Begin With The End In MindI enjoyed a fantastic meeting with a client Friday. I am supporting her with one of her recent projects. She is starting up a nonprofit to enrich and connect her Southern California community. We talked for an hour batting ideas and questions back and forth in my attempt to understand her project.

Sensing she was giving me answers she thought I wanted to hear, I asked the question of all questions. The question that hits the core and each time it is asked, the answer will be different. I asked her, “How will you know this project has been a success?” Again she gave me a surface answer, “When I can step away and someone else can step in as a director.” Okay, but what does that mean exactly? So I asked for more clarity at which point she said those magic words that all coaches love to hear, “Gosh, Lacy, that’s a good question. I hadn’t thought of thatAsk Important Questions of Yourself.”

I left her to sit with this question for a few hours and asked that she email me what she had concluded would deem her project a success. Sure enough, a few hours later I received an email overflowing with gratitude and clarity, even a well organized numbered list accompanied the email, something I didn’t receive much of from her in previous correspondence. That one question opened the door to her true vision for this project and a new way of thinking for her. She changed immediately and learned to communicate with greater precision around this topic. Yes!!

Let this serve as a priceless reminder to think beyond the surface. Be brave enough to dive in, to sit with your dreams, goals, fears, challenges, past, present, and future. Don’t be afraid to ask for a few minutes, or hours, to sit with important questions and come up with an answer that is all your own.
It is a true gift that you give to yourself in doing so.

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