Habits aren't the same as Action Steps

In the world of life coaching, there are 2 ways for your clients to make progress: personal development steps (like daily habits), and action steps toward a goal.

Although it’s true these things can overlap, I’m often shocked to realize how often other life coaches get these ideas mixed up, and miss the mark on what their clients need to do with their time.

And it’s not just me who’s noticed this. My team has too, as they’ve helped coaches build their coaching programs, and need to spend time clarifying not only the difference between these two types of steps, but also their importance.

Because the best coaching uses both kinds of steps synergistically.

But I think most people usually favor one kind or the other.

Since I am an introverted, empathic coach, I tend to draw those kinds of coaches and clients to me, and they usually favor the personal development steps and neglect the action steps toward a goal.

So, let’s answer the question: what are personal development steps? And what are action steps?

Personal development steps are all about adjusting how you work on the inside. It’s about changing and upgrading your mindset, your attitude, your emotional management, your perspective, etc. Some great personal development techniques include journaling (various kinds), declarations (positive affirmations), and vision boards. They also include physical exercise, meditation, and prayer. The variety is endless. But what they all have in common is that they are about strengthening yourself. Improving your mind, heart, body, and soul. You’ll get the best results with them by repeating them regularly and turning them into habits.

In summary: personal development steps are inwardly focused actions and habits.

Whereas action steps toward a goal are externally focused and often do not need to be repeated. They are simply a breakdown of all that needs to be accomplished in order for a goal to be achieved.

For example: your goal is to create a product you can sell. All the actions you take to that end are action steps: researching, drafting ideas, writing/constructing, testing, etc. All the things you do toward creating that product are action steps. Once you have finished, you will not need to repeat any of those action steps. They served their purpose when you achieved your goal.

Here’s some more example action steps that only need to be done ONCE when starting a business: registering your business, setting up your business bank account, and creating a logo. These are all steps that serve, or are at least a necessary part of, the goal of establishing a business.

There’s another name for Action Steps: we call it “work”. Work is the stuff you get done because it needs doing. When you clearly understand the goal, and are familiar with the action steps required to accomplish that goal, and the goal becomes necessary and urgent… what tends to happen is you just do the work. And then it’s done.

Even though we all know this, it’s extremely common for people to fail at their PERSONAL goals because they aren’t necessary, urgent, familiar, or understood. So one of the main purposes of coaching is to help the client to clearly understand their goal, become familiar with the action steps needed to to accomplish that goal, and to FEEL the importance and urgency of the goal.

If we were all physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually healthy, that’s all we would need, and then we would be accomplishing goals constantly.

But if we’re not perfectly healthy, then we may also struggle to take action because there’s stuff on the inside holding us back. Imagine trying to walk up a set of stairs… but each step 10 feet high… that would be impossible! So you either need to make the steps smaller (change the external), or you need to get bigger (grow stronger internally).

Personal Development (Habits)

Action Steps (Work)

Of course you can’t just “grow bigger” literally. But you can definitely grow bigger metaphorically. And that’s why we have personal development, to grow our CAPACITY to do things (we get bigger). And when that capacity grows, we can do more work (take more steps).

That’s why, as a coach, you need to know how to help your clients get powerful on the inside AND to apply that power to achieving their goals on the outside.

But if you only work on personal development, you aren’t going to GET anywhere. If you only work on goals, you might get somewhere, but as soon as you hit your limit… you’re done. And that’s not a winning strategy either.

So learn how to help your clients do both, and focus their efforts where it will help them the most.

That’s the secret to breakthroughs, transformation, and RAVING REVIEWS from your clients.

Quote of the Week

“It doesn’t matter where you come from. It only matters where you are and where you want to go.”

~ Dean Graziosi

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