Many people who seek out coaching feel struck in their lives.  It is not that they do not have some idea of how to move forward.  If anything one of the goals in coaching is to look at what obstacles get in the way of making a change.  They can be concrete, such as not having the needed skill set, and skill training may be the next step.  But we often build invisible blocks in the form of resistance, finding reasons to stay put out of the anxiety that comes with change.  Spotting these resistances is part of coaching along with finding ways to accept and manage the natural anxiety of the change process.

Once people get past these hurdles they have to start to set goals for themselves, not in an overwhelming way, but step-by-step.  There is lots of truth to the adage that Rome was not built in a day.  Rewards for reaching small goals can give the engine running and motivate people toward the next step.  We never want to lose momentum, but at the same time not be hard on ourselves should life events get in the way of reaching our goals.

Who is coaching good for? Coaching works best for people not faced with real emotional stress in their lives.  In these times psychotherapy can give the support and understanding needed before have to make real life decisions.