Part of being a coach is motivating people to change and make sustainable changes in their daily lives with the outcome of being more productive and living a life filled with passion and purpose.
This is not an easy task as I have discovered that often people are not actually ready to change or are completely daunted by the prospect of change. So as a coach I need to explain how self-change a staged process is. I am going to share it with you.
We move from not thinking about changing behavior to thinking about it, to planning to change and to testing out ways to do it before we actually start the process of change.
I will call this thought process the Five Stages of Change and explain more fully below:
- The first stage is Precontemplation . A person is not thinking about change and is not ready for change. The mindset is “I won’t or I can’t. “
- The second stage is Contemplation . A person is thinking about change and may be open to suggestions. The mindset is “I may.”
- The third stage is Preparation . This is the planning stage. The mindset is “I will.”
- The fourth stage is Action. Action is being taken and new habits and behaviors are being put into place. The mindset is “I am.”
- The fifth stage is Maintainence .The new behavior change becomes a habit and is done automatically. However this is usually the most difficult stage. The mindset is “I still am” but we need to caution against lapse and relapse.
I invite you to think about something you want change in your life and what stage you are in.
I can help you move forward whatever stage you are in.
This week’s Mantra is by William Shakespeare, in Henry V:
“All things are ready, if our mind be so”
To a thought provoking week.