Choosing a Leap of Faith and a Coach to Reach Your Goals
Some people feel blessed to land in their right career.
I do now. But it wasn’t always that way for me.
My first leap of faith was back in 2005 when I decided to take a one-year coach training program in Toronto, just a few months after first learning about coaching. Every two months I’d fly from Halifax to Toronto to attend classes. And every week for the entire year there were weekly conference calls, papers to be written and exams to be passed. All done while still working a demanding full-time management job. Within a year I earned my first International Coaching Federation credential.
It took me another five years to get up the nerve to take my second leap of faith. And I sure am glad I had my own coach to help me through it. In 2010, I resigned the well-paying job at the CBC that I’d had for over 12 years, to start my own coaching business. And never once have I regretted my decision.
I share this story, because so many of my coaching clients struggle with a similar dilemma; “Do I stay in a job I no longer love but that pays really well, or do I take a leap of faith and trust that things will work out?”
Everyone’s situation and criteria is unique to them. And there’s no “cookie cutter” right or wrong answer. But having a coach when navigating a career change is really a no-brainer.
Here are some comments I’ve received from coaching clients, that just confirms how supportive a coach can be when contemplating a career change.
“I loved Wendy’s calm approach to helping me sort out my options for what I consider the last leg of my career. I’ve been a federal/provincial bureaucrat, a university professor, and a politician, always ‘burning the candle’ at both ends until it started burning me in the middle. Now I have clarity and am ready to launch on my own, independently. Wendy helped me to evaluate my strengths, competencies, values, and passions.”
“Wendy guided me thoughtfully, and insightfully through a career transition. She became a trusted advisor as I reviewed my next steps, and combined structured exercises with questions and guidance to help me navigate this change and tap into my values and goals more clearly. “
“Coaching with Wendy was the best investment in myself I’ve ever made. At first I didn’t see how I could afford to hire a Coach. But by the end of the first session, I couldn’t imagine not having her in my corner. Coaching conversations with her allowed me to find the essence of what I wanted and to act bravely to achieve it. Best investment ever.”
Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought provoking and creative process that inspires to maximize personal and professional potential. When you come across someone you think might benefit from some coaching, reach out to me or another ICF credentialed coach and ask for a preliminary conversation.