What's a Blocker and Why is it Tripping Me Up?

You’ve likely heard the term “blocker” tossed around in the space of coaching – but what exactly is a blocker, and why does it have the power to halt our progress? 

It’s natural to experience roadblocks from time to time on the way to achieving a personal or professional goal. As a coach, understanding what a blocker is and where it comes from is another way for us to understand the process of change. 

While you may have considered this on a personal level, for anyone serious about helping clients overcome obstacles and achieve their goals, let’s put on our coaching goggles and take another look.

What is a “blocker”?

A blocker can be anything that’s stopping you (or your client!) from moving forward. In a work context, this might mean a project isn’t quite ready for you to take the next step, or you’re waiting on information from another department to keep going. In the context of professional life coaching, a blocker is any thought, belief, emotion, or behavior that prevents someone from moving forward toward their goals. 

Blockers can manifest in various ways, and it’s important to keep in mind that many of these may be subconscious or unknown to the person experiencing the feeling of “being stuck”:

Common Blockers

Limiting Beliefs: Limiting beliefs are the untrue things that we think, ones keep us from reaching our full potential. Often they keep us stuck in one place and “limited” to what we already think, know and feel. We sometimes describe it in Lumia coach training as “having a cardboard box over your head”. When you hold a limiting belief, you’re in essence trying to see the world through an obstruction that distorts your view.

What’s a limiting belief sound like? “I can’t start a business.” or “I’m too old to do XYZ.” 

Fear and Anxiety: In equal measure, fear of failure, fear of success, or general anxiety can paralyze a person, making it difficult to take necessary steps toward their goals.

Negative Self-Talk: Persistent negative thoughts about oneself can erode confidence and motivation.

Procrastination: Delaying important tasks or decisions often stems from deeper issues, such as fear of failure or perfectionism. 

Emotional Baggage: Unresolved past experiences, including fear of repeating similar situations or patterns, can linger and impact a client’s current behavior and decision-making.

The good news? Coaching can address so many of these issues! Having someone at the ready to help a client make a plan for when their blockers pop up can make a world of difference.

Why do blockers trip us up?

Blockers can be both deeply personal and deeply ingrained in our minds. They can be visible or invisible, known or unknown. They impact our ability to be present and effective in both personal and professional contexts. Unless dealt with head on, blockers can derail us and will keep us stuck. 

Here’s why they’re so powerful:

Subconscious Influence: Many blockers are part of our programming from a very early age, and operate subconsciously, meaning we might not even be aware they exist or how to side-step them. These unseen forces can steer behavior and decisions before we even have a moment to stop and reflect on what we really believe is true.

Emotional Attachment: Blockers are often tied to strong emotions, making them difficult to address and release. These attachments can keep us in our comfort zones. While stepping out of these zones is essential for growth, it also involves risk and uncertainty, which our minds naturally resist.

Past Experiences: Many blockers are the result of our past experiences – patterns that we’ve lived many times and worn into deep mental pathways. Experiences from childhood, past failures, or negative feedback can create patterns that persist into adulthood.

Fear of Change: Even when we recognize our own blockers, the fear of change can prevent us from taking action. Change involves letting go of the known and venturing into the unknown, which can be daunting.

How to address blockers as a professional coach

Overcoming blockers is the work of coaching! We do it by asking questions and using coaching techniques to help your clients get unstuck and move forward. (While these are the short versions of how to address blockers, remember that coach training will provide the tools and practice to handle these issues with ease.)

Tools for Getting Unblocked:

Create Awareness: Help your clients become aware of their blockers. This involves deep, reflective conversations and asking powerful questions that reveal underlying issues.

Challenge Limiting Beliefs: Through asking powerful questions, encourage clients to examine and challenge their limiting beliefs. 

Create a Safe Environment: Ensure your coaching sessions provide a safe space for clients to explore their fears and vulnerabilities without judgment.

Encourage Self-Compassion: Change doesn’t happen immediately, and big changes especially take time! Teach clients to practice self-compassion. Setbacks are a natural part of growth and not a reflection of their worth.

Develop Action Plans: Work with clients to create actionable steps that help them overcome their blockers. Break down larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks. 

Support and Accountability: Regular check-ins and accountability can help clients stay on track and make continuous progress.

More Resources:
The Art of Self-Coaching: Applying Coaching Skills to Enhance Your Personal Life
How to Coach Yourself: Building Self Awareness With Self Coaching Techniques

Blockers are an inevitable part of life, but they are not insurmountable! No one is bound to the past, and stories can be rewritten. Hearts can mend. We can recognize our blockers, and create new patterns and experiences. By understanding what blockers are and why they trip us up, you can better assist your coaching clients in navigating their obstacles. 

Ready to Embark on Your Own Coaching Journey?

At Lumia, we believe in daring to be different. Our life coaches defy societal expectations and choose to live from their own truth. If you’re ready to step into your power and seek a partner in this transformative process, explore Lumia Life Coach Training. Grounded in science, our ICF-accredited program offers authentic instructors, a comprehensive curriculum, and business training to prepare you for success.

Lumia: A vibrant community, evidence-based life coach training, and lifetime support.