Fixing Potholes
Potholes are just terrible and regularly come unexpectedly. As South Africans, potholes are something we are far more familiar with than we would like to admit, and most of us have encountered the effects and aftermath of hitting one of these potholes with our vehicles.
But what do Potholes have to do with coaching?
Potholes can easily resemble some of the challenges we face in our lives and can quickly slow us down or even stop us from reaching our intended destinations. These potholes come in different shapes and sizes that result in various outcomes.
From a coaching perspective, these potholes that we endure in Life need to be defined and understood to enable you to either fix them or reroute around them.
For example, you start working on a new project and get off to a dashing start. As you progress, you suddenly realise that one of the products you ordered for the project is incorrect, which brings the entire project to a complete stop. In essence, this mistake becomes a pothole.
Knowing that we have hit this pothole, we are left with two main focus points. Firstly, the wheel or tyre that hit the pothole must be examined to determine if the vehicle can still move forward. Secondly, from a corrective perspective, one also needs to consider if it is possible to fix the pothole, prevent reoccurrence, or find an alternative route.
Compared to the project example, this pothole, the incorrect material can either be fixed or changed to enable the project to move forward. Therefore, the second element refers to fixing the pothole, resembling a process change or a specification revision to avoid the same mistake from recurring.
Our Life's challenges are similar to the potholes found on some of our roads. They often come when we least expect them, and sometimes even if we know about them, we still end up driving through them because we get distracted by something or someone. Live’s potholes can bring about a lot of unnecessary delays and can even become damaging when left unattended. As indicated in the example before, we have one of two choices for potholes. We can fix them, or we need to reroute around them.
The potholes in our lives might seem like a waste of time, primarily when they are deemed small or non-damaging, which usually result in us constantly delaying the fixing thereof. But much like these potholes, if left unattended, they continue to get bigger and bigger until the entire road becomes unusable. Therefore, it is essential to become aware of your life's potholes, attend to them in practical ways, and support growth. Ideally, when our lives are adequately maintained, we can experience a smooth ride experience, which can help us reach our desired destination with ease and comfort.
From a second perspective, especially when our journey is filled with various potholes, we might have to consider rerouting our journeys, which could resemble a change of career or even a change of service or the addition of a new product. Sometimes, we become so fixated on what we did for so long. We sometimes fail to notice the damages and delays caused by the condition of the road or journey that we are pursuing. We sometimes need to look at what we are doing from a fresh and outsider’s perspective, which can help us see our blindspots or help us realise what is going on.
The coaching process can help you identify and fix your life's potholes. It can also help you see your challenges and daily routines from an outsider's perspective, which can help you discover your blind spots. As indicated before, when we go through potholes, we cause damages and delays. However, preventative and corrective actions can prevent these delays.
In my coaching process, I can help you mark out these potholes, which will help you generate a big picture view that can help you decide whether you can fix or reroute around your potholes. Furthermore, the coaching process can also help you build your personal development plan to help you maintain your road to decrease the chances of potholes occurring. The coaching process can also help you upgrade your “vehicle” to lessen or prevent damages when hitting those unexpected potholes. Finally, it can help you build resilience that can enable you to handle complex challenges with ease and confidence.
Potholes are terrible at times, but they can contribute to our growth and development, which can help us unlock our potential and become the best versions of ourselves. The difficult times allow us to build endurance, building a character that can generate hope to achieve the unexpected. When we move outside our comfort zones and take up a growth mindset, we can become more and more prepared for the more demanding and challenging decisions.
ReVive your understanding of Challenges, ReBuild your Resilience, ReConnect to new opportunities with confidence
Maybe it's time to ReNieuw your mind and make changes that last.
Let us find and fix your potholes together.
