Oppression is NOT a limiting belief

I’m just going to say it like it is…

The coaching industry is filled with white people who create tools they think will work for everybody.

What do I mean by that?

A big part of coaching is training you how to think about things differently. It’s about opening your mind to what’s possible, without instantly shutting it down with “I can’t.”

A big part of that is the concept of limiting beliefs — patterns of beliefs that we develop over time that limit our ability to go after our desires.

The idea is that we as individuals developed limiting beliefs, and only we can move beyond them.

The problem is, most white coaches have strategic colorblindness when it comes to issues of oppression. They ignore the conversation completely or conflate internalized oppression with limiting beliefs.

They’ll say things like “you’re stuck in a victim mentality” or “what you put out you receive in the world.”

Oppression is not a limiting belief. It’s not up to us to “fix” oppression ourselves, because unlike limiting beliefs, oppression is not self-generated.

Coaching for people of color needs to involve a recognition of the oppression we face and a process for grappling with the on-going belief patterns that persist as a result.

My hope is that through Woke Up Worthy we can start a new conversation in the coaching industry. One that acknowledges that every issue isn’t a limiting belief and that oppression is a real, impactful, and harmful thing that people of color will have to continue to navigate.

We deserve real coaching tools that help us thrive.

Have you ever had an experience with a coach that didn’t sit right with you? Hit reply and let me know!