Read the Conclusions to get the FREE pdf download used in conjunction with this podcast episode.

Introduction

Here we are on the last day of November and as I pull out my planner and road map for 2022 I’m thinking even more heavily about progress and how to measure progress. As a coach you are likely thinking about progress from many different points of view. You are considering your client’s progress toward their vision, you are considering your own health and wellness progress, and your business progress as an entrepreneur.

Progress is exciting to think about, and it can be a bit overwhelming at the same time. When you start measuring and thinking about progress it can lead to a feeling or desire to do something about the progress you have made. Maybe it is to amplify the progress you have already experienced, maybe it is to adjust course and take a different path to progress, and maybe it is acknowledging that bigger changes might be on the horizon.

Regardless of what you feel when you think about progress or when you sit down to think about progress with a client, it is critical to take things one step at a time. Today, I’d like to share with you three things that can help you move through this process of thinking about progress without the feeling of overwhelm, questioning, or highs and lows.

This is so important as you and your clients work on the next steps. By exploring the process of thinking through progress you will feel enlightened instead of burdened and hopeful instead of lost.

Are you ready? Grab a pen and paper, your tablet, or the free downloadable PDF that I created with the 3-step process we are about to discuss. If you want to grab the PDF, head over to www.hivechallenge.com/progressguide and I’ll email you a copy of the Progress Management Guide right away.

I know I’m ready to dive in and if you are too, let’s get started.

Ideas for Processing Progress

I promised you three steps for moving through the process of thinking about progress, but first lets take a look back and gain some context. At the beginning of this year when I started this podcast and moved more fully into my role as a coach mentor, I was looking at the progress or lack there-of with a critical eye. Often what happened when I looked at a new metric was that I would shut down. My brain saw the gaps and the negatives. The wins were so small at that point that I felt like they were barely there even with a magnifying glass.

It was in those moments that I realized the importance of having a plan for looking at the progress measurements. I needed that information so I couldn’t just ignore it, nor could I allow it to derail the progress I was making.

Enter these three steps that I’m about to share. It has shifted my perspective when I work on personal or professional plans and I think it will help you as well. Now, as promised, here are the three steps.

Step 1: Before looking at any metrics or progress measurements first identify one plan, or piece of a plan that went well.

Why would you do that before even looking at what worked? The answer is simple, you are priming your brain to see the good and the growth that has occurred. It is kind of like a seatbelt. It is getting you ready for a safe trip. By identifying a positive you will be more inclined to see the progress measures with an eye toward what HAS happened rather than what HASN’T happened.

For example, when I started my podcast I didn’t immediately have a lot of listeners, but each time I sat down to explore the metrics I first recogn