In addition to the obvious reasons that the book is a good fit for me at this stage in my journey, there is another less obvious reason that has special significance to me -- its title. Dancing is a former creative endeavor of mine that had tremendous positive influence in shaping my childhood and young adulthood. For 16+ years I was a performer, choreographer, and teacher (to children and adults) and even dreamed about performing on Broadway. I remember 2 very distinct reasons that I let my mind tell me I should not pursue this dream with any seriousness into my collegiate years: (1) I couldn't sing, and (2) I thought I should pursue an education that would yield a good living.
I started to reconnect to my dancing self in recent months as I began telling friends who didn't know me as well what a major influence it had been in my early life. I also picked up a journal at The Crossings in September that has a beautiful impressionistic painting of a woman dancing on the front, and an inscription inside that reads "DANCE YOUR DREAMS. Whatever feeds your spirit, Makes your heart sing, Fuels your passion. Do it. Dance your dreams woman!" I know that part of creating the work I love involves getting back to dancing. Stay tuned.
So, now I need/want to explore a dilemma that I struggle with. When I tell people that I am pursuing a new career involving coaching, I can expect most of them to ask me some or all of the following questions: (1) what is coaching? (2) how is it different from consulting, or mentoring, or being a therapist? (3) what type of coaching are you going to do? These are all very good questions for which I feel I should be able to answer effortlessly, lest I look ridiculous. But I often struggle to get what feels like an intelligent, authentic answer out of my mouth.
I have developed somewhat of an elevator speech for the first two, but the third is particularly tricky to fit into a brief conversation. I usually start by explaining that there are all types of coaches -- career coaches, life coaches, executive and entreprenurial coaches, sales coaches, creativity coaches, spiritual coaches, etc. (I have even met a successful coach who identifies herself as an "etiquette and protocol coach.") I then explain that I am pursuing career and life-purpose coaching (as if someone is going to know what I mean by "life-purpose coaching"), and possibly executive coaching and coaching in organizations.
But my truly honest answer to "what are you going to do" is "whatever I love, am really brilliant at, and is financially rewarding." (I am learning to trust that they are all one in the same, but that is for another blog...). The deeper truth is that while I know that I am being called to the coaching field, I don't know yet what I will truly love and be really brilliant at in this field. This unknowing is very unsettling on many levels. I will possibly blog on this topic in detail another time. I have some ideas, some I referred to in my first blog and above. But at this point in my journey, all of my ideas are like different costumes I am trying on for an upcoming performance of a dance for which I have not yet choreographed or even selected the music.
There is a delicate balance I must strike in answering the fundamental question of "what am I going to do?" On the one hand, I need to continue reading, reflecting, praying, meditating, writing, and training to help get more clarity for myself. More clarity will empower me with descriptive language and a powerful message that can be conveyed with authenticity and confidence to others. On the other hand, waiting for absolute or perfect clarity in hopes of it yielding the perfect message, packaged in a perfect elevator speech is, I know, a futile exercise (as is anything that has perfectionism as a goal). I have to find a way to do more coaching with the training, life experience, and other information that I have now, and trust that what I show up with to offer others is not only "good enough" for now but just what they need.
I am striving to find the right balance. Some days balance looks like many, many months if not years more of learning and training. As my husband pointed out, it took 3 years of law school plus many more years working to become a competent lawyer. On other days, I am certain that I will develop a thriving business in a matter of months. After all, I have been coaching friends and family informally for years. And I am actively studying and training. How long do I need to stay in the chorus line before I am ready to be the star? The good news is that I do know the path that I need to travel to reveal the answers that are buried within. I am walking firmly down that path. I will eventually achieve the right balance.
The dance I am performing in right now I call CareerVisions -- Career and Life Purpose Coaching for Professionals (or anyone who wants to experience more passion and purpose in their life). Website to come. I am reading, reflecting, praying, meditating, writing, training and coaching.
No comments:
Post a Comment