Are You Congruent?

At a meeting last week I met a man who introduced himself as a personal trainer and health coach.  He seemed quite knowledgeable about his field, but later, at the break, he went outside to smoke a cigarette! He was also quite overweight.  These two things surprised me, since he claimed his focus was on creating healthy bodies and life styles.  It made me wonder how effective he could be with his clients if he is asking them to do something he can’t do. It started me thinking about congruency.

Being congruent means living your life so that your words, values and behavior all align.  You live your values and do what you say. I think the old phrases are “walk the talk:” or “practice what you preach.” In the case of this man, I was confused about how he could coach people to live a healthy lifestyle, and then deliberately do something unhealthy to himself.  He obviously wasn’t living a congruent life, and my response to this was to distrust him and his ability.

When I became a business and personal coach, my first job was to coach myself so I could be congruent as I worked with my clients.  I focused on always being responsible, honest and trustworthy, following through, cleaning up things I am tolerating in my life, and valuing the person I am.  If I were going to ask my clients to do this, then I had to do it first.  It’s something I continue to do, every day.

So, this month I’m reflecting on the importance of being congruent.

How about you?

Please comment so others can benefit from your wisdom and experience

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