Be Your Own Life Coach: Five Important Steps For Coaching Yourself to Success

If you were to hire a life coach, you would have some help in clarifying your personal goals, as well as someone to hold you accountable in your efforts to attain them. nnBut hiring a personal coach can get expensive, and it can be a little awkward and embarrassing to ask someone to help you to get along in your personal life. Here are five steps you can take to help you become your own best life coach. nn1. Write in your journal every single day. While my coffee is brewing each morning, I write three pages longhand in my journal. It really helps me to clarify my goals for the day and to burn through all of the tedious thoughts that can stifle my creativity at work. For best results, try writing without thinking too hard about what you are writing. Just focus on moving the pen across the page. It's up to you whether to go back and look at what you've written. For me, the most powerful personal coaching tool is the act of writing itself. nn2. Put your goals in writing. Your daily journal writing will likely help you break through to discover what you really want from your life. When you get one of these insights, write about your goal. Break down each goal into achievable action steps. Think in baby steps and create an action plan that breaks down your ultimate goal into daily and weekly tasks. Be careful not to be rigid in these goals and daily tasks. Listen to your life and pay attention to any adjustments you might feel prompted to make to your goals or the way in which you wish to achieve them. nn3. Envision the end result. Imagine what life would be like once your goal is achieved. Engage all of your senses as you imagine the outcome. What will your life look and feel like? What kinds of things will you do? How will you act once you have achieved your goal? Now live out that vision and allow the details to take care of themselves. The most important thing for my success has been to keep a vision of the completed goal in the forefront of my mind at all times, and then to watch how my life figures out the nitty gritty details of how to eventually achieve the goal. It's a fun process once you get the hang of it. nn4. Set aside time each day to read (or listen to) positive and encouraging words. Whether you choose to read about your industry or simply a favorite topic in the personal growth genre, make sure that what you are reading is empowering and can be immediately translated to future action that you can take. If you don't have time to read for an hour or so a day, get creative. Go to the library and get a stack of books, so that you always have one handy. I have a book in my car, in my handbag, by my bedside –anywhere that I might have some unexpected downtime. You can also check out audiotapes from your public library. Or download some great books or speeches from audible.com and have them ready to go on your mp3 player. That way, you can get your reading done during your commute or your daily exercise session. Taking the time to educate yourself on topics of interest can really help you to grow on a daily basis, and it's amazing how your perspective can change when you marinate in positive thoughts for just an hour a day. nn5. Attend workshops, seminars, and take classes in your field or industry as well as in the personal growth industry. Choose two or three of your favorite authors whose books you find particularly helpful or empowering. Visit their websites and see if they will be coming to speak this year at a town near you. If so, book the tickets now. A day or weekend spent in such an environment can propel many significant changes in your life.nnUse the tips above to determine whether a personal coach is what you need, or if you can continue to be your own coach and create your own success.