In the previous post, I have shared some of the definitions to bring a better understanding as to what a personal business coach does, or as they are also called, personal development business coaches. Self-Improvement business coaching which is truly what a personal business coach or personal development business coach does can, like any coaching, have tangible and intangible results. Whether I am business coaching in Houston or outside the area my goal is to collaborate with my clients to see real benefits as well as discovering others that are not so readily seen.

When you have an understanding of the terms and their definitions that coaches use, you will gain insight into how a personal development business coach or a personal business coach may benefit you.

Self-improvement does not happen in a vacuum. The greatest strides in self-improvement are intentional. They are intentional in that they require us to reach out and beyond ourselves to obtain the feedback and education to create our personal path to greater growth, satisfaction and happiness. With that in mind, let’s continue our voyage of self-discovery and understanding with some more definitions.

Needs: To me, as a personal business coach, the understanding of needs is central to connecting with a person you are coaching. And, if you aren’t a personal development business coach, your ability to understand your needs will provide an essential key as to what drives you and what path you must take to self-improvement.

Needs are the emotional aspects that drive individuals. The driving force behind needs is based in a human yearning for wholeness. Often, needs direct major life decisions until they are met. Needs can also sit on top of, or get in the way of, a person’s clearly identifying their values and living life based on those values.

The kinds of needs I am discussing here go beyond the basic needs for food, air, water, and shelter to the things that person feels they must have. Notice the word “feels.” What you feel is emotional and defines your needs and drives you to satisfy them. For example, one person may feel the need to be accepted. Another has to accomplish. Needs take many forms such as acknowledgement, to be loved, to be right, or to be cared for.

People have multiple needs. Yet, to be a successful personal development business coach you must be able to identify two or three key needs of your client. If you create pathways to meet these needs, you have provided great value on a person’s path of self-improvement.

Wants: All of us can get our needs confused with our wants. What’s the difference between a want and a need. Wants, unlike needs, are flexible and/or optional; if you get it, great, if not, you are still okay. When your needs are met, and your life is oriented to your values, your wants tend to proportionately decrease. For example, a person may want to succeed in business, have a great body, or have a big house. Since these are flexible, they can change over time.

Goals: A lot is written about goals and rightfully so. Goals allow us to create a future and a pathway for our self-improvement. With a goal, once the future is finished in your mind, then what you need to do in the present becomes absolutely clear.

A goal is the objective of a strategy. Or, I like this definition. A goal is a dream with a deadline. A goal can be very simple or extremely complex. It is the result or achievement, toward which effort is directed: the aim or end of something. A goal implies that work (or effort) is involved to achieve it.

Priorities: If you are to accomplish your goals, meet your needs and satisfy some of your wants, you must have priorities. A priority is something that takes precedence over something else: something given special attention. In general, priorities are a set of ideals (physical, spiritual, or emotional), that when grouped together compose the items most important to an individual. They are considered to be at the top of any list of things to achieve in any area of life. As an aside, there are many self-improvement tips, self-improvement tips and ideas or tips on self-improvement or however you wish to phrase it. Yet, without priorities, most people will not take the first step, which is taking action, to enhance their self-improvement.

Moving forward on your path of self-improvement take a moment to write down your needs, your wants and your goals. Then decide what your priorities are to achieve in each of these areas. When you do, you will start creating pathways to accelerated the process of your successful performance.