life coach

LEADERS AND THE NEXT BIG THING
Chase the accomplishments of others, and you’ll miss out on your own greatness.
When people ask what I do, they find out that I coach angels and that my mission is to help you be your better angel. They get curious, ask a little more, and at some point, without fail, they ask: “Are you going to be the next Tony Robbins?”
When Kobe Bryant entered the NBA, he was hailed as “the next Michael Jordan.” The same thing happened to Lebron James when he entered the NBA. Thankfully, Kobe and Lebron established themselves by their own merits and on their own terms. They showed the world that they were Kobe and Lebron, not Michael.
The boy band One Direction experienced something similar. After a strong debut album, many labeled them “the next Beatles.” One Direction weren’t the first to receive that label either. In the past, other bands were also considered to be “the next Beatles.” One Direction just happened to be the latest. But none ever became bigger than the Beatles.
Great leaders understands that being “the next big thing” is not the direction to follow.
The Next…
Leaders don’t fall for the trap of becoming the next anything. The next Tony Robbins, the next Michael Jordan, the next Beatles. It’s not who you are!
Your mission and talents as a leader are different from those other guys. Your road to success may parallel theirs. You may even be built on the same principles. But your success as a leader will be expressed in your own matchless flavor. None can do what you do.
Never forget: you are the leader and champion of you!
Chasing “the next…” is an empty pursuit. It distracts from your mission, and prevents you from manifesting your greatness. It also leads to imposter syndrome: the feeling of being a fake and a phony.
The biggest problem with being “the next…” is that you automatically set yourself up to be outdated. Because there will always be another “next.”
This 2012 commercial from Best Buy perfectly presents the problem of “the next…”:
Don’t be a sillyhead. Chasing “the next…” is a fool’s errand.
The One and Only
Instead of seeking to be the next big thing, great leaders work toward being The One and Only. In the tech industry there is only one Google, one Facebook, one Apple. History only has one Amelia Earhart, one Ella Fitzgerald, and one Frida Kahlo. And when it comes to fictional villains, no one comes close to imitating Darth Vader, the Joker, or Voldemort.
Being a One and Only is where greatness lies. The legendary boxer Muhammad Ali understood this. He fully owned who he was, and what he was about. He didn’t chase the accomplishments of others. Rather, he made his mark on the world (not just in boxing) by focusing on unleashing his inner champion.
Did Muhammad Ali have critics? Yes. Did he offend some people? Of course he did. That’s what happens when you become a One and Only.
Be Your Own Category
In his podcast The Accidental Creative, Todd Henry reminds us that “cover bands don’t change the world.”
If you spend your time trying to copy a style, looking to attract the masses, or following trends, you will not be One and Only. You will be an imitator. A cover band.
Bands like the Beatles change the world because they focus on qualities that make them unique and timeless. They focus on the purest and highest expression of their talent. They make their own category.
Shakespeare was not the first to write a play. But he invented new words in the english language, challenged the conventions of his day, and adapted universal themes to his form of expression. In the process he created a category for himself and his plays: Shakespearean.
Recap
What kind of leader do you want to be? The next big thing? Or The One and Only?
Don’t be a sillyhead. Trying to be the next big thing is shortsighted. The next big thing comes and goes. It is quickly replaced by the next next big thing.
The One and Only changes the world because it is inimitable. No other person or thing comes close to expressing the genius of the One and Only.
Being One and Only means creating your own category. And it’s the hallmark of true leaders.
Thank you for reading!
Everything I write is with the goal of helping you. If this post was helpful, please share it with someone you know. It might help them out.
If you would like improve as a leader, and be the One and Only version of yourself, schedule a call with me to get started today.
In the meantime, may good find you!
(Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash)
This is not for you
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7IfKyifiNo?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

An invitation to connect with Limhi Montoya.
What you seek is seeking you
– Rumi
This is one way of telling the Universe what I’m seeking. I believe you are out there searching for someone who can help. Someone who can point the way to the things you seek. Let’s connect and change the world together!
I invite you to be your better angel. The world needs us to step up and be angels for each other. I look forward to connect with you.
Until then,
May good find you!
