they are producing in their lives and in their companies. While there are many debates about the degree to which we are responsible for our results, I am certain that we are, in fact, far more responsible than most of us believe. In fact, there is significant evidence that each person is the author/creator of their experience, not merely an observer/participant or victim of other people or the circumstances.

I invite you to consider yourself and the people around you in the following way. (Again, this methodology could be debated, but that is not our purpose here.) If you study the way people operate, you will observe that fundamentally, human beings function on three levels; we think or feel, we speak and we act, and, usually, in that order. In other words, we first have some thoughts and/or feelings about something: I love my carpool, but I hate it on the days that Joe drives.Then, we make those thoughts and/or feelings real by speaking about them, i.e., the act of speaking begins to shape the experience of the speaker. Finally, we act in accordance with the initial though/feeling that we have solidified in our minds by our speaking about it, and we experience, once again, the person, issue or circumstance consistent with our original thought/feeling. This, then, confirms "The Truth" and determines our experience of that person or event!

A Different Approach

In the ordinary course of events, people think that what they are doing is speaking about or reacting to the way things "are". What we’re suggesting -- to the contrary -- is that in this process of thinking, speaking and acting, people are creating the way things are. Have you heard the expression self-fulfilling prophecy? Is it possible that we are all practicing it all of the time?

We`d like you to consider that people`s thinking, speaking and actions (including your own) are all pretty congruent. People don`t usually think one way, speak another and act still another. We assert that the way people think, speak and act determines the results they produce! For example, people who speak and act kindly and lovingly seem to have much peace and calm in their lives, whereas people who speak and act angrily seem to have a life filled with hostility. People who are always worrying seem to have lots of things in their lives to be worried about whereas people who are calm and have trust and faith in the future seem to do well, have successful lives and experience peace. As we have discussed in other articles, people who speak and act as if there`s never enough seem to have a lot of scarcity in their lives whereas rich people seem to think and speak with an attitude of abundance.

Since your work is probably different from ours, you may not be as aware of this or perhaps you have never looked at it quite this way before. In our work of observing and coaching people, individually and in organizations, we`ve noticed that there is a direct correlation -- with each individual as well as within any particular organization -- between the way people speak and act and the results they produce!

Well, yes, you could say that with the circumstances being what they are, of course people will speak and act the way they do and then we`ll have a chicken and egg conversation as to which comes first. But here`s what we`ve found: most people are largely unaware of how they are thinking, speaking and acting and the ways this influences their results.

When we are engaged by a firm or company to coach them, one of the first things we do is to report to them the existing thinking, speaking and acting within their organization, as it appears to an uninvolved observer. Then, we have them compare that observation to their mission, goals, immediate objectives and intentions. Many quickly realize the massive inconsistency! Inevitably, they see that the ways in which they think, speak and act really do make it quite difficult to produce the results they want. Immediately, they begin to design new ways to think, speak and act. Almost overnight, things change -- what was previously viewed as difficult, unpredictable or impossible becomes commonplace, predictable and accomplished!

When we first started training business people in becoming responsible for their thinking, speaking, and actions, the dramatic effect it had was fantastic -- almost magical! While our clients still have this reaction to our work, it works consistently and predictably. The effects are usually immediate! Becoming responsible for your thinking, speaking and actions and keeping them in alignment with your intended results is the wonder drug of human performance, much as antibiotics are wonder drugs of medicine.

Is what we’re saying "the truth"? You`ll have to decide that for yourself. To do that, begin today to take on: that who you are is the source of your results, not merely the observer. And the process by which this occurs is your thinking, speaking and actions. Start to observe the way you and your partners or associates are thinking, speaking and acting and start to notice how your results are consistent with that. Then, see if the results you`re achieving are what you want. If not, begin today to consider the type of person that you really want to be and to think the thoughts that that type of person would think. Speak only what is consistent with that (as if you are that person already), and do what that type of person would do. If you do, you will discover what most of our clients have -- that you are the cause/source/designer of your results, not merely an observer of events or the victim of those around you: (in fact, you always have been, although because of your lack of awareness of these principles, you may have unconsciously lost your own personal power or given it away to others.)

Just Do It! How can you think, speak and act like you are accomplished and successful, and getting the results you want when that`s not the case? Good question. The answer -- Just do it! Most importantly, begin to believe that if you do this, it will work. Trust the process. It does work! And be patient with yourself and those around you. Don`t judge the effectiveness of this process by short term results or the lack thereof. A farmer, after tilling the soil, planting the seeds and watering regularly, doesn`t question the process, worry about it, or dig up the field to see if anything is happening. He knows that what is planted and nurtured properly will develop in its time and that before he realizes it, it will be time to reap the harvest. You must operate the same way. Manage your thoughts, your speaking and your actions effectively, have faith in you ability to create whatever you want, and you can have whatever you can imagine!

One final word of caution. While this is simple, it`s not easy. You have been thinking, speaking and acting in a particular way for a long time. While you can change, it`s tough (not impossible) to do on your own. That is where a good coach is valuable. If you think about it, most people determined to be a peak performer in their field don`t attempt to go it alone. They get a coach -- someone whose job it is to keep them focused on their goals, remind them of who they are and what they are capable of and coach their actions toward accomplishment.

When I started The Scott Hunter Group sixteen years ago, few people in business could conceive of a need for a coach. However, today more and more professionals in business are recognizing the value and benefits that coaching brings. In fact, business coaching is a rapidly growing field and rapidly being implemented by companies throughout the world. If you want to stop wishing things were different and bring your dreams into reality, get a coach! We strongly suggest that you get someone with a proven track record in coaching others to success -- someone who knows that the key to human performance is thinking, speaking and actions, consistent with a clear vision of your desired results. The Scott Hunter Group has professionals with over 50 years of combined experience in coaching business executives in bringing their dreams into focus and making them reality. If you`d like to find out how we can put that experience to work for you, call us today!

Copyright 1998, 2001 Scott Hunter

About the Author:
Scott Hunter is a professional speaker, workshop leader, consultant and coach. He speaks on creating meaningful, quality relationships in the workplace to increase productivity, creativity, teamwork and profitability. He can be reached at scott@thpalliance.com. Visit his web site: www.thpalliance.com.
 

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