You keep telling yourself, “Once things settle down.” I'll get coaching. I'll hire a therapist. I'll quit drinking. I'll quit gambling. I'll start exercising. I'll start working on my marriage. I'll work less and spend more time with my family.

Every setback, adversity, or change I've been through in my career and in my life came without a map. I didn't have anyone there to consult with for coaching, advice, or mentorship. I had to utilize what I had learned up to that point and figure out the rest in real time. The only things that helped were my character, training, and knowing my core values. The rest of it I had to build in real time while people were watching how I responded.

When I speak to a client about putting out a fire in their life, I don't just come in with all the answers. In order for us to understand their problem, we must be able to look at it from all sides. That's why we start with my 4A Performance System.

Stressful situations in the workplace and in your personal life are inevitable. As a matter of fact, if you aren't experiencing at least a little bit of stress, then chances are you are not challenging yourself enough to reveal your growth edges. For example, if your parent who let your kids do whatever they want, then you might be avoiding some of the difficult conversations that go with raising kids. If you're a “laid-back” boss, then you probably have issues with authority. Somebody along the way was either too harsh or did not set good boundaries with you as a parent or parental figure. 

When you're operating at the scene of an emergency, there's always an audience. The stakes are much higher than any sporting event or concert. Their house might be on fire or a loved one might be trapped in a vehicle.