Tag: Goals

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365 Coaching Tips: 199th, 200th & 201st

July 18th Coaching Tip: Early Dinner, then Walk.

As we wrapped up the week, we decided to do our early Friday evening dinner. Eating earlier in the evenings and enjoying lighter foods helps us both 1) feel better, 2) sleep more soundly, and 3) spend less money. When we arrived back home, it was only 6:00pm. I headed out on a walk and grabbed my phone to give a call to my mom to check up on her. Why walk after a meal? It’s a new routine/habit that I have implemented after wearing my glucose monitor this past Spring and also learning about ways to help reduce glucose spikes after eating. A stroll of three to five to up to 15 minutes helps me bring the spike back into the normal range. And since I grabbed my phone, I got two things done.

Wellness is more than going to the gym. It’s connecting with those that matter; it’s taking a stroll after eating; it’s winding down with friends on a sunset cruise. My tip for today is eat earlier and eat less, then go on a walk. You never know, you might even begin to notice that you see your neighbors outside more, too.

July 19th Coaching Tip: Laugh Daily.

We all have “stuff” that hits us daily or weekly, at the very least. We make it a point to laugh daily, especially as we are getting older and been together for eight years now. We don’t want to become the crusty, grouchy old people. We want to embrace life and what comes at us, but we also are making the choice to laugh a lot every single day. For example, a couple nights ago, we stayed up until 11pm recapping the day, hysterically laughing about all the stuff that happened. We could have chosen to whine, be upset or even angry, and quietly go to bed. Today, I’ve laughed multiple times watching a funny video that was set up by the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. Their two mascots went in to the crowd, acted like they were a couple, and then ducked when the “Kiss Cam” got them on camera. It’s now a national meme that the nation is laughing about, as a married CEO was embracing his company’s HR leader at a Coldplay concert in Boston; once they noticed they were on the “kiss cam” they both ducked and turned around. Oops! They got caught which is serious business. But the meme and set up for the Phillies’ mascot was downright hilarious. A must see for your daily laugh!

July 20th Coaching Tip: Two Weeks To Go.

In two weeks, we pack up the car and head to Des Moines, Iowa, for my first-time competing in five events at the National Senior Games. Yes, I’m a bit nervous because I’m doing my research on what it will take to advance in the 100m, 200m and 400m sprints. I’m also realizing that I will need to hit 23/25, 24/25 or possibly 25/25 free throws and more than 9/15 in the 3-point shooting to place in the top three or potentially win the basketball shooting contests.

What am I doing to reduce my nervousness? Prep, just like in my coaching. I’m practicing with more intention and higher demands of myself. I was shooting around 21/25 in my FT’s recently, but the last two days, I hit 23/25. That’s what it will take to medal, and I want to medal. In my running, I’m working on my start, relaxing my face and hands more as I’m “sprinting”, and I’m trying to run faster at the end of the sprint.

I’m not sure how this will all turn out, but in two weeks, I’ll have the results. I’ve put in the work for more than 18 months, and I hope to reward myself for all this practice and prep. Two weeks to go…is not the time to stop. Now is the time to make it ALL count.

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365 Coaching Tips: 193rd, 194th & 195th

July 12th Coaching Tip: Keep An Eye On Trends.

Someone today asked me how to start an LLC. My very quick response was to leverage AI. Why did I respond that way? Because the last time I started an LLC was years ago, with an professional expertise of an attorney, and he just took care of it. I also watched the CEO of a large corporation today talk freely and confidently about how he expects his company’s employees to learn and leverage AI. He wasted no time in saying that replacing their Microsoft Outlook system with Microsoft’s new 365 system that has AI embedded will cost more. He is expecting to have employees leverage it to help improve productivity and the client experience. (And I’m expecting it to ultimately replace employees who do NOT learn it and do NOT leverage). I may be wrong; I may be right. I’m making the commitment to keep on eye on trends and stay aware of AI’s developments and embrace it to be more productive personally and professionally.

July 13 Coaching Tip: Assists Indicate Alot.

