My story
Having coached numerous men over the last few years I have concluded that many men are a combination of frustrated, uninspired and tired. Too often buried in the many “should dos and to dos” of life.
At the age of 25 I was just that. Burnt out, jaded and directionless, handing in my resignation at work with no plan or pathway forward. My sense of purpose had deserted me and my confidence felt like it hung by a thread. The pressure of portraying myself as a man who had his stuff together caused me to run uncontrollably and distractedly on the hamster wheel of 21st century life. Forever trying to keep up with demands I placed on myself and what I sensed the world was requesting of me had left me dangerously disconnected from my true self. In popular psychology, this reality has been described as the Quarter Life Crisis – where there is anxiety over the direction and quality of one’s own life.
Nouwen observed: “Answers before questions do harm to the soul”. I thought I had many answers to life by my mid-twenties but was left dissatisfied with the end result.
After time to reflect and receiving coaching from a mentor, I took action. Chatting with trusted individuals enabled me to discover my Sweet Spot in life, which is to use coaching to empower others into greater freedom in their own lives. Especially men, as we can struggle to open up and and explore what is going on underneath the surface. I qualified as an accredited coach through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) in 2018 and have been coaching others ever since.
It is from this place of vulnerability that I offer coaching as a tool for others. I am no expert, my burn out proves that. However, I know something of what it is like to feel hopeless with no option or route forward. Coaching can be such a powerful tool for guys because men often find it harder to open up and talk. Men have a tendency to be better at doing stuff rather than exploring what is going on underneath the surface. Coaching is not therapy, it is in essence about doing! It is about having honest powerful conversations that leave you in the box seat to make changes in your life that will bring huge reward – not just for you but those closest to you, who experience the best and worst of you on a daily basis.