I was working with my business coach, Kristen, when I reached a significant conclusion. When I started coach training, I simply wanted to improve my coaching skills so I could help others. But during my training, every other student wanted to build a business that would supplement or replace their current source of income. Without even considering it, I “bought into” the idea that I needed to build a business in order to coach others.
As I processed my thoughts, I realized I had no desire to be in business. I had reached retirement age and all my financial needs were being met. And I realized at my age, I was spending much of my time trying to build a business that I didn’t actually want!
The idea (or metaphor) of a riptide, scientifically known as rip current but sometimes also called an undertow, came to mind. A rip current occurs when incoming ocean waves create a strong force of water flowing back out to sea. People caught in the rip current can be pulled away from shore and drowning can often occur.
It’s impossible to fight against a rip current by trying to get straight back to shore. Experienced swimmers know when caught in the current, a swimmer goes to the left or right of the shoreline and comes to a place where the current as decreased.
Taking that idea of a rip current and apply it to my coaching, I realized that I had been caught in a current with everyone else I knew moving in the same direction. I either needed to continue in the flow that someone else set and be far away from where I really wanted to be, or shift my position to the side out of the flow.
My coach helped me determine that I had lost my “first love;” to simply contribute to the world by helping others rather than build a business that everyone else thought was important.
My immediate application to my discovery about myself was to release the idea of building a business and simply provide the coaching (and supervision) that thousands of people need but are without access to.
In just over 24 hours, this website was “born” and my sights were adjusted to want I wanted most: “To be a better man, who helps others become better, for a better world.” This was my original vision when I entered into coach training.
I have strongly embraced the idea of providing pro bono (free) life coaching to people who would not otherwise be able to utilize it, and extremely low cost coaching supervision to life coaches who are just learning about the benefits of supervision.
To learn more about receiving life coaching without charge, go here.
To learn more about receiving coach supervision at very low cost, go here.