Coaching Tools: Passion, Strength or Value?
I often see coaching clients struggle with being able to distinguish between their strengths and their passions. And when I begin to enquire about their values they get even more confused.
A question that helps them get unstuck is to ask about the last time they were unstoppable. The coaching client is able to provide at least one instance; usually it turns out to be when they were living in alignment with their values, operating on their strengths and integrating their passions into their life.
Let’s define these terms to better distinguish between them.
A value is a standard of behavior that you hold dear. For example, Reliability, Creativity and Excellence are a few core values.
A passion is something that gets your fired up. It could be writing, designing websites, or planning events etc.
A strength is an innate ability or talent. It could be that writing or collaborating on web design ideas makes you feel strong.
It is easy to see why our coaching clients get confused
- Values can influence your strengths. Just because Excellence is a value, doesn’t mean that creating perfect spreadsheets makes you feel strong.
- Strengths sound very similar to passions. You may be drawn to event planning (because of your value of Creativity) while you strengths lie in other areas. It is important to understand that the knowledge or skill gap can be bridged through training or practice.
Whether you are a coach or a coaching client, in making decisions about your life, it pays to be aware of your values, your strengths and your passions. It is this clarity that casts your life’s purpose into sharp relief helping you differentiate yourself from others. With this newfound clarity… is it any wonder that you become unstoppable?
Guest Blog by Kay Fudala, Consultant and Creative Coach at www.kayfudala.com, currently enrolled with Goal Imagery Institute Holistic Life and Career Coach Training.
