known in high school was killed in a car crash. Twenty-five year old Heather Menear was standing with her friends outside of a bar on a regular Friday night when she fell backwards from the curb, to her death.

As my friend retold the story of what happened that night, she explained the varying reactions from her brother and his friends.

We all react differently to tragedy. There is no right or wrong way to respond to horrifying circumstances. However, I believe that there is just ONE choice.

At the time, the choice doesn’t feel simple or easy. In fact, it feels the exact opposite. Our world comes crashing down on us – or mortality stares in the face – and suddenly we don’t know what to feel.

Whether you have been through this before or not, I know you can imagine what is like. We are all connected.

Many of those who are affected by these type of dreadful situations block out the world. They choose pain.

Two years ago I lost my father to lung cancer. I didn’t choose pain.

I didn’t believe the choice was difficult. My only thought was, “Why would I choose pain?”

I decided the day he left me to live out his legacy. I decided to honour his death by choosing to LIVE.

I had ONE choice.

We all do.


***Whether you knew Heather Menear or not, please take a moment to honour her. She was loved by many and will live on in our hearts forever. ***

Power of Dan Griffin

For 12 summers of my life I lived in Algonquin Park; I went to Camp Arowhon. During my time there I made several very special friends - people I will know for the rest of my life.

They inspired me as we grew up together....and they continue to inspire me.

This blog is a shout out to the infamous Dan Griffin, for his many talents.

His band is called the Arkells - check them out at http://www.myspace.com/arkellsmusic

and enjoy this hilarious video they made!



Here is their music video!

Power of AKOSIA

Several months ago I co-created a non profit organization called AKOSIA. We create and organize summer projects for street children. This summer we are going to Accra, Ghana with a four-week programme that will take 80 children on a creative filmmaking journey. This will involve writing, set-design, costume making, acting and shooting, culminating in a mini film festival for the children and their communities at the end of the summer. We aim to let the children produce the films as independently as possible, providing them with tools and technical skills where necessary. In this way, we hope that the children will get the chance to see themselves in a different light and that this will inspire them be become more confident in their creative abilities and in general. During the four weeks we will also be providing the children with two meals a day and organized afternoon sporting and art activities.

We are going to Accra with a COACH approach - I am bringing several of my coaching 'ways of being' to the table.

#1 - ALL CHILDREN ARE NATURALLY CREATIVE, RESOURCEFUL AND WHOLE

#2 - THEY ARE ALWAYS RIGHT AND HOLD ALL THE ANSWERS TO THEIR QUESTIONS

It is going to be an amazing summer - please check it out - http://www.akosia.org/

Power of 'Elbow Grease'

Last night when I was scrubbing a dirty pot after dinner I found myself enveloped by a sensation I used to know quite well.

As a child, my father consistently reminded me of the importance of ‘elbow grease’. Although many of you may realize this means scrub harder and eventually it will come off….to me it meant much more.

It meant…

“Don’t expect life to be handed to you”

“Work hard for what you want and eventually, it will be yours”

And lastly,

“A dirty pot won’t scrub itself, sometimes YOU have to be the one to do the dirty work”

At the ripe age of 7, I didn’t quite recognize all of these profound life lessons. Yet, looking back now I realize that my father ingrained a very powerful lesson in me.

ELBOW GREASE GOES A LONG WAY.

What area of your life needs a bit more elbow grease?

What impact could elbow grease have on that area?

The thing is, often we think it’s easier to just let the pot soak in warm soapy water rather than putting in the time and effort.

But then life becomes a waiting game.

Stop waiting.

Put in the elbow grease.

Power of Losing Innocence

I lost my innocence at the age of 14.

Although this may appear as an over dramatic statement, I can assure you that losing a friend to meningitis at that age was a profound experience.

It was the first day of March break, a time where people usually go off on holiday for a week in the sun, and I was given news that one of my friends at school had been diagnosed with meningitis. And what’s more, she was in a coma.

As my mother shared this shocking news with me, I could only think of her funeral. I could see it clearly. My year at BSS would stand in tears surrounding her grave. In shock at how young she was; we would morn together.

