Graduate spotlight: Sara Doell on Becoming a Coach

What were the specific worries that you had about what other people might think of you becoming a coach?

I decided to become a life coach in conjunction with my 15 year college golf coaching career so I was already a coach. The main worry I had was that the athletes I coach, my coworkers or boss may think that I wasn't as committed to my job because I was starting a "side hustle" as a life coach and author.

Were you more worried about what your job would think, or what your friends and family would think, or what random strangers would think?

I was most concerned that my boss or coworkers would think that I was not as committed to my full time college coaching. My friends and family were extremely supportive so there were not really any concerns there. 

How did you move through these worries, specifically? What actionable strategies did you use? 

Internally, I saw a difference in my confidence as a coach for the athletes and also as a coach for clients. I found that confidence was the key to embracing life coaching as an addition to my skill set, not a distraction.

As for the student athletes that I coach, my coworkers and boss, I explained how getting a life coaching certification would enhance my college coaching. And it did. I became a much more inquisitive and thorough college coach. I backed off on giving advice to athletes and asked powerful questions instead. I used my life coaching certification as a talking point with recruits and parents of recruits so they saw me as so much more than just a golf coach. 

What have you learned about how to handle it when you worry what other people think, since?
I have learned that the way you discuss your life coaching business and skills can help dictate how others may view it. If you tell people you are a life coach with an apologetic tone, they will not be as likely to see the value in it. But if you roll it out as a role that you love and that you see how much you have been able to support others in their journey, people may look at it in a more positive light.