When working with clients I see different trends. I would argue being able to pick up on trends is of the biggest benefits of working with a coach. Having an outside perspective allows for a very easy transparent viewing of the topic without the repetitive layered responses to a difficult situation we are mulling over in our own heads. The best description I have heard of this is
You are a diver in the great deep blue chasm that is your life. If you are looking for something that is very far away, i.e. years in your life or a distant past issue, another diver next to you can only see as far as you. What you need is an oceanographer. Someone who is trained to view the big picture to show you pitfalls and gaps.
One of the trends I have been seeing and mulling over is motivation and emotion and how they dictate or drive you toward long-term goals. Figuring out what you want is usually the simple part. Designing a path towards it in the most efficient and reliable way is an entirely different animal. If you do it for the money you will always struggle emotionally. Using myself as an example, I enjoy drinking craft beer and the community around it. I enjoy the comradery around it, hunting for rare bottles, collecting beer, and drinking it. The question people then go to when I tell them this is “Have you ever tried brewing your own?” Why would I want to do that?! I said I enjoy something and that I have fun doing it as a hobby, and you ask me if I want to learn about chemistry and biology. I would turn something that is fun into something that would soon become a costly chore.
While I have thought about brewing my own beer, it is a fleeting motivational feeling. I would get all excited buying all the items for brewing. Reading about it. Spending a ton of money to forget about it and have a beer that would likely spoil because I have too much of it or I did something wrong in the process. This is not to say that you should not try new things and that excitement is not to be revealed in the fun of spontaneity. Motivation is fleeting. It is highly influenced on the outside. Running every day outside can be quickly faltered once it rains and you did not sleep.
The alternative is finding the emotion that pulls you. Using the pull of emotions to form deep meaning behind your actions. Running every day is not the goal of why you run. Running every day for longevity sake of playing with your kids as you grow old. Running every day to clear your mind and be emotionally available to a partner. Running every day because you were the slowest runner in grade school gym class. Emotions like this are stronger harness points on your climbing wall and ascent toward your goals. Your first coaching session with me is a great jumpstart to prime yourself in the right direction.
Until next time. -Dustin
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