How to Refuel Your Own Tank
Busy people grow empty and eventually lose touch with the meaning of their busyness. Being coached may be a way for you to refuel your tank.
Last week I had my first coaching session with Bob Hancox from Tekara. To be clear, he coached me, I didn’t coach him. A few days before our appointment he sent some questionnaires to help me uncover topics I might want to discuss.
Shifting gears:
I love listening; I’m naturally curious. The higher up you go in your organization the more you’ll listen. I had to shift gears when Bob listened to me. He asked me questions that invited me to explore my own thoughts and feelings on the topic of relationship building.
Energy:
It’s energizing when a disinterested party shows interest. By disinterested, I mean someone without an agenda. Most conversations have agenda’s. We’re seeking agreement, gathering information, or making decisions. That’s as it should be. Leaders work to get things done.
I found it energizing to take time to think my own thoughts.
Encouragement:
You need to refuel your tank, to manage your own energy. You may find it useful to find a disinterested party to help you think your own thoughts.
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How do you practice self-reflection?
How do you refuel your tank?
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This is an important concept, Dan. This is why ministers have spiritual directors, and psychiatrists must see a psychiatrist.
You run out of stuff to give away, and places inside to pull it from. Sharing these things as the speaker and not so much as the listener-thinker-fixer should help us all get re-fuled.
Thanks
Hi Martina,
Thanks for your comment. It’s inevitable that always pouring out ends with people being on empty. One of the exciting things for me is not only refueling but self-reflection. Bob did a great job helping the process.
Best,
Dan
A suitably timed post for me as today was a recharge day for me.
I find it important to take a little time each week to try and recharge the batteries. Personal reflection plays a key role in this for me. This can take the form of coaching, meditation or even a peaceful stroll in the countryside. Regardless of the method used, a little personal time is essential.
Great comment and congrats to you for doing things to refuel your own tank. Cheers, Dan
Dan. Thanks for the excellent article. You are spot-on and something that that I need to develop to be a stronger leader. When your tank hits “E” it takes courage to open up.
Hi Lane,
I’ve come to a place in life where reaching my potential means fueling my own tank. I should have been doing it for years.
Success to you,
Dan
Dear Dan,
I value your bringing newness to your daily post in preparing leaders to develop a wholesome personality and remein committed for the betterment of people and the society.
Self-reflection can be in terms of my own progress towards achievement of set pre-determined targets and the ability to get my team inspired to deliver expected results.
Own assessment of a weekly/fortnightly/monthly achievements and looking for working solutions are the two essentials that I focus to refuel my positive energy tank.
On a personal front, specific enjoyment that I derive on a day-to-day basis in the domestic front and the people whom I meet help me to assess whether I am utilizing my time and efforts in the right direction to keep me self-inspired and satisfied..
Hi Dan, Love the concept of full tank, empty tank and shifting gears. A lot of us tend to get stuck in one gear (cruise mode) and without coaching often let life or business slide. Recharging and then shifting up a gear seems the logical and natural progression for everyone in life, especially leaders. Thanks for writing.
Dear Dan,
I practice self reflection by putting myself on two position. I question myself and then I hear the answer. I critically evaluate myself my various parameter without being biased. I do not assume and take things guaranteed rather I question even the logical thinking. I think when we take the things guaranteed, we are more liable to take decision in our favor.
I refuel my tank with my values and belief. I also refuel my tank with knowledge and experience from day to day activities.
Very timely Dan
Today I have an appointment with an energy worker whom I see every few months. It is always a time of deep reflection for me – gaining new insights and restoring my energy. Perhaps even more inportant is actively releasing blocks to my energy and letting go (or trying to let go) of old beliefs that may have served me at one time but are now extermely limiting.
I could not agree more that having someone listen without an agenda (a coach or therapist) makes a hige difference to how we aee ourselves and the action we can take to move foreward in lfe. In fact I wrote an article called Why Everyone Should Have a Coach that says just that.
Thanks for your commitment to this writing – I look forward to it every day
Warmly
Gail
Interesting question, Dan. As a coach, I appreciate your comments regarding your coach not having an agenda. The agenda should always come from the client.
Personally, I use a mixture of self coaching and an external coach to gain perspective, which helps with self reflection and refueling my tank. Self coaching is an effective means of self reflection and refueling for me. It does have a down side when I become unreasonable with myself and when my gremlins / saboteurs are mentally stalking me. This is when I reach out to an external coach to give me some perspective and tell me what s/he sees.
Generally, I find I need re-fueling when I’ve lost my connection to my mission is life and/or am challenged to find the next step.