If you are just a bit like me, chances are that you have started your New Year close to someone you love, a glass of champagne in one hand, and a “to-do-list” for the year to come in the other one. Well, to be honest to the truth, I keep the list aside and I just enjoy eating grapes (Spanish tradition) while the clock strikes from one to twelve.
Today, 3rd of January, the list was there waiting for me to go through. I tried to resist it a bit longer, but it was calling pretty loud. So, after my second coffee (I feel I am no one without the tingling sensation caffeine gives me in the morning) I decided to go through the list and start working on, at least, one of the items. At that moment, a question hit my head: “why? Why do I want to do this?” Then, I realized my list held a collection of “whats” and, in some cases, anticipated the “how”, but there was no sign of the “why”.
I left the list on the table and asked my office college, Marina: “why do you wake up every morning?” “I don’t know” She replayed. “I have bills to pay and if I didn’t show up here and did my job, I wouldn’t get paid.” But I insisted: “No, seriously. Why do you do what you do?” Then, she just responded: “I don’t know. I don’t really need a why. Do I?”
I left her thinking about her reasons or lack of them, and went for another coffee. While I was there, alone, looking at my reflection waiving on the black liquid surface, I thought about all the things I love, the things I believe in, the things I do… Suddenly, I realized that all the items in my to-do-list were linked to each other, and were related to a very specific human need: the search of happiness.
I believe everybody have the potential to feel better about themselves and their lives. This is my why. Yes, you got it right, I am a coach, but I am also a storyteller, a part time artist, and an innovative human being always searching for meaning, exploring new paths, growing and helping others to grow and achieve their goals. But some people don’t even know what their purpose is, therefore they find it very difficult to set up goals. Then, we work on that first. And I use every element I have on hand to help them find and express their inner desires and needs, in order to find their “Whys” so they can be happier and more efficient. As Seneca stated centuries ago: “If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.”
Having this conversation with myself while holding my cup of coffee, I felt very fortunate! Not everybody had a clear purpose or a simple “why” behind his/her “to-do-list” items. But I do, and I am delighted to help others to find theirs. My purpose was there, the reason behind my to-do-list, my motivation to wake up every morning and do all the things I do was floating on a black coffee surface staring at me.
Then, I smiled with great satisfaction and I drank it.
coaching narrativo 