WHY COACHING WORKS ALWAYS?
A bold claim? Definitely. I was skeptical myself when I first heard Mr. Inderjeet, a well-known coach, say it at Grow More. I had been enrolled for the ACSTH program and first thing he told us when we started training was that “coaching always works”.
Whilst I doubted that at first, after completing over 100 coaching sessions, I can confidently say that coaching does, in fact, always work when the client wishes to be coached.
Allow me to explain myself. I will use an example presented to us by Mr. Inderjeet himself.
The Human mind is like a sponge, hungrily soaking in information every chance it gets. This is especially important early in one’s childhood. From the moment you are born and till you turn maybe 7 or 8, your brain is like clay, being poked and prodded, shaped and molded, gradually hardening into the form that it takes later in life. Everyone’s brain is shaped differently by a variety of factors, from their genetics to their environment.
Even twins, born at the same time, will have very different brains and thought processes. Your outlook on life and various other integral things about you are shaped at this young age. You may wonder, if one’s mind is shaped so young then how is it possible for one to change later?
We talked about self-regulatory change and the theory of change and successful people around the world talk greatly about the power of change, so we know it is possible! Yet it still seems like a daunting task.
The reason change might be so intimidating is because there is not anyone who can truly help you change except yourself. Even us, as coaches, cannot make you change if you do not want to. If your brain was to be compared to a computer, then change would be like going in and changing its core programming. However, the passcode to your inner workings is known only to you.
Many people go through their entire lives being locked out from their own mind. They are resistant to change because they believe it to be impossible. A coach’s job is to help you discover otherwise and make you realize the true power you have over your own mind.
The reason coaching always works is because it deals with the most ancient and sacred connection known to man, the relationship between you and yourself. It makes you aware of the choices you have, empowering you to make better decisions and have more agency in your own life. A coach will point out the obstacles you might face and then work with you to rewrite your source code, helping you identify and evolve past those problems.
A good coach recognizes that their client’s brains are far from static sculptures but rather thriving mini-ecosystems, little planets in your head, that require care, nuance and critical engagement.
