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Questions for coaches about controlling our thoughts

 in quote  tagged Charles Darwin / coach / coaches / coaching / questions / quote / thoughts
On a chalkboard, a diagram with lots of empty ovals are connected with lines and arrows, some straight, some curved, or dotted, one is even in a spiral shape. The text reads: "The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognise that we ought to control our thoughts." (Charles Darwin)

The quote of the day is:

“The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognise that we ought to control our thoughts.” (Charles Darwin)

Questions For Coaches:

  • Does this seem true to you?
  • How do your thoughts shape your experience of reality?
  • Is there a difference between controlling your thoughts and not listening to them?
  • What role does self-talk play in shaping your mental and emotional state?

Bonus Question:

  • How can recognising the power of thoughts help clients overcome limiting beliefs/thinking?
  • How do you feel when you recognise a limiting belief within yourself?
  • What coaching related story/ technique or question does this quote prompt for you?

About Jen Waller

Jen Waller

Jen Waller is on a mission to support, nurture and encourage coaching skills and talents from non-coach to coach and beyond.

As an experienced coach and trainer, Jen is happy to utilise all skills at her disposal to assist clients from getting out of their own way and making a difference in the world with their coaching. Find out more about the support Jen offers here.

Exploring the Power of Questions: Insights for Coaches

 in quote  tagged coach / coaches / coaching / quote
An apricot coloured background A drawn speech bubble on a white piece of paper has a question mark inside it. It is obviously slightly above the background as there is a slight shadow being cast. The text reads: "Ask a silly question and you’ll get a silly answer"

Today’s quote of the day is a proverb:

“Ask a silly question and you’ll get a silly answer”

Questions For Coaches:

  • How do you differentiate between silly and insightful questions?
  • In what ways can asking, seemingly silly questions, lead to unexpected insights?
  • How do you stay open to all responses, even those that seem silly or irrelevant?
  • What silly question are you not asking yourself, that would actually make a difference?

Bonus Questions:

  • As a coach, how do you help clients understand the power of the questions they ask?
  • What is the most common question you ask yourself?
  • What role does curiosity play in asking better questions?

About Jen Waller

Jen Waller

Jen Waller is on a mission to support, nurture and encourage coaching skills and talents from non-coach to coach and beyond.

As an experienced coach and trainer, Jen is happy to utilise all skills at her disposal to assist clients from getting out of their own way and making a difference in the world with their coaching. Find out more about the support Jen offers here.

Discover Questions For Coaching About Uncovering Potential and Forming Order from Chaos

 in quote  tagged Berthold Auerbach / chaos / coach / coaches / coaching / potential / questions / quote
The background is an ombre, going from black in the bottom right corner blending to warm dark orange in the top left corner. The text reads: "We make nothing; we only form and discover what is already there, but which without our assistance cannot release itself from formless chaos." (Berthold Auerbach)

The quote of the day is:

“We make nothing; we only form and discover what is already there, but which without our assistance cannot release itself from formless chaos.” (Berthold Auerbach)

Questions For Coaches:

  • How do you interpret the idea that we form and discover rather than create from nothing?
  • What personal qualities do you possess that help you bring order to formless chaos?
  • As a coach, how do you help clients discover and shape their latent abilities and potentials?

Bonus Questions:

  • How do you identify untapped potential within your business?
  • How do you encourage clients to trust in their innate abilities and wisdom?
  • What role does self-awareness play in uncovering and shaping potential?
  • What role does self-awareness play in uncovering and shaping potential?

About Jen Waller

Jen Waller

Jen Waller is on a mission to support, nurture and encourage coaching skills and talents from non-coach to coach and beyond.

As an experienced coach and trainer, Jen is happy to utilise all skills at her disposal to assist clients from getting out of their own way and making a difference in the world with their coaching. Find out more about the support Jen offers here.

