When I work with life coaching clients I try and ascertain from the start what it is they want to acheive from coaching. This may sound obvious but it isn’t always as straightforward as it may sound. Many people are accustomed to saying what they don’t want as a way of explaining what they do and this isn’t always helpful. By focusing on what we don’t want it makes it much harder to see what it is that we do want.
It would be akin to going up to a bar and when the bar tender asks you what you want replying ‘I don’t want a Miller Lite please’
That response is going to get you some weird looks and probably leave you very thirsty to boot.
So next time you are setting goals try to think of the real results that you want to achieve. Don’t set off wanting to quit smoking, start by wanting to be fitter and healthier. Similarly, if you are looking to lose a few pounds, don’t say to yourself that you don’t want to be overweight but that you are looking forward to moving towards a weight more in-tune with your height, age and sex etc.
Simple things like this make achieving goals considerably easier and also it feels much better aiming at something positive rather than trying to avoid something negative.
Tim Brownson is a Certified Life Coach and has been unsticking people and helping them reach their true potential since 2005. If you would like to know how he can help you