Questions... where to start?

Photo by Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash

Questions have the power to open our mind; that is, the right questions have that power. 
The wrong questions can put us into a defence of what we know and how we perceive ourselves.
Consider these two questions...
1) Why are you having coffee with your breakfast?
Immediately you may find yourself move toward the number of reasons you start your day with coffee.
2) What is your favourite beverage in the morning? 
Perhaps now you consider other options besides just coffee. You might think about water or tea.

Yesterday as I coached, I was leaning into this idea when I asked the youth to consider the following two questions...
1) What do you get out of climbing?
2) How does it make you feel?
I proceeded to move forward with the second question first. I used my own example as I walked them through the next steps. My emotion was joy.

Then we took the word and min mapped from it, drawing a circle with the word (emotion) in the center. Drawing a line out from the circle I then wrote the first thing that popped into my mind. Repeated that for a number of words. 
This is a clever way to get the rational thinking mind out of the way when you are trying to understand what joy means to yourself - or in this example - to myself. 

You  can see I have a number of words that start to hint at the things  that bring me joy... things like connection, laughter and play all hint at not climbing alone. Challenge, success and send lead me toward knowing I like the challenge, empowerment from climbing. Adventure and curiosity tell me I am not really a big fan of climbing same routes over and over. I prefer the uncertain outcomes. 

I then referred to the first question - What do I get out of climbing? For me... as a coach, I get to understand more about movement, mental training and required strength. In other words, it gives me more wisdom I can share with someone I coach.
Now I am armed with some very key information as I decide what goal to pursue. I know it needs to give me the following -
- new learning so I can share it with clients
- be connected to climbing with people - no solo sessions for me
- challenge me - meaning be outside my current comfort zone
So... what's your goal? Think you know? Then once you write it down, imagine yourself completing the goal... really visualize that moment. See the area, the people, the route, hear the sounds, smell the smells. Be in that moment you know you have succeeded. What it really what you wanted? Did it give you the feeling? 

Toward the end of the session I also asked the youth to consider what will be their biggest obstacle. Knowing the obstacle helps you to understand how you are going to stay inspired when the going is tough. And let's face it, if you have chosen a goal that really stretches you... it will get tough.
​Not sure what you obstacle is? Don't worry... I'll help you find, just stay tuned. IN the meantime, share your goals... I would love to hear them.