What are the best ways to create realistic deadlines and goals for life coaching clients?

The most effective method is to focus on the "why " rather than the " what " and "how ". Adopt a partnership approach where you are walking with the client through the entire journey. Leverage on their strengths, align goals with their core values and unique capabilities and encourage them to adopt strong self belief. Once the "why" is clear - then the "how"can be planned powerfully.

The SMART framework is a reliable tool, but there are crucial steps to address BEFORE. The goal isn't just to create SMART goals for the sake of it but to genuinely inspire the client to want to achieve them. To do this effectively, one of the best approaches is to delve deeply into what the client truly desires and why. Start with the bigger picture of their life, helping them visualize what an ideal, exciting, and flourishing life looks like for them. Then, encourage them to focus on one specific life area and determine what they'd like to accomplish within a certain timeframe. The crucial part is to help them uncover their deeply motivating and exciting reasons – this is the juicy fuel that drives action.

Personally, in my coaching I don't use the SMART model, but rather intuitive goal-setting, or not, according to the needs of the coachee. By this, I mean that in my CTI Co-Active style coaching sessions, once the coachee has brought to light the topic of the session and we have together explored it - what's important about it to them, and what wants to emerge in ther coachee's life from the conversation - then I will invite them to consider whether there is an action they want commit to to take themselves forward. There may not be - that's for them to decide. If there is, then this might be the moment to drill down into the details of it and allow the coachee to determine how specific, measurable achievable etc the action is.

Setting realistic deadlines and goals in life coaching involves understanding the client's aspirations, capabilities, and potential roadblocks. It's about aligning ambitions with achievable milestones, considering personal circumstances, and fostering accountability.

Breaking down goals into 2-3 doable steps prevents clients from feeling overwhelmed with all that they have to do or achieve. When they are able to create these small win moments for themselves, their motivation levels go up and gradually they are able to take on more on their own. This boosts confidence and morale and reinforces their belief in their own abilities.

One game-changer question that cuts through the noise, which I learned from the book, 'The One Thing' by Gary Keller, is this: ?? "What is the one thing I can do such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?" When you ask this pointed question to your clients, you'll notice they immediately have the answer (intuitively). Our job as coaches is to help them stick to this one thing, even as more great ideas emerge and seem appealing. We need to guide the client to focus on the next one only after this one thing is done!

After I understand my client's situation, I ask this question: "What do you think would be a challenging yet realistic goal for this week/month/etc. until our next meeting?" Repeating their response back to them will be profoundly impactful, especially after some time passes. "At our last meeting, you suggested ____ as a goal for this session. How has that been going?" Clients are much more likely to reach goals they set themselves, especially when they are held accountable by their coach.

In my experience this is absolutely crucial in all aspects of coaching, including goal-setting. For effective coaching to take place (as opposed to other similar skills such as consuting / mentoring) the coachee needs to be co-creating throughout the process. They need to have a sense of agency in relation to any goals they choose to set: I do not consider it to be my role (when I’m purely life-coaching as opposed to running my Intermittent Fasting program) to set goals for another person. I hold them as creative, resourceful and whole and entirely capable of knowing what it is they need to do. I can be their thinking-partner and I can hold them accountable if they so wish.

Of course, involving the client in creating realistic deadlines and goals is essential. After all, it's their life we're discussing, not ours. As coaches, we must remember that we cannot be more invested in the results than the clients themselves. We can't impose, dictate, or control their actions — and, frankly, such approaches don't work anyway!

This is critical in all aspects of coaching. If the client isn't involved in the creation of the solution, you have more of a mentor relationship. For clients to be fully engaged and want to do the solution, they need to have had a hand in creating it. If it was prescribed to them, they might not be as open to it and it may feel like an unwelcome task to them rather than something that they are excited to finish.

Let's engage in Trial and Correction (not merely trial and error). It’s crucial to enable clients to relax and experiment with different strategies without the fear of failure. This can involve brainstorming sessions and sharing stories. When we listen to each other's stories, our ambition is awakened, evoking a more robust motivation for change.

Creating UNrealistic deadlines may not be ideal, but could be a good starting point for some clients. Inform them that these deadlines or goals can change and evolve. As you continue your sessions with them, showing (not stating) how these goals are impractical will help them become more flexible in pivoting those goals to more realistic ones.

Es necesario sacar el corsé, no trabajamos con robots programados sino con personas en un entorno cambiante. En ocasiones, durante una sesión y tras una pregunta poderosa, hay una toma de consciencia tan profunda sobre pensamientos, ideas, informaciones, emociones o creencias, que impulsan el proceso y los resultados más de lo previsto. Calibrar y estar abierto a dar y recibir feedback es fundamental.

