Coaching Tips

Posted on January 7, 2011 by karinwritesdangerously

COACH GELSTON’S ONLY RULE

“Be at the right place
at the right time and
do the right thing!”

My good friend and mentor Dr. Rob Gilbert gave me a plaque with this advice emblazoned on it. I keep it right in my office where I can see it every day. It reminds me to stay focused and on target. Rob Gilbert knows all about staying strong and motivated. He hosts the “Success Hotline” — a terrific free daily 3-minute uplifting message that you can listen to 24/7 just by calling 973.743.4690 (stay tuned for more on Rob’s Hotline!).

Looking at Coach Gelston’s words of wisdom made me think of an article I read not long ago about tennis great Roger Federer. The headline caught certainly caught my eye: “Backed by a Brain Trust, Federer Digs In at Age 29.” I was struck by how smart a move this was on Roger’s part — and how bold as well. With a record-breaking 16 Grand Slam singles titles in his back pocket, the tennis ace could certainly kick back and relax. He’s number 2 in the world rankings after all! But the guy’s still eager to play and improve — and win.

Roger seems to be an intense guy: no wonder he has not one, but two coaches helping him sharpen his game. He said he hired one of them so he could have access to a fresh, experienced voice. Makes great sense, doesn’t it?

As writers aspiring to improve our craft, we can all use help from a “fresh experienced voice,” once in a while. That may mean getting some useful tips from a seasoned writer at a reading, taking a workshop or signing up for a seminar. It can also mean tapping great resources like the Success Hotline. What matters most is that, like Roger, we’re eager to invigorate our games and to push ourselves to the next level. Just one timely tip can make all the difference!

About karinwritesdangerously

I am a writer and this is a motivational blog designed to help both writers and aspiring writers to push to the next level. Key themes are peak performance, passion, overcoming writing roadblocks, juicing up your creativity, and the joys of writing.
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4 Responses to Coaching Tips

  1. Steve says:
    January 7, 2011 at 11:53 am

    Karin:

    I KNOW that you never have it all figured out with anything, and that includes writing.

    Taking advice from a “seasoned pro” (which, by the way, is often the reason I visit your blog) is being awakened, perhaps seeing and undetstanding things differently.

    And, most of all, you just need that inspiration sometimes.

    Thanks for all the great posts,

    Steve

    Reply
    • karinwritesdangerously says:
      January 7, 2011 at 6:33 pm

      Hi Steve,

      Thanks so much for your kind words — so glad you find my blog helpful!

      You are so right — sometimes just one idea can make all the difference! I went to a free two-hour workshop about creating a sense of place a while ago that gave me a terrific idea for my YA novel. I went right home and wrote up about 8 pages or so to show the little cottage where my young girl lives with her guardian. It added a whole new dimension to my story. And it all came from another writer’s advice. Gee, I should write a post about this!

      Be sure to check out Rob Gilbert’s Hotline (973.743.4690) — it’s fantastic. Lots of great ideas and quotes. Rob really inspired me to start my writing blog to share what I’ve learned — and I love doing it.

      Thanks so much — your great comments really keep me motivated!

      Write on! Karin

      Reply
  2. Bruce in Penna says:
    January 13, 2011 at 1:45 pm

    Hi Karin, I’m also a frequent listener of Dr Rob. I was already tuning in when he went over the the 6000 mark. I’ve also heard you on one or more of his Sunday night conference calls.
    His interview with you recently about your blog hit me at the perfect time as I was researching where and how to start a blog. Mine will be related to sales training and coaching for people in the home based business market.
    After researching I’m going to go with WordPress.
    Are there coaching suggestions you can offer me?

    Reply
    • karinwritesdangerously says:
      January 14, 2011 at 3:04 am

      Hi Bruce,

      Thanks so much for your note. So glad you found my blog post helpful!
      Congratulations on starting your blog — I really enjoy writing mine.
      In terms of advice on starting, I think WordPress is a great choice — I
      find that it’s very easy to use, very visually appealing, and looks very professional.
      I invested in my own custom-designed banner, which I really like and you
      might want to do the same. The fee was very modest and it adds a personal
      but professional touch. I’d also suggest that you start writing a series of posts
      before you launch the site so you have a bit of a backlog — that’s what I did
      and it’s worked very well for me. I also keep my posts from 300-350 words.
      People are really busy so short is good. The best of luck on your new venture!
      Hope you check in again soon.

      Write on!
      Karin

      Reply

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