You people are rubbing of on me

While I’m not a coach, nor have the desire to be a coach…

…Your curiosity and ability to ask powerful questions is rubbing off on me.

I spend a considerable amount of time at a bar by my apartment as I treat the place like a social club. 

Sure, I drink there, but it’s not really why I pop in all the time - I’m too much of a lightweight to do any real damage in there :) 

I go because every time I’m inside, I always end up in an interesting conversation, whether it's with fellow locals or new people coming in for the first time. 

The other night was no different. 

While I sat at the bar, a group of locals that I recognized from Trivia Night posted up in the seats next to mine. 

I struck up a conversation with one of the fellas I recognized - mostly because he has a lovely manicured beard, and I’m part of that club - so we got down to chatting after I offered a complement to his manicured masterpiece on his face. 

Prior to connecting, I overheard him speaking with his friend about work, and based on his story, I could sense that there wasn’t much joy in his heart for what he currently does. 

So, I became curious…

…and with my curiosity, I asked him whether or not he enjoyed what he did for a living. And when he definitely responded with a NO, I began to ask more and more questions…

…for over a half-hour. 

Throughout the conversation, I could hear in his responses that he was starting to form his own conclusions regarding his unhappiness and how he can solve that problem for himself.

At no point did I inject any words of wisdom or examples from my own experiences - I simply allowed him to walk down his own path through his thoughtful answers. 

By the end of the conversation, he had come to the conclusion that he needs to quit his job and start fresh, but before he does that, he needs to spend his off-time working on the steps we discussed together to get on track with what he really wants to pursue professionally. 

And all of this happened in the span of a 30-minute conversation in a bar with loud music and tons of people circulating around us. 

How fascinating, I thought…

After he broke off and went back to chatting with his group of friends, he kept referring to me as a life coach and a guru, which I found hilarious, as that is DEFINITELY not me.

But, it made me think…

If this were only a few years ago, this conversation would’ve never happened because, back then, I didn’t have the self-control or motivaton to actively listen, engage and support someone in a way that made the conversation 100% about them. 

I would’ve been too busy waiting for my turn to say something, and that would’ve crippled his momentum of thought, which would’ve affected the outcome of the conversation entirely. 

But…

Since I serve coaches who specialize in this technique and have been in many, many rooms witnessing them deliver their magic, it’s clearly rubbed off on me. 

In no way, shape or form am I a coach. 

But, I am an empathetic, curious human being that does understand the power of asking questions. 

And I have you people to blame for this awareness. 

That also means that I have you people to thank, as well. 

At the end of the day, I’m not much of a fan of small talk in any social scenario, including my trips to the bar. I appreciate significant exchanges through conversation as a way to truly fill my glass. 

And because of my exposure to some of the best coaches in the world based on the fact that I serve them, I now have the tools necessary to actually create moments of substance regardless of where I am or who I’m with. 

And, I think that’s a pretty cool intangible benefit to the work, if you ask me :)