The Indiana Fever women’s basketball team played the Atlanta team today and crushed them. What did they do so differently? They set a team record in assists; assists are when a player passes the ball to another, and that person scores. The unselfish and fast pace of play was exciting, and the Fever dominated the game, winning by 19 points and scoring over 100. The Fever also had only 8 turnovers. So there were lots of assists, few turnovers, all meaning the players were really looking for each other and making great decisions.

In life, assists indicate a lot, too. When someone is willing to help you look good, that’s positive. When a colleague is willing to pass the praise and give another person the credit, that’s an unselfish human. Assists indicate a lot and they feel good when you assist others.

July 14 Coaching Tip: Productivity Gains.

Today I was prepping for a virtual event that was available nationally for our colleagues. About 30 minutes prior to the start of the event, I double checked a few things: did our guest speakers have the invite? No. Did our speakers ever receive the final deck of visuals to support our conversation? No. As we were approaching one minute to go, our producer finally got one of the speakers dialed in to the event.

This all could have been avoided if the production invite was smoother and included the speakers and the visuals, instead of just completing the task of setting up the invite. In your line of work, always be on the lookout for ways to improve and identify productivity gains.

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365 Coaching Tips: 190th, 191st & 192nd

July 9th Coaching Tip: Summer Camp Safety.

Today, the women’s basketball league, WNBA, is broadcasting games in the middle of the day to attract the eyes of young campers on the fast growing and exciting game of women’s basketball. It’s a great way to give the camp counselors a break; it also allows the campers to have a safe break in the afternoon to watch women professional athletes play at the highest level. It’s also a great way to take a break from the potentially hot summer afternoon and improve summer camp safety for the kiddos just a little bit.

Congrats to the WNBA for hosting and broadcasting these games to get new eyes on the game. Thank you to the summer camps for allowing the campers to take a break and witness excellence. Summer camp safety is now at an all-time high, since the horrible flash flooding that has taken the lives of nearly 300 during the early morning of July 4th in the Texas Hill Country.

July 10th Coaching Tip: You Get An A+.

Today was my annual, osteoporosis check up with my female nurse practitioner. My vitals were great, my bloodwork was very good, by vitamin D and calcium were good, too. The NP checked my strength and reflexes; she looked at me and said that I was her strongest osteoporosis patient. She also took time to thoroughly review what vitamins that I’m taking; we made a couple slight adjustments, since both my calcium and vitamin D are at good and normal levels. Those two are important when treating osteoporosis, as well as walking, balance exercises and strength training. She gave me an A+ for my continual focus on my wellness. You only get one shot at life and only one body; as Warren Buffet says, “might as well invest in your body like it’s the most important thing you got…because it is.”

July 11th Coaching Tip: Fridays in the Summer.

Although I had a number of coaching sessions scheduled virtually throughout this Friday via a “Zoom”, I let all of my coaching clients know that I was available to talk via phone earlier than our scheduled time. What made me do that? It’s Friday and the summertime, and many people in numerous industries are heading to their lake home/camp/second home/lake/vacation. Me reaching out to these colleagues increases our trust, because they quickly realized that I understood the important of their Friday timing and yet I kept their request for time to discuss an important item. Be aware of what your clients are doing and how they spend their time; Fridays in the summer are sacred to many as “quality of life” days.

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365 Coaching Tips: 184th, 185th & 186th

July 3rd Coaching Tip: Be a Favorite Customer.

As our friends and family were prepping for the upcoming long July 4th weekend, we decided that we wanted some healthy Mediterranean food. I raised my hand to cater in some yummy gyro meat, salad, rice, hummus, sauces, and pita bread. At 3pm today, I called my favorite Med restaurant, verbally told them what I wanted, and they said, “we’ve already started your order; it’ll be ready in 15 minutes.” I got there in 22 minutes, walked in, the owner greeted me, I paid them, and he told all of his workers, “she is one of the best and favorite customers.” (He trusted me last August 2024 and catered my birthday party for over 100 people. Plus, we go there every couple weeks for carry out.) After I paid, he asked where I parked, then he and another employee carried out the trays of food, put them in my car, and smiled as they walked back into their restaurant. Be a favorite customer.

