Two notes up front:
First, I’m not paid by any of the experts or Apps mentioned in this article. I’m just sharing my experience and appreciation of them because there’s so much noise out there that I always appreciate heartfelt recommendations. In other words, this is me paying it forward.
And second, I’m not an Apple person, so in case you’re looking for a non-Apple Podcasts app or channel to get your podcast on, I use Podcast Addict and it works like a charm.
The Life Coach School…Did you just roll your eyes at the title of the podcast that’s the subject of this post? I did too the first time my friend Rebecca recommended the podcast “The Life Coach School” by Brooke Castillo.
Except it turns out Brooke Castillo is amazing, and that podcast is now one of my all-time favorites! Here’s why…
The coaching fad versus reality
I know next to nothing about coaching, but here’s my current take on the topic:
- First, coaching is a megatrend, which means a lot of people are in that space and not all of them are good at what they do;
- second, that a good coach is worth his or her weight in gold; and
- third, that my preconception about coaching being all about asking questions and not providing any real answers is an oversimplification at best.
Based on the 70+ podcast episodes I’ve listened to, coaching is an amazing tool!
Why Brooke Castillo won me over
You can tell that Brooke is having fun when she records her podcasts, that she’s often smiling. But she’s also phenomenal at taking topics and making them relevant to you even if you thought it was something you didn’t need help with. Every single episode I’ve listened to hit home and was about something relatable and useful to me, even when I didn’t expect it.
Brooke is an expert, and she’s a master at keeping her episodes deceptively simple and so insightful ever.single.time.
Every 10 episodes (at least so far – I’m only on number 70-something), she’ll showcase a teacher of hers and summarize their key philosophies and frameworks with quotes and examples to make it all easy to digest.
Whenever I listen to this podcast, I understand myself and others better, gain insight on how to reframe my perception of people and actions in a way that without a doubt makes my life better, and I feel both very much like a work in progress and a bit of an unstoppable badass.
Of course, Brooke isn’t for everyone. She’s very American: her accent, her upbeat approach, her high energy… I was talking to a friend recently who mentioned a coaching/self help YouTube channel she came across and which she loves because it’s quite serious and almost pessimistic in how it presents certain issues. I laughed, and decided not to suggest she listen to Brooke (just kidding, I suggested it anyway).
A taste of Brooke’s philosophy
Brooke talks a lot about “the model”. In a nutshell, she says that circumstances (facts) will provoke a thought which defines how you feel, and that in turn dictates your action(s) which leads to results.
A circumstance – anything from something that happens to what someone says – is an objective situation. It is neither good or bad until you have a thought about it that categorizes it, or qualifies it as such.
This is good news, because it means if you change the way you think about or see things, you can modify how you feel, and the results you get in life. Although my oversimplification may not win you over this instant, that’s powerful.
Brooke often gives examples on how to apply the model, and what it means for a given case or situation. As mentioned, she has a way of making things relevant and relatable.
And did I mention her episodes are alway short and punchy? Love love love her.
My suggestion to you
If you didn’t see this coming, it’s on you: I highly recommend you give this podcast a try.
Start at the beginning, with episode 1, and see what you think. And let me know! I’m always curious to see if and how content I love resonates with others (or doesn’t), and why.
And whether or not you like “The Life Coach School Podcast”, if you have a podcast you love and swear by (or just love if you’re not the swearing kind), please share – I’m always on the lookout for fantastic content.
Photo credit: Pixabay