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What is coaching all about anyway?

Written by: Gerry Maguire

Article Overview: I recently had the opportunity to present to a group of business people. The purpose of the presentation was to outline what Inspiration Coaching does. However, when doing presentations like these, a major component is talking about what coaching is and what benefits it’s provides. I also used the opportunity to launch a new program. The new program is called “Inspired Living”. There will be more about this program later

What is coaching all about anyway?

In January I had the opportunity to present to a group of business people. The purpose of the presentation was to outline what Inspiration Coaching does. However, when doing presentations like these, a major component is talking about what coaching is and what benefits it’s provides. I also used the opportunity to launch a new program. The new program is called “Inspired Living”. There will be more about this program later.

In the presentation I talked about my fascination with sports stars and how that was one of the factors that drove me to coaching. I admire people who are successful in their chosen sport and I want to discover what role their mind plays in aiding that success. For example, why were Ian Baker Finch and David Duval capable of competing for majors one year and not be able to make the cut the next while Tiger Woods can dominate golf for a decade? What drove Sebastian Coe to win the gold medal for the 1500m at the Moscow Olympics after losing in the event that he was favoured to win, the 800m (I know I am showing my age with this one)?

I believe that there is something to learn from these people that exceed in their chosen field and the challenge is to use that to help me and my variety of clients achieve our own personal objectives and goals.

That is one factor that has driven me to coaching but it doesn’t help explain what is coaching all about. My definition of coaching is:

“a partnership between coach and client, focused on the client, to help the client move towards the achievement of their life objectives.”

The benefits of coaching include:

Identifying your objectives

Identification of actions to reach your objectives

Having someone to keep you focused on achievement of those objectives

Having someone to support you to overcome day to day life issues that get in the way of achieving your objectives

A greater self awareness and an appreciation of what you can achieve

Appreciating the journey just as much as enjoying achieving the objectives, and the big one

Helping you “live a life of no regrets”

The Inspired Living program has these benefits. In addition it provides a structured approach to coaching. It is a 12 session program. The frequency of each session will depend on the needs of the client but will vary from 2 to 3 a week to once every 6 weeks with the average being one session every two weeks.

The process that is used in the Inspired Living program is a little like the process I go through when entering a shopping mall. I need to go to the mall map to discover where I am. If the map doesn’t have one of those “You are here” stickers I am in real trouble. I then look at all the different options to work out where I want to go. Finally I work out a plan to get to from where I am to where I want to be. Usually I need to consult another map on the way to make sure I am heading in the right direction.

The other great benefit of the program is that you will discover tools and techniques that you can share with people that are important to you.

Maria Robinson says in the opening quote that it is never too late to make a new ending. Coaching can support you to make a new ending.

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Article Tags: 1500m, 800m, client move, david duval, decade, fascination, finch, gold medal, inspiration, life objectives, major component, majors, moscow olympics, move towards, olympics, personal objectives, sebastian coe, self awareness, sports stars, tiger woods



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