July 4th Coaching Tip: Laugh Alot With Friends.

Friends, fireworks, fun, freedom and family! It’s what July 4th is all about here in the USA. Today we celebrated my oldest brother’s (Brett) 64th birthday; we had nearly the entire family there, except for one niece and her man. Mom and her seven great grandkids were there, and all adults in between, to celebrate Brett at my other brother (Grant) and his wife’s lake home. It was the first time that the entire family got to hang out at this new “lake home” family destination.

Throughout the entire day, we also had friends at our lake condo, just a few miles away from my brother’s lake place. Our friends were enjoying the lake views, kayaking, swimming, eating, chatting it up, etc. Before the end of the evening and the fireworks, did we ever have some stories? We poured a beverage and walked up the stairs to our friends’ condo directly above us to watch the fireworks, as they were popping up from multiple locations. It was easy to watch and also spectacular. Then we sat on their back deck laughing our heads off until well after midnight. One of my friends named herself the “camp counselor” for the day; that will be her new nickname as we all head into our Golden Girls years together. Laugh a lot with your friends; we have been thru some stuff together these last couple years, and we know that we’re all in for a lot more challenges. Keep laughing with your friends to maintain your wellness.

July 5th Coaching Tip: Heavenly Sent.

The Punkin Vine Fair in Kentland, IN, is something that my family and I have been going to since the 1970’s. Today, I intentionally joined my mom at the Fair as we helped organize the fun during the 13 harness horse races; it’s our job to get the audience involved. We interview them and the Fair queen, we recognize the oldest and youngest fans, we allow everyone to put their name in a bucket each race to select the horse they think will win, and then we pick one winner, give out small gift bags and tickets to other Fair events.

To our surprise, the Fair Board agreed to have the second annual Lynn Wilfong Memorial Race. How exciting, because we were not expecting it. My brother (Brett) brought a horse to race, and by golly, it was in the LW Memorial Race. And what do you know, Brett’s horse was in second the entire race, then came roaring down the final stretch to win the race. It was a magical moment, my mom was shaking and my brother was smiling. We got the win, and we all realized that this day was heavenly sent. I’m so glad that I was there for this magical moment.

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365 Coaching Tips: 166th, 167th and 168th

June 15th Coaching Tip: Rest Before Trips.

Knowing it was the Sunday before heading to New York City for three days of work, it was time to rest. And when I say rest, I mean resting in bed for most of the day, doing absolutely nothing. This will be my third trip to the City in 2025. When I’m visiting NYCity, rarely do I sleep well, I almost always eat too much of the incredible food, and I walk a lot of steps. Knowing all of my tendencies, it was time to rest before this trip. And as you travel for your work trips or your vacations across the globe, the first couple days can be quite taxing on the body, i.e. new bed, new time zone(s), new social interactions, delayed flights, different transportation modes, etc. Rest before trips.

June 16th Coaching Tip: Listen Intently.

I have the pleasure of coaching a large team who helps guide and care for a small number of very affluent, large clients. This team has crushed all of its YE2025 goals, and it’s only mid-June. So now what? Coast til yearend? Improve on something? Keep growing?

We had each team member share their answers to 1) what should we double down on and do even more in the second half of 2025, and 2) what must be fixed that no one is taking the time to fix. As I listened intently and paraphrased back what we were hearing, the individuals on the team around the team felt heard, uplifted, and ready to keep growing in the 2H2025. The leader agreed to spend one on one time with everyone to assess their personal and professional growth. If you want buy-in, “seek first to understand to be understood.” Listen Intently.

June 17th Coaching Tip: Celebrate With Others.

One guy with over 40 years is setting off to his retirement. Another gal in the crowd was celebrating 38 years of service. And I was sitting there with 13 years. We all celebrated these decades of experience that we’ve shared with our colleagues, clients, and the Company. The retiree shared words of wisdom, even using the short phrase of “be decent.” Not at performing but being decent to one another. Celebrate with others as they achieve milestones. It’s their moment to shine. CELEBRATE!

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365 Coaching Tips: 163rd, 164th and 165th

June 12th Coaching Tip: Get Insurance Proof.

