“Nothing can stop the person with the right mental attitude from achieving their goal; nothing on earth can help the person with the wrong mental attitude.”
—Thomas Jefferson
VIM Executive Coaching is neither a headhunter nor a placement service. We are in the career counseling and business coaching areas. You might say, we are also in the executive momentum business.
As the above quote from our third president suggested about mindset and motivation, nothing in a career or any life goal can truly be faked. Sooner or later, truth emerges, authenticity emerges.
Carrying Jefferson’s thoughts forward, in terms of the relationships between coach or client, mentor or mentee, business coaching is a partnership; the way this partnership succeeds is for both parties to maintain a momentum. It cannot be faked. The relationship between coach and client must also be authentic.
Far too often, business or career coaching is either an exercise in passivity (“I’ve arrived, what can you do for me?”) or an attempt to self-importantly gain magic solutions and shortcuts (“I’m important. Just gimme me the important stuff.”). Certainly, the latter attitude is often a reflection of high-priced services that offer big promises and easy answers.
Hint: There are none.
Again, as Mr. Jefferson echoed, success in life or in an executive advancement context is about maintaining attitude, having the determination and tenacity to do the hard work. Advancing from 1780, more or less, to 2026 is obviously a journey to an entirely different world and set of challenges, however, with or without AI assistance, executives must still put in the work, the training and the will to become better. It is the only way to build true motivation.
Cultivating Attitude Through Mindfulness
“There is no such thing as the perfect moment—go create it. Momentum is built by doing, not waiting.” ― Brian Reese, Author
As VIM Executive Coaching always stresses, momentum without confidence is futile. It is why career coaching isn’t about accumulating apps, reaching various certificate levels, taking courses and then master courses, and such. It is about doing the work.
Momentum thrives on the fuel of mindful activity, working towards career success by using innate skills, developing mindfulness and acting on what has been learned. Career momentum isn’t discussed often enough, for it is often confused with run-in-place activity. An executive who believes busy work will always lead to a great outcome is usually disappointed.
It is never enough to run in place, but to mindfully understand where the activity will lead. Momentum killers are everywhere. Intention is key. The executive content with lots of busy work is not motivated, they have simply managed to reach a certain level; the organization may appreciate that level, however, it doesn’t mean they see a higher role for the employee above that point.
Momentum is not created by “just good enough” attempts, rather in the cultivation of a career long purpose and direction. Career coaching should not focus on just one destination but on giving the executives the tools to mindfully apply education to any new situation.
Momentum and attitude are linked, and mindfulness is the glue that holds one factor accountable to the other. How’s Your Executive Momentum? Is the attitude fixed on improvement or is it content on the blame-game and doing just enough? The various stops along a career will invariably change, however, the tools that have positive impact at each level are remarkably similar when correctly applied and echo great momentum.