As a family we needed more income, and personally I needed to challenge my brain again, so I began looking for a career that had to match my two main criteria; firstly I’d have to love it, and secondly, it would have to be flexible enough to fit round my family.
Having watched the life coach on tv, coaching seemed the perfect choice. The only thing was, I had a lot of worries. What if I wasn’t good enough? What if people laughed at me? How would I, a stay at home mum, earn enough money to pay back the course fees? Despite these doubts, I enrolled on the Personal Performance course with The Coaching Academy, and was immediately glad I had.
I absolutely loved the training!
I found that I looked forward to my children’s naps and bed-times, so I could get working on the modules. Buddying up with another trainee coach helped me to stay on track as I tend to start things but not finish them, it also built my confidence. Studying and the practise coaching sessions were so enjoyable that it was never a challenge to fit them into my life; the hard thing was tearing myself away! An interesting bonus was that my relationship with my children definitely improved as a result of the training, years later they all still say that they think it’s been very beneficial to them that I qualified as a coach.
I think that coaches are only limited by their own imagination, so I used mine to think up an interesting niche. I began as a life coach and sole trader, working with anyone who would pay for my services. Over the years, my business has evolved to take on two other business partners and together we became Real Clear.
My passion and dream is to make a massive difference where I feel it is needed, so Real Clear only works with socially minded organisations, particularly schools, public sector and third sector organisations. I’ve been blown away by how successful it has become; we recently won a bid worth several thousand pounds to provide coaching to teenagers in secondary schools in the East Midlands, and I’ve been invited to run a coaching workshop in Brussels for the staff of a Member of the European Parliament. A huge turning point for me was a few years back; it was the first time I spoke at a Head Teachers Conference, I suddenly realised that I’d come such a long way from the days when I felt that I was ‘just a mum’ before beginning my coaching journey.
If I’d have known before I started my coaching journey that I’d be coaching in Parliament, with large organisations including schools up and down the country, mixing with Olympians and Paralympians, coaching World Champions and Bafta nominees, I’m not sure I’d have dared apply because I wouldn’t have believed I was capable! Now I look back with huge amounts of joy when I think of the shy young woman I once was, who had a dream and dared to take the first step.
I’d urge anyone who is considering training to be a coach to go for it! Coaching is a wonderful world and The Coaching Academy provide first class training and support. The person who comes out the other side of the training will be a much-enhanced version of the current you!
For those in training, make sure you are working with a coach, ideally hire one you admire so you can see how professionals make it work.
If you’re just about to qualify I’d encourage you to get yourself out there however you can. Offer free talks, write to everyone you know, use social media, write articles for your local newspaper, join a coaching community and let the world know you’re ready.
Enjoy every moment in this wonderful profession; quality coaches really do change lives, including their own.
Lisa Read is a qualified teacher, an award winning coach and co-founder of Real Clear coaching. She has internationally coached a wide range of clients, including world champions. She leads the continuing professional development group for all coaching professionals in South Yorkshire.
If Lisa’s words have inspired you and you feel that Coaching could be a potential full or part time opportunity for you, or if you would just like to know a little more about what Coaching is and how it can benefit you and the lives of others, please contact our Specialist Course Advisor, Jamil on 0208 996 4830 or email: Jamil@the-coaching-academy.com
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