My nine year old has been having a hard time.
School, friendship and life have all felt a little overwhelming and he refused to go to school a couple of times last week.
It took a lot of negotiation and love to get him to agree to come with me and Monique, to meet his teachers.
At the meeting his headteacher said something very profound. She said, “I really want to find a way to make school feel much better to you. But my job isn’t to make that easy. My job is to help you understand that you can do hard things.”
That’s the job of a Powerful Coach: to help your clients understand that they can do hard things.
One of the scariest things I’ve done physically, over the past year, was to be blindfolded on a section of a high ropes course. I kept putting one foot in front of the other, even though I was afraid.
One of the most challenging things I’ve done emotionally over the past few years has been to keep showing up to couples therapy, even when it’s hard.
Over the years, the scariest thing I have ever done in business is when I stop doing something that generates a lot of revenue but doesn’t generate a lot of joy.
Life and business can be hard. But you can do hard.
I spent last week in Palm Springs with my son for some father-son bonding time. We did things that challenged him, including feeding a rhino(!), splatter painting a t-shirt and shoes, and going to an escape room.
I am teaching him that life can be hard. And he can do hard.
Love. Rich