Coaching Exercise Part 2: PREPARE FOR GOAL-SETTING with these 9 Coaching Questions!

How do you want your 2018 to be? What do you want to learn, achieve, which relationships would you like to strengthen and what challenges do you anticipate?

This Annual Exercise is Part 2 to assist you in "Previewing and Preparing" for the coming year. It helps you consider more broadly what you want, what's coming up and what you need to learn and grow. As such it is an ideal exercise to do before setting specific goals.

NOTE: As for Part 1, this article is based on our "Set Your Compass" Tool where you take stock and review your previous year's successes and learnings, and prepare for the coming year!

TIP: This exercise is, of course, fabulous to do with your clients too - and can also be done at the beginning of a goal-setting workshop!

Annual Goals Preparation PART 2: Preview and Prepare for the Year Ahead!

Start by setting aside 30 minutes or so and find somewhere you can relax and sink into these questions. Perhaps you're snug in a local coffee shop with your favorite latte, in front of the fire at home or in the bath with a herbal tea or glass of wine. Then answer these nine coaching questions.

STEP 1) Here are the 9 Coaching Questions to Preview & Prepare for Annual Goal-Setting:

Important: Do your best to identify the full five items for each question - and answer them intuitively from the heart. This isn't about what "looks good" to others, instead think about what matters to YOU - no matter how small or unimportant it might seem to others.

1. What Top 5 Things do you Want to Achieve in the Year Ahead?
Big, small or anywhere in-between, what would YOU be proud to achieve in the coming year?

1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
4. _______________________
5. _______________________

2. Name 5 Challenges you Anticipate in the Year Ahead
What do you expect to be hard/difficult? What will you need to deal with, overcome or get to grips with?

1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
4. _______________________
5. _______________________

3. What do you NEED to Learn in the Coming Year?
What do you NEED in order to grow?

1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
4. _______________________
5. _______________________

4. What do you WANT to Grow or Learn About Yourself this Year?
Where WILL you stretch and grow yourself?

1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
4. _______________________
5. _______________________

5. What Relationships would you like to Grow and Develop?
Who inspires, supports & encourages you? Which relationships will you consciously work on?

1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
4. _______________________
5. _______________________

6. What would you like to Create or Bring into the World this Year?
This could be anything at all, big or small!

1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
4. _______________________
5. _______________________

7. How Specifically will you Make a Difference in the World in the Coming Year?
Big or small, how will you help others/the world? It could be in your family, wider community, friends, colleagues - even strangers!

1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
4. _______________________
5. _______________________

8. Where will you Enjoy Yourself & Have Fun in the Year Ahead?
How will you play at work/home/in life?

1. _______________________
2. _______________________
3. _______________________
4. _______________________
5. _______________________

9. If you were to write a Newspaper Headline that Summarized YOUR Year Ahead, what would it say?

_______________________________________

STEP 2) Review And Take A Moment To Reflect

Now it's time to review your responses, absorb how it feels and look for themes and patterns. Consider:

• How do you feel as you look over your lists? What are the highlights?
• What themes and patterns do you notice?
• If there was one thing that stood out, what are you 1) most EXCITED about and 2) MOST AFRAID of? Circle them both!

Now, it's time for the (feeling) part we usually skip over...

• You've answered and reviewed the questions, now take a deep breath and really feel all that you are aiming for - and becoming. Enjoy and absorb this. Stay here for 30 seconds, 60 seconds, two minutes.
• Relax and stay a while longer - excited about your coming year and all the learning and growth you have ahead of you. Recognize who you are!
• What are you saying to yourself right now that you would like to remember and hold onto?

STEP 3) Commitment and Next Steps

• To wrap up this exercise, consider what you could do to commit to yourself over the coming year. What could you do that would anchor your feeling of pride and excitement for the year ahead?
• Decide what your next step/s will be. Perhaps the next step is setting goals, deciding on some supportive new habits (eg. meditation) or creating a vision board to anchor and remind you of where you're heading this year. You could also find something symbolic - an object, inspiring quote or image and place it somewhere you will see it often.

Click to see the Set Your Compass Tool!

Now, all you have to do is commit to your action! Remember that you're worth it!

If you liked this article which prepares you and sets the ground for goal-setting, you may also like:

• Part 1 of this article, where you Review and Celebrate the Past Year.
• Our "Set Your Compass" Tool - a fun form that takes you through these questions to review your year's successes and learnings, and also has a second part that prepares you by looking ahead to the coming year!
• Our Annual Goal-Setting Worksheet and Extraordinary Goal-Setting Toolkit, which currently includes the "Set Your Compass" Tool as a Seasonal Bonus!
• The Make THIS Your Best Year Ever! GRAPHIC

Contributing Author:

Emma-Louise Elsey has been coaching since 2003 and is the Founder of The Coaching Tools Company and Fierce Kindness.com. She's passionate about coaching and personal development. Originally a project and relationship manager for Fortune 500 companies she combined her love of coaching, creativity and systems to create over 100 brandable coaching tools, forms and exercises including 30+ completely free coaching tools. She now serves coaches and the coaching world through her exclusive newsletter for coaches, Coaches Helping Coaches Facebook Group and many other great tools, resources and ideas for your coaching toolbox. The Coaching Tools Company is an official ICF Business Solutions Partner.

Learn more about Emma-Louise & see all their articles here >>