The secret behind great coaching is that powerful questions make a massive impact. 

If you’d like to create a powerful year ahead, you need to be asking the right questions. 

I asked one of my clients a question that led to her high tech business getting a billion dollar valuation. I asked a mother of four a question that helped her scale her business, so that it makes money without her. I asked a client who was struggling to make money combining coaching and nannying, a single question that resulted in her changing careers from coaching to becoming a superyacht broker. 

Questions change everything… 

What follows are the powerful questions I take my private clients through, to create their best year yet. 

If you do this alone, there are 5 rules:

1. Block out 1-2 hours. 
2. Go somewhere inspiring. A beach, a park, a hotel, a lovely restaurant.  
3. Turn off your cell phone. 
4. Work through the questions. 
5. Be prepared for an insight that shifts everything… 

THE PAST

“If you know your history, then you would know where you’re coming from…”
– Bob Marley

Look back over the past 12 months. Review your calendar. Review your bank account. 

1. What are you most proud of—personally and professionally?
   
2. What was the hardest thing you had to overcome? What did you learn from it? 
3. What—and who—energized you the most? 
4. What—and who—drained you the most? 
5. What—and who—are you still tolerating?
6. What were the 1-3 activities or habits that created 80% of your success, happiness and health?
7. Who were the 3-5 people that helped you produce 80% of your results? (Clients, colleagues, friends, loved ones). 
8. What were the 1-3 activities or habits that created 80% of your problems, unhappiness or poor physical/mental health?
9. What goals did you not accomplish? What got in the way?
10. How are you different at the end of this year from 12 months ago?
11. What coincidences, lucky moments or miracles occurred this year? How did you create them?
12. What is one thing that you spent money on that provided the most value?
13. How did you waste the most money?
14. What are you grateful for?

What are your top 3 insights?

THE PRESENT

“If it entertains you now but will bore you someday, it’s a distraction. Keep looking.” 
– Naval Ravikant

1. What is your Zone of Genius? (The thing you are best at—and it’s so fascinating that it feels effortless).
2. What’s missing from your life and/or business? And how do you keep it out?
3. What are you tolerating? (If an activity, a person or a habit in your life is a 7/10 or less, you’re tolerating it).
4. What are the top 1-3 things on your list that you’ve been procrastinating on for weeks, months—or even years?

The Wheel of Life

1. Health [0-10] How does your body and mind feel?
2. Wealth [0-10] How do you feel about your financial situation?
3. Spirit [0-10] Are you connected to something bigger than yourself? (Eg. God, purpose, spirituality, or values).
4. Family & Friends [0-10] How do you feel about the quality of relationships in your life?
5. Love [0-10] How do you feel about romance in your life?
6. Work/Team [0-10] What or who energizes you? What or who drains you?
7. Personal Growth [0-10] How much time do you invest in self-improvement or professional development?
8. Fun [0-10] How much time do you devote to re-creation and fun?
9. Technology [0-10] How does technology energize you? How does it drain you?
10. Environment [0-10] How do you feel about your physical environment?

Which 1-3 areas do you intend to focus on next year?

THE FUTURE

“To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan, and not quite enough time.” 
– Leonard Bernstein

1. Imagine 3 years have gone by and they were the best 3 years of your life… What were the top 1-3 things you accomplished that have given you a tremendous sense of pride, success and happiness?
2. If in 3 years time you are disappointed with your results, why will that be? (Let’s be honest, we always know in advance why we’ll fail at something). 
3. What’s your breakthrough goal? (If you were only allowed to focus on one goal next year, which goal would be most likely to ensure that every other goal was accomplished—even if you were not allowed to work on them).
   
4. Who do you want to be by the end of next year?
5. What’s one thing you want to start doing next year?
6. What’s one thing you want to stop doing next year?
7. Who in your life deserves more attention next year?
8. What’s one word or sentence that sums up next year?

Great questions deserve great answers. Block out significant time to reviewing this year and creating next year. It will have a big impact, I promise you.

Write to me with your single biggest insight, after doing this exercise. I can’t reply to everyone but I read every email that is sent to me.

Love. Rich