Why would you need a coach? Why spend the money to have someone tell you what you probably already know? Why purposefully put yourself in the uncomfortable situation of someone challenging your beliefs and behaviors?
I’ve made the case in the past that no one really needs a coach. I firmly believe that every individual has the power and capacity to take correct action, have the right mental attitudes and positive expectations, and succeed greatly. But (and yes, this is the big but) most people can’t execute on their own, despite their best efforts and intentions.
Why is this?
From a practical standpoint, most of us know what behaviors serve our best, healthiest, happiest life. For example, we all know that getting regular exercise is good for our physical and mental health. Busy schedules notwithstanding, almost everyone can squeeze in some kind of exercise a few days a week. (If you are literally too busy for that, that is a whole other conversation.) But I personally know many people who either get virtually no exercise or are very inconsistent. They will claim all of the standard excuses: I’m too busy, too tired, not motivated, don’t enjoy it, etc., etc.
Similarly, although there will always be all kinds of conflicting ideas about what foods and beverages are good or bad for us, we generally know that eating mostly whole foods and a variety of vegetables, while limiting processed foods is better for us than the converse. But many of us continue to indulge in foods that we know to be unhealthy. To be clear, I’m all for the occasional indulgence if it makes you happy. I’m talking about ignoring our bodies’ needs for a generally healthy diet even when we know better.
We are also usually aware of other patterns and behaviors in our lives that don’t serve us, but we feel powerless to change them. With great effort we might succeed for a while, but we often find ourselves falling back into the familiar, even if it is painful or even destructive. In our work life, this might mean that we continue to operate below our potential, or worse, stay in an unhealthy or even toxic work environment.
Why do we do this? I can assure you it has nothing to do with willpower or desire. It has to do with our past conditioning, creating a subconscious that knows only that behavior. Our subconscious doesn’t judge our behavior; it only does what it knows. The subconscious is a wonderful thing. In practical terms it saves us time and effort. Because of the way it functions we don’t have to relearn everyday activities like driving or tying our shoes. All of the learned instructions are stored in our subconscious and can be repeated at will. Unfortunately, the same is true whether our behaviors are wanted or not.
That is why it can be useful to work with someone who has been trained in various tools that can assist us with changing our subconscious beliefs and behaviors without a lot of struggle and pain. I use my many years of business experience, combined with training in non-violent communication, as well as mindfulness and stress-management techniques to overcome past conditioning that is holding you back from your highest potential and happiest life. With a little help you can make a dramatic difference in your life.
Comentários