Monday, August 8, 2011

Thanks Coach


Is it me or is everyone in the world becoming a Life Coach?

Seems a day doesn't go by that I don't hear the wonderful news that someone has received their Life Coaching Certification and that they are accepting new clients. Ten years ago it was friends and family selling vitamins or Amway products, today they are becoming Life Coaches.

I have to tread lightly here or I will surely offend a growing number of people, including friends and colleagues. But it should come as no surprise that I'm not a candidate for Life Coaching. I don't need someone to help "marshall my inner resources" or "create a personal action plan" or "set into motion game-changing behaviors."

I just have to stop eating fatty foods.

My skepticism is not without merit. Years ago, one of the companies I was working for offered to pay for me to see a Career Coach.  He helped me to see that corporations did not operate as a meritocracy. He helped me to understand that if I was not being given the raises, promotions and company cars I thought I deserved it was because I had allowed myself to become a victim. Or as he put it, a jailhouse bitch. Turned out Coach Ray knew exactly what he was talking about, as I learned he had spent 8 years in the penitentiary for Fraud.

Of course now I don't work for corporations, I work for myself.
Consequently, I'm much happier.


So I won't be spending any time with a Life Coach, particularly someone who refers to themselves that way after purchasing this:



That's not to say there is no room for improvement, there always is.

But if I need additional motivation, I'll take that up with myself. And if I need advice or outside perspective, I'll take that up with my friends. And if I need to get something off my chest, I'll take that up with you -- the four regular readers of roundseventeen.

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