Why I Am a Coach
Hello, dear reader! What you are about to read was not written for you. I wrote it for myself to read when I am having a bad day or doubts about myself as a coach. However, I thought you might be interested in what I have to say about my chosen career, why it is right for me, and what I need to remember about it. Without further ado, I welcome you to read a letter to myself.
Dear Alex,
Hello from a past version of yourself! How are you? Well, okay, if you are reading this, I can probably guess how you are feeling. I’m sorry you are feeling like you are right now. Do not try to push those feelings away. Feel them. Accept them. Do not judge yourself for feeling your feelings. Remember the important things. You are loved by God, your family, your friends, probably some people you don’t know, and these guys:
Aren’t they adorable! You have been blessed.
Okay, so, if you are having doubts or frustrations about your coaching career, here are some things you need to remember:
You are good at this. Yep, you are. AND, you are writing this when you are still new in your coaching career. You will get even better. Remember that conversation you had with your cousin and how you helped him? That was before you even started accepting clients. You weren’t even trying to coach him; it just happened. That is what you would be denying your clients if you just gave up on this career. Do not quit. Yes, I know the idea of doing something else might be tempting, but just continue to master your pulled pork in your spare time. Maybe someone will come along and will be able to partner with you to make your dream of a legitimate BBQ restaurant opening in Sioux Falls a reality so that you can still focus on being a coach. Trust me, you don’t want to live the lifestyle of a restaurant owner. That is not authentically you. Continue on the road on which you currently find yourself. You would be denying the world of your gifts if you stopped coaching. Multiple people have complimented your coaching. Do not give into the temptation to think you are not good enough.
Imagine what would have happened had you not chosen this career path. What would you be doing? It probably wouldn’t be satisfying you. Moreover, you would feel inadequate as a person, and even if you think you are not an adequate person right now, I want to assure you that you are. The skills you have gained through your coaching training have made you better at having conversations with others. Gone are the days where you feel like you will never be able to meet someone else and feel comfortable having a conversation with them. Think about what coaching training has helped you develop. It has taken your natural curiosity and helped you use it to form questions to get to know someone else. You are better able to tap into what makes others tick and get to know them. Aside from all of that, being a coach has given you something to talk about. You love being a coach, and you love describing to others what you do for a living. Embrace these things, Alex.
Also, what has your life up to the point of getting an ADHD diagnosis at the age of 20 taught you? It has taught you what it is like to feel different, to feel like an outcast. You know how terrible that feels. Use that. Use it to inspire you to help others with ADHD. It feels good to help someone or to just simply be there for them. Your experiences can help them and can comfort them. You know what it is like to feel rejected and like an outcast. That should inspire you to help others see their dignity. While we are on the subject of dignity. Remember that you, Alex, are a child of God and have an inherent dignity that cannot be tarnished.
Lastly, Alex, I would like to point out what I have not said in this letter. I have not said that you got into this profession to become cartoonishly rich. The accumulation of wealth was not and is not the reason you are in this profession. You are here to help others become all that they were created to be. Do not get sucked into worries about not having enough clients or making enough money. Those worries won’t grow your business. Being the best coach you can be will grow your business. To quote a song by Jessie J, “It's not about the money, money, money.” Again, you, Alex, being the best coach you can be will be the catalyst to growing your business.
Love,
Alex