We have read self help books and listened to self help tapes. Unfortunately, they have been of marginal assistance, or at best, less than we had hoped. We can pat ourselves on back at our efforts to improve ourselves and admire those titles stacked in our bookcase. If we are honest, however, we must admit they are now more 'shelf help' than self-help. In dark recesses of our mind we recognize, we cannot do this alone.

Fortunate Few

For years, serious athletes, actors, and politicians have all used personal coaches to help maximize their skills and abilities. These professionals are often at top of their game, yet wouldn't think of 'going it alone.' Many of us are now recognizing value of this unique relationship and are adapting it to a personal level.

Personal coaches are more than a friend with whom to share problems. They are a sounding board for solutions to challenges we face on a daily basis. They are mentors in some cases, cheerleaders in others. Part consultant, part family. Coaches unleash power of partnership. With a coach, we do more than we would do on our own, go further and faster toward our goals, and take ourselves more seriously. We have an accountability partner who shares our best interest and keeps us moving forward. Personal coaching is about taking action and making things happen.

Taking It Up A Notch

Left to our own devices, we can often justify our average existence with thought we are coping well considering all that world is throwing at us. A personal coach helps us catch what we need, deflect unnecessary, and totally disregard irrelevant. We don't have to do it alone, but we are challenged to take responsibility for ourselves and to take action on our own behalf. Former Dallas Cowboys coach, Tom Landry, sums it up this way, "A coach is someone who gets you to do what you don't want to do, so you can be who you want to be."

The time for personal coaching is now. The reasons are ones bouncing around in your head at this very moment. The question now becomes, are you ready for rewards that come with taking game of life to next level?

Go to http://mysteryshopcoach.cjb.net. At bottom of that page is a link to "Mystery Shoppers Resource", a great site for mystery shopping leads almost exclusively posted by schedulers. The webmaster, Julie Moreau, will even e-mail you each time she updates page (e-mail to jmoreau1@aol.com, please mention I referred you). When you see a job posting in your area, simply follow instructions and apply. There's a lot more to being a professional, top-earning mystery shopper than just this, but it's a way for you to dabble and get a feel for what is possible.

Summary: Despite what others may say, biggest mistake you can make as a newbie shopper is wasting your time applying directly to mystery shopping companies. You wouldn't look for a job in "real world" this way, and "mystery shopping world" is no different. Learn to work with schedulers and you'll have started your mystery shopping career right way.