When you ask someone, “How’s it going?” Most people say “okay, getting by, managing alright.” It seems as though for most of us, there is so much to juggle that we hardly have time to think about developing a career and life experience that would have us shouting out an answer such as, “spectacular, outstanding, awesome!”
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that we don’t want the best possible for ourselves. Most people I know do have great intentions to do inspiring work, to enjoy their lives and make a difference in the world. It’s all so admirable.
But have you noticed sometimes how much energy we put out in this regard and how little the return is in terms of moving the needle in overall work and life satisfaction?
We can have all kinds of conversations in our heads about how we want to change, the different decisions we want to make and the new behaviors we want to inhabit. However, in the end, many times it falls on our own deaf ears.
This is where the power of another person can be really instrumental. Specifically, a professional coach who is trained to listen non-judgmentally, to reflect back discrepancies between what we say and what we do, challenge us to think broader and help us be accountable for what we say we want, especially when we feel like throwing in the towel.
A coach is different than a friend or a trusted colleague, both of whom may have a vested interest in a certain outcome that benefits them or other parties involved…and there’s nothing wrong with this. Just be aware of it. A professional coach also has a vested interest, except that it’s in the outcome WE DECIDE that is best for us. The coach wins if we win. And that is good news for us.
If you are curious about what’s involved when people engage professional coaches to jumpstart a change or transformation that will put them on the path to unleashing more potential and fulfillment or elevating their performance and leadership, here are the key areas of development that happen with the clients I coach:
- Identify what’s Important-Find out what matters most to you, why it matters and how much emphasis you are actually giving it.
- Learn to be self-aware- Get a deeper understanding of your character, feelings, motives, and desires. This empowers you to proactively manage your thoughts, emotions and behaviors to be in service to what you want.
- Commit to 2-3 Goals-Practice focusing on a few defined essentials for a better chance of success. If you are tempted to overhaul everything, you can become overwhelmed, scatter your efforts and be likely to quit.
- Develop milestones as stepping stones-Create small changes that have a cumulative effect, keep your motivation high and eventually achieve the desired goals.
- Pay attention to your life-Feel good slowing down, taking care of and being in charge of how you are working and living.
If you are ready for change, one of the most effective ways is to work with a professional coach, a trusted thinking partner who is committed to supporting and challenging you to develop your best self within a confidential environment. Scheduled time with a coach in which you create an individual development plan uniquely tailored to you and then follow through with it. This is a statement to yourself about what you value and your commitment to living a life that honors that.
Jo-Aynne von Born, Executive Coach, Work/Life Strategist, READYSETMORE
