Writing and Coaching

I have kicked off 2022 by gifting myself a writing coach and workshop.

I was lucky enough to engage @jadooberry, and our first few sessions have been a blast. I was surprised by how enjoyable the process of writing has been.

Why work with a coach? 👇🏽 🧵

My first adult experience with a coach was starting with a mobility and strength training coach five years ago, and we are still working together. In fact, she trains most of my family and many friends now.

I had to adopt a new mindset to adjust to the scrutiny and sense of indulgence that I experienced having an expert focus on my form and provide precise guidance for an hour 3 times a week. However, it was immediately apparent that my squat form sorely needed it.

You couldn't call what I was doing before I met Denise a squat, and she has the footage to prove it. Bottom line, I had to sit in a place of humility to get full value from the experience.

Since then, I have worked with many other coaches:

- a performance coach: building capacity using mental models & reframing skills.

- A leadership coach: @RoyLeadership , building coaching skills into my leadership style.

- now a writing coach @jadooberry

In each case, the consistent benefits were: 1. access to a subject matter expert, 2. structure in the form of committed time in my calendar, 3. accountability to the craft at hand, 4. the fun of camaraderie & a supportive collaborator while developing or refining skills.

In each instance, I found I got the most out of the investment of time and energy if I brought a spirit of humility, and an acknowledgement at the outset of the likelihood of discomfort, in short, a growth mindset. Lastly, I made time for reflection & revisiting of the learnings.

Spaced repetition is a super skill to develop - It levels up all other skills. (pro tip: get @readwiseio)

So what made my writing session so enjoyable?

1. This was the first time I have made time for writing for pleasure and reflection vs copy for a new project or business uses etc. This freedom to write without hard and fast objectives was inherently relaxing and cathartic.

2. My coach encouraged me to handwrite my work, Something I have generally avoided as I am a much faster typer and my cursive has often been illegible - even to me 🤦🏾‍♂️. However, in this practice which was relaxed and open-ended I found it flow-inducing.

3. The backdrop to the writing tasks was curated music which I found to be an enjoyable enabler of the various writing tasks and contributed to rapidly reaching flow.

4. A preamble to each writing task was a set of prompts - often questions. The prompts set the stage for an exploration or sharing that allowed me to stretch and push myself to incorporate new styles and elements in my writing.

Shockingly, part of the learning from the first session was that I had to spend more time writing on my own time. Working through the tension of overcoming the natural friction that comes when the newly exercised writing muscles tire.

This isn't easy and it is important to recognize that building the skill and excellence without the coach is part of the process. That being said, 1 month in and it has been great to work through different blockages and challenges.