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.
5. What are five questions I could ask someone to help them reframe their perspective.
ONE. What is currently right/working in this situation? What could work in this situation?
TWO. (When client presents a situation as ‘impossible’) – What is possible?
THREE. What have you learned from this experience? What will you do next time?
FOUR. (When client disagrees with someone else) – What might be driving that person to behave that way? Say those things?
FIVE. What’s the other person’s truth?
6. In your view, what are the three most powerful perspectives by which someone could live their life?
ONE. Asset-based thinking
TWO. I can learn from all experiences, both good and ‘bad’
THREE. I am responsible for my own happiness
7. What is a disempowering perspective you have been using lately?
It’s too hard. Recently I have found myself in a place of ‘resignation’ when it comes to my relationship.
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