One of the biggest things I do when helping coach people in career transitions it to help them set and keep them accountable to their goals. The first is the really big goal - I sometimes call it the "dream" - what do you want in life and what direction are you headed - which in and of itself has many steps to get to.
But equally important is breaking down our big, overarching goal into many smaller, more achievable short-term goals (think: baby goals). Breaking bigger goals into smaller ones does two major things. First, it helps us create an actual plan. But even more, continuously accomplishing quicker and more manageable goals along the way to our larger goal can significantly boost our confidence and belief in our ability to achieve it. It can be so easy to lose such confidence when it feels like we're "behind," we feel overwhelmed by the immensity of a career change, or we run up against rejection after rejection when applying to new jobs. By taking it one step at a time, we remind ourselves we are more than capable of accomplishing what we want through initiative of our own.
Finally, one of the biggest benefits to working with a coach for an extended period of time is simply staying accountable. But I'll tell you a secret: it's not only because you now actually have to report back week after week. Even more it's because throughout the process, that accountability starts to become internalized. A little voice inside your head starts to stay with you between sessions and you start to apply the tools you've learned throughout the week. What we do in one hour is only a small percent of the progress you actually make, but sometimes it can make all the difference.
