by CrisBuckley of CrisBuckley’s No-Clone Zone
“What are your credentials for doing something like this? Do you have a degree in counseling? Are you a trained life coach?”
This challenge to Jorja’s mission to “help others learn who they are and help them move forward” provoked the Advocate in me to step forward. Them’s fighting words!
Maybe you’re familiar with the story of the young boy—-David–who fought and killed the giant—-Goliath–with a slingshot and five smooth stones.
Do you know what he offered for his credentials?
“I was home taking care of my father’s sheep … “
Sounds like life experience to me. The king and the soldiers all had training, armor, weapons. David had life experience.
“…and if a lion or bear came against ‘em, I killed ‘em.”
Ooooh, now it gets good. David was innately a defender and protector. His ire was raised when anyone or anything came against the sheep in his care.
Enter Goliath. David had a different vantage point than the professionals. His anger was stirred that anyone would come against the people. He kicked into his natural passion to defend and protect. He was in it for the kill.
Well…I’m a trained coach. But my real credentials are the same as David’s:
“I was home taking care of the sheep….”
…four of ‘em. My four kids.
The No-Clone Zone didn’t start as a business or blog—-it started with my kids. I homeschooled for 19 years, and I had a passion for each of my kids to “come into their own”. I trained each one according to his/her individual bent and put together curriculum that fed that. I absolutely did not want them to become clones of us, and I loved it when they developed traits and abilities uniquely their own!
I was their Advocate—-defending them against voices without and within that wanted to discredit or disqualify them from being who they were or the contribution they had to give.
I loved them, believed in them, and admired the strengths, passions and talents each one had. I was innately a Coach and Advocate.
All of my children are entrepreneurial. I asked a couple of them if they thought I had an influence in that, and their response was, “Yes, Mom! That’s so who you are!”
Those are my credentials. My passion remains the same, but has moved beyond my children in this season. Who are you now in this season? What is your contribution?
Be like Jorja—-stand up to the challenge and don’t let anyone discredit or disqualify you from being who you are or from what you have to give!
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[...] began last week when I wrote a guest post for Jorja of Living Beyond the Pale. In it, I revealed that although I’m a trained coach, my real [...]