Goal Setting

Are you in the process of changing jobs, looking to go back to school, wanting a new relationship? Are you thinking about the steps and goals needed to make this happen? Goal setting happens every day, everywhere in the world. We set goals for our careers, our health, and our lives in general.

Today’s society is always encouraging us to think about the next milestone. However, what we don’t think about enough is the science and strategy of how to accomplish your goals. Often you are not provided the tools on how to go about identifying your goals and how to achieve them.

A great question to ask yourself is “What are you willing to sacrifice to make your goals a reality?”. Goal setting is not only about choosing the rewards you want to enjoy, but also the costs you are willing to pay. What are you willing to do to accomplish your dreams? Often we think about the positive outcome but what must happen in order to achieve the goal?

As a life coach, I help my clients focus on identifying personal and professional goals. Through focused coaching support, clients can learn healthy and helpful ways of navigating through challenges in creating a life they feel excited about. In addition, we can identify any personal “sacrifices” that need to happen in order to get to your goal.

Your coaching session with me will include:

Helping you define life dreams and goals
Formulating a plan that will foster and grow your skills and talents
Helping you navigate difficult challenges in reaching your goals
Teach you tools and provide materials to assist
Helping you focus and maintain accountability
Provide structure, encouragement and support with intentional and empathetic listening
Include calming techniques such as breath work and mindfulness exercises

As a life coach, I will help you establish realistic goals for yourself, discover solutions to challenges you are facing, collaboratively develop action plans, build on your self-confidence, and teach you ways to increase motivation to take action. I truly believe you hold the key to the answers in your life and you are filled with infinite possibilities.

Research has shown that you will be 2-3 times more likely to stick to your goals if you make a specific plan for when, where, and how you will achieve your goal. Psychologists call these specific plans “implementation intentions” because they state when, where, and how you intend to implement a particular behavior. This finding has been repeated across hundreds of studies and has been found to increase the odds that people will begin an exercise routine, learn a language, get organized, and even stop unhealthy habits.

Through coaching, you can plan out your goals. You will not have to rely on your willpower and motivation alone for motivation. This often does not work. By mapping out your goals and intentions, you will find inspiration to fulfill them. As your coach, I will hold you accountable to your goals and together we can evaluate what is working and what needs to be reevaluated. Together we can create a plan for exactly when and how you’re going to execute them leading to a higher rate of success. You can realize your dreams and make them your reality.

While coaching is not mental health therapy, there are similarities. It may be interesting to learn that life coaching is rooted in clinical mental health theory, often drawing on the work of Dr. Carl Rogers, Dr. Alfred Adler, and Dr. Carl Jung. These mental health pioneers saw individuals as fully capable artists of their lives, and frequently involved their clients in goal setting and life planning. These beliefs and approaches are often used in today’s life coaching methods. Unlike therapy sessions that refer to the past to identify trauma or familial patterns, coaching works in the here and now.

A therapist works with and counsels a client dealing with emotional challenges, mental illness, trauma, grief and loss, and relationship issues. A therapist often draws on the client’s past history in order to help the client heal. This also improves the quality of the client’s life. A therapist often works under the umbrella of a mental health diagnosis such as depression or anxiety. A therapist is licensed in the state they treat in and by law must adhere to laws that regulate them. Coaches and life therapists can work together on a client’s behalf given the client’s consent to do so. Because I am licensed as a psychotherapist, there is the possibility to transition to therapy work if deemed necessary if we live in the same state. If not, mental health referrals can be provided.