Meaningful Living:Potential-interference = Performance

“We become what we think about all day long.” Emerson

So what is Self-Coaching and how does it work?

Self-Coaching then is about motivating yourself to fulfill your potential through self-awareness and by identifying ways to overcome obstacles and interferences that hold you back and practicing new behaviors to discover how to get around obstacles or replace them with natural strengths..

In his book The Inner Game of Work, Tim Gallwey (for many the Godfather of coaching)

offers the following equation as a way of understanding the true nature of coaching:

PERFORMANCE = Potential less Interference

This equation has important implications for managers and coaches as it recognizes that the working environment  can have a major impact on individual performance and productivity. It also provides the pathway for Self-coaching. Tips on Self-coaching follow:

1. Learning the Lessons of Self- Talk and tool for controlling it. “There is always an inner game being played in your mind no matter what outer game you are playing. How aware you are of this game can make the difference between success and failure in the outer game.” Tim Gallwey.

2. Capitalizing on Ambiguity and Change: It’s important to be responsive, flexible and nimble.   You need to learn why it’s vital to be comfortable with ambiguity and change – and to discover ways to increase your tolerance of uncertainty and be more pro-active.

3. Beyond Your Comfort Zone: Self- Reflection means challenging yourself and continually seeking feedback on how you impact others and then being being open to learning new things. The development of this mental set will help you to find and stretch your capabilities, by trying something new and reaching beyond your comfort zone.

Self-Coaching Exercise:   At the end of today identify three positive things that made you feel good about the work you are doing. Relate these three things to a strength you have; and share your observations with a friend.