Coaching Blog
The Coaching Group Of Switzerland

by Suzie Doscher

"Change is Inevitable, Progress Optional" - Tony Robbins

Change is not easy or simple. If you have been told you should change but are not really convinced this is true, you are more likely to fail at completing the process. You stand a better chance if want, and are motivated, to change something. This could be a behaviour pattern, how you react, a communication style or how you view the world to name a few examples.

Change can only really take place if you are ready to take action.

Research shows 90% of the strategies designed for change assume people are ready to take action. In reality only 20% of the people already involved in some process of change are actually ready to take action. This helps explain why so many attempts to keep New Year's resolutions, lose weight, change behaviour, etc. are doomed to failure.
The most successful way to approach changing a behaviour pattern is to:

• Realize and acknowledge that things can no longer stay the same.
• Accept that it is possible to do things differently. 
• Take the time to gather the necessary knowledge, insight, and support to follow through.
• Consider how your life will change in a positive way by making this change. Pro and Cons lists tend to work. This step will help to motivate you and keep you motivated.
• Decide what steps need to be taken to move in the right direction. Can you do this alone, do you need support, a coach or a consultant ...
• Explore any denial, disempowering, defensive, or self-sabotaging behaviour. If you are not familiar with any 'self-sabotage routines' you have it will be difficult to sustain a new behaviour. 
• Know and acknowledge that you, and your life, are worth this effort.
• Recognize and work through the obstacles and possible self-sabotage routines that appear.

Remember: Each step in itself will require time and reflection. To be successful, you will need to schedule the necessary time, to be patient with yourself, and to bear in mind that you will encounter some setbacks along the way, all of which is part of the process.

By Mayra Jimenez

​If you believe you were born to be an entrepreneur, you may have envisioned greatness in your future many times. You may have been an audience member during an iconic figure's speech and thought, "That could be me." You may believe you hold the key to the next revolutionary idea, and that one day, the world will know.
The secret to achieving great success is telling your story effectively. A good story changes everything. Here's what I've learned from some great storytellers:

Go deep
Don't be afraid to be vulnerable. Whether you're crafting your elevator pitch or a detailed presentation, talk about your passions and your dreams. People like stories that come from the heart. When your audience understands why you founded your business, and the direction you want it to take, they are more likely to remember it.

Add power with a social element

The stories that resonate the most include a socially-conscious end goal that benefits others. Many consumers are more likely to purchase your products if they know it's for a good cause. Others may like to see a story going full circle. This is a theme common to companies as different as Tom's shoes or Microsoft.

Rewind. And Repeat
One of the biggest lessons I learned as an entrepreneur is not to be afraid of repetition. Leave the modesty aside, and tell people what your story is. You may think everyone's heard it, but you never know who might hold the key to a life-changing partnership, or a
piece of information that could change your life and business.
If you truly believe in your idea, your story must be great. Become a great storyteller, and everybody will believe in it.

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by SaiBlackbyrn 

Lately I have been reading a lot of articles online from various blogs.
I believe that the only way one can keep their mind sharp is by constantly exercising it.
Even though I read a lot of valuable content the following 5 articles stood out in various ways.
If you are looking for some inspiration or you are simply looking to read some great content, this is the list for you.
So check it out, and I hope that you share this article with your friends so that they get know more about these wonderful people.
In no particular order:

Christine Rose Elle: 5 Things Nobody Tells You About Being A Life Coach
Hillary Rubin: What I Love And Don’t Love About Coaching
Suzie Doscher: Stuck? Self-Critical? Fear of Change? – Explore Your Self-Esteem
Pieter Scholtz: Work-Life Balance: A Journey, Not A Quick Fix
Dr. Rakish Rana: Would Becoming Super Rich Make You Happy?


I was able to get something valuable from each of these articles…and I hope you do as well.
If you have gained something from this list then do share it with your friends.
Cheers!
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by Suzie Doscher
 
First of all, you are reading this article which shows that on some level you are curious. You might be interested in the topic or maybe have a colleague or friend who is working on personal development with a coach already. Or maybe you are increasingly aware of an issue or behaviour pattern you are now willing to change.
 
Coaching Scenarios:

• You know ‘something has to give’ because you do not like the way your life is going, the path you are on, the quality of day-to-day life is not good enough or your work / life balance needs upgrading.
• The issue for coaching is fairly straight forward. You already know what you want but are not sure how to start or prefer to have support and encouragement.
• In your workplace, it has been suggested that a behaviour change would be beneficial, however the company does not offer coaching.

 
Consider coaching if you are:

• Aware that talking about it is not changing anything
• Willing to stop going to friends or colleagues to talk to them about the same topic –equally they are tired of hearing about it
• Understanding that looking for advice from colleagues and friends is not enough
• Curious to look inside yourself for some answers
• Prepared to shift and start living life differently, which might mean...
• Stepping outside of what you know, into the unknown – outside your comfort zone – outside your 'box'

 
The next steps might be: 

• Narrowing down what will work best for you: language, in-person meetings or Skype sessions, location, cost, length of sessions, how many sessions does the coach recommend?
• Researching the local market on Google, ask friends & colleagues if they know anybody
• Reading the testimonials / recommendations to get a feel for the coach and his/her strengths
• Seeing which websites / coaches appeal to you, 'speak your language'
• Asking if a coach's approach aligns with the issue you want to address
• Getting in touch with one or more coaches and talking to them
• Making your choice
• Starting to change your life. And remember: “Actions speak louder than words."

