Coach in the Spotlight - Fil Biggs

Coaching has always been a dream job for me. One of those ‘if I won the lottery’ dreams. Even as a teenager, my dream job was to help people through challenges and to achieve great things. Back then coaching didn’t have a name and i definitely didn’t believe it would be possible to make a living through it. As I got older, it remained a distant dream until I reached my final year of university and decided to go for it.

Prior to my coaching journey I was a full time student and qualified as secondary school teacher, I also worked part time at a local supermarket and as a personal trainer. Although the three careers seemed completely different, I now realise that I enjoyed each of them because they all involved helping others to improve. As a teacher I helped students to improve their knowledge and ability, in the supermarket I helped my colleagues to improve their work standards and process, and as a personal trainer I helped people to improve their health and fitness. These were all a part of my progression towards becoming the coach that I am today.

The most interesting things I learnt whilst training for my qualifications were to do with communication. I find the way that we interact with each other and ourselves so interesting. The language we use, the way we use gestures and how we interpret meanings all has the potential to have monumental effects, dictating our relationship with the world and the reality we experience. The best part is when we realise how much control we have over the way we communicate, and most of all, how much we can learn about ourselves and others when we actually pay attention.

The most rewarding part of my journey is being able to actually help people. Knowing how to make a difference in someone’s life is one thing, to actually do it, is another! Whilst training I really enjoyed finding new people to help and creating great successes with them, I also enjoyed meeting like-minded people at the live training days and making new friendships that will continue long after qualifying. 

I found the qualification to work well with my schedule. I was able to quickly formulate a routine that allowed me to make great progress very quickly. I was able to finish the course in 6 months because of this. Now that I’m qualified, I am using more of my time to grow my coaching practice so that I can do it full time. I use my coaching skills whenever I can, to help as many people as possible. I am also finishing my first book which is to be published in July. Later this year, I will launch my weekend training program for people who want to create a life they love. It’s all very exciting!

My niche (if you can call it that) is people who wish to redesign their lives into one that they love to live. I love helping people to create huge changes in their lives. I chose this as it is the same experience I went through. After realising I had been travelling a path that wasn’t my own, I stopped and took the time to design a life I really wanted. Now I am creating it and helping others to do the same.

My favourite coaching question is “What would life have to be like for you to wake up with a smile every day?”

The thing I love most about being a coach is making a real impact on people’s lives. Helping people have those ‘penny-dropping’ epiphanies that change the way they think forever.

My advice to those who are currently training is to remember that great successes are achieved by doing many little things well. Make small progressions constantly and before you know it, you’re done. No matter how small of a task, do something EVERYDAY that moves you closer to the finish.

To the coaches that are about to qualify, I say keep up the momentum. Celebrate the success when you finish and then start looking ahead. It’s easy to feel like you’re done and that’s it, the progression stops. However, this is really just the beginning and your story has only just begun. Keep moving forward.

To those who have finished and are now building their practices, GO FOR IT AND GO ALL THE WAY.