Imagine it’s your first visit to a dentist, doctor, or health coach. They will usually start with a basic exam to establish your level of health. That begins the discussion of any changes or improvements you might want to make. Normally in the formal care system, that first visit is accompanied by the transfer of your historical records from previous providers so the new one can tell not just your current state, but your trajectory. That’s not necessarily so with coaches, and definitely not so with digital coaches. But that history is so important.
This tweet from Mark Heyman brings the point home. In an absolute sense, his A1c seemed alarming to the techs at Costco. What they didn’t know was that he’s lowered his A1c over time and is doing better. (Alanna gets it.)
It’s a good reminder that when you’re coaching someone, where they’ve been is just as important as where they’re going.