Most people think having a coach is for the elite…top sports people and senior executives for example, or they think it’s simply for “everyone else”.
But the truth is that coaching is for everyone. Period.
It doesn’t matter if we are leaders in Fortune 50 companies, individuals in a team, feel lonely and want to find deep happiness, if we feel stuck in old ways and don’t know how to change things, or are tired of those negative voices in our heads and want to shake them. Maybe we want to embrace a new opportunity and don’t know how to make it a success.
Coaching is for all of us.
Hiring my own coach is the most impactful decision I’ve ever made. She’s a wise sounding board, a truth teller, a sage, a hard ass, funny, tough and kind. And, she’s a brilliant role model for how I can bring my highest level of service to my clients in every session. One of the wisest thing she’s said to me is: “your body is bigger than your head, Jen”. In other words, get out of your head and stop letting it rule. Its a great example of simple but powerful truth! So here’s 3 big reasons why I love being a coach:
1. It’s about building relationships and serving people.
This is a fundamental, blessed truth. There are several billion people in this world and we all have fears, challenges, old stories, and negative voices that hold us back. We all desire for change and bettering our future selves - we often just don’t know how to do it. I coach with love and deep commitment to bringing my highest level service…that means empathy, compassion, humor and “a loving boot” that’ll lovingly hold you accountable for the actions you agreed to take to get the changes you want to make.
2. It’s about being curious.
Have you ever thought about these questions?:
What do you want? What’s your biggest fear? How do you want your life to change? What are your unique strengths? What's the dark side of those strengths? In 3 years time, if you look back and say they’ve been the best 3 years of your life, what would you be saying? What have you done to make it be, so far?
Tough, right? Asking big questions like these “cuts through the crap” of our noisy minds and show us new perspectives. A recent client was living a life playing “small”, and lack of confidence kept them there. We got curious together, and I asked some of those tough questions. Eventually they understood how playing small was feeding that lack of confidence and harming, not helping.
Another client, a successful executive in a big company was feeling completely trapped; caught in a spiral of not being able to say no to heavy work demands that were taking their toll on her family life, and her health. She wanted more and together we laid out goals for what she truly wanted, and a plan for how she would get there. We looked at what she values and guess what? They were things very important to her, and she had forgotten them. She also learnt to set boundaries, and negotiate around her needs as well as the job demands. It’s not easy to say “no”, but she is practicing and finding more space for important things, like being able to take her kids to school.
OK, change is tough for many of us. It’s easy to keep doing what we’ve always done because it feels comfortable; even if it’s not helping. By getting curious with my client, we shed light on ways they could make sustainable changes. The result? They step in to their confidence and with encouragement can made major shifts.
As the incredible coach Steve Chandler says, “this is curiosity and this is love. Love is what it is, and curiosity is how it’s expressed”.
3. It’s about listening.
Put simply, my job is to stop talking and listen deeply. The less I say, the more I listen, the better I’m doing my job. In fact I have “W.A.I.T” (Why Am I Talking!!) on a sticky note on my desk!
Building relationships, being curious & listening.
As a coach I get to serve my clients with love and curiosity as they explore who they are. I truly feel honored.
I want to invite you to take the first step towards a more fulfilling life. Curious how?
Click on the button to set up a time to chat; I’d love to tell you more about how coaching with me works.
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