Unlike my experience as a teacher, I can’t pinpoint when I started serving as a coach. That’s because for years, I didn’t know there was even such a profession. I didn’t find that out until a dozen years ago when I stumbled upon personal and professional coaching, took my first class, read my first book, and retained my first coach.

What I do know is that, as far back as I can remember, I have been a coach. I also know that this role is different than teaching; I’ll say more about the difference in the next post.

Lessons from Personal Experiences

Unlike my teaching, my coaching stems solely from personal experiences. I didn’t learn anything from computer science (at least of which I’m aware) that I apply to my coaching. Nonetheless, my computer science background comes into play when I create systems that include coaching as a component.

What experiences contributed to my coaching? The constant experience for me was struggling. Struggling to cope with adversities. Those struggles piqued my curiosity about not struggling. In other words, I was hungry for solutions. I needed solutions early in life, but I didn’t know where to turn to get them. I didn’t have a mentor or anyone else that I could turn to with my challenges. As a child, adolescent, and even as a young adult, I didn’t know anything about self-help. I didn’t read my first self-help book until I was around 25 years old. That’s a long time to struggle without external solutions.

My curiosity led to my asking myself countless questions and attempting to answer them. How can I escape my childhood reality yet set myself up for life-long success? How can I get to college when I don’t have a dime? How can I make a difference when no one knows my name?

I had endless questions. What I discovered is that probing questions are like logs on a fire. The more the questions pile up, the bigger the flame (insights). So, I kept asking questions.

As a young teen, people came to me with similar challenges. So, I asked them questions. What I discovered is that in the midst of people exploring questions, solutions appeared. Then, I could help them evaluate and strengthen their solutions.

My coaching started with questions, but it didn’t end there. I’ve developed a wide-range of tools—inquiry, meditation, deep breathing, energy work, etc.—that I integrate into the coaching process.

Coaching Objectives

I love coaching, even more so than teaching. Coaching allows me to have an ongoing relationship and bond with individuals or groups of individuals. I get to watch people blossom and solve their own challenges. I just facilitate their problem-solving process. Occasionally, I put on my teaching hat.

Being Blessed to Coach

I view coaching as a partnership. Each party brings something that’s missing—ideas, experiences, tools, information, etc.—to the table. Coaching is not a one-way exchange: I learn as well. I’m enriched in the process. The same happens on the other end.

Coaching is a beautiful thing. Just like teaching, I take this role seriously and know that it’s a blessing. People entrust me with their deepest thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams. Like a co-pilot, I help them navigate to where they want to go. They’re transformed. I’m transformed. That’s why I’m always coaching.