Mike Van Hoozer's Blog

[image error] The other 20 percent

Over the last few months, I have received a lot of feedback from people about how my book Moments: Making Your Life Count For What Matters Most has inspired them to finally invest time toward "finishing strong." For some people, finishing strong means becoming more engaged in the life they have been given and the roles they have been assigned. For others, finishing strong means they want to accomplish a goal that is personal and meaningful to them and impacts a broader sphere of influence.

Many people fall into a group that desires to finally finish a dream, project, or goal that they have put some time into but have not quite managed to carry it to completion. For this group, finishing strong means to "Seize the Moment." Based on these responses and reactions to Moments, we have been doing research both formally and informally about what it means to "Seize the Moment" and why people don't follow through on their goals. We have been asking the questions:

• Is there a project, idea, or goal you have considered and put some thought to but have not been able to plan and do it? What has been the biggest inhibitor to your success?

What we have discovered so far is that many people are good at setting a goal and beginning it. In other words, they are competent in getting something to "80 percent" completion. Where they falter is in the last "20 percent."

In my work with high potentials and high performers in sports, business, and life, I have noticed that the most significant and successful people follow through on their commitments. They focus on the other 20 percent. They pay attention to detail. They make the most of their time in a day. They plan weekly, and execute daily. They respond courageously in the face of adversity and setbacks. They make the most of their moments. And what's in a moment? Our time. Our choices. Our decisions. Our thoughts. Our relationships and sphere of influence. The other 20 percent is the difference between being a goal setter and a goal achiever.

What about you? Is there a project, idea, or goal you have considered and put some thought to but have not been able to plan and do it? What has been the biggest inhibitor to your success? Do you need to focus on the final 20 percent? Are you making the most of your moments?

[image error] "I don't want to miss it!"
- From many of my coaching clients

Is the moment missing, or did you miss the moment? Are we looking for something that has become misplaced, or are we truly missing something that can never be replaced? A moment in time is something to be cherished, honored, and anticipated. We foolishly believe that we have all the time in the world, that moments are in full supply, and that we can regain moments that we have missed. We treat missing moments like something that...

[image error] Some of you have asked about the Birkman assessment, which is a tool I use in my coaching to help people discover their behavioral styles and needs. Here is a link to a free assessment we are offering:

http://dr.birkman.com/q/?10018

It should only take about 20 minutes to answer the questions. After you answer the questions, you should receive an email with 3 important things... about yourself. If you want more in-depth reports and coaching to supplement this free assessment, you can email ...

[image error] "Make visible what, without you, might perhaps have never been seen."

-Robert Bresson


Are you hiding something? You are if you're not living the life you were called to live. But what does that mean – "to live the life you were called to live." How do you know if you are hiding something? How do you know if you are not making things visible for other people to see? We try to make these questions and their corresponding answers tougher than they really are. The path is really simple an...

[image error] She knows no fear. Or, maybe, she chooses not to pay attention to it, and instead, focuses her attention in the direction of possibilities and opportunities. In a word, she BELIEVES, and she has made believers of us all!

Melanie Oudin has taken New York and the viewers of the U.S. Open tennis tournament by storm. She has beaten three top-seeded opponents including Maria Sharapova. Never mind that she is shorter than most of her opponents, rarely breaks 100 mph on her serve, and was relativ...

[image error] The key to success in whole life balance begins with a new level of thinking, not just implementing techniques like the 5 steps to balance. If you try and slap a technique or system onto an old way of thinking about balance, you will achieve short-term results at best. Most people instantly set up a competing situation just by uttering the words "Work/Life Balance." It immediately sets up a fierce competition with a winner and a loser.

You have to think about your life as a whole with roles...

[image error] I recently wrote a blog entry on The Coach's Corner that highlighted 3 traits that separate the good from the great performers in sports. For this blog entry, I wanted to expound on how to apply these traits – Focus, the Will to Win, and Recovery Time – in your professional life. I will post a subsequent entry on how to apply them in your personal life.

As a consultant, I get a chance to see the inner workings of a wide variety of companies and organizations. I often see business professionals

[image error] Sometimes, we don’t want to do what we know we should do, especially as it relates to other people. We consider the many things that are calling out for our attention, and we miss the moment that is right in front of us. At other times, we deceive ourselves into thinking that we are active participants in a moment, not realizing that we are only apathetic spectators. We foolishly believe that we have all the time in the world, that moments are in fully supply, and that we can regain moments that

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Coach John Calipari, the new basketball coach of University of Kentucky and former University of Memphis coach, recently joined the Twitter revolution. A friend of mine, who is an avid Kentucky basketball fan, made me aware of a post Coach Cal made recently about my book Moments: Making Your Life Count For What Matters Most. Click on this link to view his post:

http://adjix.com/e3f3

I know he probably reads a lot of books, and I was very honored that he chose to mention my book as one that had m

[image error] As I was walking barefoot through the Westin Riverwalk hotel in San Antonio last week, I reflected on how I sometimes take things for granted. Like being able to wear shoes. I was doing this to participate in the “One Day Without Shoes” Event initiated by my friend Blake Mycoskie and his company Toms Shoes. Click here to see my previous blog about the work that Blake and Toms Shoes are doing to help put shoes on children’s feet all over the world. My “shoeless moment” caused me to think abou