Hangups

“If you can’t do, teach. If you can’t teach, consult.” That’s the management consultancy adage you heard a lot.

I used to hate coaching and teaching. I’d rather be doing – even though I’m technically a consultant, I see myself as doing the hard work of doing, as a practitioner than someone who just doles out “strategy”.

But lately I’ve taken to coaching a lot. It started out of necessity, for survival. I needed the money. In the past, I normally wouldn’t do it, especially if I had options. But I find myself starting to actually enjoy it now. It still tires the hell out of me everytime, but it’s no longer done degrudgingly, or with anxiety. I look forward to sharing what I know, and bonus if there’s a receptive audience.

It’s been 10 years since I started as a designer. I wonder if it’s the time span, that after a (long) while you gain enough confidence and stories that training and coaching starts to feel more normal. I wonder if it’s due to my recent inner shift in dismantling of old narratives that no longer serve me. I don’t know if it was age or life stage that triggered it – turning mid-40s soon and becoming a new dad can be a powerful cocktail to catalyse change.

I don’t have the origin answers, but in practice it’s all coming together nicely now.

Many things I used to have hangups about, no longer are. In my work, life, lifestyle, family, the world.

That’s all that matters.