We can't run fast with baggage!


As Dina Asher-Smith, the British sprinter says, “you can’t run fast with baggage, you gotta throw it out”

To be honest, I am a bit of a cliché. First teams for sport at school, good degree, high flying career – got it all, you may say. And you would be right, the ‘all’ including a lot, and I mean, a lot - of baggage

But this isn’t about me, this is about you and frankly, what I want to share with you so that you can stop wasting your time and start living life on a totally different level, start enjoy running really, really fast – because you may well think that the way you feel today, successful on the outside, with baggage on the inside – is the only way to be. You may think you have reached your potential and the thought of really ‘taking it up a level’, really smashing it, really running fast – at work, at home, in your whole life - is something you just don’t have the time and energy for

Well, I am hear to tell you – go for it!

This isn’t about the toxic over performance you might feel is the only way of justifying your existence, this isn’t about earning so much money you can finally buy your 3rd home and your Ferrari – although that may also be an outcome, should you choose it

This is about letting go of the rubbish, the interference, that holds us back from really, really enjoying life, (without the mind-altering substances) and really, really maximising our potential

Because if I can do it, you can too! OK so how do we do that then?

It is actually quite straight forward. Just like top level sports people and CEO's do – in fact, high performers in almost all areas of life - you get yourself a truly excellent coach

You get over the fact that your company may or may not pay for one for you – and you make it happen. I paid for my own coach and frankly it was the biggest return on investment I have ever had – literally

The money I invested in coaching was paid back not only in the actual pay rises I got as a consequence, but more to the point, in the way I felt about life, knowing I had a brilliant, highly experienced, high intellectual horsepower, super professional supporter, who I paid to have my back. To encourage me, to challenge me, and to give me practical tools, tips and ideas, when I was so fried and exhausted from yet another board meeting that I barely knew my own name, let alone how to solve our budget challenges ready for a presentation to our financial director by 8am the next morning, alongside dealing with my young daughter’s heart-breaking friendship issues

In today's world, change is constant. Relentless. Unapologetic. Measurement is tougher, transparent, totally visible - to all management levels - including the Chairman and the CEO, who direct message us if the targets are not smashed 'in line with the capability which got you your role'

Not just at work though, our partners are also experiencing this in their lives – so our home life can often be as challenging, if not more so, than work

And our children? You don’t need me to tell you about the statistics, yet because it matters so much, I will share them with you again. According to the mental health foundation, 20% of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year and 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24. 10% of children and young people (aged 5-16 years) have a clinically diagnosable mental problem, yet 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age. For me, that was the biggest wakeup call as a parent - what can I genuinely do to help my own family not be part of those statistics, especially when I am often feeling overwhelmed and stretched myself, with let's be honest, quite a bit of my own baggage?

My view was – don't mess about - get an excellent coach, get some high-quality practical support so I can really be the best parent and person I can possibly be

Getting a great coach with mammoth intellectual horsepower, as well as over 20 years' experience working with high performers at a global level, including top level athletes, meant that I learned how to throw away baggage, once and for all. When I say baggage, what I really mean is interference. Interference affects our ability to perform, and the fact is, that most interference is internal. It is reflected in the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, the way we approach situations, the way we worry about the past or future. It also comes from the way we think about all the things we should be doing instead of focussing on the present

Excellent coaching helps us let go of the interference that hinders our progress

It builds our determination so we can throw the interference in the trash can – and as importantly put a full stop in its place and leave it there!

So not only did I learn how to throw away my baggage, I was also able to share some of the practical tips I had learned to help my family with some of theirs. Not only this, but particularly because I had my own supporter, I became much more present for other people in my life - my family and in my work. What's more, I also became clearer on my own direction, my life’s purpose. I am now able to integrate my work and home into one-life. For sure I am a better leader, and just ask my family – I am definitely, without any shadow of doubt able to offer my family support, time and attention that I simply would not have been able to do before I had an executive coach

Frankly, the gift I gave myself of coaching, means I am more present for everyone, especially myself – which means I am now able to run fast, I mean really fast – at work, at home, in my whole life!

If you have a real desire to progress, at work and at home - yet feel stuck about how to excel and move forward and would like to jump-start your performance and accelerate your development through the support and challenge of high impact, high focus Progressfull™ Coaching,,,

You can explore Progressfull™ Coaching here 


As Nelson Mandela so wisely said,

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living”