CASE STUDY: What's the domain that will push your next change?

Today I have been working on my #Confidence online course, and wanted to share a case study from one of my coaching clients.

Have you ever put off a project, goal, or dream longer than you wanted?  That's what this story is about.

It's a story about procrastination, having a dream, and waiting too long to get started. It's also a story about how one action can cause a chain of events that lead to a higher quality of life, and an even greater impact.  It's a story about Emily.

Emily and I started working together years ago, and she was one of my first high performance clients.  She worked at a stressful job as a counselor in a community filled with drama.  Violence, crime, broken homes, and all the environmental factors that make it tough to break out and succeed.

For four years, Emily was one test away from a professional therapy credential.  So when we started our work together, this was one of her goals for the coaching - take the test and move forward.  Another goal was to change careers to something less stressful and would allow for more time with her young daughter.  She also had an idea about starting a business in her field to help others deal with environmental factors.

We coach, we work on getting her to the test, and over our coaching calls we succeed at getting the test scheduled, and a plan to study in action.  She gets the credential, and the domino is pushed.

See, getting that credential allowed her to switch to a district job that was a little more flexible, and gave her room to think and spend time with her kid.

With the extra space, she was able to plot and plan what business she would start.

Now, the past year she has run beta groups helping teachers, faculty, and school staff deal with the trauma in their work environment.  (Things like when a student experiences violence at home, and brings it to school).

Such a ripple effect from completing that one action.

So what can you learn from this case study?

1. Start.  Start now, start sooner, start quickly.  What have you been putting off that needs to get started, today?  When Emily committed to getting her credential, that's when things changed big for her.  I know I've put off big things like this before, and I am sure you can relate also.
2. For Whom.  Who needs you to see a goal or dream through?  In Emily's case, it was her young daughter.  She used wanting to spend more time with her kid as fuel to get into action and figure it out!  
3. Push the Domino.  What one action will cascade into a series of things that will move you forward?  Getting the credential opened doors and space for Emily to move closer to her goals of owning her own business, and having a greater impact.

In Emily's case, she was moving towards more family time, and a greater impact in her community.  This can be hugely motivating and helps make the transition

A common mistake is to make a change to avoid something painful, and not to move towards something awesome.  So if you are making a big change, ask yourself "what am I moving towards?" to help keep the motivation up when you change.

Be sure to ask yourself these three questions when you need more confidence in times of transition:

1. What have you been putting off that needs to get started, today?\
2. Who needs you to see a goal or dream through?
3. What one action will cascade into a series of things that will move you forward?

 If you have delayed a big change, try journalling on these questions to help you get moving again!