I think there is a crucial and empowering topic that doesn’t get the attention it deserves, and that is being teachable.
Being teachable, or coachable, is a life-skill that can bring you far! I would never be where I am today without coaches, teachers and mentors. The heart of my Unstoppable Life Course is just this – bringing you wise and experienced guides to share their area of passion and expertise. Learn to be a lifelong learner and you will lean towards living Unstoppable!
The first key element of being teachable is the desire to learn from others.
No one gets extra credit in life by doing things on their own – we all need each other and we are all Better Together. We were created to be in relationships and one important relationship is the teacher-student relationship. The good news is that we can learn from SO many people around us. Who is someone older and wiser in your life? Maybe it is a parent or a friend, or someone you’ve admired from a distance. Check out Taking Shape for my reflection on how Adam and I have even learned from our boys!
Humility is also a key component in being teachable/coachable.
Humility can look like asking for help and guidance, putting yourself in the position of learner and not expert, and getting good at receiving constructive criticism. Learning to listen and examine yourself will only lead to good things in your life.
Sometimes the delivery may not be perfect, but we can apply grace and understanding and assume the best of the teachers in our life.
Mentoring is another form of teaching/coaching.
I’ve definitely had A LOT of instruction in my sport throughout my years of surfing, but I’ve also received mentoring from people at church, or women a little further down the motherhood journey than me. I’ve been the joyful recipient of lots of mentoring from all the guests in my Unstoppable Life program.
In my course – Let Go of Comparison, Arielle Estoria guides us through a basic map for learning to be encouraged/motivated/inspired/mentored by others, instead of comparing ourselves to others. This is a great formula for pursuing a mentor.
Here’s the map…
- Comparison – There’s something different about them.
- Admiration – They have beauty too. I really like that.
- Gratitude – I’m thankful there is someone like that in the world.
- Aspiration – I want to be like or do that too.
- Discovery – Find out how they got there.
- Set Goals – Break it down from where you are to where you want to be.
- Act – Put in the work.
- Celebrate – Celebrate all the small amounts of growth along the way.
I encourage you to think about an area in your life that you would like to receive some teaching/coaching/mentoring. It could be within your professional life, personal life, faith life, or sport/hobby life. Get after it.
Be Coachable and You’ll be Unstoppable!
Here is a little inspiration on Being Coachable from my YouTube Channel
