Archive for July 1st, 2009

Posted on July 1, 2009 - by Jus

102 | Perspective

The second ‘chapter’ in my course, from the Foundation Coach subject, is all about Perspective.  It starts out by saying that the concept of perspective is so powerful and fundamental, that I could coach from this alone, without using any of the other coaching tecniques taught in the course and still be a powerful coach.

It almost sounds too good to be true, but then it is our perspective that determines our experiences in life, not our circumstances… so if you keep that in mind then it becomes pretty clear why perspective, or the reframing of it, can be such a powerful tool in life.

Some discussion questions were posed in this topic, that I have answered in below.

1. When have you experienced a change in your perspective?  What did it take for you to change your point of view?

In 2002, I fell pregnant with my son who is now six years old.  At the time, I was 24 years old and certainly hadn’t planned nor expected this to happen.  It was this ‘life changing event’ that saw me change my view on the world, my role in life and my priorities.  That is obviously a very drastic example, so another would be my approach to money management.

I spent most of my 20s with the view that consumer debt was okay so long as I had the means to pay it off.  But I have since come to reframe this perspective and realise this to be one of the reasons I’ve never been able to save or get ahead.  I’ve always worked in well paid jobs for years but had no savings to speak of, or any assets such as a house or lovely furniture etc.  It took me taking a pay-cut (for a new job in 2006) and the ensuing death-spiral of debt to make me adopt the perspective that it doesn’t make sense to spend what I don’t have.

2. How will helping your clients change their perspective make a difference in their lives?

Reframing perspective forces one to open their minds to other possibilities.  This would make a dramatic difference in anyone’s life as it enables them to overcome conceived barriers to achieving what they hope for in life.

3. What would be possible if you were a master at reframing your own perspective?

Well…. anything!  That’s the inherent difference that reframing perspective can achieve.

4. What else might you need to obtain complete happiness and fulfillment?

Action.  Just imaging the possibilities won’t achieve anything without taking the actions towards the new possibilities that a reframed perspective opens up to me.  Feeling like nothing can stand in my way… well that is a pretty powerful formula for happiness and fulfillment.

(more…)

Posted on July 1, 2009 - by Jus

102 | Perspective & You

As an additional exercise in reframing perspective, I am calling out to you my readers to help me (to help you!).  All you have to do is either comment below, or email me with an answer to the following question:

Pick an area of your life where a problem has persisted for some time. Tell me about it in a few short paragraphs. Don’t try to be politically correct. Don’t hold back. Just tell me exactly what you think and feel about that situation.

Then I will come back to you and help you to discern your perspective, and then reframe it.

Ready?  GO!