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More
examples of breakthrough coaching . . .
Beth Gives
Herself Permission to Reconsider Old Loves
Janice Tries on a
Thought Experiment to Identify What Keeps Her From
Leaving the Firm
Bill Can't Get
Motivated to Meet His Goal -- Studying for his
Ph.D.
Rita Gets
Help Very Different From What She Expected
Karen's
Story of Gaining the Self-Esteem to Learn New Things and
Plan Her Future
Coaching with
Intuition
Afterword - Applause for Clients
Karen's Own Story of
Gaining the Self-Esteem to Learn New Things and Plan Her
Future
Before we started
coaching I was afraid of failing,
so I'd stopped trying, which also meant I stopped
learning. I got poor grades in high school and I guess I
associated myself as just an unintelligent person. I
felt trapped at my company because I didn't think I
could ever leave. I thought it would just go on forever.
People would often have
good opinions of me, but I didn't believe I was as good
as other people did. My company has sometimes
asked me if I wanted to be a manager or supervisor and I
always told them, "No, I'm not manager material."
I thought I wasn't smart enough. I never would
have thought of trying.
Before I took the computer
class you suggested that I take to get some new skills,
I thought I just couldn't learn. I thought it
would be the same as high school, the same old patterns
would be repeated. Before our first session I was in
tears trying to send you an attachment by email, because
I didn't know how to work the computer. I was
actually sobbing. Afraid of what you'd think, even
though I didn't know you.
That's driven me for many years, but I think I can
say that's not going to happen anymore.
Then we started the snowball effect, the momentum of
little victories you use in your coaching. It seemed
like a small list each week, four to six action items,
but it began to snowball. I was looking into going back
to school, and searching job descriptions online, and
getting fit every night with my little girl by my side,
and delegating some of the child care to my husband, and
signing up for a computer course, and much more. I was
looking good! My thighs were awesome! I was reading more
and watching less TV! You were also helpful in helping
me to see new strategies to make things happen.
Now I'm no longer afraid to fail. I know I can just
try again. I'm kind of a whole person now. It's very
freeing to like yourself. It's huge! My husband can see
the new person too. He was scared at first, especially
when he saw how fit I was getting and how great I looked
in my old clothes, but then he realized that I was
happier and I was getting stuff done.
I've realized I can learn anything I want to learn. I
know now that I'm capable of learning other things.
Bigger things. I've learned new ways of thinking, like
how to research information in new ways, such as for
jobs. I'm not even as miserable and mopey at work. I was
discouraged and bitter before, because it seemed like it
would go on forever.
I couldn't have imagined that after some
informational interviews with people in my dream
company, Macey's, I'd get invited to a picnic and
actually impress them enough they'd offer me a job!
I guess the main difference is that I now see what's
possible rather than what to be afraid of. I think of
the time I could get so upset at myself about not being
able to send you that attachment, and now I can just
laugh, but gently.
Return to the first of the recent breakthrough
coaching conversations, Beth Gives
Herself Permission to Reconsider Old Loves
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