Our job as a Wellness Coach is to help them define exactly what it is they wish to achieve and of course to help them get there. But first, conversation around this concept of “success” is essential. Closely related to the idea of achievement is the notion of ”ambition” and an exploration of both terms can reveal interesting insights for both ourselves and our clients.
Some people describe themselves as ambitious and others may not relate to the term. The word is often associated with competition and succeeding at the expense of others, but if we accept that a better and more accurate definition is “a strong desire to do or achieve something”, surely we would like our clients to become more “ambitious” around their goals? Words can do strange things to our interpretation of life. Success and ambition are really very personal constructs and relate purely to what a person truly wishes to obtain in their life. So to be motivated and enthusiastic about working towards goals is a great thing as it can lead to success, but in this sense, “success” is not about “winning”, neither is ambition.
The first question to ask a client is “what makes you fulfilled and happy in life?” By doing this we can uncover a person’s core values. So let’s take a look at a few examples. They may identify strongly with any of the following:
- Imagination and creativity;
- Kindness and compassion;
- Lifelong learning;
- Building relationships and connection with others.
These are all values and also strengths and if we can recognize what really drives us, we can then set goals accordingly and ensure that the steps along the way give us opportunities to incorporate these core values.
The next question is, “How do you measure success?” The answer to this could be anything, and you may hear responses such as:
- How much fun I have in life;
- How peaceful and calm I feel;
- How much I can contribute to the world.
These bigger picture questions and answers can help shift someone’s mindset and help them identify changes they would like to make that may be somewhat different from what they thought they wanted, or at the very least affect the choice of the ways in which they choose to move forward. When we work with clients to help them define the steps they wish to take, we must never forget to explore their bigger world view first.
