As a coach, I’m all about the magic of learning new things and rolling with the changes. 

Let me tell you about Kristin, a super skilled but pretty stubborn realtor who showed what this is all about. 

When she hit a wall with her business and couldn’t find a way forward, she was skeptical about coaching but decided to give it a shot anyway because she wanted more than anything else to grow her business.

Right from the start, Kristin was determined. 

We teamed up to add some much-needed direction and clarity to her work life. 

We introduced some amazing project management tools and even expanded her business to include a new way of approaching it.

The results? They were awesome and showed up fast!

But, Kristin’s strong independent streak had her thinking she could handle everything on her own from there. 

She decided to stop our coaching sessions earlier than planned, confident she had all the tools she needed.

However, a few months down the line, Kristin was back. 

She’d fallen back into her old habits, and her business was suffering again. 

It looked like she hadn’t really mastered the new methods before she stepped back. 

When we met up again, she was pretty upset—a big change from the confident business owner I’d met before. 

She felt overwhelmed, like she was losing control over both her business and her personal life.

So, we got back to work. This time, it wasn’t just about reviving the strategies that worked before but also about helping her become more adaptable and open to changing things up. 

Our sessions were intense, focused not only on growing her business but also on boosting her leadership and problem-solving skills. 

We revisited and fine-tuned the tools and processes she’d let go of, making sure they fit her needs better this time.

Over time, Kristin transformed. She stopped seeing coaching as just a quick fix. 

She got really involved, experimented with new ideas, and began to improve continuously. 

Her business picked up again and soon it was doing even better than before. 

Kristin fully embraced the new strategies and also realized how crucial it is to be adaptable and resilient.

Looking back on Kristin’s journey, it reminds me why I love coaching: it’s all about helping people navigate change, not just in their businesses but in their lives too.

As we explore and discover new ways of approaching life, it’s comforting to have someone there to support us.

Someone who has different life experience and can offer a different map to getting to our destination.

Although Kristin’s story isn’t everyone’s story, a lot of people find it tough to keep changing their ways and adopting new practices. 

We all, including me, have to remind ourselves about the benefits of trying out new things, taking new roads, and exploring new ideas.

As humans, we tend to find a method of doing things that works okay and we stick with it. 

It’s a part of how we keep ourselves feeling safe, but sometimes this can hold us back. 

We look for certainty and safety, clinging to what we know we can rely on, especially during big changes like the ones we’re seeing in the world right now.

This is where we can take a moment to reflect on our beliefs about change itself. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Have you ever experienced change and it was a good thing? A true blessing in your life?
• Have you ever experienced a change that was easy, or one maybe that you looked forward to?
• Have you ever realized a change has happened after the fact, not even realizing the shift had taken place?

Reflect on these, and see how many times you’ve actually seen change work out for the best. 

Recognizing these moments can help shift how we see change, making it easier to embrace and maybe even get excited about.

If we start seeing change, experimentation, and flexibility as simple and easy, stepping into those habits becomes increasingly natural and comfortable.

Once you’ve thought through how change has positively impacted your life, here are some steps to help you tackle less-than-perfect situations and grow through the journey:

1. Know Your WHY – It’s crucial to understand why you’re chasing a goal because it keeps you motivated and on track. Knowing your reasons helps you stick it out through tough times and makes each step toward your goal more impactful.
2. Measure for Success – Ever heard of The Hawthorne Effect? This interesting study from the 1920s found that just by observing workers and measuring their performance, productivity went up—even if no other changes were made. Plus, psychologist Gail Matthews found that writing down clear, specific goals can boost your chance of success by 33% compared to if you keep your goals vague or don’t write them down at all.
3. Be Creative and Develop Ideas Quickly – Create a space where new ideas are not just accepted but encouraged. Think of creativity as the core of experimentation. Treat failures as chances to learn, which lowers the fear factor of taking risks. Start with quick, simple versions of your ideas to test and refine them.
4. Use the Feedback – Gather and analyze data from your trials to figure out what’s working and what’s not. This includes hard numbers (like metrics) and soft feedback (from users and observations). Use these insights to tweak and enhance your future plans.
5. Adopt and Scale Successful Experiments – When an experiment works out, think about how you can expand its success. Work these successful strategies into your regular routines, potentially changing how you do things to incorporate these new, effective methods.
6. Keep a Business or Personal Journal – Document your experiments, the outcomes, and the decisions you made. This record is incredibly helpful for looking back and learning. Make sure to keep everyone involved up-to-date on changes and why they’re happening, so they understand the importance of staying flexible and open to new methods.