WHY I COACH?
I was born in the Bronx, NY. A part of the first-generation Americans in my family. Challenges with the English language lead to difficulties in school with foundational courses. I kept pushing through the hurdles while observing my parental figures. They demanded excellence as they demonstrated grit through their everyday efforts to our family. With limited English language skills, my teachers suggested that I wake up early and read. My mother being an overachiever, woke me up to read every single day before school. As my peers were still in their beds, I was up learning the lesson of consistency by waking up to read my assigned remedial books. My mother did try, but her perseverance overshadowed her limited English skills.
Seeing the grit from my family firsthand was something I did not appreciate until years later. I was ignorant, which lead to me being ungrateful. My early years were consisted of blaming others for my results and regretting everything that didn't produce my ideal results.
16 years into my 20-year career, I was introduced to training opportunities that fueled and honed my passions for developing skills and making sustainable change in others. Those same circumstances made my transition out of the military seamless. Now, as a retired veteran, I discovered coaching as the appropriate circumstance to help others in the civilian world.
Lessons that I have learned which translate easily to any situations are:
There are opportunities in all experiences.
Leadership can fix almost anything.
Effort can't be measured, but it can be harnessed
A raised awareness can uncover options
Learn all things as if you are about to teach them to others
There are opportunities in all experiences.
Opportunities are usually set by the circumstances and the perspective of those experiencing them. When success does not happen quickly, not accepting failure is learning from those occasions and applying the lessons in the future.
Leadership can fix almost anything.
Leadership is influence. It is also a variety of things mostly thought of as a resource for organizations or people in them. I would like to go beyond positional leadership and reference self-leadership. Those who aspire to lead people need to master themselves before they impact others. You can't give what you don't have.
Effort can't be measured, but it can be harnessed.
An effort is the amount of energy someone exerts towards a result. Choosing how to utilize your power and in what manner can only be measured by you.
A raised awareness can uncover options.
When feeling stuck, it is often a matter of focusing on a problem more than a solution. The focus is usually a result of a lack of self-awareness of the circumstances. When you raise your awareness, possibilities will turn into options that create more choices.
Learn all things as if you are about to teach them to others
Acquiring knowledge is a lifelong pursuit; however, we consume knowledge to control how we master information and impact others.
Did you find the strategies listed in this article helpful? I'd love to know what you think. Leave a comment below.