I HAVE BEEN a life and career coach for the last eight years, working with people from all walks of life to make changes in their lives.
While each of my clients is different and unique, they all have one thing in common: they are prepared to try something new, to do something different. This attitude is one of the key things if you want to transform your life.
If you want something different out of life, you have to be prepared to try something new. Karon Waddel.
Stuck in a rut?
If you think about it, if you are not happy in an area of your life or you feel stuck in a rut or want something to be better, then the only way you can make that change is by trying something new. You need a new way of thinking. New perspective. New action.
Thinking the same way and doing the same thing over and over won’t lead to change, it will just lead to more of the same.
Trying something new might seem off putting or overwhelming to some people, but it is important to remember that you don’t have to do anything that’s overwhelming or overly challenging. Very often it is the small changes that make the greatest difference.
For example, a client of mine was unemployed and had been looking for a job for several months. She wasn’t getting anywhere with her search. When she started coaching, after looking at what she had been doing so far to find a job, we then looked at what new thinking and new action she could bring to her situation.
When she brainstormed from this place, the place of possibility and willingness to try something new, she opened up a whole new plan of action, widening the net of her search and the type of job she was looking for. As a result, and within a matter of weeks, she got the job she really wanted.
Taking action
Another important ingredient is taking action. It is moving beyond thinking about and talking about what you want, and taking the first step of action. There is a quote I really like that I share with clients:
A dream written down becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true. Greg S Reid.
Your change starts when you start taking action. Gavin, one of my clients, was an accountant but said he had always thought about changing his career completely, working for himself and opening up a café.
He applied the quote above to his life. He wrote down clearly what he wanted. He broke the goals into steps and timelines and then he started taking action, step by step, day by day. The shy dream he had tucked away at the back of his mind for years is now starting to form into something very real for him.
This would not have happened if he hadn’t taken action. Thinking about, clarifying and planning on their own aren’t enough. It’s the action that transforms it into something real and tangible.
So what are the other ingredients in the recipe for positive life change?
I think that along with the above, a big dollop of openness, an abundant sprinkle of motivation and a topping of daring to dream and not limiting yourself, all go a long way.
If this New Year is the year you would like to make positive changes in your life, then rounding up the above ingredients could be just the dish for you in 2018.
Derval Chambers Petit is a life and career coach. You can access her website here.
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