Coaching — what is all the fuss about?
Coaching is becoming quite a buzzword these days. Everyone seems to be a ‘coach’ of some sort. But there is a reason why it is a growing profession worldwide and a communication style adopted by businesses, governments, sports, teachers, counselors, parents and many more.
So what is it? The essence of coaching is to help someone work through a challenge, find a solution and act on it — coaching is not about giving solutions or feedback. When someone discovers their own solution, they are more committed to it, more likely to act on it and more likely to learn from it.
Neuroscience has proven that coaching helps us access new neural pathways and bridge synapses (the breaks in an electrical signal that form a barrier to learning).
In layman terms this means that the coaching process helps us break habits, disprove beliefs that limit us and make conscious decisions to move towards living a happier and more fulfilled life.
What’s not to like?
Well, for a start it’s really tough and it can be really confronting. It is really difficult and takes courage to face up to things your brain stores away ‘for another day’ or actually puts in a locked compartment — too daunting to open. During my coach training and sessions with my coach since, I have had to face up to my insecurities, my lack of self-confidence, the little voices in my head that said ‘you’re not good enough’ or ‘you don’t deserve this’.
But I tell you what, it was worth it. One of the biggest things I learned is that I spend way too much time worrying about future events that haven’t even happened yet, that actually don’t even have a strong probability of happening.
When I was younger I also used to spend most of my time feeling guilty for something — when I was at work, feeling guilty for not being at triathlon training; when I was at training, feeling guilty for not being with my friends; when I was with my friends, feeling guilty for not being with my family.
All of this fundamentally meant that I wasn’t spending very much time being present and I never really gave myself the chance to truly experience things. So my 2016 resolution is quite simple — to be positive and to be present.
The best thing about coaching is that is 100% time for you — even if it just half an hour. I always come away from a coaching session with more clarity, like the wool in my brain has been untangled a bit. I feel more focused and ready to drive the action that needs to happen to get me to where I want to be.
Another important aspect is that coaching is a very personal journey and finding the right coach for you as a unique individual is so important. So whilst there are lots of us out there, take the Goldilocks approach of finding someone who is ‘just right’ for you and the change you want to create.
