Said the social media post, then led with the following: “The world doesn’t need more surface-level coaching, another guru with a cookie-cutter program. It needs real guides.” It went on to say, “You don’t need fancy certification. You don’t need to pretend to be something you’re not.”
I tell you, something inside of me exploded. I was so pissed at what felt like another full-scale attack from someone who didn’t have a clue what they were talking about.
But it wasn’t them, it was me.
The context of the post would have landed differently had the words not resonated with the roar of my inner critic, who uses those exact words to shame me into silence, criticize my coaching on an off day, hate the word “coaching,” and savagely curse me for investing every available dollar into credentialling instead of a “legitimate profession.”
In fact, I’ve spent the equivalent of a PhD in both time and money and bought into a machine that requires even more time and money as new credentialing requirements continue to roll out. It’s like a bad Ponzi scheme designed for only the rich and resourced to win.
There is no getting there. (Oh god, no, wait… not this, I know this.)
Recognizing the spin my inner critic put on the original post, I was able to read it differently.
Being able to hear and discern context is a PhD in peace.
It’s true, we don’t need more surface-level consultation designed from the age-old story of “fix”, “I know better” that confirms the “not good enough” that lives inside each one of us.
We need guides with the gift of attuned listening, authentic, real and of the people.
And… we need to break up with the word coaching.
