Future Guilt sucks as a motivator.
You know:
"On your deathbed will you regret doing/not doing <<whatever>>?"
"What bad habits are you teaching your child by playing video games in front of them?"
"Don't you want to live for something better?"
"Should you be eating that?"
The GOAL of inducing guilt like this is to elicit an emotional response which (hopefully!) motivates you to take action and change something.
The PROBLEM is:
Emotions are a lousy way to make lasting change, because over time, emotions fade and become less potent motivators.
As emotions stop "moving the needle" and inducing change, guilt becomes a crutch you have to return to again and again.
Now you're stuck in a cycle where you need MORE guilt to get the same level of motivation.
Sounds a lot like addiction, doesn't it? But it can get even worse.
Guilt as a motivator can also be really DANGEROUS.
Once you're twisting the screws of guilt it's an easy "slide to the right" from guilt to shame... And on the other side of shame is... self-hatred.
Never a good method for bringing about change!
Whether you're coaching someone else, or YOURSELF, guilt is a bad habit to get into.
Fortunately the solution is simple... good habits, good process, good consistency of action.
Combine that with grace, flexibility and forgiveness.
You know, be a HUMAN to others. And yourself!