I’ve been thinking about how much fun life is when we can enjoy the process. We’re preparing to bury my father-in-law in the near future. As his breath is rapid and shallow, now, every phone call is picked up expecting the hospice nurse to indicate his has died. I’ll greatly miss him. In some ways dad was my coach.
There are a lot of books available referring to personal coaches. While we can hire a professional coach, I’m wondering if a good personal friend, as a coach, isn’t more enjoyable. Dad has always been that special guy I could call and talk to… a sounding board that I think we all need.
Can any of you endorse coaching as a positive experience?
Mentoring is a time-honored principle of learning, from Scriptural times to our own Colonial days with apprenticeships. I think it’s been lost somewhat in our society and to our church–but maybe God is using people like you to bring it back.
Martin
By: martinoutlook on May 5, 2009
at 3:39 pm
Coaching, or mentoring, has been and continues to be a very important part of my life. Now that I am getting older not only am I the one being coached but I find myself coaching others, intentionally. What I’ve discovered is that those who coach me change over the course of my life: but they are still there for me. For example, the two primary coaches in my life when I was a college student are still close friends but my life has transitioned in a new direction so I don’t find myself utilizing their expertise and guidance at the moment, but every once in a while I find myself checking in with them. My wife’s uncle is a very significant influence in my life right now so I do think that family, if they are able to be objective, can serve a useful coaching role in your life (at least it has proven true for me).
By: michaeloutlook on May 5, 2009
at 5:02 pm
Interesting thought–I have never had a professional life coach–not because I couldn’t use one, I am too cheap to pay for one. I would rather buy cute shoes. I do believe a life coach is worth while especially if a person just can’t sort things out on their own. As this life on earth becomes more and more complicated I would love to just say Jesus is the best coach in the world and He is but there are times we just plain need to seek some face to face help.
By: nancyoutlook on May 10, 2009
at 3:32 pm