Ever hire a contractor and ask them, “can you please provide a copy of your valid insurance?” If you don’t, you should. Recently, we hired a contractor to remove some dead and splitting trees. Before he started, I requested a quote in writing and a copy of his insurance. Fast forward to the day that the contractor and his crew were working in the trees. And yes, you guessed it, the lead man was up in the tree when the other side of the tree started going down (these trees were splitting and the threat of them coming down unexpectedly is exactly why I was having them removed). The lead man was taken down as the entire tree came crashing down. Immediately, the entire job stopped; thankfully, the crew quickly called for an ambulance, the lead man was checked out at the hospital and released with nothing more than a scrape. Everyone was ok and for that we are all grateful. A couple days later, a copy of the valid insurance was emailed to me. Lesson learned: ask and receive insurance before contractors work on your job.

June 13th Coaching Tip: Go Til Then End.

It’s game four in the best of seven game series in the NBA Finals. The Indiana Pacers have a 2-1 lead in the series, they are playing at home in this 4th game, the crowd is roaring and the Pacers are winning by 5 points starting the final quarter. But something happened, and the Pacers lost their mojo. The OK City Thunder reached deep and tied the game with eight minutes remaining. Then Indiana made a run with three minutes left. But then the Pacers let the game slip away again in the last couple minutes and ended up losing by seven points. Think thru this: up four, lost by seven, which is an 11-point swing in a matter of minutes. Leaders, teams, people, kids, and everyone else: go til the end. It’s never over until it’s over. Be resilient and keep your dream of winning alive. Note: That loss led to OK City winning the next 3 of 4 games and helping them win the NBA championship.

June 14th Coaching Tip: Connect.

Mom and I made a plan of connecting and heading to my brother (Grant) and his wife’s home on the lake nearby. Three of his daughters and their men joined us for a yummy early Father’s Day afternoon dinner. Then Mom wanted to go see her horses race at Hoosier Park. Instead of just the two of going, I decided to reach out to friends and we had a total of nine of us at the track. Although the horses didn’t win, we had a full day of connection with family and friends who really matter. Was it on “Father’s Day”? Nope, it was the day before. But we made it work. On Father’s Day, we intentionally drove out to visit the cemetery where my father is buried. We connected with him, the good Lord, family and friends this weekend. Connect. Being isolated and reducing social connections can lead to dire situations; instead, intentionally connect, with purpose, and it may just bring you better health, resilience and wellness.

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365 Coaching Tips: 157th, 158th and 159th

June 6th Coaching Tip: Get Your Sleep.

Tomorrow is a big day. I’ve been training for months to hopefully compete and run faster than I did one year ago in my first ever Indiana Senior Games. This being my second time, I knew that I needed to eat properly, hydrate well, and get my sleep (over 7 hours). When I left my house for the 3-hour drive, I loaded up the cooler with “my food and my drinks” and checked in to the hotel around 6pm. And I was resting, in bed, by 8 pm, and woke up the next morning with exceptional sleep and resilience.

Prioritize your sleep for top performance. Lack of sleep can have many side effects, including reducing your life longevity. Get your sleep.

June 7th Coaching Tip: Compete With Yourself.

I challenged myself and competed against no one. That’s correct. No one.  BUT, I ran faster in the 100m, 200m and 400m than I did last year (June 2024) at the Indiana Senior Games. Sure, we had competition, but I had no one in my exact age bracket (60-64 years old) to compete against, so I just set out to beat myself. And that I did. I ran the 100m nearly two full seconds faster than my 2024 time, and I ran the 200m two seconds faster while running the 400m almost four seconds faster. So proud of myself for improving even though I’m a year older. It’s amazing what you can do, if you simply compete with yourself in a healthy manner.

June 8th Coaching Tip: Talk It Over.

