Author Archives: Matt Smith Personal and Professional Coach

On Wednesday I was presenting Mental Health Awareness to a Group of Childrens’ Nurses. Part of the day is taken up with raising awareness of our own mental health and how we manage the stressors in our own lives.  Yerkes-Dodson back in 1909 suggested that stress or pressure is vital for us to perform, butContinue reading “How do you empty your bucket?”

Coaching in a nutshell is opening peoples eyes to the choices they have to get the most out of their lives, careers, businesses, or relationships. As we travel through our lives we have a habit of restricting our choices in what we are capable of, either by listening to people that tell us we cannotContinue reading “What is Coaching”

Knowing when not to speak is a crucial approach when coaching. It sounds cliched and a little obvious, but it is not as straight forward as it seems. First you have to establish the rhythm of the coaching session. Create an environment where the client is able to speak with freedom.  I start with myContinue reading “The Dance”

It is scientifically proven that if you are stressed, distressed or depressed your productivity and creativity decreases and can even stop. We all have those times when our workload outstrips our resources, when this happens our stress levels rise and our productivity grinds to a halt. Despite this we feel we have no choice butContinue reading “Pay Attention to Your Mental Health”

Hull FC proved the point yesterday. Never accept that you cannot succeed until the game or the project is over. They showed steely determination right to the end to ensure their victory  in an incredibly high pressure atmosphere (I doubt there is a less high pressure game in Rugby League). They played to their strengthsContinue reading “Never Give Up”

Along with millions of other viewers last night I was glued to the TV cheering on Team GB in the Hockey final.  It was clear that both teams were at the peak of fitness and skill.  The momentum of the match swung between GB and the Netherlands, and to be honest for much of theContinue reading “We Can All Experience Our Own Gold Medal Moment”

Believing in your own ability is an attribute common in all successful people. Self belief comes from being adequately prepared for what is ahead of you. Extensive planning is therefore key to sustained success. How do you know if you have prepared enough? Having someone to challenge your planning, to ask the obvious question andContinue reading “Believe in Yourself”

Before you can make changes to your life or lifestyle you have to set yourself free from the constraints you have put on yourself during your journey through adulthood. This is not to say you have to forgo your responsibilities and go live in a commune. You have to theoretically set yourself free and dareContinue reading “Set yourself free”

For a lifelong smoker the prospect of never smoking again is incomprehensible. All smokers will at some point make an attempt to stop smoking, most of these attempts end in failure. Just saying you want to stop is just not enough to prevent you from starting to smoke again. Your mindset has to change beforeContinue reading “Letting Go is Never Easy”