We frequently define what we want by stating what we don’t want. That is a perfectly reasonable place to start; however, it is a far cry from actually getting what we want. To get what you want, you have to spend the time defining it.

Vizzini: Inconceivable! 

Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

-from “The Princess Bride”

When I’m coaching my clients I ask a lot of questions.  One of the reasons I ask so many questions is, because, much like the quote above, words don’t always mean the same thing to each of us.

David Allen, organizational and personal productivity expert and author of Getting Things Done says, “Our minds were designed for having ideas, not holding them.” I find that so true. Frequently my clients are able to come up with great ideas for new habits that will shift their life in positive ways (eating better, working out, yoga, meditation, taking a walk with a loved one). What they lack is reliability in execution. It’s easy to come with an idea, but executing it? That’s a whole different issue.

It’s that time of year when the kids go back to school and write their essays on what they did over the summer. This blog is going to be a bit like that, except more like, “What I didn’t do over the summer and why.” Think of it as a glimpse into how a coach thinks, with tips at the end for how to coach yourself when a coach isn’t around.

Frequently at some point during the brainstorming process my client will pause a little longer than normal then use a phrase along the lines of: "I know this idea sounds silly, but I think it would help if ..."

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