Matthew’s Blog

Well its that time of year again. Didn’t do so well on the MillionK year. I think it was because I would rather be outside in the spring and summer and fall than on an erg. So for the Winter lets see how much I can do. I am going after the 200K challenge this year. 200k between Thanksgiving 11/24 and Xmas Eve 12/24 30 days 200k.

You can track my progress at  http://matthewsrowingchallenge.blogspot.com/

Discover what’s important, make it happen, share your progress.  Find your 43 things. http://www.43things.com/ 

Great lists to peruse and to use to get yourself inspired.

What do you want to do with your one precious wild and crazy life?

My friend Claudette Lajam, MD sent me a link to this cute and fun blog site. What is your seduction style? Her blog can be seen at "He’s Dead Jim" in the links section.

Your Seduction Style: Ideal Lover

You seduce people by tapping into their dreams and desires. And because of this sensitivity, you can be the ideal lover for anyone you seek. You are a shapeshifter - bringing romance, adventure, spirituality to relationships. It all depends on who your with, and what their vision of a perfect relationship is.

Cool Doodad that I learned about while sitting at a lunch counter in my favorite coffeeshop Cuppa Java in Minneapolis.  Its a contact sheet, todo list, disposable plannner doodad in a fun origami  format, it even has pockets.  If you are into SoDoKu you can even add that.  It has blank pages that range from lines, dots, grids to musical scores.  Reference sheets from tips to conversions to a cheat sheet on how to fold the sucker in case you forget. You do it all online with a really slick Flash program or you can download it.   Its a disposable planner.  This is really cool.
http://www.pocketmod.com/

Crisp Autumn
blue crisp sky above
steam and breath before me
cold no longer felt

Winter
white wind
needles on my skin
fresh anew

Running
one last lap
season’s blanket under foot
break the winter’s breath

Cover Photo
naked trees stand guard
yellow joy runs swiftly past
while white wind races

Inspired by photographs by Jim Fuglestad http://www.fuglestadphotography.com/onlineprints/landscapes/?show=mpls092.htm
©2005 Matthew Rochte

I was writing some  in haiku - some tame, some not so.

Autumn Glory
Air earthy moisture
Red, Orange and gold
Vs in the sky

Long Awaited Hello
sip kiss zip slip sigh
huff giggle tingle pant squirm
careen my oh my

Strangers
jittering at the bar
a look a touch a knowing
two keys one room’s fine

Hmm
I have a secret
wouldn’t you like to know
play to find out now

Copyright 2005 Matthew Rochte

Who Is Your Community?
Lately I have been thinking a lot about community.  I have also been thinking about our standard coaching business model – solopreneurship – and I have come to an odd conclusion.  That is that solopreneurship is slowly killing us.  The solution, the antedote, I believe  is in  community and provocative conversation.  

We are social creatures, even we introverts.  We need external stimulation and expression. Solopreneurship, however, results all too frequently in our isolation.  Since the overwhelming percentage of coaches are introverts this isolation is exacerbated when we fear marketing and that fear keeps us from engaging, connecting and being social.  Despite our regular contact with clients and our own coaches, they are not a substitute for our need for external stimulation.  

I re-discovered this month a remarkable thing.  I had a week of having one provocative conversation a day with someone on the outside.  I discovered that my energy level and enthusiasm shot through the roof.  This experience was even richer when I met them in person.  

I have often known of the impact of socializing and powerfully connecting with people.  This was first brought home to me while I was doing my coach training with Corporate Coach U Intl.   In a class called Professional Foundations for Masterful Coaching, we worked on the skills and the environments including communitie needed to become a professional coach.   That class inspired/provoked me to to create a thinktank in Milwaukee to service this need and make me a better coach and more balanced professional.   

I discovered through the process that one of my gifts to share with the world is building community.  In Minneapolis one way I have built community is through hosting conversation circles where provocative questions and expansive thinking are the norm.   It is also why I am a member of the Thought Leader Gathering.  I find that these external stimuli fuel my passions and enhance my coaching abilities. 

Last year when I noticed that seasoned coaches were suffering from isolation, I created the MCA Seasoned Coaches Circles as an opportunity for community, comradere and discovery for seasoned coaches (FYI the next circle is Friday Oct 21st).  

The Minnesota Coaches Association is a significant part of my inspiration - Every meeting, every board meeting, every MCA SCC, every interaction with all you wonderful coaches.  One of our guiding principles is being a "Provocative Learning Community."   You are my community, one of many. 

What about you?
Who is your community? 
Who is inspiring you? Who pulls you out of isolation?
 I want to know, drop me a line

Matthew Egan Rochte ~ MCA President 2005
president@minnesotacoaches.org