The Power of Self-Coaching

by

Tamara Baruhovich

Coaching is becoming more popular than ever, simply because it works. Just take a look at the achievements that the Winter Olympic athletes attained and you'll clearly see what I mean. And this is no different with Life Coaching. Think about the times when you had to solve a problem all by yourself versus a time when you got the help and guidance of a friend or co-worker... which scenario was easier? In fact, your friend and/or co-worker acted as a coach even without knowing it.

However, even when you have a Life Coach guiding you through the process, there is something you can do to make your experience 100% infallible. You must commit yourself to adopt certain traits that will aid in propelling you towards your destination more efficiently. By this I mean that since your Life Coach cannot be whispering in your ear 24/7, or patting you on the shoulder every moment throughout the day, you must learn to self-coach yourself.

Self-coaching is related to positive self-talk, but it's much more than that. Follow these steps to self-coach yourself to realize your goals faster and easier...

1. Determine your purpose - You must not only know what you want to accomplish but WHY. This surely seems obvious, but for some reason the WHY keeps on getting forgotten or dismissed altogether. Knowing what you want and why you want it is the primary starting point for achieving the results you want, for it you don't know where you are going or what your motivation is, you will never get 'there'.

2. Write your action plan - Don't rely on your memory alone. Self-coaching involves writing the steps to reach your goal. Jotting down every step is powerful because it serves you as a map. Once you have it, proceed to give yourself commands that will prompt you to act. Keep track of your written goals. Modify them if they are not working for you. Nothing has been written in stone, so use them as guideposts and correct the aim if needed. One step at a time you will get to your destination.

3. Auto-suggestion - Self-Coaching incorporates positive self-talk. First, you must know and feel that you are capable of accomplishing your goal. Then, tell yourself you can do it and give yourself the reasons as to why this is so. Creating positive affirmations is helpful too. Craft and memorize a handful of positive affirmations that you can repeat as needed to feed your mind with positive thoughts every time you need a lift.

4. Self-advice - We have all 'heard' that critical voice in our head when we make mistakes... why not use this voice for self-advice? If you are between two or more decisions, 'ask' your inner voice for advice. Treat yourself 'as if' you were talking and listening to a friend that has the best in mind for you. Take a nature walk or meditate. Then ask, be silent, listen... An excellent time to do the 'asking' is right before you fall asleep. Let your subconscious mind search for the right answer and whisper it into your ear as you wake up.

5. Self-encouragement - When the going gets tough, take some time off to remember the times in your life when things seemed close to impossible and somehow you were able to overcome the obstacles. Remember what you did and how good you felt. Self-coaching encompasses recognition. Allow yourself to live the experience all over again. Use that positive feeling as a springboard to encourage yourself, as you have proven in the past that you can accomplish difficult tasks. Remember your "why" and think of new reasons that can support your determination and resolve.

6. Adopt a positive attitude - This may sound like a 'cliche' but I can't tell you how important this is to change your state at any given moment. You can feel positive any time you choose to by focusing on the good you already have in your life. Regardless of your circumstances, you do have many things to feel grateful for and thus, to encourage a positive attitude. The fact that you are reading this should be one reason to make you feel positive for you are seeking new ways to improve your life.

7. Get self-inspired - Self-Coaching involves finding motivating stories that serve you as inspiration. Read about people that have accomplished major goals related to what you want to achieve. They become your role models. Use their stories to inspire you to reach new heights.

8. Be relentless - One famous phrase says that "Success is a journey not a destination"... be persistent and don't forget to enjoy the process. After all, you are moving towards your goal, and that is what matters.

9. Be patient - Anything worthwhile takes time to come into fruition. Just keep on keeping and believe in the unseen... patience is the mother of all virtues.

Life Coaching is a wonderful option to support and guide you towards achievement of your goals, but when you add Self-Coaching to the mix, you will experience faster and better results while you learn a helpful skill that will last a lifetime.

About the Author:

Tamara Baruhovich is a Life Coach, Health Educator, Parent Educator, and Counselor. Tamara has dedicated over 25 years of her life to the health field, teaching, counseling, coaching and writing about common health topics, self-help and personal growth. You can reach Tamara with your questions at her website. She always takes the time to reply personally as her passion is to help others achieve their best.

"Discover Your Potential" is a powerful, self guided coaching eProgram that offers you the one-on-one assistance of a Life Coach. Complete details at http://www.Discover-Your-Potential.net