Battlefield
February 2026
Battlefield
The holiday glow has faded and most of us are facing some big challenges. I started the year with a multitude of good intentions but realized that just setting lofty goals is not enough. Even though I’m a coach, I believe that we all need external feedback and encouragement. My mastermind facilitator, the legendary, Dr. Jo-Linda Butterfield had us reexamine our goals and action steps.
How are you doing with your goals?
Dr. Butterfield suggested Dr. Gabrielle Oettingen’s exercise called WOOP which is an acronym for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle and Plan. This method is based on the theory that goal setting is not enough; we need a plan to address the inevitable obstacles. Using WOOP we identify our goal (wish), imagine the best outcome, define the obstacle and devise a plan. The difference between WOOP and other exercises is that you uncover what it is about yourself that is holding you back. You see how your own inner thoughts and behaviors are hindering your progress.
What do you think is holding you back?
This exercise was like throwing cold water in my face. I love to play the blame game. I was forced to admit that what I was telling myself was the culprit. Sometimes these thoughts are nearly subconscious. I was saying things like “this will never work for me; people like you can’t do this, or I shouldn’t have to do this”. In addition to dysfunctional thoughts, I saw what behaviors were sabotaging me. I had to confront my distractions and rationalizations.
How are you sabotaging yourself?
This painful realization reminded me of a Catholic’s examination of conscience before confession or a Jew’s atonement during Yom Kippur. The evangelist Joyce Meyer was right when she said the battle was in the mind. Her book the Battlefield of the Mind is a classic. My personal word for this year has become Battlefield. This is a battle that you must win if you want to succeed in life. In WOOP the battle plan is proclaiming what you will do if you have a crippling negative thought or a losing behavior. My arsenal includes listening to gospel songs like War by Charles Jenkins and Keep on Marching by Tommy Ellison.
What weapons will you use?
My strongest weapon is the song Battlefield that Willie Banks sang live in 1990 when he knew he had terminal cancer. This song means a lot to me because he talks about he was old and people told him to retire. Willie Banks declares that he will stay on the Battlefield and sing until he dies. Willie Banks did just that and his legacy lived on because his songs still sustain thousands of people.
What sustains you?
As a business coach, I know it is not easy to develop a successful, legacy business. I don’t retire because my purpose is to help as many small businesses as possible. A business coach helps their clients turn negative thoughts into positive declarations. You must to take all of the steps necessary to ensure success. Sometimes we leave out important steps and take shortcuts. That’s why I’m offering my Small Business Class-8 Weeks to Failure Proof your Business starting 2-10-26 (go to www.coachmary.net and click on the class sign up form). It’s based on Michael Gerber’s E-Myth Revisited, my own experiences and everything I’ve learned from Ivan Misner, founder of BNI (Business Network International). Too many businesses fail or “just get by” tolerating chaos, inconsistency and lack of direction. However, customers and future buyers aren’t going to tolerate sloppy procedures and a lack of clarity and cohesion.
What are you doing to keep your business from failing?
In addition to our inner thoughts and our own ineptitudes, there are external threats to our businesses. A very real threat that has plagued me for the past 10 years is discrimination. Contractors stand in line to take advantage of an older widow. To fight against my own negative thoughts about aging I have written down what Cardinal Robert Sarah calls the 7 Gifts of Old Age. Cardinal Sarah explains that older people have gained a spiritual wisdom, clarity and peace that can only be obtained by living a long life. These blessings can’t be obtained by scrolling the internet and listening to tiny snippets of vapid information on You Tube or Tik Tok.
Where do you go for Wisdom?
I have now been vindicated against disreputable contractors by my friend and business colleague Keira Mitchell, a Realtor, seasoned professional and BNI leader. Keira has started a company called SERVE-Serving, Equipping and Restoring the most Vulnerable with Empowerment. Keira is the concierge for the homeowner, especially the vulnerable homeowner. She uses her BNI team of trusted experts to help her clients stay in their home safely or sell and downsize or relocate. Keira (417-838-6468) is using her years of experience as Realtor and BNI member to protect her clients with contractors and professionals who have their customer’s better interests on top of mind. She is providing a brilliant service that is long overdue.
Who do you know who could benefit from SERVE?
