Metaphors to understand coaching better

What joy is when the ball at the bowling alley drops all the bowling pins! That is the joy coach and the client feel when the client is able to succeed in all his goals.

 I have found metaphors to be one of the best ways to understand anything fuzzy or abstract. So I did some research and here I have the gist of a few metaphors:

  1. Hot air balloon

Many people carry heaviness or emotional baggage for months or even years.

 If you compare humans to hot air balloons, positive thinking is like giving fuel at regular intervals to keep it up and floating. This is unsustainable in the long run and exhaustive. 

Humans are like gas balloons where the lift is already there. But the sand bags are negative beliefs, negative thinking which keeps us from soaring high. We are born optimistic, curious and driven, proven by the fact that  a child never gives up on learning to walk, no matter how many times it falls. It is the conditioning that happens over the years that starts to create unhelpful thought patterns. When you realise these  let go of these unserving thought patterns, you start to rise. 

A coach, being an external observer  acts like a catalyst helping you get rid of the sandbags.

  1. Bowling duckpin

Coaches are like the bumpers in the gutters that put the client(ball) on track to reach their goals, when they start to go off track.

  1. Scaffoldings

Coach provides a framework for the house. The final house is built based on the vision, strengths and abilities of the house owner. Coach provides structure around goals, and helps to build, shape and manage goals.

  1. Merry go round

You can push yourself on the merry go round. But once you run along to gather speed and hop in, the merry go round slows down because of weight. You need someone to help you.

If you have an external person to push you, you can focus on what matters to you the most – the spin and the thrill of speed. We all need supporters from time to time. It is no wonder that most of the sports have supporters. Coach is a person who can bring objectivity and clarity into our thought, putting words to our fear, dream, hopes. 

  1. Cocoon

Cocoon is more of a metaphor for safe space the coach holds for the client. The caterpillar goes through a big transformation to emerge as a colourful butterfly. It is a difficult process where you let go of your holding beliefs and emerge with a 

Attribution: 

https://www.indiamart.com/
https://www.flickr.com/
https://pxhere.com/
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tift_Park_merry-go-round.JPG
https://confidecoaching.com/
https://www.thecoachingtoolscompany.com/

What is coaching  and what are the benefits?

Coaching is a creative partnership with a coach. 

A coach holds a safe, non judgemental space for you to bounce off your thoughts.

 Hearing your inner voice from someone else gives you an outside in look of what is going on inside your brain.

A coach asks powerful questions 

——————————————————————–

Benefits of Coaching

  1. Because it is a focussed and timed talk, it gives a direction and clarity
  2. It helps to overcome one’s own beliefs which may not be relevant anymore
  3. It gives a competency to look at broader picture
  4. Coaching helps to become an active listener.
  5. It provides varied exposure and experiences which makes it so much more enriching than a mundane job
  6. Lifting productivity at a mass level will ensure a better future for the country and humanity in large.
  7. Helping people to learn to be at peace with the situation. This will ensure less mental clutter, less baggage, less mental stress and less related physical health problems.
  8. Coaching helps in self mastery
  9. Coaching forces us to adopt a positive attitude, which is beneficial for overall health.
  10. Commitment to action helps a person to realise actually how serious they are about achieving goals.
  11. It breaks the pattern of usual thinking/ negative self talk that people are involved in mindlessly.
  12. It allows the client to move at his own pace.
  13. It makes the client more self aware, self committed.
  14. It makes the client incharge and responsible
  15. It gives clarity about the client’s goals, dreams, fear his strengths and shortcomings.
  16. It helps me to think in a practical and action oriented way
  17. It gives a way of looking at things objectively
  18. Associating a number/ rating gives a clear picture
  19. Raises the level of self awareness
  20. Empowers one to take their own decisions
  21. Self commitment betters the chances of the results
  22. Lets one to be peaceful with the current situation
  23. Encourages to think towards the solution rather than getting stuck in the same thinking pattern / helplessness
  24. Develops the attitude of taking charge rather than blaming external factors
  25. Builds trust and confidence 

———————————————————————

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *