The magic of working with a coach

Do you struggle with asking for help? Do you see it as a sign of weakness? Do you always feel like you can figure it out on your own?

That was me and probably still am. I actually enjoy figuring things out on my own, it gives me a sense of achievement and pride. But magic happens when you reach out and seek help from others. And sometimes that requires making an investment in yourself that at first may seem crazy.

I met Harry during our Yoga Teacher Training program at Ahana. I knew he was a coach and I had always wanted to explore the world of coaching. One day during our lunch break we started talking about coaching and he fed that interest in me. 

I told him, “I will reach out to you when we are done with the YTT. I want to take one thing at a time”. So we left it at that, but the idea kept ruminating in my mind.

Five months later I decided to schedule what is called a “discovery call” with Harry. At first I thought I was just going to ask him a lot of questions and get some tips about how to start a coaching business. But the call was so much more than that.

Right in there I made the decision to invest in myself and work with Harry 1 on 1. Something told me this was the right time & place and that I had to follow my gut. So I did.

I want to share with you the 5 things I learned about working with a coach. 

1. No one needs a coach and yet everyone should get a coach. A coach will make you see the world from a different lens. They will make you see your untapped potential. They will be there when your self-doubt kicks in and they will help you uncover your self-limiting beliefs and unconscious self-sabotaging behaviors and thoughts.  
2. A coach will keep you accountable to yourself. How many times have you started a project or set a goal and then at some point gave up or procrastinated to the point of no return. That will not happen if you hire a coach. You owe it to your coach, but most importantly, you owe it to yourself.
3. A coach will help you dream BIG. I remember I had to describe my dream life during one of our first sessions. The humble and fearful part of me kept me dreaming small, almost scared to dream for more. I remember Harry telling me “You have so much to give. You are not starting from zero. With your background and years of experience, you are already there, so give yourself the credit you deserve”. 
4. A coach will give you the space to figure things out on your own. They will not tell you what to do, they will guide you to find your answer, and that’s the beauty of coaching. Coaching is very different from mentoring or teaching.  A mentor is someone who shares their knowledge, skills, and/or experience, to help another to develop and grow. A coach is someone who provides guidance to a client on their goals and helps them reach their full potential. 
5. As Warren Buffet wisely stated in a 2019 interview with Yahoo Finance editor-in-chief, "By far the best investment you can make is in yourself." Invest in areas that spark your interest, give you joy, and in turn will increase your level of happiness and well-being.

I hope this post made you reflect and maybe think about the opportunity to invest in yourself and hire a coach. You are worth it and you deserve it. I promise you won’t regret it.

Namaste.

Chio