Your coachee is hesitant about change initiatives. How can you help them overcome their fear of failure?

Not Only Understand, But ALLOW The Fear To Be There. The Major Challenge I See Is The RESISTANCE To The Problem, And Not The Actual Problem Itself. Ex: If I Feel Angry, I Might Try To Use My Brain To Outlogic or Outsmart My Intuition Into Thinking I Don't Feel Angry. But Doing This Only Exacerbates That Unwanted Feeling You Don't Want To Feel, Worsening The Suck. Acceptance Is The Quickest Way To Diffuse Any Unwanted Feelings.

I would start by unpacking the hesitation. It's hard to comment beyond this because it depends what you unpack. It may be an inherent fear of failure, it may be self-doubt, it may be lack of goal motivation, it may be a reframe of "failure" etc....and that will inform where you go next.,

In order to get past fear it's important to understand why the fear is there and what your client's underlying thoughts and beliefs are that are leading to the fear. By dismantling the underlying thoughts and beliefs you can help your client move past the fear and cultivate more confidence in its place.

To help your coachee overcome their fear of failure with change initiatives, start by acknowledging their concerns and normalizing the fear. Encourage a growth mindset by highlighting learning opportunities and setting small, achievable goals to build confidence. Use positive reinforcement and celebrate progress. Remind them that mistakes are part of the process and focus on long-term benefits. Provide support and resources, ensuring they feel equipped and not alone in the journey.

To gain self-confidence, it's important to make sure the client is able to set some small goals that he will be able to complete in a timely manner for sure. The main issue here is not the size or the difficulty of the action plan that the client decides. The critical thing is to make sure he does it, so that he can demonstrate himself that he's a reliable person and that he does what he commits himself. Then, he'll be able to increase the size and difficulty of his commitments.

The more you help your clients embrace the fact that fear can be a powerful catalyst for change and growth, the more likely they are to embrace fear instead of avoiding it and use it as an opportunity to see where they can continue to learn and grow. Fear is usually based in thoughts of failure or a belief that you may not be good enough to perform a task. If you instill the belief in your clients that even if they don't have the skills YET, that doesn't mean they can't acquire them, the easier it is for them to take actin.

If you ever decide to follow your dream, I want to give you a 100% absolute unconditional guarantee... That you will fail. That there will be moments, many moments, when you'll want to give up. That there will be fear and anxiety about the future. That you will encounter problems that seem unsolvable. That people will start to let you down and drop out. And I guarantee that you made all this up. Because failures can be perceived as lessons. Moments of weakness, fear, and anxiety as normal mood swings. Problems as mathematical equations that don't always require an answer. And people who drop out as people you can be happy for, because they found their own path. Only the process matters now, love for it, and the desire for mastery.

I've always believed the saying "it takes a village" applies to more than just raising kids - it applies to every phase of our journey and continues into adulthood. Having a strong support system of friends, colleagues, mentors and even coaches and therapists can help you navigate every challenge more successfully - including fear.

When helping a coachee hesitant about change, start by creating a safe space for them to express their fears openly. Listen attentively and validate their feelings without judgment. Break down change initiatives into small, achievable goals to build confidence through incremental successes. Emphasize learning from failures as opportunities for growth, shifting their mindset to embrace setbacks as stepping stones. Foster resilience by teaching coping strategies and reframing negative thoughts. Encourage building a support system for encouragement and accountability. Lastly, promote regular reflection to assess progress and make necessary adjustments.