Life coaching principles and practice

Life Coach

Loving the plateau begins with learning how to appreciate the journey, notes Leonard (1992). As Leonard (1992) also points out, most of our lives is spent in a plateau period. The reason why many people struggle against the plateau is that we have been taught to only appreciate the prizes or the end result of effort. We have not been taught how to appreciate the path, only the destination. This is flawed thinking, according to Leonard. Leonard's views can be incorporated into life coaching seamlessly, as the message of appreciating the journey can help clients reframe their thoughts and overcome frustration.

With regards to specific teachings to impart to coaching clients, Leonard uses the example of learning martial arts. When Leonard first embraced plateau periods, he realized the inherent glory in the mundane. The concept is Zen-like. Clients can benefit tremendously from the knowledge that just because they are not yet Oscar-winning actors or world leaders, that their lives are filled with the wonders of "nothing special." To take pride in everyday activities is to locate a new type of joy that many clients will seek during their coaching sessions.

Ironically, life coaching is centered on helping others reach specific goals. The process of coaching seems to go against the philosophy that Leonard espouses in "Loving the Plateau." On the other hand, a life coach can instantly recognize the potential in this chapter for liberating the client from unrealistic expectations, and encouraging the client to value ongoing sessions as part of the wonder of "nothing special." Just as Leonard learned to appreciate the plateau through regular Aikido, so too can clients learn to appreciate their plateaus through regular coaching.

One of the reasons why plateaus can be liberating is that the human being tends to appreciate routine and regularity. There is a sense of peace and calm about regularity, which is why people enjoy the feeling of returning home after a long journey. Many clients will have trained themselves to be hyper-stimulated. The culture supports excess stimulation in the form of continual engagements with the Internet, television, food, and other distractions. The culture also supports "extreme" sports and activities that do not value plateau but only value peaks. Even the valleys are considered "low points" in a person's life rather than as part of the process of growth. Leonard refers to the "worm of ambition" that impeded his ability to ride the good feelings of achieving brown belt status. As soon as he started thinking about black belt, he stopped appreciating where he was at with the brown belt. His subconscious got the signal, and he, as many of his classmates, got injured.