Saskia, tell me a specific time when you’ve made a shift in your professional life and the impact this has had.

“My shift actually happened in the early part of 2021, but the journey to it began in 2020 when I was told my fixed-term contract in Education Policy and Data would not be renewed for the next year. I engaged a coach as I set about exploring my options for my next move; and I did this alongside giving myself time and space to figure it all out without launching headlong into the next thing. During this time, I spoke with lots of people who helped me mull over my options. And, almost on auto-pilot, I applied to similar jobs to my previous in education policy even though my gut was telling me my heart really wasn’t in it. I kept reflecting back to my previous role: working with teenagers. I let myself go with this thought, and finally admitted to myself that what I really wanted to be was a coach. Up until that point, my jobs and hobbies always had an element of coaching to them, and I already knew that it was the part I loved the most, but up until that point I hadn’t really dared to admit to myself that I wanted it to be my main focus. That was the biggest moment. It provided me energy and I started to act on it. And the energy I’ve had since has eventually led to me – just this year – admitting that my passion was really to focus on coaching teenagers.”

Amazing. That takes a lot of bravery and I’m struck by you having to really ‘admit to yourself’. Why would you say making this shift was so important?

“Well it’s a bit of a long story actually! I’ve always been passionate about personal development and helping people in theirs. I often see the potential in people and their qualities, especially when they struggle to see it themselves. But up until 2021, I had always pursued this area in the field of business management. During my university career, I took some classes in Business Administration and I liked it so much that I went on to do a Masters Degree in International Business Administration, with a specialism in Change Management. And I always thought I wanted to work on people’s development in that context. It was a direction that came naturally with my background. My father also works in this field and I love talking and sparring with him about cases that he comes across. In fact, both my parents have an interest in adult education. On graduating, I mainly applied to management traineeships – a process I struggled with – and so I took a job as a tutor in a Homework Institute. Very quickly and naturally, I was promoted to the position of location manager, mentor and counselor. I loved that job and I was really in my element. But in the back of my mind, I had this voice saying that it was only an in-between job, that sooner or later I had to move on to a career in management. It was an expectation I put on myself. And so I kept looking and applying until I got the job in education policy. Sure enough, when I got that job, I felt as though I had finally begun to live up to the expectations of myself and everyone around me.  Things were taking off. I was finally in the career I was supposed to pursue. And in the two years I worked there, I learned a lot. It was a very stimulating environment, and I grew as a person and employee. But it also taught me that working with data was not my strongest suit and that although I do really well in guiding people in change projects, my talents lay in developing people rather than policy. And so I shifted from thinking I should have a career in management to acknowledging that I love working with people; that I am passionate about their development and building their confidence and that I want that as my main role in my working life.” 

That’s some realisation! And often it takes so long for these things to come to the surface, I guess. Can you highlight some of the challenges you came up against, please, Saskia?

“The main challenge I came up against was my own limiting beliefs, in truth. I put it onto myself that I should have a career in management. It felt like what I should do. I experienced an imposter inside me who told me that – even though I wanted to be a coach – it wasn’t really a realistic idea. I am not a trained psychologist after all. Neither do I have a degree in children’s development. And I’m certainly not a trained educational expert. And then when I finally allowed myself to acknowledge my passion and go for it, I also came up against another barrier in thinking I didn’t have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Going for it, building up a coaching practice and everything that entails has taken me on an intensive highway of my own personal development. I trained with CTI (The Co-Active Training Institute https://coactive.com/) to become a professional coach and that was a journey I loved. But I also recognise I need to develop my skills as an entrepreneur and so my next challenges will be learning to network and develop my visibility on social media in ways that are true to me. I’m still on this journey, so watch this space! “

I certainly will! Were there any breakthrough moments of note?

“Over the past two years, there have been several, I’d say. The first was when it hit me that I want to work on helping people, rather than working with people on developing policy. There have been several during my coaching training: not least the thrill of realising how much I loved it and how energising it was. It felt like coming home. And added to this was the feedback and confirmation from my fellow students and practice clients. This vote of confidence gave me the incentive to keep going down this road. And, this year, when I finally dared to admit that I wanted to coach teenagers and then immediately several opportunities came up, it give me an enormous boost.”

That’s really great to hear. I can feel the energy radiating off you! If you can, what would you say has been the impact of making your shift and what have you learnt from dong it?

“The biggest impact is that even though financially I am at the bare minimum, I get huge energy from what I’m doing so it’s interesting to hear you say ‘energy’ as that’s exactly how it feels! I feel lighter when I work; freer almost. I am extremely uncomfortable at times – being pushed out of my comfort zone – but I can see where I want to go and I am going to keep at it. I’m learning to trust more in my intuition and – while I am also scared because I don’t want my bubble to burst – I’m excited and determined to make it a reality. I have no idea what it’s going to be like for real. But I’m very excited to make it real.”

Well I wish you the very best of luck as you continue on your journey. Let’s talk again in future so we can see how you’re getting on! Thanks so much for sharing your story with me, Saskia.