On chancing upon an epiphany

I was rambling on to my coach (yes, coaches have coaches too) about a bunch of things that were coming in the way of my success, when a thought came piercing through all the rambling. It was the clearest I had felt in weeks. I suddenly knew exactly what had to be done, by when and how I was going to hold myself accountable to getting it done. It was clear as day, and I almost wondered why I rambled aimlessly before this thought came about.

The dictionary meaning of epiphany (apart from the Christian festival) is "an illuminating discovery, realisation, or disclosure". I find epiphanies in my own life to appear suddenly and quite dramatically.

Waiting for your coach to be the "epiphany provider" in each session does not seem to work, for myself or my clients. It is usually a realisation that comes to mind as you metaphorically rummage through the drawers of your thoughts to find that missing sock to match with the one in your hand. The epiphany is usually more than just that missing sock! It's the most gorgeous accessory that will enhance your outfit perfectly and you wonder how you ever lived without it!

Exciting as epiphanies are, it is not possible to chase them as if they are goals in your performance scorecard. They come when you have looked enough and sometimes even again in the same drawers (to continue the sock-search metaphor). You just have to allow your coach to guide you to the right drawers and encourage you to search through them. Trusting in your coach allows for a greater probability of chancing on an epiphany. Have you tried it yet?