We all engage in self-coaching, whether consciously or unconsciously. The true power lies in understanding and recognizing what we are coaching ourselves to believe or achieve. This article explores self-coaching, examines its nature, the benefits of approaching it with intention, and various exercises and resources to enhance this practice. I encourage my clients to self-coach in between sessions because with intentional self-coaching, we can steer our lives in the desired direction with transformative results.
Self-coaching involves guiding oneself through self-reflection, goal-setting, and action-taking to achieve personal growth and improvement. It requires being both the coach and the coachee, taking responsibility for one's development, and employing strategies to overcome obstacles and enhance strengths.
While the term "self-coaching" is relatively modern, the practice of self-guided improvement has ancient roots in philosophies like Stoicism and Buddhism. The contemporary self-coaching movement gained momentum in the late 20th century, paralleling the rise of the coaching industry and the growing emphasis on personal development. Watch my video on self-coaching for more information.
"Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power." - Lao Tzu
Increased Self-Awareness: By actively engaging in self-coaching, individuals gain deeper insights into their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Improved Decision-Making: Self-coaching fosters clarity and focus, aiding in making more informed and aligned choices.
Enhanced Resilience: Developing the ability to coach oneself through challenges builds resilience and adaptability.
Greater Goal Achievement: Setting and working towards personal goals becomes more effective with a structured self-coaching approach.
Personal Empowerment: Taking charge of one's own growth fosters a sense of empowerment and independence.
Brainstorm a List: Take a moment to jot down all the values that come to mind. Don't overthink it; just write down whatever feels important to you. Examples might include honesty, compassion, creativity, freedom, etc.
Narrow It Down: Review your list and select the top 10 values that resonate most with you. These should be values that you feel are non-negotiable and define who you are at your core.
Rank Your Values: Once you have your top 10, rank them in order of importance. This can be challenging, but it's a crucial step in understanding your priorities.
Reflect on Each Value: For each of your top two values, write a brief explanation of why it's important to you. This can help you understand the role each value plays in your life and how it influences your decisions.
Evaluate Consistency: Consider whether your current lifestyle and choices align with your identified values. Are there areas of inconsistency? If so, think about what changes you might need to make to live more in alignment with your values.
Create a Values Statement: Based on your reflections, craft a personal values statement that encapsulates what's most important to you. This can serve as a guide for making future decisions and setting goals.
Revisit Regularly: Values can evolve, so revisit this exercise periodically to ensure your values still reflect who you are and who you want to be.
Reflection Questions: Regularly ask yourself reflective questions to gain insights into your values, goals, and challenges.
SWOT Analysis: Assess your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to identify areas for development.
Action Planning: Create a detailed plan with specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals.
Visualization: Use visualization techniques to imagine achieving your goals and overcoming obstacles.
Journaling: Maintain a journal to track progress, reflect on experiences, and clarify thoughts and feelings.
"The Master Coach" by Gregg Thompson
"The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron
"Coaching Yourself to Leadership" by Ginny O'Brien
"Self-Coaching 101" by Brooke Castillo
MindTools Offers a wide range of self-coaching tools and resources.
Life Coach Hub Provides articles and resources on self-coaching techniques.
Coach.me An app that offers habit tracking and self-coaching guidance.