Do you ever read something on social media that just “sticks in your craw,” as my dad would have said? This happened to me yesterday on the topic of coaching and fulfillment at work.
Yesterday, I saw a post aimed so directly at executive coaches that I’m still processing it. The poster was highly annoyed by the way coaches make it sound like you should be on a quest for ultimate fulfillment in your work, when really, she just wants work to be work. Another commenter said something pointed about how many people “fail into becoming a coach.”
Ouch. After all, I do have a whole program called “Hustle to Wholeness,” aimed at helping people connect more meaning to their work.
But also, maybe they both have a point.
I’m not here to criticize coaches. The coaches I know have substantial work experience and intensive training, along with a desire to help others navigate their challenges at work more smoothly.
But on social media, you do see a lot of the same. It’s partly due to everyone delegating writing to AI. It’s partly due to the fact that coaches are pressured to create an online persona. And it’s partly because, in wanting to show what coaching can do, we get excitable and oversell the concepts.
I’m someone who takes little messages and insights from everywhere. It’s how I live my life. Sometimes, though, that leads to a post about what my tiny, frail tomato plant taught me about resilience. Yes, I see the absurdity. I also am the kind of person who is struck by how profoundly the world creates little lessons for us.
I’m always going to post about the little tomato plant that could. I may also make fun of myself for doing so.
But in the end, I want to say this:
Your work doesn’t have to be fulfilling, but you do need to know what role work plays in your life. Otherwise, you’re at risk of drifting into burnout or dissatisfaction without quite knowing why. But guess what? You get to decide what that role is.
If work means a paycheck and a predictable day to you, and that’s all you need it to mean, then go for it. But if you’d like to try for a more integrated, fulfilling work experience, you absolutely can build that. It starts with you, but a credentialed, sincere, and capable coach could help you get there a lot faster.