 
The investment:
Money:

• Obviously coaching is a financial investment. However, this does not have to mean a huge investment. I suggest starting with a single session to be certain you have chosen the right coach. The rapport between you and your coach is one of the most important factors for success.

Time:

• Make sure you are committed enough to carve the time out of your schedule and the chosen coach can accommodate your schedule.

It is important to know the difference between all the various approaches to change, see my article  ​Coaching vs. Trainings / Consulting / Mentoring / Traditional Therapies  for more information.
​

By Susan Begeman Steiner

Awareness is the parent of change. For example, when you are driving and aware that there is not a car coming up in the lane next to you (in your "blind spot"), you can choose to change lanes safely. In your personal life, if you are aware that a behavior of yours is keeping you from getting what you want, you can choose to change that behavior. 

But without awareness, you simply have no choice, because you cannot see. You might pull into the next lane blindly and hit a car or continue acting in ways that are not in your best interest.

How can we learn to see what we cannot see in order to increase our personal awareness? 

"Blind Spot" Remedy

Simple – Pay attention to the feedback you naturally get from others. Ask them for more information and consider what they say, instead of dismissing it or justifying your behavior.

More Difficult - Ask people you trust for specific feedback. This can be a scary thing to do. It takes courage to actually ask and sincerely desire an honest answer.
​
Zen Master – Be open to the feedback you get from people, but also the feedback you get from your life experiences. When something goes wrong, be bold enough to consider why this is happening to you and what there is for you to learn. Point the finger back at yourself. The attitude is that whatever is happening is for your growth and development. Learn from everything you can and keep growing.
​
Blind spots, once remedied, are opportunities to grow. At the very least you will have more information about yourself and how others perceive you. You alone can decide what changes to make based on the feedback you get.  
 

​The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.  -- Nathaniel Branden

By Suzie Doscher

The Dalai Lama made a wonderful comment about anger. He suggested that anger blocks the part of the brain that allows us to distinguish the difference between right and wrong. Reality is lost in moments of anger, therefore making us blind to what is actually going on.

The same can be said about other emotions that have the power to disrupt your daily life. Anger usually manages to creep through most emotions and find its way to the surface. Somewhere inside of the emotions that have the power to overwhelm, upset, and throw your life out of balance you will most probably find some anger, if only a hint.

The Dalai Lama further stated: to deal with our problems we need to be practical and realistic. If we are to be realistic, we need to use our human intelligence properly, meaning we need a calm mind.

When your life feels like it is a mess and you are ready to take some action there are many different approaches to take. (Support from a professional or wise friend, mediation, spiritual beliefs, sometimes even just taking a “time out” holiday can help.) Find the one that suits your personality and lifestyle best. At this point you are hoping to be calmer. This will allow your mind to be more realistic again. You are more likely to stay on track with making the necessary changes with a realistic mind.

These suggestions are one of many approaches you could take that might be helpful:

1. The most important step is making sure you are truly ready to clean up your life. This means you will need time for yourself and to be dedicated to this “project”.
2. Find some time that allows you to stop, slow down, and sit quietly.
3. Think about what it is going on. What is giving you this feeling that your life is a mess? Is it one particular issue or several? Do you feel you lack direction or do not have a goal?
4. Picture how you would like it to be. Hold that image in your mind.
5. How would you like to feel? Imagine this and if possible hold that feeling.
6. Write down specifically what is going on that is not alright. What needs to change?
7. Look at what you have written and make a list of exactly what needs to change.
8. Rewrite the list in order of priority. Be very realistic and practical. Ask yourself: can I actually make some of these changes take place?
9. Imagine a ladder; each rung on the ladder represents the changes necessary.
10. Accept the fact that you will get to the top one step at a time, not in one fell swoop.

Remember that life is complicated and can be more difficult at times. Clearing your life up, getting rid of the dead wood, and finding your place of balance forms a wonderful basis. This is the best, most powerful place to work from and come back to when things are difficult. Being familiar with the feeling of being in balance allows you to know exactly what you want to get back to. This also offers you the goal to strive for. My suggestion is that clearing your life up means having found your place of balance. Life will always contain difficult times. How fast you can get yourself back to balance is the key to a successful and calm life.

An excerpt from Suzie Doscher's book: BALANCE - A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK FOR LIFE'S DIFFICULT MOMENTS.
Suzie's NEW book BALANCE - Interactive Workbook for Self-Coaching is now available if you do not have the time or inclination to work with a professional life coach. Get started on your own, in your own time. Narrow down what you want to change with the help of the workbook.