Most people don’t keep the brain in mind and completely overwhelm it with way too many tasks instead of focusing on small, consistent, doable steps. The first step to combatting this issue is to remember not to overwhelm the client (or yourself) with way too many action steps than the brain can handle. Less is More! 

Change starts with an internal shift that translates into one new thought or action. Focusing on one new action at a time builds confidence and self-belief, which is much more supportive than feeling like you can’t keep up with so many new changes, therefore inevitably stop and end up feeling like a failure.

2. The power of ‘why’
The brain prefers familiarity and safety - it doesn’t like the unknown of new things it doesn’t have any meaningful motivation to want to do! 

Your client is the only person who can bring meaning to their goals and intentions for change.

The meaning they attach to a goal is the all-important reason that they want change in the first place – how will it benefit them, what does it mean to them, how will their life, or relationships, or health be better because of this change? What will achieving this goal allow them to do that they can’t do now? 

What makes having this change worth taking action and feeling momentarily uncomfortable or out of place for? 

Make sure your client knows exactly WHY the actions they’re choosing are worth where they want to go, and the time it will take to get there.  

3. Guide, don’t dictate
Many untrained coaches forget that coaching isn’t telling people what to do or making decisions for the client i.e. you need to do this, I want you to do that this week…!  Who likes being told what to do with their own lives? Not me! 

Make sure that your client chooses their own actions steps. It's their goals!

It's also their responsibility to show up and commit to their chosen actions between sessions. This is where you facilitate awareness of obstacles, help problem-solve ahead of time, and provide tools and guidance based on neuroplasticity and habit change to help them succeed.

4. Maximise strengths
Every person possesses specific skills and strengths that have been earned and developed throughout their individual life experiences. Whether personal or professional, you can help bring these attributes into focus for your client to benefit. 

Connect your client with their incredible strengths and skills by utilising various coaching and positive psychology tools. A strengths audit can highlight the clients’ undeniable abilities across various environments. Assessing their proudest moments and what they’ve learned from them can bring specific skills to light. 

With their strengths freshly (re)discovered you can empower the client with undeniable proof of what they’re actually capable of.  Never underestimate just how qualified your clients really are in changing their lives. They simply might not know it or believe it yet.  

5. The client chooses, not you
Encourage the client to find solutions and choose their own action steps.  Your client must be able to see themselves doing those actions at times that suit them, and most importantly, because they chose the actions steps that they are willing to do first! 

You, the coach, can then help them to identify potential obstacles with the support, awakening of strengths and self-belief needed to problem-solve and overcome them ahead of time. 

BUT… the client must ultimately choose what actions they will commit to otherwise they won’t be invested in doing them!  

6. Small steps, big leaps
While it’s important to identify the overall goal to determine “Where are we going?”, what’s more important is to break down that overall aim into daily mindset and behavioural actions that will move the client consistently towards their intended outcome.  

Help your client identify the new behaviours and thought patterns that they’ll need to learn and adopt. Encourage them to choose one small action that seems the most doable to help them today. Then, as they create or swap these new habits, help them build upon them over time. This is also known as ‘habit stacking’. 

Focus on weekly mindset or habit-change goals and help the client utilise their current strengths and skills to problem-solve obstacles and support themselves to follow through! 

Instead of reasons why they can’t, help them focus on reasons why they CAN! 

Lastly, remember to help them celebrate the small steps. This powerful pause of acknowledgement increases self-confidence and renews commitment to daily actions by anchoring them to meaning, repetition, memory and positive reinforcement.