Coaching as a tool for unlocking potential

Studying the biographies of successful people — those who have achieved a lot in their field, we are convinced that they have reached their heights because they were able to reveal their advantages and use them as effectively as possible.

Then the question arises — why do we spend our strength and energy to get rid of our disadvantages instead? Why not use the power of your advantages instead? Why do we generally know so little about our virtues and how to succeed with them?

Most likely, the reason is in the myths that are firmly entrenched in our minds.

The first of them says that anyone can achieve anything, if they just want to and persistently go to their goal. In fact, no matter how much we would like it, it’s a lie. People are too different, as well as their capabilities and abilities, many of which objectively do not allow even the most purposeful people in the world to achieve their dreams.

The second myth says that we will be able to achieve success as soon as we understand what is stopping us. This myth is based on the fact that in order to become better, you need to be able to find and neutralize your weaknesses.

For some reason, there is an idea that if we get rid of our weaknesses, we will be able to achieve our goals. That is, a certain corrective approach to success prevails — only by calculating and eliminating all the bad things in us can we become better, and then achieve everything we want. Sadly, this approach is most common in Russia. And since childhood, instead of focusing on our strengths and playing from them, we are forever correcting our weaknesses with the help of our parents. And often in the end nothing good comes out of it.

When asked by coaches: “What is most likely to help you improve your own results — knowledge of strengths or weaknesses?”, clients often choose “weaknesses”. People are set up for merciless introspection and work on themselves. And it’s sad. Because this is not only “merciless” introspection, but also endless. After all, there are no ideal people, and you will always have some shortcomings. And attempts to change yourself, your essence, to go, in a sense, against nature is a challenge to common sense, which in the end can play a cruel joke on you.

The secret is to accept yourself. Accept that you have and may still have some shortcomings. But you also have strengths. And just from them you need to build a game. A person acquires the opportunity to develop his personality only by following the principles directly opposite to the above-mentioned myths:

• A person is unique, and therefore the approach to a single individual will also be unique and will be based on his schemes and methods, and not on templates.
• First of all, a person needs to find his talents and strengths — what distinguishes him from others.
• A person needs to develop his potential and strengthen his talents, and not get rid of shortcomings.
  Each of us has his own path to success and his own advantages that distinguish him from other people. Awareness of this helps a person to develop. Coaching helps to understand your uniqueness and find strengths, and therefore helps to realize yourself.