Questions for coaches prompted by a quote about empathy and imagination.

 in quote  tagged coach / coaches / coaching / empathy / imagination / Jane Addams / questions / quote
10 wooden pieces similar to those you may find in certain board games - with a spherical shape, like a head, on top of a limbless body. The one in the centre is painted red, and the rest are all unpainted and generally arranged in a line in a zigzag pattern. Each piece has a white circle around them and a line connecting to the nearest pieces. The closer they are to the red piece, there is a red glow on the outer and inner edge of that ring. The last two pieces on each end of the line have no glow what-so-ever. The text reads: "Much of the insensibility and hardness of the world is due to the lack of imagination which prevents realization of the experiences of other people." (Jane Addams)

The quote today is:

“Much of the insensibility and hardness of the world is due to the lack of imagination which prevents realization of the experiences of other people.” (Jane Addams)

Questions For Coaches:

  • As a coach, how do you support clients in developing their empathy and imagination?
  • How do you feel when you realise that someone has genuinely understood your experience?
  • What role does active listening play in enhancing your imaginative understanding of others?

Bonus Questions:

  • How do your thoughts and perceptions about others shape your understanding of their experiences?
  • Can you recall a time when imagining someone else’s experience changed your perspective?
  • What role could empathy and imagination have in helping you create marketing messages that resonate deeply with prospective clients?

About Jen Waller

Jen Waller

Jen Waller is on a mission to support, nurture and encourage coaching skills and talents from non-coach to coach and beyond.

As an experienced coach and trainer, Jen is happy to utilise all skills at her disposal to assist clients from getting out of their own way and making a difference in the world with their coaching. Find out more about the support Jen offers here.

Questions for coaches prompted by a quote about success and comfort

 in quote  tagged coaches / coaching / comfort / questions / quote / success / William Allingham
On a chalkboard, an image at the bottom is of a bit of land which dips down in the middle before a raised piece of land on the right of the picture. To the left is the label comfort and to the right, above the raised area, is the word success. An outline of a human figure is drawn leaping across the dip to Success. The text above reads: "I believe in Success, and in Comfort no less I believe all the rest is but patter." (William Allingham)

The quote is:

“I believe in Success, and in Comfort no less I believe all the rest is but patter.” (William Allingham)

Questions For Coaches

  • How do you define success and comfort in your own life?
  • Are these separate terms where it feels a balance should be sought, or can you have both at the same time?
  • What would success and comfort look like when it comes t your coaching practice?
  • How would many of your clients describe that as?

Bonus Questions

  • As a coach, how do you help clients define and pursue their own visions of success and comfort?
  • Can you share an example of a project where comfort and success were equally important?
  • How can recognising the “patter” in your life help you focus on what truly matters?

About Jen Waller

Jen Waller

Jen Waller is on a mission to support, nurture and encourage coaching skills and talents from non-coach to coach and beyond.

As an experienced coach and trainer, Jen is happy to utilise all skills at her disposal to assist clients from getting out of their own way and making a difference in the world with their coaching. Find out more about the support Jen offers here.

The Firm Spots: Guiding Clients Towards Transformative Change

 in quote  tagged Archimedes / coach / coaches / coaching / firm spot / leverage / quote / transformation
A wooden see-saw is shown. At one end sits a box. The pivot point is closer to the end with a box and it is that end which is resting on the ground. There is nothing currently on the other, longer end. The background is white, and a shadow is showing on the ground. The text reads: "Give me but one firm spot on which to stand, and I will move the earth." (Archimedes - talking about the action of a lever)

The quote is:

“Give me but one firm spot on which to stand, and I will move the earth.” (Archimedes)

This profound statement about levers by Archimedes encapsulates a fundamental truth that resonates deeply within the realm of coaching. As coaches, our role is to facilitate transformation and growth in our clients. To do so effectively, we must guide them to discover their own “firm spots.” These are the universal principles and truths that provide a solid foundation for lasting change.

I was considering what “firm spots” are universal for all clients. While unique leverage points may exist for specific individuals, I am particularly interested in those that apply to all humans. Three key areas come to mind as unwavering anchors for our clients:

The Source of Innate Wisdom/Creativity

The first firm spot is the recognition that we have access to a source of innate wisdom. This is the source of creativity, resilience, and insight. When clients connect with this deeper intelligence, they tap into a wellspring of wisdom that can guide them through any challenge.

Encouraging clients to tap into this innate wisdom involves helping them recognize that they are part of a greater whole. By quieting the mind and listening beyond their habitual thoughts, clients can find clarity and direction. This often brings a sense of peace and trust, a reassuring knowing that they are always connected to a source of infinite potential.

