I've been meditating for 20 years and been asked a few times if I want to give meditation teacher training programs.
Each time, I say no.
Not because I don't want to teach - but because I don't feel ready.
And that's the thing about coaching that keeps me up at night as well.
We live in a culture where you can make more money teaching coaching than actually coaching. Where certification programs promise mastery in weeks, not years.
But there's one thing I've learned after years of therapy, silent retreats, and working with my own coaches:
Great coaching doesn't happen overnight.
It takes a long time to ripen.
- I’ve spent a month in silent meditation.
- I've worked with some of the best coaches in the world.
- I've done the hard work of questioning myself from uncomfortable angles.
And I still don't feel like an exceptional coach.
Maybe that's the point.
The coaches I worry about are the ones who don't feel that weight. The ones who position themselves as heroes or saviors instead of fellow travelers.
The journey is 10, 20, maybe 40 years. That's the path I'm committed to.
If there’s one thing to take away from this, it’s that the coaches worth listening to are the ones still questioning themselves.
In that spirit, dear Mindful CEO, if you doubt yourself, you might be on the right path.
Yours,
P.S. For Leaders Ready to Transform
These insights come from real conversations: with founders who carry the weight of their vision alone, with CEOs facing unprecedented complexity, with leaders sensing it's time for profound change.
If something here resonated, perhaps we should talk.
I work with a small circle of leaders through three paths: the Wise Leaders Fellowship (my nine-month journey for CEOs beginning with silent retreat), deep 1:1 coaching partnerships, and organizational transformation mandates.
The Fellowship's next cohort is forming now. Reply with a brief introduction, and let's explore what's possible.
Three Pillars of Wise Leadership
P.P.S: And because you deserve it - here is your bonus.
My 10 “Most Popular Mini Leadership Guides”:
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