I have coached and developed: undergraduate & graduate students, new recruiting team members, non-profit executives, Student Affairs professionals, and established & emerging entrepreneurs. Throughout this professional coaching experience, I’ve come to believe that you will not wake up one day having become someone you haven’t already been becoming. In fact, one of my most significant mentors first introduced me to this way of thinking almost 8 years ago which catapulted me on a fun, exciting, often humbling and sometimes scary journey of personal and professional development ever since!
So with this in mind, in order to create the life you want to lead, you must first acknowledge that while you can’t always control your circumstances, you can control your choices; you must realize that you are an accumulation of your daily choices; you must accept where you are and articulate what you believe today; you must decide who you want to become tomorrow; and finally, you must embrace that vision of your ideal self as possible and be that person through your choices.
Intentional living based on a clear vision for who you want to be is key. However, intentionality, is often much easier said than done!
My coaching and development philosophy involves helping people cultivate strategic visions for tomorrow and well-being today in support of their journey to continually identify and become their best-selves, pursue their dreams/goals, and traverse life's inevitable transitions in self-authored ways...while being on this journey of becoming with them. I acknowledge that no one has it all figured out and that a one size fits all approach in coaching (sounding something like: "I have the secret to ultimate success and lasting happiness - and if you do as I do, you will have the best life ever") assumes the coach has "it all figured out," ignores the uniqueness of each person's vision for their ideal life, stifles the imagination and ingenuity (I believe) all people possess, and neglects to foster the conviction and confidence that come from leading your own journey to identify and become your best-self.
We are all on a journey toward being better and becoming more. We want to grow. We want to achieve. And while we will encounter barriers along the way that invite us to halt or change our course, ultimately, we can choose how to respond in alignment with our vision for who we want to be/become. However, even when we know how we want to grow or what we want to achieve, we may not know where to start or feel motivated enough to begin that journey altogether. As a coach, I am committed to supporting my clients close the gap between where they are and where they want to be by serving as a thought-partner to facilitate the greater clarity (self-awareness), creativity (self-ingenuity) and confidence (self-efficacy) that enable us to be the authors of our own lives and choose our way into the future we desire for ourselves!
I coach individuals who believe they can be better today so as to become more tomorrow.
Through coaching, I help people:
Clarify their purpose or mission in life
Envision their ideal future and who they want to be in it
Establish and achieve important personal or professional goals
Prepare for and/or navigate a major life transition
Enhance their overall health and wellness
Experience more happiness and contentment in their life
Develop a comprehensive understanding of their strengths and skills
Improve performance and actualize their potential in a current or future position
Before beginning coaching with me or anyone else, ask yourself:
Can I learn more about myself?
Is there a gap between where I am and where I want to be in at least one area of my life?
Does thinking about the gap(s) invite tension, stress, anxiety or discomfort?
Am I willing to learn new skills and try new things?
Will I set aside time to work toward my goals?
Am I open to receiving feedback (even if it is difficult to hear)?
Do I believe that I am able to grow and become?
Could I benefit from some accountability?
If you answered yes to the above questions, then coaching might be something you would enjoy and benefit from.
While I personalize each coaching experience to my client's goals and preferences, these questions often serve as the overarching frame for our work together:
What are your beginnings?
Who are you becoming?
How are you being?
I believe becoming ultimately happens through our being and is often influenced by our beginnings. Remember, you will not wake up one day having become someone you haven’t already been becoming.
Change is a process. If you want to grow, achieve and become, expect the journey to be difficult and take time. Fortunately, today is always the only time you can invest in becoming a better version of yourself.
If you would like to learn more about the coaching services, organizational training or student development programs I offer, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at: ddavid826@gmail.com. Questions are encouraged!
