Where did my confidence go?
This is an excerpt from the Research published at International Coach Academy. The original article can be found here.
A decade ago, at the dawn of exploring my vocation, came this blissful moment when I had just uncovered coaching for myself. Yet instantaneously, I felt confident enough to become a coach with whatever professional experience I owned at that moment, even though it didn’t have much to do with the coaching discipline. In my pocket, I held a decade in the corporate world, a couple of first-level leadership roles in Finance and Human Resources realms, backed up by an MBA degree in Leadership and Organizational Behavior. Having taken a few coaching-related classes in the past and frequently served as a shoulder to cry on to whom people were naturally drawn to for all kinds of personal and professional advice, I saw no particular reason for why I couldn’t call myself say a Leadership Coach and readily plunge into a new successful career!
In the meantime, as my knowledge about the coaching field gradually expanded, I realized a proper ICF accredited coaching program would not hurt and might ensure my already “stunning” profile looks even more impressive. […] But boy, was I wrong about nearly everything except that coaching, besides being my true passion, is an exceptionally powerful tool! A remarkable outcome even a single coaching session can yield astonished me.
But wait. What happened to my audacity and bold attitude after just two years into the program? With the certificate soon to be in my pocket, was I more confident as a coach? Not at all. On the contrary, now that I was approaching the long-expected graduation moment, an impostor slash learner syndrome overtook me. Albert Einstein’s circle of knowledge paradox showed up: “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.” It dawned on me – the more I studied, the less confident I felt to coach. Besides, the coaching school’s learning environment felt so cozy and safe.
How come I had deluded myself into a belief that I could flourish as a coach without all that comprehensive knowledge I gained since then! Luckily, I could “see the light”, so my new belief went like this: One day, but not until I hold a Master Certified Coach (MCC) credential, or at least a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), will I be able to claim my confidence in what I do.
Still, I was confused: what do I do till I arrive at that mystery moment? Can I somehow “learn” confidence today when I seem to need it most?
Picture credits: pixaby.com
