In our case, you can give yourself space to alter your existing impression of Coaching as you unfold your own thoughts around it. In the meantime I also tell you My Story on how I ended up being here writing to you.
The definitions of Coaching that exist out there we can put for now respectfully into a basket in the corner. This is our very personal and individual conversation that deserves its own foundation-setting.
And right here at the beginning I would like to place these questions onto our coffee table – I like to imagine that we are having a relaxed conversation over coffee and cake – , so that you can stop time for a wee while, pick the ones you like and allow yourself to ponder:
What does Coaching mean to you?
What kind of experiences do you have with it so far?
How do you feel about seeking collaboration with anyone for your progress?
Do you feel you empower yourself through this or quite the contrary?
Maybe now a sip of coffee and a square of dark chocolate to ease you into even more Flow in your thinking.
If I see your raised eyebrows at this point, asking me what these questions should all bring, then let me say only this much: questions can truly be the beginning of (more) wisdom.
(At one point Lieutenant Worf made a similar remark – if you are a sci-fi fan and that helps bring this insight any closer to your Heart. Many wise historical figures and today's thought leaders would probably enthusiastically agree, considering their work focusing around questions of Life.) And they are also at the heart of Coaching.
Asking questions is very powerful. Even or especially the uncomfortable or obvious ones. Also, to rattle the status quo in our Mind and be able to shake off limiting beliefs that have a lurky nature and can build glass walls for our imagination and understanding of the world.
Spotting limiting beliefs and letting them go – which often happens through a patient process of unlearning over time – can mean a great leap towards that best version of ourselves.
The Answers, Your Answers are within you. You know best what is best for you. When you honour that, you will experience Self-empowerment in the greatest way.
I mentioned in the beginning My Story I wanted to share on how I ended up here talking to you. Why Coaching for me is not a role, a dry profession definition, but an approach that is closest to express my own essence in a vocation. It really is a way to look at things, starting with self-observation (that means also to taking my own advice that I share with others and remain authentic), looking for learning in all situations with a humble curiosity and appreciation. It means having a deep purpose to share valuable insights and provide a platform to discover their own with the ones who reach out – at the intersections of our Journeys.
My own Journey was elevated to a new level by – well, by asking a question or rather The Question to myself.
A Journey in which I went from my steady progressing not completely happy, but satisfactory Life, including that world-travelling business pro lifestyle that I set out my dream for when I was 17, and then being so shaken by grief suddenly that I had to ask myself the only then obvious question "Do I really want to go on like this or am I ready to change to build a truly happy and fulfilled Life?". After finding my determination and taking actions to make that positive change happen and dedicating my time to do my catching up on all the learnings I had to do to become exponentially more conscious of what I am about and what Life and human existence seems to be about in general, I arrived at a major milestone.
I summarised that intense 3 year's Journey in a sentence, but really, once you start opening up to the possibility that the things you believe in Life may deserve reassessment and the awesome benefit of that one large context as a guidepost at all times, amazing changes start to happen. As if clearing a layer of fog from around your vision.
Sure, we can be smart and we know how to lead a workshop or have more baskets for our finances or remember to book early for next year's vacation or that poem from 20 years go, win a game of chess, but...
Do we really hold that Vision for our Life dear every day?
Do we appreciate the Moment and what we already have every day?
Are we able to stop ourselves wandering off into negative thinking and realise that if we feed the existing positive things with our energy, they will dominate our days and not our – currently assumed – problems?
Can we stop feeling that our dreams are lost in the ordinary days?
Can we stand our ground believing that we deserve Happiness even in the face of cynicism?
Now, for me it took a major shock and pain to be shaken awake and realise I need to refocus my Life and do it right away.
Don't get me wrong, I was aiming to live in the kindest and smartest way every day, but I did not honour the full context of it every day with all its areas. I was focusing on a few as we mostly do as our society is set up that way.
I decided that if I can help it – and that is one major aspect what I would like to fulfill in my chosen format of Coaching –, I would like everyone to have the chance to positively transform themselves and their Life without major pain.
Kensho vs. Satori. Kensho is learning through pain and Satori is learning through insight. Which one seems more appealing to you? Yeah, I think we potentially answer the same thing to this question.
The Universe supports our plan, so I believe. Einstein (I like him not only for his wisdom, but that cheeky humour he sometimes treated the world with) suggested that if we want to ask one question to ourselves, this may be the most important one: do we believe that the Universe is a friendly place? I do. Do you?
In that time of searching for more conscious tools to shape my Life, I found the Lifebook programme (it was launched on the Mindvalley platform which remains a great and constant source of Learning for me) and its structure and inspiration helped me to crystallise my Life Vision and all the 12 categories that belong to it. I also applied the Japanese Ikigai concept during this crystallising process, to make sure my approach is indeed as holistic as I can be.
What is Life Vision? Life Vision is the centerpiece of your Life, your Guiding Star. Just like you would do with any project, even something simple like grocery shopping, when you first clarify what you want to get out of it, what is the goal and align all actions to that. The "Begin with the End in Mind" concept of Covey, "Start with Why" of Simon Sinek and many more concepts describe that, as it is backed up by human experience that it works.
We tend to forget that our Life is really behaving like a massive project.
If we do not see where we are going, how could we optimally steer it and successfully, happily get there?
That process and all the Personal Evolution resources that I have been consuming, like how to programme the Subconscious, implement regular Meditation and Gratitude practice into my days (huge Return on Investment), astonishing discoveries of neuroscience – bringing all this newly acquired knowledge into a harmonious, complete Me to truthfully express and serve my Purpose in the best way.
Part of that Purpose being that I would like everyone to be able to experience these revelations, to feel that much empowered and more.
That you realise how you can empower yourself and how simple shifts of focus or perspective can gain you big wins. That you start even more enjoying the Journey, trust yourself and live this Life as your greatest Adventure. Compassionately, true to who you are and becoming an organic part of that better world that I hope we all still believe in building.
Ask yourself those great big questions that speak to you. Love your Life so much that you do commit time to listen to yourself. You'll be amazed how doubts in you start shrinking and wake up to what awesome things you are capable of.
For me Coaching was The Answer to my question of what form I can serve best in.
Coaching and Leadership.
Are you living Your Answer?
Can you be truly honest with yourself in everything?
Are you ready to explore to make certain that you live in complete alignment with who you are?
Give yourself some more space and let the things that resonate sink in.
Another square of chocolate?
#Coaching #Leaders #Leadership #LifeVision #ConsciousLife #Ikigai #FindyourIkigai #Empower #Selfempower #PositiveTransformation #FriendlyUniverse #Satori #PersonalEvolution #Lifebook #LoveyourLife
Recommended Resources:
Kensho vs Satori - https://blog.mindvalley.com/kensho-satori/
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