On one of our walk & talks with our dogs earlier this summer, Nick introduced me to a technique used in sports coaching to drive focus and prioritisation in the moment – What’s Important Now (WIN)? Nick is a junior cricket coach and employs the question to help the children move past the last ball and concentrate on what they need to do to prepare for the next one.
I was instantly drawn to the question as an executive & personal coach – it is simple but powerful and can be applied more broadly in life. It is equal part acceptance and equal part solution focused: you need to embrace the reality of the situation whilst at the same time clarifying your focus and how to move forward. It keeps you in the present, giving you the space to pause, let go of what has been, and consider your options and the opportunities in front of you. It enables you to break down your goals into smaller actions by prompting you to think about the immediate steps you can take.
The question goes to the heart of coaching which focuses on what is going on for you now and what that means for your future goals and aspirations. Whilst we all have plans, we know that life happens – as Mike Tyson said, “everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” – and it’s our ability to stay resilient and focused that enables us to achieve our longer-term goals. By checking in regularly on what is important to us in the now, we can accept the past, discover the choices we have, and commit to action with ownership and accountability.
Let me invite you to take a moment to pause and consider the question: what’s important to you now?
❓Are you on track to meet your personal and professional goals for 2023?
❓Do you want to strengthen your self-awareness and confidence as a leader?
❓Are you ready to explore that career shift that you’ve been putting off until the time was ‘right’?
❓Do you feel stuck and want to build some momentum moving into 2024?
❓Are you ready to take steps to re-balance your life and invest more in your wellbeing?
I can support you to:
💡Find your focus
💡Explore and generate options
💡Better prioritise
💡Build your commitment
💡Be accountable for your actions
What’s important now?
