A Coaching Model Created by Kristen Good
(Life Coach, UNITED STATES)
So you’re stuck in an endless circle of indecision. Maybe you were forced here by anothers actions or your own. It’s a vicious hamster wheel of
not sure where to go and what do I even stand for anymore?
You’re in transition or what I like to call, the Sticky Middle. All you know is you are stuck and you are ready for a change.
My goal as a coach is to help you Follow Your Arrow and break free of that hamster wheel. Together we will explore where you are stuck, figure out what you really want deep down, and work on an action plan to get you there. Along the way we will uncover “gremlins” or things that are holding you back and work on a plan to keep them from trapping you again.
Here Is How We Get There:
- THE BOW: A strong bow is going to set your arrow flying even faster, stronger, and more precisely. The bow represents your self awareness. This is where we work on helping you figure out where you are stuck and what keeps happening on your hamster wheel to keep you there.
- THE ARROW: A strong arrow is just as important as a strong bow. Here we look at your beliefs, values, & future goals/visions. You’ll be able to recognize your gremlins when you see them and stop them in their tracks.
- PULL BACK: You’re ready to notch your arrow! In the pull back You pull the arrow and string back toward your heart. This is where we check that we are aligned with our values and goals. We reframe perspectives and check on gremlins. We get ready to release but make sure you feel empowered before you do it.
- AIM & RELEASE: You know what your goal is, you are self aware, you know your gremlins and how to leave them behind, you are ready to take aim, shoot your arrow and follow it out of indecision. In this stage, we work on strategies to support your growth and moving forward. We check in to see if your aim was true or if we need to go back and make adjustments. Practice makes perfect after all!
Case Study
Alice is frustrated with her job. She’s know for a few years that this wasn’t the right industry for her but hasn’t had a clue where else to look. She is tired of the long hours and guilt trips from her boss about wanting to leave on time. She’s good at what she does but it’s not fulfilling her anymore. She feels like she’s drowning in indecision. She asks everyone what they think she should do and of course, gets mixed answers like
No one likes their job or But you’re so good at it or Do you really want to go back to school now?
Not knowing where to turn she finds a coach online and starts working with her. Just signing up for coaching sessions makes her feel like things are shifting. She feels better at work knowing that behind the scenes she’s working on something new.
Alice and her coach talk about why she feels stuck at work and what she wants for the future. She gains self awareness around why she has a hard time with her boss and what kind of work would make her feel fulfilled. For the first time in years she makes time to sit down and think about what she believes and values in life. She starts to look at life differently and questions in her own time if each choice is aligning with those beliefs. She starts to get clear on what she wants and takes the first step towards a new career BUT then she gets hit with a round of gremlins! She questions herself and if she can really make this happen.
It’s going to require some time and rearranging in her life to do it. She’s scared of the change. For the rest of that week, she starts to back track thinking maybe I’m okay with this job. Maybe I don’t’ really want to leave this, I mean, it’s familiar, right?
Then her coach asks her to remember why she wanted change in the first place, to look back at her values and goals. To see if staying in the job fits with her new sense of self that has been making her so happy. Alice realizes it wouldn’t and that this was just the gremlins talking. The next day she takes another step toward a new more fulfilling career and keeps going.
Alice didn’t shoot her arrow just once and be done. She had to go back and refocus her aim. That is okay and all part of the coaching process. If change were easy everyone would do it. The purpose of a coach is to help you work through it and to support you making choices and goals that come from your truest self.
During the pullback phase of shooting your arrow you pullback with your elbow towards your heart. That is where your choices and goals should come from. Your inner self. Not from any external source telling you what you can and can’t do. When you make choices that are true to you, you will be living your most fulfilling life. You will be aiming your arrow to it’s truest mark!