Before We Move On...
Last time we talked about R for Recognition on the Bridges Coaching ROAD and how the Discernment plays a crucial role there. (If you missed it, here's the link.)
I feel compelled to go a little deeper before we move on.
Taking plenty of time to establish the "Why" of the chosen destination (read goal) of the ROAD you are going down should not be downplayed.
Consider your potential goal and ask some of these questions:
- What will it cost me to follow through and complete this?
- What will completing it give me?
- If I don't do it, what will that cost?
- Who else will "pay" for this choice? Is it worth it for them?
- Is now the right time?
- What makes this important to me?
- How could this affect other areas of my life?
- Is there anyone I should talk this through with?
Some of these questions were included in the "P's to knowing God's will worksheet" in the first blog, but for those who may not have downloaded it I felt they should be included.
Perhaps it would be helpful to list some possible goals and potential action steps. Remember last time we talked about 2 kinds of goals: character development and personal destiny. While most coaching addresses the later, let's look at some ideas for both categories.
Character Development goals -> Possible steps (these goals are almost always worth the investment)
Embrace Forgiveness -> Read "Unoffendable", and journal through potential opportunities.
Share Kindness -> Look for an opportunity each day, or week, to do a random act of kindness - send a card, give a gift, text an encouragement.
Develop Patience -> Note incidents of impatience each evening or at a certain time each week. Rethink what you did and prethink what you will do the next time you have a similar opportunity.
Invest in Faithfulness -> Watch for, and be open to seeing, areas of your life where you have not followed through - be it in replying to an email or not completing what you said you were going to by a certain time and go to the person affected and apologize. (Do that a few times and you will want to keep from committing too much or delaying a response.)
Get the idea?
Personal destiny goals - > Possible steps
That Big Project (the book, the house reno item, the training/degree) -> Set up a schedule to invest a little each week to move the needle, maybe even set up checkpoints along the way to celebrate
A Physical Goal (diet habit changes, workout routine) -> Start manageable like adding in more water or veggies, or make a plan to work out a short amount of time a couple times a week. Setting up easy wins helps ensure progress rather than setting up completely life-altering goals and then not being able to attain any measurable progress.
Resolving that issue (I debated which categoty this one should go in) ->Talk through the root issues that are making this issue difficult. Learn to share how you feel and think in one minute. Work through the steps in Crucial Conversations or Fierce Conversations.
Getting organized -> Again, lean into the root issue if that could be helpful and again start small. Maybe choose an easy win- a closet or even a shelf if your goal in in regards to your home. If your goal is more in regards to your schedule maybe researching what others do would be helpful and then try a method for a week and see if it works for you.
Coaching takes people from where they are to where they choose to go.
Coaching builds bridges to what could be. Let's get going!