Tip: Next logical step
A coaching tip for everyday magic
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Much of coaching is organized around achieving specific goals and making positive change in your life or work. In support of this purpose, we use a wide variety of tools including mindfulness techniques, accountability systems, inner work, and more.
One question I find helpful is “What’s the next logical step?”
The next logical step is a great concept because it’s both completely open-ended and highly actionable. A step is a concrete thing to do. And what is logical for you next is not necessarily what’s logical for me or for the next person. The answers to this question are wide ranging and frequently surprise me.
The next logical step might be looking up your Senator’s phone number, staging a sit-in at your Senator’s office, or running to replace your Senator. These are all different kinds and sizes of steps, variations on a theme. Only you know which one is the next logical one for your own process toward your goal.
The reason choosing the next logical step often works so well is that humans are built for gradual change, not abrupt change. We can manage abrupt change when we need to, but it’s not optimal, and there’s always a very, very strong pull back toward homeostasis, toward whatever feels “normal” and “stable.”
By taking the next logical step, you are choosing something that feels safe to your own body, for which there is little to no inner resistance. You’re far more likely to follow through when the step feels safe than when it feels scary.
It’s totally fine if the step is tiny. In fact, it matters more that the step feels right than how big it is. There’s no point in taking a big step if you just fall back down the stairs immediately afterward.
Try the next logical step
Think of a situation in your life that feels unsatisfying.
If you could wave your magic wand, what would you change?
What would this situation look like if the change were complete?
How would you feel if the change were complete?
What would you be doing if the change were complete?
Now ask: What’s the next logical step in that direction?
If you’d like to learn more about how coaching can help reset internal narratives, or if you would like support with a personal or professional challenge, please reach out for a private consultation.
