Unpacking the past vs. planning a meaningful future
Moving boxes by Alicia Christin Gerald on Unsplash
I often joke — very tongue in cheek — that coaching is like therapy, but for the future.
There's sometimes deep truth in what we make light of.
This perspective is also why I love being a coach (and why I didn't become a therapist).
Don't get me wrong — the past is an amazing place to visit, full of information and helpful context about where you are currently and how you got there. That insight is absolutely necessary for planning a future we actually want. It's just that I don't want to sit there, in the past, for long periods to unpack it. That's not my job, nor my skill set (and I commend all those out there whose job it is — you do incredibly valuable and emotionally intensive work).
So when Daniel Pink started making the podcast circuit with his book, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward, my ears perked up. This quote in particular went straight to the interest and intrigue center of my brain:
“If you understand what people regret the most you understand what they value the most.”
This enquiry on values is the key to unpacking our past as well as understanding what we need to bring into a meaningful future, regardless of how much of it is left. We can never truly know anyway. But we can ensure each step is worthwhile.
What’s been useful to carry so far? Do you have what you need for the rest of the way? Here are some ways to plan with me
