PERHAPS I WAS BORN FOR THIS

This week, I received an email from one of my coaching clients that really touched me.
 
It made me stop and think.
 
And it confirmed something I have been feeling for some time.
 
Making coaching a bigger part of my business is absolutely the right way forward.
 
 
MAYBE THE DIFFICULT TIMES HAD A PURPOSE
 
I have had an incredible life, with some wonderful highs but also plenty of lows.
 
I have made mistakes and experienced failure, rejection, financial difficulties, injuries and health challenges.
 
At the time, I certainly didn’t appreciate those experiences.
 
But perhaps they have helped make me the coach I am today.
 
They have given me empathy.
 
When someone tells me they are struggling, I understand what it feels like when life isn’t going according to plan.
 
More importantly, I know things can change.
 
 
THE JOURNEY I NEVER EXPECTED
 
When I started my business 14 years ago, I had one ambition.
 
I wanted to become a life coach.
 
That’s why I called the business JD Mindcoach.
 
I completed a coaching qualification and then spent two years training to become a qualified counsellor.
 
Then, at a networking event, somebody told me about the Academy for Chief Executives, now Vistage.
 
That conversation changed everything.
 
It led me into masterclass delivery and keynote speaking, which became the main focus of my business for the next 12 years.
 
I have loved every minute of that journey, and I still do today.
 
But over the past year, coaching has become an increasingly important part of my work.
 
And coaching gives me something different.
 
 
ONE PERSON AT A TIME
 
With a masterclass, I don’t always get to see what happens afterwards.
 
With coaching, I do.
 
I see people becoming calmer, more confident and more in control, often in just a few sessions.
 
I work with people at different levels and from different countries, including the US, Germany and Poland, all through Microsoft Teams.
 
Each person is different.
 
Each challenge is different.
 
And each journey is precious.
 
When a coaching programme ends, I often feel genuinely sad. Over those weeks, you build a relationship, share their challenges and celebrate their progress.
 
 
MAYBE I WAS BORN FOR THIS
 
I still love speaking and delivering masterclasses, and I have plenty booked well into next year.
 
But coaching gives me the joy of helping one person at a time.
 
Perhaps the most remarkable thing is that so many of the mistakes and setbacks from my own life are now helping other people.
 
Things I once wished had never happened have become part of what makes me a better coach.
 
And perhaps, after all these years, I’ve arrived back where I started.
 
Maybe I was born for this.
 
I’m 72 years old, and the exciting thing is that I can see myself doing this well into my 80s.
 
What a thrilling thought.
 
 
3 KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• Difficult experiences are never wasted. They can become part of your strength. 

• Your journey doesn’t have to be a straight line. Sometimes the detours prepare you for where you’re heading. 

• Helping others creates purpose. Seeing someone change because you helped them is incredibly rewarding. 

 
THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK 

1. What difficult experience has made you stronger?
2. What gives you a genuine sense of purpose?
3. Could a past setback actually be helping you today?

 
I’ll finish with the email from Jenny Kelsey that inspired this blog, which she has kindly allowed me to share.
 
“I want to take a moment to say a heartfelt thank you, John.
 
What I’ve valued most is the confidence your guidance has given me. Sometimes, learning something new isn’t just about gaining a skill – it’s about believing in yourself enough to use it. You have helped me do exactly that.
 
I feel I have come away from our time working together with a stronger understanding, greater confidence and a real sense of encouragement for whatever future endeavours may bring.
 
You are knowledgeable, approachable and genuinely passionate about what you do. I am extremely grateful for the time, patience and experience you have shared with me, and I would wholeheartedly recommend you to anyone looking to develop their skills and confidence.
 
John – I genuinely appreciate everything you have taught me and thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
 
Jenny Kelsey
General Manager, Woodclose Park, Lake District Estates
 
 
Thank you, Jenny. Your words mean more to me than you will ever know.
 
Fourteen years ago, I started JD Mindcoach because I wanted to help people.
 
Perhaps, after all the twists and turns along the way, I have found my way back to where I was always meant to be.
 
 
Well, that’s it for this week.
 
Have a brilliant week ahead, and never stop believing that the best chapters of your story may still be ahead of you.
 
Warm regards
 
John

Off the Wall https://tinyurl.com/3tvr892z  
  
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