Looking for tips on self-coaching? Last year I ‘leapt’ into a new career, with over 20 years of experience leading teams, building workplace cultures and over 500 hours of coaching practice. Personal and professional development are areas I know a great deal about. Things were going great with my new ventures when two significant ‘life events’ emerged, a massive distraction from my newly emerging business. Getting back on track was a challenge, I was working in a very different space without the rhythm of organisational deadlines, meetings and committees to attend, my time was largely my own and was being frittered away far too easily, I realised I needed a coach! What a fantastic opportunity to tackle ‘self-coaching’, to use some of the tools and methods I use as a coach, to work on my own goals and purpose!
So here it is:………. My Self-Coaching Plan in 3 Simple Steps.
The first step…….. Taking Stock.
Wheel of Life: Template – click to download
Where are you at right now? I have always valued the wheel of life is a simple yet effective tool for assessing what is important to you in your life. What are the key areas in your life that really matter to you? For example, your health, is it where you would like it to be? Your family relationships? Your job? There are eight quadrants provided in the template, these are only a guide, you can use some, all, or create more spaces. Identify what the areas in life that matter to you. Some areas you may like to consider are health, purpose, family, wealth, your job. Use the wheel to ‘score’ your current level of satisfaction with each area between zero to 10. Make sure you date the template for reviewing at a later date.
Areas for Action;
Once your wheel is complete, acknowledge and congratulate yourself for what is going well! A wonderful opportunity to practice gratitude and really notice and celebrate those successes! Use colour, be joyful and grateful for those aspects going well, it’s no accident.
Now the tough work begins. Which areas identify a gap between where you would like to be and where you currently are?
These are your areas of opportunity! Which areas stand out to you as the ones you really want to focus on? A balanced wheel functions best. Take no more than three areas of opportunity, reflect and ponder on those, what outcome would you like? What would success be in those quadrants? Once you’re clear, move on to the next steps.
Step Two: Make your Plan
GROW & SMART; Click to download template.
Two incredibly useful and under-utilised tools are GROW and SMART, well known yet not used prolifically. Goal setting is a twofold challenge, the setting part and the sticking to the goal part! How often have you said to yourself I need to lose weight, I need to exercise more, I need to…… and it never happens, or happens sporadically. In setting your goal, language is important, make it short , positively framed, memorable and meaningful, something that can become your mantra. The GROW model helps in the planning, the G is the goal, the R in grow is your reality check, where are things currently. O – is for options, I always enjoy this brain storming part of the journey, what else? Coming up with lots of options can be tricky, but worth the mental exercise. Then the W is way forward, which options will you take?
This leads us on to crafting your SMART goals. Are your goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound, planning your goals across these five elements sets up the foundation for success. You will notice that defining your actions and maintaining focus on your principle goal or purpose as you work with your goals, success and the headiness of moving in the right direction will infect those others in your wheel of life areas also needing work.
Step Three: Make It Happen
Review, Review, Review.
Review is the non-sexy discipline and accountability of coaching and goal setting. Review is where results happen and critical actions undertaken measure success. By regularly reviewing progress and adding review points to your diary, by making appointments with yourself and using various reminders and making these times ‘not negotiable’ is critical to success.
The review timeframe is critical, deciding when will you sit down and spend that time with yourself to assess how you are tracking, potentially tweak the goal, measure progress and success. At some review points I use a daily tracker, you will find the best method to fit your circumstance for your own success. Be ruthless in setting appointments with yourself.
Are your goals visible? Mine are coloured, highlighted and in my line of sight daily.
Do you need a daily assessment? A daily journal or diary entry? There are so many ways for you to keep your actions on track, find what works for you. Might you include the help of family and friends to maintain your goal progress? How you review your SMART actions is critical to the success of your plan.
Once you’ve defined your goals, get them looking great for you, do they feel right sound right? Are they set in concrete? No! As you work through reviews you may see these shifting or moving, that is OK!
“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start”
Nido Qubein
As we live our lives, we have so many opportunities! To grow, enjoy, develop and explore our own potential, the best thing about each and every new day is the opportunity it presents – grasp that opportunity with both hands!
Enjoy working your self-coaching plan, drop me a line to let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear what you found most beneficial, what is working well or not working! For me it’s the review, review, review and now for my own face reality and confession time, I have engaged a mentor coach, that has really upped the ante on my accountability.
Happy ‘making a difference’,
Jillian