Fill Me (But Not Necessarily You) Up
Understanding the uniqueness of the individual defines effective wellness coaching approaches
I heard the greatest song yesterday! It’s one of my all-time favorites, gets the foot tapping, the heart singing and helps put life in perspective. However, it likely wouldn’t even be on your Top 10 (or Top 100?) list…
And a few weeks ago, I went through some advanced testing to dial in the body for the upcoming Race Across America and the training that will go into that event. As a result, I now incorporate some specific nutritional supplements and fuels that will optimize a variety of elements in my body based on the training pursuits. They’re getting me dialed in! But that same list of items likely would do little more than raise the cost of your urine since our bodies are so very different.
Oh – and the training schedule I’ve put together is perfect! Between the tempo work, intervals and over-distance efforts, things are really coming together. But you and I have completely different goals, work schedules, resources, etc. You’d likely laugh at my schedule – and I might just chuckle a bit at yours too…
You get the point. We are each unique – very unique. What fills up one individual leaves the other drained. The specificity of pursuits, dreams, goals, activities, and energizers is (almost) completely different from one person to another. As wellness coaches, we MUST tune into this fact.
Wellness coaching initiatives are not about setting up lectures or directing our clients toward what has worked successfully for us – no matter how well it has worked for us. Rather, it’s about tuning into the uniqueness of each individual, drawing out of her or him the WHY behind the WHAT. After that, it can include providing a safe relationship of “supportive accountability” and maybe, just maybe, a few beneficial suggestions along the way. However, if we lead with the “what” (OUR “what”), then we are destined to fail. Our clients will nod and smile, but then continue to go about their journey in (almost) exactly the same way as before.
However – if we learn to connect at a deeper level, ask the right questions, and resist the temptation to “evaluate and treat” (as those of us coming from a clinical role learned to do), then the likelihood of helping create lasting and meaningful behavior change are very good indeed.
Now you have just GOT to hear this song! 🙂
