Tuesday, 20 August 2013

Playing Big, Resistance, Support, Challenge, and Judgement Free Awareness


A recent chat with my fellow coach, Che,  went something like this:
Me:      Seems I am able to play with 2 to 4 coaching clients for a few months (I have a full time day job) and then I need to go back into focusing on my self care. Still learning how to increase my capacities (take care of self AND add more value to others).
            One key for me is staying in the mode of "I am doing great and let's play a little bigger this week than last" vs. focusing on what didn't go as I wanted and then judging myself which leads to a downward spiral. Biggest key to playing big is feeling good about myself and my progress.
Che      Yes, agreed! I have had to learn how to forgive myself and take on the mentality of failure isn't failure, it's just practice.
Me:      Yes!  As long as I am feeling good about myself and nurtured I can stay in that mode of playing big and expanding capacities.

This got me asking myself, what are the distinctions to explore here?  I came up with 4: 

self-care, nurture, reflection time        vs.        running from resistance

Keep playing                                       vs        short break                            vs         looong break

seeing the whole scoreboard              vs.        focusing on the portion that I don’t like

being                                                   vs         being productive.

I will plan to expand on these distinctions as time allows…

What do these bring up for you guys?

Any other distinctions that comes to mind?

-Coach John

Thursday, 1 August 2013

Should a Life Coach Have a Life First?

That was the title of the New York Times article (featuring 27-year-old Life Coach Jeannine Yoder) that I read in January when I was trying to decide whether or not life coaching was for me. 8 months later the question has morphed somewhat to "Should a Life Coach have a Life?" to which I believe (at the time of this writing) that the answer is an indelible "Yes." I do not believe that a life is measured in years, but I do think that coaches need to be willing to get down and dirty with the real nitty-gritty of life if they are to be any kind of effective. Too often I run into coaches who use coaching as a way to stay safe, preaching from ivory towers, an acceptable way to avoid having to let loose and really live. Coaches need a life outside of coaching. First you live, then you coach. Any thoughts?

Poppin' The Blog Cherry

Welcome everyone! All two of you ;) This space is meant for coaches of all levels and backgrounds to congregate and share what's really on your minds... about coaching, the coaching business, life, etc. Have fun and don't forget to tip your waiter.