Don't Go It Alone, Hire A Coach

There you are, trying to keep a smile on your face when someone is asking how you are doing. You say “great, I’m fine”. But inside your thoughts run amok and you want to yell and scream! But you don't. Every possible life changing event has come your way – a death in your family, a job loss, your debt ballooning, your child failing school. Now add in COVID-19 and your problems and life challenges just got bigger than you ever imagined. You keep thinking you'll get through this somehow on your own…

Our American culture influences our willingness and/or resistance to ask for help and remain strong on the outside, while we feel helpless, stuck, and alone on the inside. We are trained that showing that we need help can be looked upon as a weakness. We do not want anyone to see us as weak, especially when we know they look up to us. So we suck it up. We also think that if we accept free help or advice from a friend, or a business colleague that we must somehow how owe them. But what if accepting help, advice, encouragement, or guidance is how we can give back to society by paying it forward?

From searching for a new job, to prioritizing my career goals, learning how to be a better boss, navigating professional/personal relations, improving my health and well-being to ultimately starting my own business; these are the times I have hired a coach. And guess what? All of them had offered some immediate complimentary help or tool. Did I feel obligated to hire them? No, but I did choose to hire a select few that I felt would understand my needs and goals.

My biggest hurdle to overcome was the idea that by contacting and hiring a coach I was admitting that I needed help to take big action steps to change my life or get to a certain outcome. I wanted to prove I could figure things out on my own. I was scared, but I realized asking for help was a step forward in the right direction, especially when I did not know how to handle a situation. And part of getting to this point was acknowledging that I did not have all the answers, I was stuck – and that was OK.

Coaches are advisors, guides, and mentors. Coaches support and partner with individuals on how to handle complex and overwhelming situations and enabling you to uncover your next step in a forward moving direction. They provide encouragement, motivation, and challenge you in a way that you cannot produce by your own accord.

Coaches work to identify the following with you for any given aspect or part of your life you want to focus on. They will sort out:

1. Where are you now?

2. Where are you going?

3. How will you get there?

Coaches help you acknowledge the things within your control. They will illuminate what you can influence in your sphere that affects positive changes towards an outcome. Finally, they will assist you in learning how to accept all else that is out of your control.

Working with a coach means you will grow. You will uncover and learn new things about yourself. You will become more of your authentic self. And you will move forward with more ease and confidence especially through times of great challenge and change. #coaching #careercoaching #businesscoaching #mentoring