Who is Coaching For?

A prospective client and I were discussing 'who is coaching for' this week.

Like any change that we conceive of in our life, there are a number of criteria which you need to meet before you can put you plans to change into action.

Perhaps most importantly, your current reality and situation has to be uncomfortable enough to make you want to change it.

It is also important to articulate - and specifically verbally, pictorially and in terms of our feelings - what you want to be, do and have that is different to now.

This helps you - often subconsciously - to think about how you might get to be, do and have what you want. In other words - what you choose to focus on helps you to get it.

For example, you may want to shed some weight because you are fed up of feeling unhealthy or haven't got the energy to play with your children.

You can articulate a specific goal in terms of what you will see and how you will feel when you have lost the weight - your mind will generate ideas for what you can do to achieve your goal.

Working with clients has taught me that the stronger your personal intent - not a boss or your partner's - to change the more likely you are to achieve your goal.

You can strengthen your intent to change by imagining what you want as a real possibility.

To return to the shedding weight the example, imagine yourself playing comfortably with your children will help to strengthen your intent and your motivation to act.

When you are at the start or in the process of change, you may also find it helpful to gain the support of a coach who will help you to stay focused by agreeing milestone objectives and challenging any barriers you have to achieving your goals.

Often before starting work with clients the individual completes a questionnaire - 'Am I ready, willing and able to be coached?' - so that they test their motivation to change, their intent and check they are not trying to achive someone else's goals.

If you have found this post useful and would like to make some changes at work, in your personal life or both, please get in touch via West of England Coaching ad Counselling.