What a 3-year-old taught me about personal development
When you’re a kid, personal development is just called life, and every day is a milestone. Approach life with childlike curiosity, and you will accelerate your personal growth.
I’ve taken care of my 3-year-old niece for the past three months. It’s been an adjustment to say the least. But it’s also been one of the best things to happen for my personal development.
My niece puts everything into crystal clear perspective. Her innocence and honesty leaves no room for doubt. And her curiosity about everything is matched by her tenacity to try everything.
She recently started potty training. It didn’t go so well at first. When I asked if she wanted to go potty, she refused. If she did agree to sit on the toilet, nothing happened. This went on for a couple of weeks. Then one day she said, “I want to wear my big girl underwear.”
So she put on her big girl underwear, and wouldn’t you know it, she started going potty! Now she tells me when she needs to go, runs to the bathroom, and sits on the toilet. And when she starts going, she smiles with pride.
Personal Development is like Potty Training
When my niece first started potty training she wasn’t ready. She hadn’t decided that going to the bathroom was something she was going to do. That’s why she refused and didn’t cooperate. It’s why even if she agreed to try, she just sat on the toilet and nothing happened. But once she made the decision to go potty, she was all in and started doing it on her own. The same is true in the area of personal development.
Significant growth does not happen until you decide. Others may bribe or coax or nag or plead or threaten, but you will refuse to do it. Even if you are persuaded to try it out, nothing will happen. Just like my niece who sat on the toilet without anything happening because she didn’t want to go potty. Once you decide, you make progress.
Success begins with a decision. There are many decisions to make on the way to success and personal development. But as long as you keep making decisions, you will progress.
Decisions determine destiny.
– Thomas S. Monson
Put on your “big girl underwear”
Decisions without action are just wishes. You haven’t really made a decision until you act. When my niece decided she was ready to potty train, she acted. She put on her “big girl underwear.”
Personal development requires that you “put on your big girl underwear.” This means doing what is necessary regardless of your doubts or fears. The necessary action may be uncomfortable or embarrassing, but you’re committed to doing it because you know progress will be made. Sometimes it needs to be massive action. Other times it’s something small. Whatever the case may be, if you really want to make progress, you must act.
Actions demonstrate commitment. You are only as committed as your willingness to act. This is true in business, relationships, and personal development. Those who make the most progress are the ones who are most committed. You can tell a person’s level of commitment by their actions. The mantras of the committed are:
“Show. Don’t tell.”
“Actions speak louder than words.”
“Do or do not. There is no try.”
“Accidents” happen
My niece is still new to the whole going to the bathroom thing. She hasn’t quite mastered it yet. Every now and then she’ll have an accident. And that’s ok because she’s still learning.
Having “accidents” is part of personal development. It’s what helps us grow the most because it exposes an area for improvement. When Navy Seals prepare for a mission, they practice for months before being deployed. They run through the mission over and over again, exposing flaws and weaknesses and mistakes. They meticulously study their mistakes, and then they work to correct them. Learning from their errors helps them prepare for the mission ahead. When it’s time to deploy, they’re confident the mission will be a success because they allowed themselves to fail first.
Snowboarders and surfers know that the key to improving is accepting you will fall. When you accept this, you improve. If you want to progress in any area of your life, accept that you will make mistakes. Those mistakes will be the key to unlocking your full potential.
Have sufficient courage to make mistakes.
– Paulo Coelho
Recap
Personal development begins the moment you decide. Your decision is made when you take action. “Put on your big girl underwear” and get to it. Mistakes are part of growth and improvement. Make them anyways.
What decision must you make in order to progress?
What action must you do now to manifest that decision?
How will you “put on your big girl underwear?”
Will you accept mistakes and learn from them?
Thank you for reading!
Everything I write is with the goal of helping others. If this post was helpful to you, please share it with someone you know. It might help them out.
If you would like to rapidly accelerate your personal development, schedule a call with me today.
(Photo by Caroline Hernandez on Unsplash)
The Soul’s Sincere Desire
I like the verb commune. It means to share or exchange intimate feelings and thoughts with someone or something; especially on a spiritual level.
There are different ways to commune: art, dance, music, poetry, play, intimacy.
