Turning fear into flow: why coaching works and why you should try it

How does a musician with a role in church leadership end up switching careers to one in cutting-edge tech marketing?

In the latest episode of my podcast Unlock More (click here or search ‘Marianne Welsh Unlock More’ on your favourite podcast platform) I chatted with Luke Christian-Farman. A client I worked with some while back, his journey reminded me of truths we can all take on board about the relevance of our own stories, embracing our whole selves and getting over the unhelpful tales going around in our heads.

The key to his success was being able to join the dots.

The confusion of self-knowledge

Few things make sense without context. In Luke’s case, he had an idea of what he was good at but wasn’t sure how to use it. When his church ministry career ended, how on earth could he transfer his technical, leadership, management and creative skills into a different industry altogether?

Balancing the urgency to meet his responsibilities as a new father with a desire to work in an area he’d still have a passion for twenty years down the line, he knew he had to start again but didn’t know how. Marketing had a strong appeal but how was his experience as a touring musician with his own studio and later his role in church ministry relevant?

‘What are you good at? Someone asked me, ” he says. ‘I don’t know but I think I think differently to everyone else.’

He had a feeling that the raw materials were there. Developing and utilising them was another matter entirely.

The simple power of building a narrative

‘I didn’t know where to start’ Luke says. ‘I didn’t know how to piece this story together.’ Through coaching he was able to take stock of all his experience and skills, seeing them in a new light. He began to see how everything linked together.

‘I saw them as pieces of one picture rather than five or six unfinished ones’ he says. ‘I needed to have one that said this is me.’ 

The process threw up aptitudes that he’d forgotten about or that he thought weren’t useful. It was soon clear that it was all relevant because it was all part of him. Everything about his story mattered.

Finding fit and flow

Despite feeling underqualified for jobs, he applied for them undeterred. How did he fare? ‘Pursue failure’ he laughs, ‘sometimes it’s the only way to learn and grow.’

Driven by his need to break the cycle of dead-end jobs and establish a career, he started to explore what he’d learned about himself and believe in his story. By being authentically himself and not pretending to be something he wasn’t he found where he fit in. Success followed.

Moving into product marketing for the tech industry was natural and it was here that he found his flow. His music and recording career had given him the background and desire he needed.

‘I found my traction because I was in my lane.’ he says.

Why coaching worked for Luke

It helped him to overcome:

• Fear. Was he doing the right thing for the right reasons? 
• Confidence issues. Being yourself is your greatest strength and when you find your fit and flow, you see opportunities and things fall into place.
• Confusion. By seeing the bigger picture, he was able to see how transferable his skills were – there’s no better way to pull together a cohesive story.

‘I came into it asking please tell me what I’m good at but what I really needed was help laying out all the pieces of my jigsaw so I could figure all this out for myself. Coaching gave me the breadcrumbs I needed to follow.’

What’s his advice for people in a similar situation?

‘There is no harm in discovering more about yourself because you’re only ever going to become more of a true version of yourself.’ he says. ‘You’ll go for positions or create a business that makes sense.’

In my experience, that’s key. I know we talk about authenticity a lot but in my experience, nothing unlocks potential better than knowing who you are and the worth you bring.

‘In the end, you need to understand that the world needs you and the uniqueness of what you offer but you need to start somewhere and that’s what coaching enables.’

What’s your story?

How well do you think all the pieces of your puzzle fit together? There will be commonalities that thread through all aspects of your life and in this bigger picture, you may find the strength and direction for your next career decision or leap of faith.

I’m not here to give you the answers but like Luke, I can help you to ask the right questions. Send me a message for a friendly chat and let’s start the journey together.