Honest conversation

What do we mean when we talk about honesty?

For a big part of my life, I could be honest about how I didn’t like this or that – throw in some choice four-letter words about “this” and “that” – but was I ever really honest with anyone about my thinking? Why this and that bothered me so much in the first place?

Maybe my honesty back then was the best I could do at the time. I know now it takes real courage to be honest – with oneself and with others. We’re ready when we’re ready.

So I’ll ask who are you being honest with today? About your goals, your obstacles, the validity of the stories you’re telling yourself? Or even just the stories themselves? You know it and I know it: we’re ALL telling ourselves stories.

Coaching offers a space where honesty can take place, and probably in a conversation style that’s different from the ones you have with your partner or best friend. Tactful coaching creates space between you and the stories you tell yourself all day. These stories are neither good nor bad (probably more like productive and unproductive), but they’re really just events colored by our interpretation, our experiences, and our culture.

Separating yourself from your stories creates an opportunity for reinterpretation. And reinterpretation creates opportunities for new meaning, new perspective, different approaches to the same problem, a discovery of resources that was invisible before. When we’re honest about these stories and have the proper support, actual breakthrough thinking can occur.

What’s the reward for honesty? Success? Closeness? Fulfillment? Probably depends on who you’re talking to and the conversation you’re having. These are the rewards I like my clients to enjoy. If you’re interested in having some support to take a look at your thinking, go ahead and set up an initial consultation here.

Go get 'em this week.