I have been learning and experimenting with various coaching frameworks to master self-coaching for the past five years.
I thought the best way to coach myself was to learn about coaching as a profession. So, to expand my knowledge, I:
- Took a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and a coaching course from Performance Coach University.
- Read books by Richard Bandler, Alicia Eaton, and W. Timothy Gallwey, to name a few.
All these provided a deeper understanding of coaching skills, frameworks and techniques available to help overcome career challenges. Learning from these sources has been great, but implementing the practice in real life is the best way to learn how to coach yourself.
You can start with these three steps:
Step 1: Identify the Challenge
The whole purpose of self-coaching is to overcome roadblocks. Identify one challenge you are facing and focus on that. For example, maybe it's overcoming a limiting belief or needing clarity on life goals.
Step 2: Research Coaching Techniques
Research and outline a few techniques to help overcome the challenge identified. Don't just pick one. The thing is, coaching techniques differ and may work for others but not for you.
Step 3: Experiment and Practise
Experiment and see what works until you've found the best approach to overcome the challenge. Remember, be patient. Personal change takes time.
Once successful, move on to the next roadblock or goal and repeat the steps. Continue to implement your learnings in everyday life to self-coach yourself effectively.