The Power of Awareness

The second firm spot is the ability to be aware and to experience life. It’s through Consciousness that we perceive our reality. Enhancing clients’ awareness helps them see their thoughts and feelings without being overwhelmed by them.

This heightened state of awareness allows them to observe their experiences without judgment, fostering a deeper understanding of their inner world. By realizing that they are not their thoughts but the observer of their thoughts, clients gain a sense of freedom and empowerment.

Thought: The Creative Force

The third firm spot is Thought. We live in the feeling of our thinking. Our thoughts shape our experiences, creating our perception of reality. Understanding this can be transformative because it highlights the creative power inherent within us.

Clients often get stuck in habitual thinking patterns that cloud their perception and hinder progress. By helping them see that their thoughts are transient and not the ultimate truth, we enable them to shift and see through the illusion. Conversations with someone else can be particularly powerful, as it can be easier to see the world we create with our thinking when we’re not trying to think our way out of it.

Conclusion

Archimedes’ insight about leverage underscores the transformative power of finding a firm spot from which to navigate life’s challenges. As a coach, guiding clients towards these universal firm spots not only enhances their immediate well-being but also empowers them to continually grow and adapt, leveraging their newfound understanding to move their own proverbial earth.

What firm spots do you have as a coach, and what impact do each of those have on your clients?

About Jen Waller

Jen Waller

Jen Waller is on a mission to support, nurture and encourage coaching skills and talents from non-coach to coach and beyond.

As an experienced coach and trainer, Jen is happy to utilise all skills at her disposal to assist clients from getting out of their own way and making a difference in the world with their coaching. Find out more about the support Jen offers here.

Questions for coaches about choice inspired by Thomas Fuller

 in quote  tagged coaches / coaching / questions / quote / thomas fuller
Two apples rest on a wooden surface. The one to the left is fully withered and soft. The one to the right is half rotten. The text reads: "There is but bad Choice, where the whole Stock is bad." (Thomas Fuller)

Today’s quote is:

“There is but bad Choice, where the whole Stock is bad.” (Thomas Fuller)

Questions For Coaches:

  • How do you assess the overall quality of your choices in the past year?
  • How do you handle situations where you feel uncertain about which choice to make?
  • How do you differentiate between good and bad choices in your decision-making process?
  • What would you do if a client said that all the options they have to choose from are bad?

Bonus Questions:

  • How do you navigate situations where all available options seem less than ideal?
  • What role does self-awareness play in helping you recognize and rectify bad choices before they escalate?
  • How do you seek support or guidance when faced with making what looks like difficult decisions?

About Jen Waller

Jen Waller

Jen Waller is on a mission to support, nurture and encourage coaching skills and talents from non-coach to coach and beyond.

As an experienced coach and trainer, Jen is happy to utilise all skills at her disposal to assist clients from getting out of their own way and making a difference in the world with their coaching. Find out more about the support Jen offers here.

Truth’s beauty: Questions for coaches based upon a quote by John Arbuthnot

 in quote  tagged coach / coaches / coaching / John Arbuthnot / questions / quote / truth
This is an image of a waterfall cascading and landing into a lagoon type pool at the bottom of the cliff. The sun is shinning down into the water, with shadows being reflected from the rich green foliage on the rocks. The text reads: "Truth is the same thing to the understanding, as Music to the ear, and Beauty to the eye." (John Arbuthnot)

The Quote Of The Day is:

“Truth is the same thing to the understanding, as Music to the ear, and Beauty to the eye.” (John Arbuthnot)

Questions For Coaches:

  • How does the concept of truth as captivating and beautiful resonate with your coaching journey and philosophy?
  • In what ways can the exploration of truth empower clients to align their actions with their values and aspirations?
  • How can acknowledging truth’s beauty inspire clients to pursue goals with conviction?

Bonus Questions

  • What does the word truth, in this context, mean to you?
  • Can you identify areas of your coaching practice where it feels that if you were really true to truth it would make the biggest difference?
  • For you, is there a difference between truth and Truth?

About Jen Waller

Jen Waller

Jen Waller is on a mission to support, nurture and encourage coaching skills and talents from non-coach to coach and beyond.

As an experienced coach and trainer, Jen is happy to utilise all skills at her disposal to assist clients from getting out of their own way and making a difference in the world with their coaching. Find out more about the support Jen offers here.