Quinn: I’ve really been trying to eat better and get a good night’s sleep, but, honestly, I’m not always great at it. Far too often I pick up French fries on my way home from work and stay up late watching talk shows.
Wellness Coach: Great work trying. I find that, for me, trying is the first step.
Quinn: It doesn’t feel like I’m trying very hard.
Quinn’s thought: But, am I trying? And why does it matter?
Coach Text: Let’s see what another approach would look like.
Wellness Coach: You’re committed to making a change in your eating and sleeping habits and that shows you care about your health.
Quinn: Exactly. I want to do it, and I know I need to take it step by step. But I’ve been kind of phoning it in. And I don’t want to do that anymore.
Quinn’s thought: I’m glad you get that I want better for myself and didn’t make me feel bad.
Wellness Coach: Step by step is the best method.
Quinn: Yeah. I guess. But is that enough?
Coach Text: Quinn was hoping the wellness coach would say a little more to affirm how they were feeling.
Quinn: I’ve really been trying to eat better and get a good night’s sleep, but, honestly, I’m not always great at it. Far too often I pick up French fries on my way home from work and stay up late watching talk shows.
Wellness Coach: You’re committed to making a change in your eating and sleeping habits and that shows you care about your health.
Quinn: Exactly. I want to do it, and I know I need to take it step by step. But I’ve been kind of phoning it in. And I don’t want to do that anymore.
Quinn’s thought: I’m glad you get that I want better for myself and didn’t make me feel bad.
Wellness Coach: It’s okay to not always get it perfect. You have your head in the right place thinking about it in small steps.
Quinn: I appreciate you saying that. I always get the feeling like people think I’m moving too slow.
Pic 21: The screen returns to the Wellness Coach.
Wellness Coach: M.I. can also help when your client doesn’t know what their motivation to change is. By building rapport and encouraging them to open up and share their experience, you can help connect the dots between their current actions and their values. Together, you’ll build a solid motivational foundation for change. It’s important to find out what’s motivating your client, something external, or something internal.
Pic 22: The screen changes to one with a blue backdrop. In the center is a circle made of two arrows following each other. In the middle of the circle is the word “Motivation” in yellow. After a moment, text appears above and below “motivation.” The text above reads “Extrinsic: motivated by external reward.” The text below reads “Intrinsic: motivated by values.”
Wellness Coach: When you’re working with a client, it’s important to know the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. We know that clients who are intrinsically motivated have a higher success rate than those who are extrinsically motivated. Knowing the difference between the two helps us listen for and emphasize intrinsic motivations.
Pic 23: The screen returns to the Wellness Coach.
Wellness Coach: Let’s look at two example conversations, one that focuses on extrinsic motivations and one that focuses on intrinsic motivation.
Pic 24: The screen changes to one of a woman sitting at a table, facing the viewer. She has light skin, shoulder length auburn hair, and a neutral expression. She wears a green, short sleeved shirt.