A few weeks ago my friend Chris Barrow brilliantly remarked that paying for a coach is the way to get ahead because the right coach "holds a bigger vision for you and your business than you hold for yourself."
While he was talking about business coaching, his statement certainly applies to all forms of coaching, ADD coaching included. I can see possibilities for my clients and challenge them to achieve and succeed in ways they never before allowed themselves to imagine. When the client experiences success and gets infected with the "possibilities virus," there is no stopping them. But as I've said before, the client ultimately does the work. I can't do it for them.
I enjoy watching clients grow and succeed because that's my job; I'm a coach, and I support my clients in their personal growth. Barack Obama cannot do this, because he's not a coach. He's a politician, and a Presidential candidate. And while his sense of optimism is endearing, inspiring the American people doesn't add up to much when you're the leader of the free world. Just look at Ronald Reagan.
Listen, I like Barack Obama. I really do. I would love to see him as Vice President. Hell, I'd vote for him to go
all the way in 2016! At that point he'll have more experience doing, not just talking.
On the verge of Super Tuesday and the following primaries, we have to be careful. Barack Obama is not a deity and, no matter how pure and great his intentions are, he can't make all our problems magically disappear. I worry that this kind of wishful thinking will lead us down a bad path.
The truth of the matter is that we do need change in the U.S. Pointing this out does not make Obama a genius--it makes him Captain Obvious.
What is less obvious, at least in the current media climate, is that the country is in crisis. Millions of people don't have health care coverage. The economy is rapidly declining. Osama bin Laden is cozying up in a cave while the U.S. military continues to lose soldiers on a daily basis in Iraq. Greed and power dominate U.S. foreign policy and have cost us allies and the respect of many countries.
Yes, Barack, something needs to change. But I question your ability to make it happen. You're applying to be our leader, not our coach.
The truth of the matter is that there is a candidate who is practical, optimistic, and experienced. And that's Hillary. It's not about whether or not you like her personally, but about the job she can do to turn this country around. (Incidentally, I have never met an anti-Hillary person who could give me a valid political reason for not liking her. "She's a carpet-bagger," "She should have left Bill," and "I just think she's a bitch" are not valid political reasons.)
Hillary has been in politics her whole life and is more in touch with the American people than any other candidate running on either side. The country's health care crisis has been her passion for over a decade. As our Senator in New York, she's worked for the many different people who keep our economy thriving--from big business in the city to small farms upstate. She's committed to making it work for everyone. She's also a gifted communicator who has a unique ability to reach out and be heard by the world leaders who are tired of empty talk. She understands that we need these leaders to secure our place as a respected global leader.
I don't want my President to be my coach and tell me that change is possible. I want my President to know that change is possible, roll up her sleeves, and get to work. That's why I'm voting for Hillary to be my president, and getting my coaching elsewhere.
Well when I lived in Japan there was no central heating. There was a heating table called a kotatsu that I sat at to keep warm. It wrinkled the clothes terribly so of course in the morning I would just wear my slip and put on my skirt as I was heading out the door.
Of course one day I went out the door without paying attention. I couldn't understand why people were looking at me funny. They often stared at me because I was a foreigner. When I looked down and saw the lace of my slip but no skirt I was mortified but laughed. I had to turn around and take a different bus back home, laughing the whole way.
The Japanese also thought it was odd that I would tell this story on myself shortly after it happened.