That Next Tiny Little Step

[Guest post] Rajesh Vaidya graduated from Certified Professional Coach Program, Coaching Model: Authenticity Anchored in 2013. He is the Head-HR at Ranbaxy Laboratories, a global pharmaceutical company. He has been in human resources 23 years, holding positions like HR Director at Infomedia India and Human Resources General Manager at GE India.

Great learning experience

In 2014, I coached an interesting mix of professionals – Entrepreneurs, Educators, Managers, ex-CEOs aspiring to be on their own and young students. It was an intensely human and great learning experience.

One of the challenges that both client and coach face is to keep the obsession with the end result under control. It is natural to get overwhelmed by the enormity of the efforts that are involved to reach the goal. Especially, when the client has ‘Big-Hairy-Audacious-Goals’ and the terrain is unknown. Once the journey begins, plans are encountered with completely different sets of variables and challenges. Hidden fears manifest and stare in the eyes. While client is busy battling his monsters, coach keeps a vigilant eye on client’s assumptions, techniques, opportunities that are there to be seized and keep the faith in client’s ability to emerge victorious.

No matter how seasoned or experienced the client is – somehow he gets challenges befitting his stature and invariably, he starts questioning ‘Am I going to make it?’ ‘When it is going to end?

The Goal Looks Clearer Now

And these are the very moments, when both coach and client internalize the importance of ‘that next tiny little step’. Futility of thinking about the variables that are beyond one’s control becomes apparent; and trappings of past become irrelevant. One realizes that the next step is all that you have in one’s control and that needs to be managed well.

Coach does a great deal of service to the client by bringing his focus on the present and take the next step really well.
Client takes the next step with courage, determination, preparation and faith. All of these get encoded in the biological system of the client – repetitions of such action strengthen the neurological circuitry and physiological reactions of the body.

And suddenly there is a pleasant realization that ‘yes, we have progressed – we have come closer to the target – the goal looks clearer now.’

Traditional pilgrimages in different countries and faiths, long distant running challenges, mountaineering expeditions- these are all external symbolizations of this internal journey. Journey of the thousand miles begins with a single step- celebrate that ‘next tiny little step’ and keep moving ahead.

Wishing you all a very pleasant 2015!