Metaphorical Model «Personal Development is a Path» in the Practice of German-Language Coaching

The article discusses the metaphorical model «personal development is a path» in the practice of German-language coaching. Based on the material of popular publications about the individual growth, the work analyzes the cognitive and didactic potential of the model in terms of the motivational strategy of persuasion. The method of cognitive modeling, which involves definitional and frame analysis, logical operations of analysis and synthesis, as well as the method of cognitive-pragmatic interpretation based on research introspection, allows to make a conclusion about the significance of the model in connection with its clarity and accessibility. On the one hand, the image of the path allows one to understand personal development as a sequence of small steps leading to a goal, on the other hand, it allows the coach to motivate the recipient at all stages of movement towards it. The study has theoretical significance, which lies in the description of the cognitive-pragmatic foundations of motivational discourse; the practical value of the work lies in the use of its results in coaching practice: in writing motivational texts, in developing questionnaires, etc.