I’ve just signed up with a new coach.

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to write about some of my takeaways from these coaching sessions.  So if that tickles your fancy, stay tuned.

One of my big takeaways from session 1 a few days ago was seeing just how often I use “mental reminders”.

Case in point:

There are sometimes moments (especially at work) where I know things will go a lot better the less I’m in my head and the more I can get present.

When situations like these pop up, I'm in the habit of reminding myself that I have real-time, in-the-moment access to insight, creativity, wisdom and know-how. 

Of course, it's not just me who has access.  We all do.  This is one of the core tenets of the Inside-Out Understanding.

You could even say it’s a fact of life rather than a tenet.

And reminding myself this is true before a difficult conversation, during a tricky meeting or when an unexpected challenge pops up helps take some of the pressure off.  It’s become a go-to way for me to relax into the moment.

I mentioned this to my coach. 

And as we chatted away, he asked me an interesting question:

Do these reminders take you into your head or out of your head?

As soon as he asked this, I knew what he was getting at.

Reminding myself that I have access to in-the-moment know-how is not the way to be more present and access this in-the-moment know-how. 

It’s a way to block it instead.

And as we talked more, I could see that I’d upgraded to a mental habit which is certainly more helpful & true than when I used to tell myself “don’t mess this up Tom” or “you got this Tom” but is nevertheless still a mental habit and thus getting me more into my head, not less.

It was very cool to notice this.

It became clear that while this reminder might've been useful at some point, I’ve turned it into a strategy for every similar moment even though I know it's the moment itself that serves up what's needed each & every time.

It's only by having a coach creating space, staying present and exploring with me that I've seen what's going on here.

And insights like these are exactly why I hired a coach in the first place.

I know this might be a bit too chill & still for those who prefer their insights with a side of fireworks.

But while takeaways like these can be subtle, that doesn’t mean they don’t pack a mighty punch. 

Small hinges swing big doors, after all.

And if you get excited by the idea of discovering hidden patterns in your thinking, you sense the value of small but powerful shifts or you feel curious about uncovering your own blind spots, working with a coach might be a perfect fit.

As it happens, I'm currently running a sale on my own coaching.

Here’s the link to find out more

But be warned.  The sale ends on Sunday and the clock is well & truly ticking.

That’s all for today.

 - Tom