Lots to do? Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Having a hard time prioritizing? Maybe your stuck? Talk it over with your partner or friend or spouse, and you may be surprised just how quickly a plan comes together. Why is that? Because most of us know exactly what we need to do and sometimes, we just need to say it out loud to someone we trust. Research indicates that when we write down priorities, and then share them with someone, we are much more likely to complete them. We feel this innate responsibility to honor the commit to thy self and your trusted person. In my situation recently, my partner had a lot going on, a lot. We were able to get my partner’s three key to do’s done in less than an afternoon. Although I wasn’t feeling the best (lil exhausted from the senior games), me simply allowing my partner to talk it over helped out bunches. Talk it over. 

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365 Coaching Tips: 154th, 155th and 156th

June 3rd Coaching Tip: Falling Behind Happens.

Ever felt like you are falling behind? That’s how I feel right now about this daily blog. I’m behind, but I will catch up, bit by bit. How is the real question? Making it a priority again for 15 minutes over the next couple weeks, since I am not traveling. I have no reason to be distracted, none. Since June 3rd, I traveled to southern Indiana for the Indiana Senior Games, then got a bit sick, flew to Florida, then to Bloomington three times over the last three weeks to check on the house remodel project there, then to New York for a three-day work trip. Falling behind happens, but now it’s time to catch up. And I will, bit by bit. My strengths of discipline and focus, along with responsibility, will kick me back in to success.

June 4th Coaching Tip: Softball is Soaring!

The NCAA Women’s College World Series has viewership; eyes are on the game and I’m thrilled for these gals. They sure deserve it. And now, Major League Baseball is doubling down on softball, announced on May 29th, for the inaugural season for Women’s Pro Softball. Why is this important? Because women are playing and watching softball…and those same eyes just might watch MLB baseball more in the future, too. And men are watching women’s college softball, too.

What’s soaring in your life? What should you invest in? Right now, MLB thinks it’s wise to invest in women’s softball, purchasing a stake in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League and I agree 100% with their support. Viewership matters, and they will show some editorial stories, enhance and embrace their social media, and even show some AUSL games on MLB TV.

June 5th Coaching Tip: Plants Need You.

Water those plants. Fertilize those plants; get them the proper amount of sun. Keep the bugs away, and for sure, pull out the weeks.

As you lead your team, which colleague needs some water; are you noticing that they are a bit drained? Which teammate needs some sunshine, and given the ability to be on stage to shine a bit more? Which person needs a few weeds pulled around them, removing barriers and providing support so that they can soar?

As a leader, are you paying enough attention to what every person on your team needs? If not, go home and do some checking on your plants. They need you, and so does your team.

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365 Coaching Tips: 148th, 149th and 150th

May 28th Coaching Tip: Six Questions for Your Budget.

Talked to my godson recently and he mentioned how important it was that I taught him how to budget in minutes. It was one of those many moments for me that I actually don’t actually recall ever having with him; however, for him it was a moment that definitely impacted him, and he’s shared the budgeting tips with his friends for years now.

Let’s get the ball rolling here by answering these questions about your income and expenses to help you establish your budget. 1) What is your total income? 2) What is your net income (after taxes, 401K, health insurance and social security are deducted from your paycheck, if applicable), 3) What do you want to save for and why? i.e. $5,000 emergency savings account or $40,000 for a home downpayment or $15,000 for a few months off to study or travel. 4) What are your monthly mandatory bills, i.e. food, housing, utilities, cell phone, and car or transportation expenses. 5) What are your discretionary monthly bills, i.e. health insurance, dining out, clothing, entertainment, gifts/parties, etc. 6) What is your monthly debt that is NOT housing, i.e. Visa, Mastercard, loan payback to parents and friends, etc.

Once you understand these six questions, take five to ten minutes to answer them. Your MONTHTLY net income needs to be MORE than all of your MONTHLY mandatory expenses, discretionary expenses and your debt. If you are positive, then you have the ability to save even more. If your expenses are higher than your net income, then you must a) find ways to increase your income (work a second job, have a side hustle, etc.) and b) also find ways to reduce your expenses. For example, during my 25 years at Caterpillar, I made my lunch in the morning and took it to work most days that I was in the office. Let’s assume that I saved $7/lunch during the 25 years, working in the office those days that I brought my lunch of 180 days equates to a $31,500 savings just by bringing my own lunch. Another cost saver that we still implement is that we go only out to eat one evening a week. And, since I’ve been 21 years old, I have contributed to my company’s 401K and all the companies have matched my contribution partially or fully. Experts call this, “pay yourself first” by having savings automatically deducted from your paycheck. When it’s auto-deducted, you tend not to notice it since it never becomes a part of your discretionary budget. Know how to answer these six questions on your budget.

