Just a Job?

By Ben Tyler

Reflecting on the uniqueness of the role we have as Coaches, we have a responsibility far beyond “just” our job. Coaching, teaching, counseling, mentoring, or really any position we may hold where we can pour into other people’s lives is an incredible opportunity to bring joy into the midst of the normal, everyday busyness of life.

Every day that we work with people is a chance to move beyond skin-deep, standard conversations and ask one or more meaningful questions: “How are your kids?” “How was that trip?” How’re your parents adjusting to their move?” “How are you sleeping?” “Are you enjoying your job?” Such inquiries allow us to understand what’s really going on in the lives of those we coach and work with. It takes the conversations up a notch, enabling us to better understand people, their unique sets of challenges and circumstances, so we can help them more effectively.

For Coaches, success is usually considered to be achieved when we provide a great workout, keep our clients safe, assist them in accomplishing new feats, and help them burn some stress and have fun. For managers, success is achieved when they provide clear guidance, enable their teams to reach the goals set before them, and challenge them to think outside the box. You probably have a great idea of what success means for you as a teacher/doctor/stay-at-home-mom/you name it.

I want to challenge you to think outside of the examples above. Are those jobs, while perfectly respectable, really about achieving success as we typically define it? Or, are they opportunities, platforms for connecting with people heart to heart, soul to soul and giving the support and direction they may need?

Opportunities to make a lifelong difference in someone’s life, or even just to make somebody smile, surround us every day. We at 925 hope to help you in any way we can, and in so doing hope that we inspire you to pass kindness and encouragement on to others.