It’s common knowledge that procrastination is one of the greatest obstacles to success. Yesterday, I had a great life success coaching session with someone who was the king of procrastination. As a result of a previous life coaching session, I believed his lack of commitment was holding him back from achieving seemingly reasonable goals. But what I found out was that he was much more committed to something else than to his stated life coaching goals.

How Did the Life Coaching Session Begin?

Here’s how our life success coaching session started: I called him because he was late for his appointment (that’s my accountability life coaching nature inside of me). I woke him up, because he had only slept 2 hours the night before and was napping. He had procrastinated again, and barely made a deadline. My first thought was, “This is the story of this guy’s life!”

After Waking my Client Up, Our Life Coaching Session Took Off

In the next part of this life success coaching session, I began trying to figure out what the payoff was for this type of pattern. He admitted that this pattern was really hurting him in several areas of his life, so I knew that whatever the reward was it needed to be big. We came to the conclusion that by doing this in his life it was not only an efficient use of his time, allowing him to finish projects and still have time for fun and variety. Sounds like the end of a great life coaching session.

This Life Coaching Session Turned into A Life Success Coaching Session

But this wasn’t your average life coaching session; it was a life success coaching session. We looked a step further. He mentioned he was perusing personal emails at 4 a.m., when the deadline was looming over his head only a few hours away, but why? I wondered, “Does this guy even try? What is he really commitment to? “

The Pinnacle of Our Life Coaching Session

The pinnacle of this life success coaching session was when he realized that the real payoff was the adrenaline rush from waiting until the last minute to accomplish a project. He felt alive! It was a huge adventure and he was getting all his needs met through this activity. Significance if he could pull it off, and that he had an important deadline to meet. He was connecting with others via email. Since he had done this many times before, there was a great deal of certainty about how the feelings he would have and what he could expect. At the same time, he was preserving time so he wouldn’t loose the variety that he needed so much. This is more than enough to call it a day and end a life coaching session. Isn’t it?

The Difference Between Life Coaching and Life Success Coaching: Lifelong Changes!

Sure, you could end a life coaching session here. Or you could turn it into a life success coaching session by taking it one step further. And the key ended up being to help him find the excitement he was looking for in his work by following his passions, taking on projects that really meant something for him, and ending his game of never having to play on the edge of what was really possible to achieve. He modified his vision board and shared his new life goals with his peer group. His life will never be the same.

Colette Seymann

JTS Advisors Designated Accountability Coach