May 29th Coaching Tip: Get Yourself A Mentor.

Yes, I’m 60 and I found my mentor for my next couple decades. We met back in 2012 when he hired me to be the VP of Marketing for a tech startup. Fast forward to 2025, he has been working with a number of tech startup companies, helping 20-30 year old entrepreneurs build up their company and grow it, to ultimately sell. He’s 10 years older than me and I look forward to learning what he did from 60 to 70 years old, and then implementing many of his tips and tactics. He’s family oriented, enjoys makes memories, very healthy and sports focused, lives in the same areas (Naples, FL and Carmel, IN) as me, etc. I look forward to learning from my mentor, as we both agree, our best chapters in our life’s book are ahead of us. Get yourself a mentor.

May 30th Coaching Tip: Celebrate Your Wins.

After selling two homes recently, it was time to celebrate. One of the homes in Westfield, IN, was sold to a couple who was well prepared, and we closed on a price $6,000 over list price (we had 4 offers in 48 hours of the listing) in just two weeks. The other home in Delray Beach, FL, also sold to a young couple at list price; although they were not as prepared, my realtor helped them actually get their financing completed to finalize the closing before the end of May.

Why celebrate? Because I challenged myself to buy both of these homes during COVID when times were a bit weird and unknown. Fast forward to 5 years later, by selling these two homes is allowing me to do another project closer to my college home of Indiana University. We are in the midst of remodeling a 95-year-old farmhouse with a green metal roof; the nearly 10 acres has a couple barns, a “she-shed”, and a chicken coup. We will celebrate there soon with a house and barn warming party, complete with a DJ playing music, and having fun with the indoor pickleball and basketball courts. Celebrate Your Wins!

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365 Coaching Tips: 145th, 146th and 147th

May 25th Coaching Tip: Explore.

Invited some friends to come over to Indianapolis and Carmel, IN for the weekend to go explore downtown Carmel and then join us to see the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500. Our group of nine ranged from eight years old to 63; two black men in their 30’s; a married couple; and another couple. My bestie and I went to explore the parking situation a couple days prior to the Indy 500 since it’s the race is sold out; we have four different groups coming in for the race, so we had to have a common location for everyone to show up. It worked! We all showed up between 8:30-10:40am, had an early tailgate, then walked to the race Sunday morning. One of the guys wore a hat with the word “Explore” on it. He was exploring; he had never been to the Indy 500, he wasn’t even a fan of racing, but he was ready to explore.

Now in my sixth decade, I’m all about truly making memories and giving people the chance to see and experience new things and/or things that I deeply love and cherish. By the end of the evening, I had received the sweetest thank you’s from all involved. Explore!

May 26th Coaching Tip: Memorial Day.

Although I haven’t lost anyone directly close to me in the line of military duty, we choose to honor those who have lost their lives while serving our country. Today, I am wearing my Navy t-shirt. My grandfather George was called to Navy duty in the last year of WWII when he was 33 years old, married and had a son (my father). My partner’s dad was a Navy pilot after WWII. We choose to honor them, as their efforts definitely helped us have the freedom to celebrate today.

May 27th Coaching Tip: Get Checked Out.

Couple months ago I noticed a dark spot on my left arm had developed. It was close to a spot that I had removed a few years ago. In no real rush, I scheduled a full dermatology checkup for when I returned to Carmel in mid-May. Welp, the spot that I thought was concerning was actually a good ole age spot; however, the doc found a basal cell spot on my right arm. Glad he checked me over, because I had not even noticed it. Today, I got it removed, just one week after it being noticed. Be courageous and intentional regarding your wellness; don’t wait, get checkout out. (My father had multiple spots of skin problems, and his ears took a toll due to him being outside so much as a farmer, worker, and horse trainer. He regularly visited the dermatologist and had them addressed.)