ABSTRACT
Even the most dynamic of characters can sometimes struggle to get started. In this chapter three techniques are introduced that can help clients to feel more motivated and ready for action. The first one is described as career time perspective and encourages clients to make clear and explicit links in their own minds between current behaviour and future outcomes. These links allow clients to see more clearly what they need to do to achieve the future they want, and this can be just the incentive they need to put their plans into action. The miracle question, introduced next, is taken from solution-focused therapy and allows individuals to imagine a positive future without immediately focusing on the barriers that lie between them and this positive future. This clearer vision of their future can help to push them into action. The final technique, change talk, is derived from motivational interviewing and is a straightforward approach that has been shown to increase a client’s chances of putting their plans into action.
