25 themes in coaching: No. 4 Either/Or (Black & White) Thinking

What if what’s keeping you stuck isn’t either/or but both/and? Another concept that comes up often in my coaching practice is the idea of either/or or black & white thinking. In every instance there is another perspective that isn’t being considered. We tend to believe that this way or that way is the only option, but what if it isn’t?

Our whole lives we’ve been accustomed to this type of thinking and for a lot of us, it can be the thing that keeps us stuck and stops us from moving forward. Do you often find yourself stuck in black & white thinking? When we’re stuck in this mindset, we truly believe there are no alternatives, but that is where coaching can be really helpful. 

A coach can come alongside you, ask clarifying questions, share context & perspective you may not be considering and give you some new handles to hold on to as you get un-stuck. When you’re deep in a black and white mindest, your thinking needs to be opened to what other options might be out there. You may not like them, but it’s important to know they exist and how they could potentially serve you better. Getting un-stuck and moving forward is always the goal of coaching. 

For deeper work through black & white thinking, let’s set up a sample coaching session so you can see what 1:1 coaching would look like and move through your stuckness into the abundance that’s waiting for you. 

To book your sample session, click here.

*Common Themes in Coaching from Marion Franklin, MS, MCC, The Heart of Laser Focused Coaching, USA, Thomas Noble Books, 2019.