A friend told me about a recent experience he had, and it resonated so strongly with my regular experiences in coaching and mentoring that I thought I’d share it. We’ll call him John (not his real name).

John works for a global scientific technology company. I am always fascinated to hear him talk about his work; when he does, I have to hang on tight because it’s complicated, genuinely amazing, and affects our everyday lives. He travels widely and encounters many diverse, capable, and successful people.

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He recently attended a company meeting in person, the first since COVID. They had many very technical, business, and sales-oriented presentations, which you might expect.

John reported that there was “a little bit of time left over,” so he quickly put together “a couple of slides” to talk about the benefit he had experienced in integrating personal and professional development. He highlighted issues he and I have worked on recently in our mentoring/coaching relationship, such as life mission and planning, marriage enrichment, and practical emotional intelligence issues. John reported this, to his amazement, as the biggest hit of the meeting, saying, “It was all they wanted to talk about.” It touched the participants at a point of interest, motivation, and profound need.

John’s recollection of the experience resonated with me. As an executive coach, I work with highly successful individuals like those in his group who are looking for more, but not more money, position, or recognition. They have a deeper longing related to meaning and impact in life and relationships, things money cannot buy and death cannot take away, the issues John touched on with his “couple of slides.”

This is why I say that at True Course, we “meet highly successful individuals where the personal meets the professional.” Personal development is the essential foundation for professional success. But, unfortunately, and often to the detriment of the individual, personal development and interests are made a distant second to professional issues or neglected altogether. It’s the proverbial “cart before the horse,” which becomes discouraging and doesn’t turn out well in the end.

If you evaluate your schedule, bank statement, personal energy use, choices, thought life, where you give most attention, and what fires you up, are you satisfied and fulfilled with what you find? Or is there a deeper longing?

Do you need a thought partner to support you in sorting and planning to answer that deeper longing to

• Gain better margin and work/life integration?
• Manage priorities to align with values?
• Achieve better communication?
• Cultivate more successful relationships?

True Course can help you with this and much more. When you come to coaching, I will be your coach. As we work together, you can confidently achieve the life you want and finish without regret.

Someone told me recently, “You know that a person can’t live without regret, right?” Well, I do believe a person can live without regret. I coach it and experience it. Here’s how it works. You plan to avoid as much regret as possible and live true to your plan. Then, the regret that creeps in need not be a prominent feature of your life. Instead of living (possibly drowning) in the grief of regret, learn from it and live in new ways that avoid repeating the regret and give your life a hopeful potential-filled attitude and direction.

As your coach, I can be your resource for integrating the personal and professional, answering that deeper longing, and supporting you in living without regret. Everyone who knows you will thank you for taking this step. You will be glad you did.