Six Strategies to Help You Stay on Course

There is a lot of talk around the subject of goal setting and vision. From productivity ideas and learning how to create focus, to writing it out and spending time reflecting. All of which are great and as an individual you can apply what works for you personally.

However, in my experience as a coach, I have found that we all know what we ‘should’ be doing and the strategies we ‘could’ use to get there, it’s the walking it out consistently with clarity where we stumble.

I once heard this statement that stuck with me.

“A great coach is like having your own GPS system to keep you on course to get whatever success means to you”.

This really resonated with me because I had experienced this the first time I’d worked with a personal trainer at the gym. I’d had multiple gym memberships with various degrees of success until I met Roger. He showed me the value of having someone help me stay on course.

The thing is, he didn’t just push me beyond my own willpower, nor did he just take measurements and record my progress, but he adapted our sessions weekly based on what was happening in the moment so I wouldn’t stagnate. The best results I ever had in my personal fitness journey were during this time with Roger.

Likewise, when I was developing ideas for my business. I worked with Silvia, a coach out of Canada. I could have said ‘no, I can’t afford her, the exchange rate is too high’ but something in me recognised her as the person at that time that could help me. And she did, in so many ways!

Do you have your own personal GPS?

As followers of Jesus Christ, we have the Spirit of Christ that helps us, we have the word of God to gain wisdom and direction, we have our Christian community to share ideas and support; all absolutely fabulous. But there is something about having a relationship that is focused on you, sees you, and helps you get what you want in life.

This is what a coach does. A coach:

• listens beyond the words and expressions. They hold you accountable to your dream and the clarity around it.
• helps you go beyond the internal beliefs that bind you to what has existed in your life and circumstances so far.
• is curious who about you! They dig in to know who you are and who you intend to be, to clarify that and help you take action and learn without judgement.
• has an agenda only for your growth and success.
• raises your awareness of your decision making and action taking.
• examines the difference between what you know and what you do, and how that effects your results so you can move forward.

When you add the element of mentoring, you bring a slightly different dynamic to the relationship. A mentor shares from experience and can give insights. The two roles are different but they can merge beautifully, in particular in the area of spiritual understanding.

I find that when I’m coaching people they may come because they want business coaching but in the course of developing the relationship with clarity, all sorts of internal thoughts and ideas that affect what they want come out. And the faith element is so intrinsic to achieving anything in alignment with God that I have woven into everything I do with my clients. With God, all things are possible. If we do it all by ourselves, we set ourselves up for hardship and out of the will of God. Having a coach bring you into that awareness is invaluable.

So, what can you do to keep yourself on course?