Who am I, where am I coming from, and where am I going?
In the exercises from the previous sections, the future has been examined primarily at a general level, for example, from the perspectives of society or working life.
According to previous experiences, it is easier for the participants to start reflecting on the future from a general level and to look at the matter from a personal perspective.
Especially at the beginning of the coaching programme, it may be a good idea to focus on a more general-level discussion. On the other hand, the coach should guide the participants to reflect on their future through their own situation and themselves.
Good self-knowledge as a basis for the work
Good self-knowledge is extremely important when considering the future and one’s own role in it. The better the participants understand their strengths and competence in the present, for example, the easier it is for them to perceive personal paths to the future.
When the participants realise that they have accumulated many kinds of skills and positive qualities thus far, their self-confidence and, at the same time, confidence in their future are strengthened.
Personal strengths and competences provide a good context for considering the future at a general level. For example, megatrends can well be examined from perspectives that could create opportunities suitable for one’s own competence in the years to come.
Good self-knowledge is also related to futures capabilities so that it strengthens the resilience of the participants, i.e., their ability to adapt to different changes. It should be pointed out in the coaching that there is almost an endless number of possible futures and that the participants are very likely to face changes that no one can expect.
Strong resilience helps find new kinds of opportunities in the midst of such changes. Adapting to even unexpected phenomena is facilitated by a clear understanding of oneself and one’s competence. This also helps see the opportunities created by the phenomena, not just threats that evoke anxiety.
Reflection questions for the coach:
- What kind of strengths do you have? How can they help adapt to different changes in the future?
- What is your own resilience like? What kind of changes are easy for you to adapt to? What kind of changes pose challenges?
- How can you make yourself feel better when the future or major changes cause anxiety?
Example of the duration of the exercise: 30 minutes–1 hour
Supplies: Any deck of strength cards. The coach can find different options online.
Supplies: Any deck of strength cards. The coach can find different options online.
Implementation
Together with the coach and other participants, the participants examine different strengths and try to recognise their own strengths. A deck of strength cards or various strength lists can be adapted and used to support the participants.
Instructions to the participants:
- Select one or more strengths from the card deck.
- Consider how your chosen strength is reflected in your life.
- Also consider how you can utilise your chosen strength, for example, in your working life or studies.
- After this, find one or more strengths in the deck of cards that you would like to develop.
- You can also think together with others about how and where to acquire or develop these strengths.
Sometimes finding even one strength may take time and feel difficult for a young person.
The coach’s task in the exercise is to actively encourage and discuss with the participants.
If the participants are familiar, the coach can talk to them about the strength they have identified.
Example of the exercise duration: It depends on the nature of the adventure selected by the group. It is recommended to allocate sufficient time for the exercise so that participants can fully immerse themselves in the activities. The duration of the activities may vary from a few hours to several days, depending on the objectives and available resources.
Supplies: Depends on the nature of the adventure activities selected by the group.
Goal: The aim of this exercise is to strengthen participants’ agency and provide them with experiences of self-challenge and success. Experimenting with new things in a new environment inspires and strengthens the participants’ self-efficacy and supports the building of a competence identity.
Implementation
This exercise combines future coaching with adventure and experience pedagogy activities. The participants can be taken on a hike, a paddling trip, or a cycling trip.
The activities may also be on a smaller scale, for example, a few hours of grilling at a nearby campfire site. The essential is to leave familiar everyday environments, and the coach gives the participants responsibility for brainstorming, planning and practical implementation of the activities.
The coach’s task is to encourage participants, provide them with feedback, and support the achievement of the group’s objectives. In addition to self and group reflection typical of adventure education, questions and tasks built around future faith and skills can be used to support reflection.
During preparations for adventure activities, it is possible to carry out warm-up tasks with participants or consider the connection between the planned adventure and their future capabilities, self-awareness, and resilience. You can also use the Futures Capabilities Indicator questionnaire.
Reflection questions during adventure activities:
Competence identity: What kinds of new insights have you gained about your competence? Note: Even small things are important here!
Values: What kinds of things and values do you consider important? How have they been visible during the adventure?
Resilience: What kinds of challenging or unexpected situations have you encountered during the adventure? How have you handled them?
Self-efficacy: What kinds of experiences of success have you gained? What kinds of strengths have you noticed in yourself? What about other participants? What have you learned about yourself during the adventure? What about the other participants?
Note: The coach should actively monitor the activities and pay attention to the participants’ different strengths.
A large part of the exercises in this guide can be well applied outdoors in nature or other environments. However, the coach should consider the physical and mental strain of the adventure activities. With a tired and hungry group, thoughts should be directed towards acting in the present rather than in the future.
License
Theme
Kestävä hyvinvointi ja tulevaisuus, Nuorisotyö, Tulevaisuustyö, Yhteisöllinen hyvinvointi ja osallisuus
Citation instructions
Rantaniva, A. ja Eerikäinen, V. 2025. Future Coaching Guide. Xamk Educate 6. South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences. Available: https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:oerfi-202509000000780_2.
ISBN
978-952-344-624-3