Coaching is a rewarding practice for both the coach and the coachee

4 Selfish Reasons I Love Being a Coach

Money isn’t one of them

I disagree that the coaching industry is saturated. Why? Because everyone could use a coach at some point in their lives, if not several. That would require a lot of coaches, and one size does not fit all. We all go through experiences, positive and negative, that could be improved with coaching, and in an ideal world we would — making decisions, career progression, life transitions, challenging situations, new opportunities. Even our mundane everyday routines can be enhanced with coaching, and yield far from mundane results.

I aim to be coached as often as possible, because it constantly opens me up to new perspectives, clarity, ideas, accountability and energy that I just wouldn’t access if I were only thinking things through myself, or with an unskilled counterpart. Coaching makes you answer questions you’d never thought of, or would avoid if left to your own devices.

As a coach, you can’t just leave your practice behind when you finish work each day. To coach with integrity you must walk your talk and employ the models, tools and techniques from your work into your own life. If not, you will not be able to coach authentically. And this is selfish reason number one why I love being a coach.

1. Coaching encourages us to live life better — once coached or trained and committed as a coach, we cannot unlearn what we know. We become highly aware of any discord between what we know and what we do. We have the tools to implement our training, and we have the evidence of what works from our clients. It would be a very uncomfortable (near impossible) existence to coach our clients authentically and not also want growth for ourselves. Does that mean we all live super-potentialised lives all the time? Of course not. But it certainly challenges us to up our game regularly and deal with issues as and when they come along. And if we can’t and won’t, then that’s a sign that perhaps, besides coaching, we need something else, such as counselling, to unblock us in order to effectuate change. And that’s OK. And because of coaching, we know that.
2. Many people hold back from admitting they’re stuck, asking for help or making positive change because they think that there’s something wrong with them. They’re embarrassed, ashamed or afraid, and don’t want to share that with anyone else. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from my clients and another reason why I love being a coach is that you truly see that basically we are all the same. We all go through the same irrational thoughts, doubts, limiting beliefs, shame, embarrassment, fear, challenges, problems, and we generally think about them in the same way. If only we all realised that, we would be so much more understanding and compassionate, not just with each other, but perhaps most importantly, with ourselves. No, you’re not weird or unique in a bad way. In fact, I’m convinced that the thing that we have most in common is our humanness and imperfection, and dare I say it, neurosis. Now, imagine if we all knew and recognised that openly. Wouldn’t we then feel more at ease to do something about it? Wouldn’t we all be in a better place to support each other? Coaching gives you that insight and awareness, and with that comes empathy and humility — because seriously, we are all the same.
3. So, your client has taken the plunge, shared their desires and has committed to change, and you’re working to bring it about. Together you clarify the outcome they want, you examine the resources they have and the obstacles they might meet along the way, you make sure that their goal and journey are in alignment with their values, and that their strengths are being used appropriately. Steps are being taken, limiting thoughts are being quashed, a-ha moments abound. In each session you celebrate their growth: their goal is closer, their smile becomes wider, their energy is stronger and they thank you for your work. This is another of the reasons I love coaching: it is a hugely satisfying, often exhilarating, and joyful career. I’ve experienced the same sensation as a teacher when my students progress. I can only imagine how it feels for a physiotherapist to watch their patients heal and build strength. Witnessing someone else feel good, is one of the quickest ways to feel good yourself. Knowing you played a part in that is, indeed, priceless.
4. The final selfish reason I love being a coach is the shared motivation. Similar to witnessing someone else feel good, and feeling good yourself, the same goes for motivation. Before a call I could have the world on my shoulders, but once I click that Start Meeting button my worries are forgotten, and we enter deep into the world of the client. By the end of the session she is pumped, running out the virtual (Zoom) door to take action, and so am I. That positive motivated energy is contagious. When you see your clients find a solution to their challenges, you remember that so will you. When you help them with a plan and it’s working, you get to work on making your own. Coaching worked for them today, so you contact your own coach (another perk — coaches are your peers) and book your next session. I’ve never come away from a session without feeling lighter, clearer and more optimistic about life in general. Frequently what I do after a session with a client, is take action of my own, thanks to the momentum of positive energy that a session usually generates.

Today I leave you with just four reasons I love being a coach. There are many, many more. If you ever need convincing about the value of coaching, I accept the challenge.