We were told that if we had been in close contact or shared a drink with her it was crucial that we take a special type antibiotic. I refused to take it. To this day, I don’t know why but something in me said, “If it’s your time, you will get sick too but you do not need to take the pills”. I listened to my gut and luckily I am still alive today.

What was interesting is that the pills got me thinking about whether I had been in close contact with her. So I kept asking myself questions. “When was the last time I saw her?”….”What did I say?”…”Where were we?”….”What were we doing?”

Suddenly it hit me that we had been in science class a few weeks earlier and being the type of person that she was, she had said something funny. I then distinctly remember going over to her, kissing her forehead and saying, “Kristen, I love you!”

This last memory is what helped me get through the next 10 days.

On day 4 of Kristen Foley’s coma I shared my concern about her death with a close friend of mine. I kept thinking, “What if she doesn’t make it? What if she dies?” With certainty and confidence my friend assured me that she would be ok, Kristen was strong and would come out of this.

I noticed a difference in myself after that, I had been given hope and now I believed Kristen would make it.

On day 7 I heard news that if Kristen were to live she would have severe brain damage, and the Kristen we all once knew would never live again. I cried myself to sleep that night thinking of how hard it would be to have her at school, in a wheelchair without the humour and life that made Kristen who she was.

On day 9 I was sitting in my kitchen talking with a friend about whether a boy liked me or not, and at that time, it was a pretty big deal. Then I received a phone call from my friend Julie who sounded like she had just seen a ghost. The conversation went something like this…

“Hey Julie, what’s up???!!”

“Ummm, hi Quinn…haven’t you heard?”

“Heard what crazy lady?”

“Kristen died.”

My heart stopped. After hanging up the phone quite abruptly I didn’t know what to do, who to look at or what to say. Kristen Laura Foley had lost her life at the age of 14.

I started thinking about the many times I passed by her locker in the morning and how I would never see her standing by it ever again. I would never see her again.

Looking back, I realize how firmly I was shocked into reality. We are mortal, we will die and unfortunately, Kristen did.

That night I went to see a movie to get my mind off of what had happened. On the walk home I realized that I had forgotten my scarf, so my friend and I went back to find it. Sadly, we left again empty handed. As we approached my house I started to freak out claiming that my mother would “kill me” because she had just bought it for me at Christmas. My friend Natalie tried to remind me that the scarf wasn’t a big deal and that my friend had just lost her life, but it wasn’t until she said, “Your innocence is lost. You will never be the same again” that I stopped in my tracks.

She was right. I forgot about the scarf and decided right then and there that I had to stop worrying about trivial things and choose to live my life to the very fullest. I had to live every day as though it were my last. Kristen had lost her life and I was lucky to be alive.

To this day, her funeral remains vivid in my memory. It was NOTHING like I thought it would be. My year from BSS was not standing around; in fact, very few people were there as it was supposed to be closed. I am not quite sure why I ended up standing in the deep snow laid upon Mount Pleasant Cemetery that day but I am thankful that I was.

As the casket lowered into the grave I watched her mothers face; her eyes squinted, her lips quivered and heavy tears rolled down her cheeks. She reached her arm out as if to touch Kristen for the very last time, but knew she just had to let go. At that moment my focus shifted, I looked over at her 4 year-old sister who would never know Kristen, who would hardly remember the light she shined on those around her.

I think about her a lot – almost everyday. Each year on the 18th of March I try to go to Mount Pleasant Cemetery where she was laid to rest. Some years I even go on her birthday to bring her flowers.

During Kristen’s life she changed a lot of people but through her death she continues to help me and many others grow.

I can only hope that somehow she knew, somehow she was aware of her impact on my life…if not then, maybe now.

Kristen, I love you.

Power of Refusal

At a BNI (Business Network International) networking event in November I was given a pin that had this powerful phrase on it.

“I refuse to participate in a recession”

Later that day, I looked around the room at a diverse group of 450 business men and women proudly wearing these pins.

It is through this “rejection” of the recession that their businesses are flourishing, and will continue to do so.

When the world says jump off the cliff, do you listen? Do you just follow in line?

OR…

Are you the type to listen to your gut/instincts?

I believe that by ‘saying no’ to a recession you can override the setbacks that everyone around you may be enduring.

It is your choice – so take responsibility for your life.

