Why does anyone need a coach?
As a certified professional coach, I’ve witnessed firsthand what a difference coaching can make in peoples’ lives. Unlike therapy, coaching deals in personal transformation, making it beneficial for everyone at every stage of their lives. There’s a solid reason why coaching is one of the fastest growing trends: it works.
Why coach yourself?
A good coach provides the kind of support and structure that makes growth happen, but not everyone is willing or able to take that step. When cost is a barrier, group coaching is an affordable (and fun!) alternative, but if that’s not viable, you might at least try to coach yourself.
For this post, I’ve adapted one of the basic coaching models for self-coaching. Give yourself a time limit, say 4-12 weeks, to apply the following structure. Designate 30-60 minutes a week to meet with yourself, using the following framework.
Sound like a stretch in a busy life? Give yourself the attention; you’re worth the time and effort. Coaching is great self-care and will enrich the rest of your life. The investment will pay off in spades.
7 Steps to Self-Coaching:
Step 1: Decide what you want.
This doesn’t have to be one of those big, overarching life questions. It can be something as simple as “I want to exercise more.” Or “I want to develop a meditation practice,” or “I want to have more fun.”
Step 2. Make a list of the steps you could take to get what you want. Make them small, attainable steps toward your goal. No matter how small, if they’re moving in the right direction, you’re doing it right.
For instance, if you want to develop a meditation practice, your list might look like this:
- Research meditation techniques online.
- Choose one method to try.
- Figure out a time of day that would work to set aside 5 minutes.
- Set a reminder in your phone.
- Try one technique for 5 minutes for 4 days.
Step 3. Consider what obstacles you might encounter.
Identify possible obstacles in your plan and prepare how to handle them if they come up. (Example: It might be too noisy in the house to meditate. You might be too tired or too busy. Figure out ahead of time how you’ll deal with each scenario.)
Note: Identifying obstacles can be tough to do alone since you might only see from your own perspective. If you can’t easily list them, ask someone close to you how they’ve seen you get in your own way.
Step 4. Choose at least 3 steps to try this week. Make your steps measurable and achievable. Don’t overreach.
Write your steps down in a notebook. It doesn’t matter how small the steps are as long as they are moving you toward your goal. Don’t skip writing them down. You’ll need them when we get to Step 6.
Step 5. Follow through on your 3 steps.
Congratulate yourself every time you do them. Be your own cheerleader. Small steps still get you where you want to go.
Step 6.Find a way to be accountable.
Set a timetable and create a short checklist for yourself. You can even use little check marks on your calendar. (Example: I’ll meditate three times for 5 minutes before next Friday. Each time I do, I’ll mark it in my journal.)
This is another instance where having another person on your team is helpful. If you have a trusted friend who’s willing to be your accountability partner, you can report back to them at the end of the week.
Step 7. At week’s end, re-assess.
Did you accomplish your 3 goals? How does that feel? Did you fall short? Journal about what stopped you and decide how you want to proceed.
Whatever you do, don’t give up on yourself. Celebrate your accomplishments and set 3 new steps toward your goal for next week. This is a good time to journal about how things are going or talk to someone about your challenges and successes.
Repeat the above steps for each week of your coaching timetable.
I hope you’ll give yourself the gift of coaching, whether you coach yourself, get private coaching, or opt in for group coaching. Click below to find out more.
(Links to both One on One page and Group Programs page.)
