Goal Setting & Accountability Partners!
As part of my personal growth and to maintain my professional coaching accreditation, working with a mentor coach is essential. What I didn't anticipate was just how transformative this experience would be for both my personal growth and business development.
During our weekly calls, we discuss a mix of coaching challenges and business development issues. This week was no exception; I shared a recent business setback but also celebrated progress in other areas. My coach excels at reminding me of my commitments, acknowledging my achievements, and highlighting the tasks still to be completed. There's no escaping those goals and the steps needed to achieve them.
While it's expected that a coach would be skilled at this, what surprised me was the delight I felt at the rapid progress towards my goals and the confidence boost it provided. It's a progressive and empowering process!
This experience made me realize that as leaders and business owners, we often feel isolated and struggle to stay motivated with challenging tasks. This can slow us down and make it seem like we're not making progress towards our goals. We can inadvertently hold ourselves back by trying to tackle everything alone.
Even as a professional in the coaching industry, I needed this reminder of the immense benefits that coaching offers—not just for my business but for me personally. I want to keep moving forward at this pace because it feels fantastic, and I have no desire to slow down!
Here are some insights I'd like to share for those unfamiliar with coaching:
- Supportive Partnership: My coach truly has my best interests at heart—it's a confidential, nonjudgmental space where I feel supported.
- Encouragement: Leaning on my coach for support feels great; I'm not alone with my challenges, and there's plenty of encouragement and positivity.
- Preparation: Coming prepared with topics and challenges ensures I get the most out of each session.
- Accountability: There's work to do between sessions, but knowing it benefits me motivates me to complete it.
- Accelerated Progress: While I don't always achieve everything I set out to do, I'm moving forward ten times faster than if I were working alone.
In short, this positive experience has reinforced why I do what I do and the immense value coaches bring to their clients. If I had to use a metaphor, it's like walking alongside a train towards your destination and then suddenly boarding it—now you're moving at speed!
Final Thoughts
We often think we can manage our growth alone without help. However, from my own experience, I've realized that without accountability and a gentle nudge, I was holding myself back from reaching my full potential. Having my own coach has become an indispensable part of my business development and personal growth that I can't afford to be without.