Life Coaching

Have you noticed that all elite athletes have coaches? If they are elite why do they “need help?” Well, that is part of the problem right there. Many of us think coaching is like having a tutor, meaning their purpose is to improve upon subpar performance.

That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Coaching is about helping those who want to break the limits of what’s possible. It’s about going from great to excellent. Ask the top athletes what is the secret to their success and they will credit their coach as critical to their success.

Now, I’m not an athlete and chances are, neither are you. But coaching still has a place in helping non-athletes. I’ll be bold and say that everyone needs a coach– a life coach that is.

So what exactly is “life coaching”?

When I talk to people about life coaching I am usually met with blank stares. That’s ok, coaching isn’t mainstream (yet). Coaching isn’t about having someone give you advice. In fact, you may initially be disappointed and surprised to learn that the coach’s job is to show you how your mind works and give you perspective. The coach works with you to reframe your thinking and mindset. After all, that is the lens through which we live our lives through.

So much of our thinking and the way we perceive the world is automatic, based on decades of literal thought loops. Unfortunately, many of these are what we call “limiting beliefs” that hold us back in life … and no one taught us how to deal with them. We live life truly thinking this is just “how we are” and accept it as truth. In that sense, coaches enable belief changes.

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With the rising incidence of physician burnout, I believe coaching will rise as a top method of combating it. It already is at some top hospitals in the U.S. such as Massachusetts General Hospital.  Last month, The Journal of the American Medical Association published a randomized controlled study that showed the positive effects of coaching.

So how does this relate to money? 

When I first learned about money a few years ago, I spent all of my time learning the strategies and details on the “how”–in other words–grasping financial literacy. While this is critical to learning how to manage your money, I was still thinking and behaving as someone who was “poor.” I was scared of losing money. I thought money came from time and (a lot of) effort. Money was not easy (despite being a dermatologist!). 

So what changed? How I think about money. And this is exactly what coaching addresses– your beliefs about everything. What I know now is that “the wealthy” think about money very differently than most people. Being rich isn’t bad. Money is abundant. Money is easy. 

Coaching will be the next frontier of wellness – like fitness & eating healthy

Staying fit and eating clean are the norm these days. But it wasn’t like that in the 1950s. Back then it was rare to workout, let alone practice sun salutations. We can’t imagine that right now because we all accept and know that staying fit is “the right thing to do.” And there is no shortage of ways and places to do that right now.

From low-cost gym memberships to personal trainers, there’s a way to get fit for any budget and lifestyle.

The same thing is happening right now when it comes to coaching. There is still the notion that having a coach, whether you call it a life or executive or business coach is not only a luxury but somewhat frivolous.

Managing our minds is critical to how we view and live our lives so I submit that this is absolutely critical to anyone who wants to live life to the fullest. 

Yes, I have a coach … and

I’ve mentioned here and there that I’ve been working with a coach for the past year–Sunny Smith. She is a physician and a certified life coach through Brooke Castillo’s The Life Coach School. She is part of a growing group of physician coaches committed to improving the well-being of physicians. She, along with the other coaches, is healing the healers.

So what has coaching done for me? It has shattered my limiting beliefs about what is possible for me and my family. I went from thinking that I could not live the life I want until I could “semi-retire” in 10ish years to quitting my job and trying out locums.

My family and I spent the summer in Seattle and British Columbia. I am now coming upon a two-month break from clinical work and will spend the winter in Hawai’i. No, I am not semi-retired like my friends Letizia and Kenji, or close to FI by traditional means. I just believe something different.

With all the work I do with money and women physicians, becoming a coach myself was the natural next step.

I’m now a certified coach and I can’t wait to see what will be possible with this skill set. I am honored to be a part of the growing group of physicians of the Life Coach School.

Learn more about coaching with me here.

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