If you cannot change the conditions around you, change the way you perceive the world.

You ALWAYS have control of that.

Power-ing Forward

In 2007 I had several major loses like the loss of my father to lung cancer and the breakup of my three year relationship.

Though on a more positive note, I gained a Masters degree and loads of life experience.

Yet, somehow looking back it feels like 2007 was a year of loss.

It was during 2008 that I felt ONLY gain. I can hardly look back and see any loses at all. I believe I went from great experience to great experience. I learned a lot and truly felt satisfied.

But what's the point of looking back?

What could I possibly do with the information written above? Sit and smile? Or cry? Or ponder the meaning of gaining and losing?

I often find through coaching that people LOVE looking back, telling stories, and not to mention, they love going over the same scenario over and over again looking for what they may have missed.

In some cases it is important to look back IN ORDER to move forward...but most of the time if we looked through our eyes and not through the back of our head we would gain the momentum to carry us onward.

However, the fact remains clear-we all love to wallow in the past. So if you're going to allow yourself to do so, give it proper time.

Sit down and write. Or share with a friend.

BUT, ask these questions:

What about my past is so interesting in the present?

How can I use my past to send me forward?

What will I do differently as a result of my past experience?

At the end of the day, the simplest way to live is for the present. Enjoy now and get excited for what is to come.

The past is just that…past.

Power of Being ALIVE

A good friend of mine sent me this quote today and I really wanted to share it.

"You live like this, sheltered, in a delicate world, and you believe you are living. Then you read a book, or you take a trip, and you discover that you are not living, that you are hibernating. The symptoms of hibernating are easily detectable: first, restlessness. The second symptom (when hibernating becomes dangerous and might degenerate into death):absence of pleasure. That is all. It appears like an innocuous illness. Monotony, boredom, death. Millions live like this (or die like this) without knowing it. They work in offices. They drive a car. They picnic with their families. They raise children. And then some shock treatment takes place, a person, a book, a song, and it awakens them and saves them from death."

-Anis Nin


Are you ALIVE?

Power of Rebellion

On the tube this evening, I saw a man wearing black patent leather pointy shoes with red trimming. I just had to tell him how much I loved them, which of course, sparked a conversation about the rest of the shoes in his closet.

From the gold dinosaur skin shoes to the lilac boots to the ‘old red ones’ – he seemed to have them all. Confidently, he explained that he had been to a job interview earlier that day. As a result, he had made an effort to dress moderately appropriate, except, allowing himself the shoes as his rebellion.

They may have just been a wacky pair of shoes to some, but to me they illustrated the importance of uniqueness and rebellion.

I will never forget that man or those shoes.

He was a man who truly left footprints on my heart.

Power of a Phrase

I arrived in Berlin one day before New Year’s Eve 2009 with a few good friends and as we arrived we saw four words written in bold on the side of a building.


HOW LONG IS NOW


Not a conventional question, not quite a sentence, but a very powerful phrase.

Shortly after this incident, the phrase HOW LONG IS NOW became the theme of our trip. During our disoriented time in Europe there was never a moment when time felt ‘normal’. It was as if we had lost touch with reality and were living IN THE NOW. We couldn’t escape it. Time was irrelevant and thus we went back to surviving on basic needs – we ate, drank and slept.

It was so powerful knowing that the words written on that wall could affect us in that way, not to mention that the words were in English and we were in Germany!

On the walls of my bedroom I have several quotes written out – my favourite of course, Eleanor Roosevelt’s “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams”. Then “This, too, shall pass”…. which lightens up darker days and makes bright days even brighter!

I also have a quote by Albert Einstein written above my desk, that is “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere”.

So what power can words have?

What role do they play in your life?

Power of Coachquinn.com

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WELCOME TO 2009! May this year bring you laughter, love and happiness.

Last month my official website www.coachquinn.com went LIVE and I am very excited to say the least! I hope you have had a chance to take a peak and play around!

If you have enjoyed reading my blog, sign up for my free monthly newsletter!

I want to leave you with a quote I read recently...

"Conditions are never just right. People who delay action until all factors are favorable are the kind who do nothing."

-William Feather

Are you the type that waits around until everything is "just right"?

How about NOW?

Or even, HOW LONG IS NOW