Friends have shared with me that they no longer set New Year resolutions because they know they will not do them anyway. At the gym where I exercise, January is the busiest month of the year because many start exercising; by March it is much less crowded. Coaches motivate clients to set goals, plan their process for achieving the goals, and following through.
A coach starts working with a new client by exploring their goals. For many clients, a few goals come to mind and then they stop. A coach encourages the client to continue exploring goals in all areas of their life and work. A coach serves as a sounding board for the client to expand their thinking. The simple question “what do you want?” is explored for 30-40 minutes. It is naturally motivating for the client to fully explore their possibilities.
After a client has fully explored goals, the coach asks questions about over-coming obstacles and resources for making it happen. A coach asks the client which goals they want to focus on first. The coach asks the client questions so that the client creates specific, measurable action steps. Creating the action plan is motivating because it provides the ‘how to’ for taking action.
As the client moves towards their goals, the coach asks the client about their progress. The coach and the client explore what is working, what is not working, and the possibilities for adjusting the plan. As milestones are achieved, the coach and the client celebrate the small successes, motivating the follow-through toward bigger goals.
