Why I'm Still a Coach

A bit over 6 years ago I embarked on a journey to change my life. I didn’t realize then how far the journey would take me. Prior to this point, the longest I ever stayed in one job was a few months shy of 5 years. And in any case where I was with a company over 3 years, there was a significant change of role or responsibility to keep me interested and invested. You see, I’m not a big fan of “maintenance” work; I prefer fixing things that are broken, or creating new things altogether.

So, 6+ years in the same role is quite a big deal for me. To be sure, as I’ve grown the things I’m working on have changed. I started as a student of coaching, I now teach at that same coaching school. I was pursuing something that I could point to that said I really knew what I was doing, now I’m awaiting the processing of my application for a Master Certified Coach from ICF - and my eyes are already directed to a growing area in coaching (especially in the USA), coaching supervision.

And throughout all of this time I continue to hone my coaching skills. Which is to say, I’m becoming a better human.

Coaching doesn’t just change the person being coached (sometimes called a player, a client, a coachee) - it changes the Coach. Trained coaches who meet the requirements of ICF, EMCC, or IAC (all are international coaching organizations that certify coaches) realize that they can’t take someone further in coaching than they’ve gone themselves.

Coaching changes lives.

When I’m working with someone and they bring up beliefs that challenge them, I wouldn’t be as effective a partner for them if I haven’t wrestled with my own challenging beliefs. If in a coaching session they experience strong emotion, I have to recognize that feeling in myself to truly empathize with them, hold space for them, and then be fully present to be able to discuss their emotions with them.

This was unexpected, hard, and yet rewarding work that I had to do on myself (and with my own coach). So that I can show up as a masterful coach for others. And I’m so grateful that I get to do it every day I choose, and I choose most of them.

So the short explanation of why I am still a coach is, quite frankly, because it makes me a better human being. And I get to multiply my impact by helping others on their journeys of growth (personally and professionally) as well. I’ve echoed the sentiment “Work is for Joy” for years, and I’m happy to not only experience that myself, but to know others have found that in our work together as well.

How’s your journey been going? We all have one life in which to learn, love, and laugh. Work is for Joy. Play is important. Being yourself is a gift. If you’ve read all of this I’d love to hear your story in return. Please reach out.