Working with a Coach or Self-Coaching?

Working with a Coach or Self-Coaching?

Should you work with a coach or be your own coach? Which ever option you end up choosing, coaching is always a great idea.

The answer depends on a number of factors. Can you afford one-on-one coaching, are you dedicated enough to coach yourself? Self-coaching is not easy. With both ways of coaching you are aiming for the same goal, making changes in some part of your life (career, health, finances)?

This post was inspired by an article at Success.com.

mc-self-coaching

Sometimes you just don’t know where the start or how make the changes stick or you get off track. The most important question you might have forgotten to ask yourself is: “WHY do you want to make the change”.

Now ask yourself: “Am I disciplined and dedicated enough to be my own coach?” Will I be able to continue after a setback.

OK, you want to give this self-coaching a go.

Here are a few tips go get you going:

  • Start with the one area of your life that is the biggest disaster and stick with it for at least 3 months to a year until you are satisfied.
  • To find this area, look at your thought patterns. Where do you find yourself thinking the same thought over and over → “I wish I could …”
    Here you will find the greatest possibilities to create the most improvement.
  • Write down a list of your goals in short sentences of 3 – 7 words that are easy to remember.
  • Write them down in positive words. If you write “I don’t”, “I want to be less”, you will get more of what you do not want…
  • Set small, manageable goals.

Examples:

  • If your goal is to be more relaxed, you will notice that you will be more relaxed.
    But if your goal is to be less stressed, you will notice more stress.
  • If your goal is to run your business more successfully, you will notice that things are running more smoothly and you will feel better about how things are going.
    But if your goal is have less headaches and trouble in your business, you will notice instead that you have more headaches and trouble in your business.
  • Keep a journal. I find that time is so fluid that I often don’t remember if something happened a day, a week or a month ago. Keeping a journal with your goals and what you have accomplished allows you to measure your progress.
  • Don’t forget to mark each goal you have reached as done.
  • When you run out of goals, start another list with new goals.
  • Reach out to others, having a support network is very helpful for staying on track. Tell your friends, family and colleagues what you are attempting to do. This gives you positive social pressure and you are more likely to stick with the goal because you don’t want to look bad.

The secret to success is to stay focused;
to take bite-sized steps every day and
to understand WHY you are doing it.
                                  ~Jim Edwards

Coaching Options That Don’t Break The Bank

Now if this all sounds to intimidating for you there are still a few choices of working with a coach that will not break the bank:

  • Work with an accountability coach, with weekly short 15-30 minute sessions.
  • Join a group coaching program where you can also benefit from the input of others in addition to the coach.
  • Only work with a coach for an initial period of 3-6 months to get the hang of it and then continue with self-coaching.

I’d like to hear from you. Please leave a comment below and tell your friends about this post.