what is being focused on. If you pay enough attention to a
certain set of brain connections, it keeps this relevant circuitry
stable, open and dynamically alive, enabling it to eventually
becoming a part of the brain’s hard wiring. 17
In this regard, psychiatrist Jeffrey M. Schwartz states, “The power
is in the focus. Where we choose to put our attention changes our
brain and changes how we interact with the world.” 18 He and orhers
who have studied this concept have found that with enough attention
density-which requires repetition, focus and time-we ultimately
manifest what is needed to make the desired changes. We gain new
thoughts about what it is we intend to do, and these become part of
our neural circuitry, resulting in different ways of perceiving our
worlds. This phenomenon is known as self-directed neuroplasticity.
Based on related research, David Rock, a leader in the field of
human performance coaching, elaborates on this concept in his book
Your Brain at Work: “Looking out for your goal, you are more likely
to perceive information relating to it, which makes you feel positive,
because you feel chat the goal is going to happen, which makes you
look out for it more, and perceive more information, and so on.” 19
The implications for coaches working with clients who wane to
make changes in their lives is evident. Among other things, che coach’s
task is to keep clients focused on their goals and intentions. Asking
clients co name their objectives and intentions not only gives them a
sense of purpose. It also provides a focus for chem and for the coach
to facilitate self-directed neuroplasticity and measure progress and
change. The importance, then, of staying focused on goals and working
toward chem in a disciplined way cannot be overstated.
Further in this regard, if clients in conflict management coaching
concentrate on what went wrong rather than looking ahead with fresh
thinking, they stand to remain entrenched in a problem-saturated
mindset. Similarly, clients who lose their focus owing to internal or
external distractions, or who act contrary to their stated objective, can
lose the requisite attention density and reinforce old or alternative
patterns. 20
