By Elizabeth Saigal, Ph.D. CLC

There are many quotations that speak to how a coach supports a client and accelerates their progress. In this series of posts, I will share quotes for success themed around happiness, perseverance, courage, and self-development. These are all areas which are required for great achievement and which coaching specifically targets. Any one of these quotes could be used to describe the benefits of coaching and give us pause for thought for the kinds of powerful questions we frame and what we choose to emphasize in our direct statements.

1. “Success and happiness are not matters of chance but choice.” - Zig Ziglar

One of the most fundamental limiting beliefs is the idea that we do not have control over our destiny. As a coach we can challenge this type of attitude. This quote really speaks to our own level of empowerment in experiencing joy in our lives. You can choose the boundaries you set for yourself around your own emotional response. You can make changes to your environment to make it enjoyable. You can select more of the situations that make you laugh and that are fun. And, you can actively seek out people who spread good cheer.

2. “Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” - Jim Rohn
This quote also speaks to being proactive about putting things in place that bring you pleasure. There is an alternative to the mindset that we will do what we really want to do when we have finished up. What are you waiting for? Coaching shines a light on how clients would most like to spend their time. This knowledge clarifies the intended target. Then, the coach provides the space for the client to explore what is holding them back, their possibilities, and the actions needed for joy in the moment and through time.

3. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” - Albert Schweitzer
Coaching is about increasing the client’s awareness of what they are drawn towards or pulled by. To make these connections explicit, coaches ask for the permission to share when they notice the client’s energy levels are high or low. Clients can use this information to make more informed choices around doing what they really enjoy rather than what they feel they should or ought to be engaged in.

4. “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
This is another great quote for embracing joy. Coaching supports connection with the client’s deepest desires. Powerful coaching questions ascertain where the client is driven and inspired, the places where they are naturally motivated.

5. “The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.” - Arnold J. Toynbee
When you have fun, there is really no such thing as work. Coaches assist in identifying where the client’s inspiration lies. When you know what you love, pursuing your goals becomes rewarding rather than punishing.

6. “True happiness involves the full use of one's powers and talents.” - John W. Gardner
Does the client fully appreciate their unique brilliance? Coaches strive to point out strengths and potential gifts so the client can make the best use of them in their endeavors.

7. “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” - Mahatma Gandhi
If a client presents aspects that are in conflict, the coach can mention this. The client benefits by shifting into their truth. These contrasts may be found in the client’s expression of what they want to do, and how they think and feel about it, and also in their level of accountability. When a client does not follow through on a commitment it presents an opportunity to discover which elements are not aligned.

Each of these quotes demonstrate the way a coaching conversation, supports the client in mapping out their journey and giving themselves permission to be happy.

Elizabeth Saigal is an ILCT Certified Life Coach. She offers Life Design Coaching for those intent on connecting with their inner truth and aligning with their intuition to live a life on purpose. You can connect with her and sign up to receive her Free Ten Step Life Design System at www.MySpireCoaching.com.