What your engine needs

I’m starting this year by revisiting two core concepts that I find most helpful to my clients — our compass + our engine. We spent a few weeks talking about our compasses (if you missed it, check out parts 1, 2, 3, and 4); now let’s talk about our engines.  

To kick Engine Month off, I wanted to share a few things every functional engine needs: 

1. It needs enough fuel in the tank. 

2. It needs to be able to start going. You need to be able to turn on the ignition, regularly.  

3. It needs to be able to keep going. You need to be able to keep the car going on the freeway, at a solid pace, for the long haul. 

On one hand, these three things may sound obvious. Like: Of course we need fuel, and to start + keep going. 

On the other hand, I’ve seen many clients struggle in each one of these areas without being able to articulate the problem. And each struggle necessitates a different coaching approach.

For example:  

If a client isn’t making progress, is it because he doesn’t have enough fuel? 

Or is something stopping him from turning his engine on and getting started?  

Or is he breaking down by the side of the road? 

Depending on the situation, I might help him get more fuel, help him un-block himself from getting started, or develop more endurance to keep going. 

…

In the next few weeks, I’ll share some ideas for each of those potential issues. 

But for today, I want to ask: if you know what you want, but feel like your engine isn’t working as well as you’d like it to, which of the following areas are you struggling in: 

1. Do you have enough fuel in your tank?

2. Have you been able to get started, on a regular basis? 

3. Are you having endurance issues? 
   
   
   

As always, I’m rooting for you. You’ve got this.

Katie

p.s. I currently have two openings for new 1:1 life coaching clients. Would you like to work with me? Learn more here!