Much of education, be it in school, church, home, or around the office, is based on the assumption that if people have the right information they will make good decisions. More information does not produce better decisions, shifts in thinking does.

Many people I coach or who attend our workshops believe that they are missing that one piece of information or know-how that will be the key to unlock the door to their success. 

As you finish the year and begin the next, take a few minutes to make sure you’ve learned from what you experienced. Every day we have experiences, good and bad, yet more often than not, we fail to notice them. Worse, we fail to learn from them. Asking a few questions can draw out learning for yourself or to prompt someone else’s learning.

In my coaching practice, I help smart people think more deeply, figure out problems, and ultimately to learn, grow, and change. As we talk, sometimes clients aren’t aware of the unformed insights emerging from their thinking. Here’s an example,

The COACH Model^® follows a pattern that has proven to produce successful, holistic, and empowering conversations. Every leader needs to help people get things done. By following this simple model you can achieve greater results.

Everyone is looking for happiness, when, I believe, they are searching for meaning. Call it love. Call it a fulfilling job. It’s meaning. Because of a lack of meaning, we do things we think will make us happy but instead, drives meaning and happiness away.

When someone says they want a job that they feel more passionate about, or work that is fulfilling, they are looking for meaning.

When a person says they want someone to love and care for, and to be loved and cared for, they are looking for meaning.

Through coaching hundreds of people, I see a pattern of wanting to do good things that will actually make them feel worse. This article begins a bit philosophical, but moves to practical tools.