I just embarked on a year-long professional coaching course with an ICF-accredited school to expand the services I offer my clients beyond job-hunting support. Today’s homework talked about Joseph Campbell and the gift he’s given us through his exploration of cultural commonalities resulting in the universal hero’s journey. Many famous movies have roots in his work, including Star Wars.
If you’re not familiar with this journey, it goes like this:
- A person leaves their familiar world
- A guide or teacher supports the person to overcome obstacles on their journey
- The person achieves something difficult while concurrently developing a new understanding of themselves
- The person returns home to create positive change in some way
From as far back as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed these kinds of stories, and they have personally resonated with me. I’ve had many career iterations in my life including professional snowboarder, entrepreneur, salesperson, teacher, flying trapeze artist, and career coach. Through each step, I’ve been blessed by fantastic guides and teachers who have opened my mind and enabled me to reach my goals. And, each time, I’ve tried to bring back to my community what I’ve learned.
The hero’s journey is not just for “heroes.”
We are all on some journey that will be more easily completed with the support of a teacher or guide. I’m excited to be that person, and this intensive course is giving me the tools to do so. I’ve felt some personal resistance to this path because I feel like “coach” sometimes has a negative connotation outside of sports because pretty much anyone can call themselves a coach. However, the International Coaches Foundation (ICF) has imposed stringent guidelines to promote order and quality among the chaos over the last two decades. For the rigidity of their standards, I’ve chosen to seek accreditation. My training includes 2.5 hours of class time, another hour or so conducting peer practice, and several hours of reading each week.
I feel called to do this work and am excited to take these next steps. I’m also impressed about the level of professionalism in my class. All the students are working professionals with passion and drive; some possess advanced degrees and experience in the field. We are all striving for the same goal: to propel our clients in self-discovery and personal growth by enhancing our listening, questioning, and coaching skills.
I’m offering discounted services of this nature over the next year as I continue along this path. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like more information.
