Becoming a coach and turning coaching into a successful business can sometimes feel like a never ending fight for emotional self-mastery. Mostly we have to fight fear, uncertainty and lack of confidence. But envy, the third deadly sin in our series, can also be one of the emotions that needs mastering.

Becoming A Coach Reminds Me Of Rock Climbing

Have you ever gone rock-climbing? The kind where there’s a huge fall of boulders and you’re climbing behind someone who’s better at it than you, with longer legs, stronger arms or just more experience in finding the best route to the top? For me, it works as an analogy for becoming a coach. When I was young, I used to follow my older brother up the rocks–I loved the challenge, the strength and agility involved, the risk and the exhilaration of reaching the top. But oh, I envied his skill and his speed and how much better he was at finding the best route. Sometimes I resented his greater ability so much that I wouldn’t accept his help on a boulder that was just too big for me, and I would get stuck and not be able to reach to top. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face! So how about you? Has envy gotten in your way of getting help when you need it on your journey to becoming a coach? Have you refused help or guidance because of it? Have you taken the help but felt resentful or challenged to accept it gracefully?

A Little Envy Can Be A Good Thing

Like many of the “seven deadly sins” as applied to becoming a coach and having a life coaching business, a little envy can be a good thing. British philosopher Bertrand Russell thought that envy could be used in a positive way to change the political system. For us as coaches, we can use envy in a positive way to improve our coaching. If you find the green-eyed monster lurking somewhere in your vicinity, transform it into encouragement to improve your skills and use it as an incentive to emulate the coaches you admire.

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Dorine G Kramer
JTS Advisors Strategy and Accountability Coach