When it comes to communing with Father (God, Goddess, Spirit, Light, Source, The Universe, etc), prayer and meditation are the best ways to do it.
Through prayer you share intimate feelings and thoughts with Father. As James Montgomery wrote:
Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed;
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.
Through meditation you tune yourself to be at one with Father, with Self, and with Others. You remember that you are whole, not separate or broken. You gain awareness of the Father’s influence and love all around you, and come to a greater comprehension of Self and the nature of reality. You develop an intimate relationship with Father, and become familiar with His nature and character. Your trust in Him strengthens.
Prayer and Meditation are most effective when you practice them with your whole being (spirit, body, and mind). Especially when you use our your whole being to share and to listen.
As you learn to commune with Father, with Self, and with Others, prayer and meditation become an automatic response throughout the day. You feel more connected, more present, and more at peace. Your relationships improve. You become more resilient when faced with challenges, and you are able to conquer those challenges.
Imagine a life where every day you share your soul’s sincere desire. That is the beginning of an inspired life.
But what are we creating? Heaven or Hell?
We live in the most abundant age in the history of the world, and yet we face a spiritual deficit.
The current conditions around the world are manifestations of our collective spirituality.
Injustice, hate, violence, hostility, dishonesty, and fear, are all symptoms of the condition of our spirit, body, and mind.
The responsibility falls squarely on each of us. Not on religion, or government, or science, or culture.
I take responsibility for the world I’m living in, and the world I’m creating for future generations.
I choose to rise up spiritually.
I choose to be better every day.
I choose to be more kind, more compassionate, more just, more truthful, more loving, more patient, more humble, more grateful, more honorable, more peaceful, more playful, more joyful.
Together we can create a world where we are all pure in heart.
Will you join me?
Air and Sunlight
We live and breathe in a field of air and sunlight.
Even though the field is all around us, it often goes unnoticed and unattended because it is invisible to the eye.
The same is true with the spiritual field.
Like fish who live and breath in water without being aware of it, we often live and breath in a spiritual field without being aware of it.
The more we wake up and become aware of the spiritual field all around us, the more we live an inspired life.
Why Your New Year Resolutions Don’t Stick
It’s January 1st.
A new year.
You have a fresh batch of 365 days, and you are not going to waste a single one. You are going to make the days count. You made resolutions and you are determined to keep them.
This is you:
On day one you are so motivated, you know you’re going to keep the resolutions come hell or high water.
On day two you realize it’s going to be a bit more difficult than you imagined, but hey, you have grit and you will endure.
On day three the bargaining begins. You really do mean to keep your resolutions, and if you were perfect you’d keep them perfectly. But you’re not perfect, so it’s ok if you miss the mark here or there.
Days four and five are when you renew your commitment to yourself. You will keep your resolutions. Especially since you’ve figured out all the possible ways to cut corners, bend the rules, make compromises, and still accomplish your resolutions.
Day six…Daaaay…Six. You know…resolutions are kinda silly anyway. You can set and not accomplish goals any time you want. So why stress about not accomplishing a goal now?
Day seven…
Forget it! You made it through last year without accomplishing your resolutions. Why should this year be any different?
And another year goes by, and you still don’t reach your goals.
But you had every intention of keeping your resolutions! Why didn’t you stick to it? Because you tried to change behavior without changing you.
That’s like a caterpillar trying to go from crawling to flying without changing into a butterfly. It’s never going to happen!
Lasting Change
Most resolutions are outcomes that require a change in behavior: losing weight, earning more money, making new friends, traveling more, etc. But change in behavior doesn’t just happen when you start doing something different, and you write it down, and you send it out to the universe, and you have an accountability buddy.
No. Change in behavior happens when your Soul shifts.
Lasting change in behavior requires a Soul shift from who you are right at this moment, to who you want to be. This Soul shift involves a change of Spirit, Body, and Mind.
Your spirit must see and choose something different. It must believe there exist a version of you who behaves in harmony with your desired outcome.
Your body must feel and taste the outcome. It must hum with the energy of being that outcome!
Your mind must use language that is congruent with this new version of you. It must understand that the new you is real, and not an impostor pretending to be something you’re not.
When you experience a Soul shift, then your behavior changes. And then you will stick to your resolutions.
