During times of uncertainty, acquiring these abilities can assist individuals who are struggling amidst the waves of transformation.
Becoming the founder and CEO of a life coaching company at the age of 36 wasn’t something I had envisioned for my future. I never attended business school or took any courses in entrepreneurship. When I started my business, I was unfamiliar with concepts like marketing funnels or key performance indicators. However, I did have a newly obtained life coaching certification, significant personal experience navigating life’s challenges, and a printed copy on my fridge of a 2006 article that predicted life coaching and wellness would soon become major trends.
I developed a deep fascination with the science of coaching during my twenties. Back then, I was dealing with the complicated breakdown of my first marriage. I was also suffering from unhealthy eating habits and a negative self-image that originated from my teenage years. I had left law school and was now in a low-level job, gazing out at the world and pondering the classic question raised by Betty Friedan: “Is this all there is?”
The next phase
On a rainy Sunday, a significant response arrived unexpectedly in the guise of a pseudo-scientific documentary titledWhat the Bleep Do We Understand?that examines the link between quantum physics and consciousness. The movie, released in 2004, is playful and leans more towards mysticism than science. However, it sparked a personal and professional transformation for me, centered around the belief that individuals can shape their reality. I knew nothing about therealThe science of shaping one’s reality, but I knew I despised mine, so I embarked on a journey of exploration to reshape and reconstruct it.
One of the initial stops during my academic journey was Martin Seligman’s research onlearned helplessness. It explores the mental state of individuals experiencing prolonged stress who start to feel they have no ability to alter their circumstances, even though numerous possibilities are available. Afterwards, I delved into understanding human motivation and the positive psychology behind how people truly bring about change. I was fascinated to discover that there is a genuine, tangible science involved in creating change, even when facing challenging situations. Change demands vision, perseverance, resources, overcoming fear, repetition, support, and frequently, learning from failures.
Ultimately, after years of uncertainty, exploration, studying, and hearing almost everyone in my life say that “life coaching” wasn’t a legitimate field, I completed a program accredited by the ICF. I started the process of sharing the message that this discipline could be transformative.
From this point onward, events started to accelerate. I was admitted into a triple degree program: MSW, MEd, and PhD. My fascination with the role of community in facilitating human transformation led me to connect with my future business partner, John Kim, and we started developing online communities, virtual coaching groups, and eventually established our company.
It’s an inspiring tale where, by the time I turned 35, I had to decide between my PhD and taking on the role of a CEO. I overcame my eating disorders, emerged from a life filled with unhappiness, and continued forward.
A mindset focused on growth in a rapidly rising market
It’s difficult to engage with the field of coaching without recognizing the significance of risk, a mindset focused on growth, and the strategic approach of changing methods to achieve different results. The scientific foundation of coaching offered me the psychological support necessary to thrive as an entrepreneur and leader.
A few years ago, when I placed that article on my fridge, I was also recognizing that wellness is one of the few sectors capable of weathering economic instability, particularly as individuals keep looking widely for solutions to emotional distress and loneliness. Today, the global wellness market is a$6.3 trillion industrywhere comprehensive methods for health and well-being (such as coaching) could replace medical systems focused on illness that have largely let society down.
The adoption of coaching science, combined with a rapidly growing wellness industry, has advanced my professional journey. I have witnessed similar success for coaches who complete my training program. Since the pandemic, there has been increased demand for coaching as global awareness shifted toward understanding that systems—such as education, finance, healthcare, and government—would not ensure or support a strong future. It is now up to individuals to discover purpose, develop resilience, drive change, and shape a future that we all desire. This idea has contributed to the ongoing expansion of the wellness market, and these are the results that occur when people engage with the science of coaching.
In this era of fast change and movement, people will need to tap into the strength of starting over by learning new skills. When I first began my path, I felt nervous. Now, I’ve grown a lot personally and have been involved in many others’ achievements, which shows me that change is not only possible for everyone but also within reach.
Reconfigure the trainers and the trainees
The transformation narratives emerging from my organization are equally powerful as my own: a former sex crimes prosecutor who has become a sexuality coach and author earning six figures, a corporate professional creating creativity kits to aid stress relief for medical professionals and first responders, a former television producer guiding women through human design, a senior engineer who proposed and is now implementing an internal coaching program for his company, and two former executives who established a firm focused on cultivating emotional intelligence in leaders. I could keep listing more.
I understand that many people are experiencing uncertainty and fear at this moment. I hope that my story, along with those of others, can serve as a guiding light. It’s okay to feel afraid, but emotions don’t always reflect the truth, and they never show the whole picture. Focus on growing markets, develop practical skills, identify areas where services are lacking, and find ways to add value to the meaning economy. You don’t need to remain lost at sea. Catch a wave and ride it to safety. It’s achievable.
This article was first published atcom.
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