Goal Setting
Coaches are in the business of goal setting, both for their clients and also for themselves. In this lesson we will explore some of the ways coaches can support a client in establishing goals while also exploring the importance of a coach stretching themselves with their own performance-focused goals.
Goal Setting Tools
While the coaching conversation is the primary “tool” for supporting a client in better understanding what they really want out of life and how to get there, it can be helpful for a coach to offer additional resources to help a client establish meaningful goals or to help make these goals more tangible and attainable. Below are some additional resources to help support goal setting. Be ready to introduce and ask questions around one of the following ideas during your breakout session practice.
Creating a Goal Timeline
See the pdf attached here for a sharable visual to help explore goal setting.
The blocks in each timeline are only a sample. Ideally, the coach and client would be able to mentally visualize and/or physically capture the responses as the client explores what needs to change today, what milestones they would like to achieve over a longer period of time, and what long-term goal they hope to accomplish.
Wheel of Life
The wheel of life can be an excellent, simple tool to help facilitate goal setting.
Online Customizable Wheel of Life
Questions for the Wheel of Life
- What areas of your life would you like to measure/explore with the Wheel of Life?
- Now that you have created your Wheel of Life, which of these areas stand out to you most?
- What are you learning about your life as a whole?
- What would you like to see change?
- What would it take to achieve that type of change?
- What impact would it make for your to have this level of growth in these areas?
- What is the goal you want to set for yourself?
Visualization
While I don’t personally ascribe to a “Law of Attraction” mindset, the questions and concepts around visualizing one’s goals can be very supportive in helping clarify what a person really wants. If practiced regularly, visualization can help keep a meaningful goal top of mind for a client.
Direct Communication and Questions for Visualization
- Introduce the value of vividly visualizing the achievement of one’s goal.
- Offer to facilitate this process during the coaching session.
- Encourage the client to imagine having achieved the goal: Where will they be (physically)? What emotions would be felt? Who would be with them? What would have changed about their demeanor? etc.
- Transition back into coaching by asking questions about the impact of the visualization.
- Consider exploring making this visualization exercise an ongoing practice.
Questions for Applying Visualization
- Frequency: How often would you like to practice this visualization? How will you remember?
- Duration: How much time will you need to set aside in order to make this a meaningful exercise?
- Vividness/Intensity: Where would you want to be (physically) in order to help you be fully present during this visualization practice? What might you need to change about your environment in this location to help?
Vision Board
Vision Board Questions
- What images come to mind as your imagine achieving this goal?
- What might be 3-5 images that would inspire you as you pursue this goal?
- What would be the theme of your Vision Board?
- What words do you want to remember each day you are working on your goal?
- How much time would you like to dedicate to building your vision board?
- When would you like to begin (or complete) the vision board?
- Where will you keep your vision board?