Thank You
I am grateful to you for reading this post. Check out the other posts in the blog, and please leave a comment or share a post with a friend.
If you would like to make a Soul shift that leads to sustainable new year’s resolutions, contact me for guidance and help.
I AM RICH
A couple of days ago I reflected on all the good things that happened in my life during 2016. I had a quick snapshot of lessons learned, achievements reached, and relationships strengthened. I saw growth, and meaningful moments, and laughter. I was filled with gratitude, love, and profound contentment. Then it hit me.
I’M RICH!
I am rich in love.
I am rich in faith.
I am rich in hope.
I am rich in relationships.
I am rich in wisdom.
I am rich in purpose.
I am rich in service.
I am rich in Spirit.
I am rich in peace.
I am rich in joy.
Oh I’ve had my share of setbacks, mistakes, heartbreak, and disappointments. I’ve struggled, and stumbled, and sunk.
Do I have a lot of money in the bank? Not yet.
Thankfully, I have more today than I did yesterday.
Am I making my journey alongside the love of my life? Not yet.
Journeys take preparation. We’ll come together when we’re both ready.
Have I made a lasting contribution to humanity? Not yet.
I do make daily contributions in the lives of the ones I love.
Truly Rich
The world likes to define rich as being famous and having a gazillion dollars. Those who follow this line of thinking are never happy because they always want more. Every increase, every achievement, every “success” is more empty than the previous one. Until finally, life is hollow and meaningless.
The truly rich enjoy the present because to them it is a gift. Life makes them rich in connection, not possession. They are abundant in collaboration rather than competition. Giving and receiving replaces taking and expecting. Loving appreciation overcomes judgmental rejection.
If you desire to be truly rich, your heart must open wide to Life and the Universe. Only then will you be ready to receive all that Life and the Universe want to give.
Is your BUT getting in the way?
A “but” mindset interrupts your desires and ideas. It stops creativity dead in its tracks.
The word “but” interrupts anything that was said before, completely negates it, and sends a signal to your brain that the important information is what comes after “but.”
For example:
I want to travel…BUT I don’t have money.
I want to write a novel…BUT I have writer’s block.
I want to get in shape…BUUUUT I never have time to exercise.
Do you see how the “BUT” completely interrupts the fist part and leaves you hanging with the last piece of information?
AND
Don’t let “BUT” get in the way. Switch it to “AND” instead. The word “and” brings everything together, challenging you to make choices when contradictory ideas are juxtaposed. Observe:
I want to travel AND I don’t have money.
Ok, so what are you going to do about it?
I want to write a novel AND I have writer’s block.
Ok, how will you get past the block?
I want to get in shape AND I never have time to exercise.
Ok, when will you make time?
“AND” keeps you moving forward. It empowers you to take control of each situation, AND puts you in a more creative state. *see what I did there?*
Let “AND” become your new superpower. You’ll be amazed at how much this one little change will affect the way you feel, think, and act.
Fit, Healthy, or Whole. Which are you?
You are a complete system consisting of body, mind, and spirit. The quality of your life depends on how well you manage each part.
Fitness, Health, and Wholeness are not the same thing. Fitness relates to how much physical activity you can do. Health is focused on you being free of illness or injury. Wholeness is centered on your emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
Here is another way of looking at the difference between Fitness, Health, and Wholeness:
- Fitness is about your body.
- Health is about your body and mind.
- Wholeness is about your body, mind, and spirit.
Look. Feel. Be.
Fitness tends to pay attention to how you look. Health becomes a matter whether or not you feel sick. Wholeness usually translates to how happy you are.
Be. Feel. Look.
Begin with BEing whole, and you will FEEL better. When you FEEL better, you LOOK better. Put Wholeness first, and soon Health and Fitness follow.
AND
Fitness, Health, and Wholeness are not mutually exclusive. It’s not a case of either/or. It’s a matter of AND.
You can be fit AND healthy AND whole.
There is no “one little secret to being fit.” No “key to health.” No “formula for wholeness.” Because you are a system of all three, you must manage all three. It takes intentional planning and diligent effort. Some days you’ll do better than others. Do it consistently enough, and you will become Whole, Healthy, and Fit.