All About Coaching
Happy 2021! 🎉
As I reflect back on the last year, I honestly feel like I’ve transformed and became a completely different person. LITERALLY, one year ago, January 2020, I was so massively burnt out, exhausted, overwhelmed that I had to place myself on a medical leave of absence because of all the stress and intensity of work. Even though I had a fancy title, a multiple six figure salary and all that jazz, I was constantly triggered, feeling completely misaligned with who I was, and frequently irritated and angry.
Fast forward to today, I am on the other side, enlightened, energized, focused, motivated - living out and going after what has been my goal for the longest time: becoming a coach. And I’m so passionate about being able to help others through their journey.
I remember having this vision of becoming a coach for a while. The first time ever saying it out loud was May 2019 during a casual dinner conversation with one of my Duke classmates, while eating Thai food at Farmhouse in San Francisco. I distinctly remember that day because it was probably the first time I EVER verbalized my dreams out loud. Looking back, I see how all the dots align and how it was no accident that all roads lead me to where I am today.
Going on my medical leave of absence was the fast and hard reset that I needed to fast track me to a complete rebirth; it’s more than just a career pivot, it’s a complete metamorphosis of who I am as a person. I had to hit rock bottom SO hard to finally WAKE UP and realize that I needed to change. This is just the beginning of what will unfold for me down the line.
Now, I help others go through their work ruts and work crossroads. I help them avoid all the pitfalls and pains that I went through, like busting through imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs, and self advocacy at work.
So how did I do it? How did I have the courage to step away a job with a great title, benefits and status, to “risk” it all and go all-in on myself in coaching? In all honesty, the transition wasn’t an easy one, but I attribute my success to coaching, the people who have helped me along the way, and what I’ve gotten out from it on the other side. My mind has been coached and re-wired time and time again, that the former me is unrecognizable.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you have to up-level your mind time and time again if you want to operate at a new level”
As Marshall Goldsmith says, “what got you here, won’t get you there.” Change and growth doesn’t happen by accident. There is a ton of work involved, and it goes well beyond the daily “visible output.” And by “visible output,” it’s more than just checking off things on a list, implementing and executing tasks. Some people think it’s the strategy and actions that causes the change, and while yes that is partly true, the core of the change is driven by new thoughts that drive new feelings that then drive new actions.
Coaching is all about deconstructing thought patterns, being mindful of old stories that no longer serve us, and taking a deeper look at all the areas where we hold ourselves back. It’s about having a heightened awareness of self, and areas of development. It’s also about taking smaller baby steps to move forward and experience progress. Now as a coach, I can usually tell which brains have been coached vs. which brains haven’t - just based on one’s level of overall openness.
At the baseline, coaching looks at the thoughts we tell ourselves, it’s cool to see this concept applied on so many different areas and domains. I just so happen to be a career coach, because career and work stuff is what gets me excited the most.
There you have it. That’s the secret to my change - it really comes from the power of coaching. And I guarantee it can help you too.
Wanna learn more and interested in working with me? Apply here.
A few commonly asked questions about coaching
How will I know coaching is right for me?
If you’re committed to wanting to see change, doing something different, and getting results, then coaching is right for you. The more you resist and fight the process, the less you get out of it. Be open, and most importantly, be coachable. Be willing to try new things, get challenged in the way you think, and surrender where you need to.
How do I go about finding and evaluating a coach?
There are a lot of coaches out there, so it’s good to learn more about the domain they specialize and operate in, and the experience they offer. Most importantly, having a personalized connection to the individual: make sure they are someone that makes you feel safe, someone that you can learn from, someone that knows their stuff.
What else should I know about coaching?
Not all coaches are created equal! Coaches come in all styles and flavors, some certified, some not. Find a coach whose style, methodology, and approach you resonate with, and you can do so by tuning in on how you feel when you speak with them (or after speaking with them). When there’s a good match, the sky is the limit.