It is vital to have a process set up for celebration. It allows the client to truly see how far they have come. It is easy to forget about all the small wins on the way so it is great for the coach to be there to remind them. The collection of wins will give them the momentum to push forward and continue on to their end goal.

Early in the coaching relationship, it's vital to impress upon clients the importance of celebration – a practice I embrace and implement daily. This emphasis is crucial because many of us don't celebrate our achievements enough, mistakenly believing that being harsh on ourselves or downplaying our successes is somehow motivating or a sign of humility. In reality, success builds on success, so instilling the habit of celebration early on is key. Whether it's a self-congratulatory pat on the back, a signature celebratory move (like shakin' that a$$), or recording small/big wins in a special notebook with a big smile, these acts of acknowledgment are critical to success. I can't stress enough how vital this is!

It is so important for the coachee (and for anyone) to pause in their journey of self-development, look back and celebrate their wins so far. It is so motivating to see the progress. The metaphor I like to use here is that of taking a break as you climb a mountain to look down and savour the view.

The process of reviewing, celebrating, proceeding and pivoting in life coaching is a continuous cycle that supports clients' ongoing growth and development: -Celebrating achievements, progress, no matter how small, fosters motivation and confidence throughout the journey. -Proceed:Leveraging their achievements no matter how small to build momentum. -Pivot: When faced with challenges, assessing their approach,mindset and exploring new strategies. This process guides clients towards greater self-awareness, resilience, and success .

Simple answer: LET THE CLIENT DECIDE As coaches, we are eager to push and motivate our clients to a place where we think they should be. However, let your client DECIDE on the realistic timelines and deadlines. Show interest in understanding why they pick whatever they pick, ensure accountability but put their COMFORT first because they are the ones who need to accomplish the goals. My client picked 7-weeks timeline to achieve a goal which can be reasonably done in 3-4 weeks. On dwelling more, I realized she wanted to work on the goal at a pace she feels comfortable and not rushed. Result: She achieved it in 6-weeks and now understands the importance of setting compassionate yet realistic goals! Win-win ????????

Absolutely! Here's a revised version: Enter Lucy, an ambitious professional striving for a pivotal leadership role within a year's time. Despite meticulous planning, unforeseen hurdles disrupted her path. Frustration loomed large until Lucy embraced adaptability. Instead of fixating on the position, Lucy prioritized skill enrichment and fostering connections. Unexpectedly, a lateral opportunity emerged in a different department, perfectly aligning with her honed abilities. Embracing adaptability, Lucy navigated the change, ultimately surpassing her initial goal by securing a more impactful leadership role, showcasing the power of flexibility in career milestones. It is crucial to emphasize upon adaptability, when coaching clients.

A few more to add: 1. Align Goals with Core Values: Ensuring that each goal reflects the client's core values boosts motivation and deepens commitment. 2. Visualize the End Result: Encouraging clients to vividly imagine achieving their goals strengthens their emotional connection and desire for success. 3. Regularly Revisit and Reflect: Setting a routine schedule to review goals helps maintain focus and adapt strategies as needed. 4. Incorporate Accountability Mechanisms: Implementing check-ins or progress reports provides motivation and keeps the client on track towards their goals. 5. Focus on Process Over Outcome: Emphasizing the journey allows clients to appreciate their progress and learn valuable lessons along the way.

-Prioritize: Identify and focus on most critical goals. -Reality Check: Assess resources, constraints, and current circumstances. -Regular Assessments: Schedule check-ins to track progress. -Flexibility: Encourage adaptability to changing circumstances. -Positive Reinforcement: Celebrate achievements, no matter how small. -Accountability:Establish systems for responsibility and progress tracking. -Reflect and Adjust: Periodically review and adapt goals. -Collaborative:Co-create goals with client input. -Consider External Factors:-Address outside influences on goal attainment. -Educate on Goal Setting: Empower clients with goal-setting skills. -Long-Term Vision: Connect short-term goals to a larger life vision.

Crafting realistic deadlines and goals for life coaching clients demands a delicate balance between ambition and achievability. Yet, a rarely highlighted aspect is the art of fostering adaptability within these targets. Life’s unpredictability often throws curveballs, so flexibility becomes pivotal. Encourage clients to embrace adaptability, adjusting their goals as circumstances evolve, fostering resilience, and enabling a sustainable journey to success. A nuanced approach that intertwines ambition with adaptability is the cornerstone of setting truly impactful goals in life coaching.