From vision to action: Lessons from coaching research
As part of our plan for 2018, many of us will be considering all the things we intended to do or achieve last year, but did not manage to fit in. How are we going to make time for that coaching course we wanted to take, resume our fitness regime, or get to grips with social media for our business?
Before we know it, however, most of us will start to feel overwhelmed and demotivated and it will all be delayed or forgotten once again.
That feeling of not being able to fulfil our aims further undermines our confidence in our ability to take action, and focusing on the gaps we have yet to bridge can trigger a spiral of negativity that decreases our problem-solving capability and motivation. Many of us have been conditioned to focus on our weaknesses, so we forget the good things we achieved along the way. Psychological research on coaching and behavioural change tells us that a different thinking approach can be more effective in moving us towards our goals.
This alternative approach, called ‘coaching with compassion’, creates a positive picture of where we want to be in the future, enhances our ‘can do’ attitude and helps us to think creatively about how to plan our actions.
So reflect on your successes, and remind yourself of the things you can be grateful for. Visualise the great things that the future holds and your vision of the person you want to be. You will find yourself energised, creative and resourceful.
(And when you think again about that coaching course, you may realise that now is exactly the right time.)
This year, Henley’s Professional Certificate in Coaching (PCiC) programmes will include a weekend intake starting in February.
