What Matters Most

It’s easy for a conversation to get lost in the details. Someone begins to share what’s going on, and soon the conversation is filled with logistics, replays of past interactions, or elaborate justifications. This can feel full, but not always meaningful.

As coaches, our role is to help guide the client back to what the story is really about. Underneath all the details is something that matters. A longing. A fear. A value. A need. A call. Something worth naming and returning to.

Bringing a client back to what matters is about gently helping them sift through the noise to find the signal. It’s about reconnecting them to the reason this topic matters to them in the first place and what it reveals about who they are and what they care about.

Questions to help refocus on what matters:

• What is important about this?

• What matters most here?

• What is really at stake for you here?

• If you set aside the details for a moment, what’s the heart of this?

Coaching application. In an upcoming session that feels crowded with details, ask a question that invites your client to reconnect to what matters most and notice what shifts. 

Life application. Think about an area of life where you are experiencing overthinking, frustration, or story-spinning. Take a deep breath and ask yourself: What actually matters to me right now?

Relevant Upbuild content: [Podcast] Can I Be Successful If I Give Up My Ego? (Apple / Spotify)