Atinon Coaching

A Day in the Life of a (Procrastinating) Coach

6 AM: Wake up early to go for a run. But first, lots of coffee. ☕️☕️

7 AM: Still on the sofa scrolling random IG videos. Dog giving increasingly *urgent* looks towards the door. 🐕

8 AM: Dog successfully de-peed and de-poo’d. Small wins, am I right? 💩

9 AM: Starting to drizzle. Worried about my very new (and very white) pair of running shoes. Maybe should wait for it to stop… 🌧️

10 AM: Ended up having breakfast in a cafe since it’s still sort of raining-ish. Oh well, I keep telling my clients to find more “me time” so I’m being a good role model. 🏅

11 AM: Work, work, work. Today is Sales day which is when I should be looking for clients which I really, really hate. Ended up organising my calendar and creating some pretty, new charts instead. 📈

12 PM: Did a coaching consultation which is one of my favourite things in the world. It’s so cool to be able to connect with people on a deep, human level and help them figure out how to achieve what really matters to them. I enjoy it so much I tend to forget to offer a coaching proposal—ergo, the need for a Sales day. 👨🏻‍💼

1 PM: Yay, lunch! 🍔

2 PM: Ok, will seriously start looking for clients now. But maybe after a short, restorative nap which will help me show up as my best self! 😴

3 PM: Nice nap with doggie who doesn’t seem to have problems sleeping all day long (it’s a dog’s life I tell you!). But no time for Sales talk, it’s time to COACH! 🫂

4 PM: Amazing coaching session (they all are). Client had a breakthrough on why she was feeling stuck. Loved seeing that “a-ha” moment light up her face. It’s what coaches live for! 💡

5 PM: Coaching session with a new client. It’s always as exciting (and slightly nerve wracking) for me as it is for them. Feels like going on a first date! 😅

6 PM: Corporate coaching with a CEO. Their trials and travails remind me so much of my own corporate “era”. It’s not easy being a leader but ultimately, can be very rewarding if you see the huge impact you can make on your team and the customers you’re serving (and can get out of your own way!). 🕳️

7 PM: REALLY need to look for clients. But let’s post something on social first...Hmmm, maybe share something about A Day in the Life of a Coach? 🤔

How was your day? 😁

I love the companies I worked for 🥰

It’s now become unfashionable to say nice things about the companies you work for.

And it’s definitely more tempting (and more fun) to find things to complain about.

But looking back, I can see how much I got from every company, a lot of which I never truly appreciated until now.

So here’s my list of the best things I love from all of my companies:

🥤 Coca-Cola: THE BEST brand building and marketing training you’ll ever get. Good thing this was the first company I ever worked for as the depth and breadth of training I got was unbeatable. 80% of my marketing fundamentals to date still comes from Coke (20+ years ago!!).

Extra credit for: great grassroots trade marketing and field sales experience! 👍

🧴 Johnson & Johnson: THE BEST general management training around. You can come from any Department, but you still have to know everything else—from Supply Chain, to Finance, to Marketing and Sales, to R&D, etc. Now that I run my own businesses, I’m so grateful for the end to end experience I got from J&J.

Bonus points for: No-nonsense Financial discipline and the skill of managing 10,000 stakeholders at the same time. 😅

🦷 Invisalign: THE BEST at speed, agility, and empowerment. You get the freedom of a tech start-up with the stability of a large, profitable MNC. You WILL get thrown into the water without a life vest, but if you figure out how to swim, no challenge will ever faze you again!

Special distinction for: Learning to navigate and thrive under some of the strictest regulations around. 🙅🏻‍♂️

❤️ Atinon Coaching: THE BEST at teaching me how to create a business from scratch, that ethical marketing CAN be effective, and that purpose and profit are not mortal enemies. Also helped me confront my fears of rejection since I had to make offers and hear “No’s” all day long.

Plus points: Gave me freedom of time and place which is worth all the money in the world! 💰

🏋️‍♂️ Atlas Fitness: THE BEST at pushing me out of my comfort zone and giving me the chance to work and interact with different kinds of people. Came with its own set of challenges like getting kicked out by our landlord and working with a business partner (I may have some issues with letting go of control…)

Honorable mention: It’s just cool to tell people I own a gym! 😎

How about you? What do you love about the companies you’ve worked for? 🤔

THIS WAS THE IMAGE THAT CHANGED MY LIFE.

It was around this time in December a few years ago and I was finally on leave from work.

I was enjoying the break and the chance to spend time with family and friends, but I was also feelings pangs of anxiety and dissatisfaction about the upcoming year ahead.

While a new year was coming, I knew I was really just going back to the same old things--same work (and same work problems), same day to day routine, same dreading of Mondays and counting the days to the weekend.

I wanted something more but I didn't know how to figure it out. And even less sure how to make it happen.

My coach suggested I create a vision board that captured what I would find exciting in this future life and how I wanted to feel in this new life.

Initially, I hesitated to do it. Felt a bit too woo-woo for me and reminded me too much of my kiddy school art projects.

In the end I relented (and did it in ppt!), and it was the best decision ever.

It helped me discover the elements that I truly wanted in my life:

1. FREEDOM - to do what I want, when I want.

2. MOBILITY - to work or travel anywhere, anytime.

3. CONNECTION - with people, animals, and nature.

4. BEAUTY - through art and in everyday life.

5. STRENGTH - to be physically, mentally, emotionally centered.

I printed this image out and posted it on my fridge where I would see it every single day.

Strangely enough, the more I looked at it, the more possible it started feeling.

And step by step (and with the help of many, many people), I started making changes to my life--starting with my health, then my career, and then my relationships.

Now as I look at this image, I realise I'm LIVING MY VISION.

Change starts with the willingness to Dream and to not run away from that Dream. And putting that Dream on paper helps to start making it real.

Is the thought of 2023 feeling no different to 2022? It may help to start rediscovering your Dreams.

Want to do it together? DM me or visit www.atinoncoaching.com

I can't wait to work with you on this!

Always room to get better 💪

HOW TO LOVE DOING SOMETHING YOU HATE 🤬

I love my job but NOT all parts of it.

I dread Tuesdays which is when I have to work on admin stuff and do my sales and marketing (yes. I’m a marketer that hates doing my own marketing!)

One trick to making an unpleasant task more enjoyable is to attach it to a more pleasurable activity.

So instead of “admin Tuesdays”, I’ve turned it into “Coffeeshop Tuesdays”

That’s when I try out different cafes around the city (and different cakes and pastries too!)

Not only does it make the work a lot more bearable, I’ve also ended up discovering new places and meeting new people!

It’s great for starting new habits too! 👍

WHY IS PRIDE SUCH A DIRTY WORD?

Why do we judge people at work who are good at promoting themselves?

Why are we suspicious of people who are very confident and self-assured?

Why do we tell children to keep their heads down and to always be humble?

When someone compliments us, why do we say, "oh, it was nothing..."

When we get our 360 feedback, why do we skim through the positives but spend sleepless nights thinking about the "opportunities for improvement"?

When we want to post about our accomplishments, why can't we just say how we really feel instead of "I'm deeply humbled and honoured to be considered for this award..."?

Why do we confuse PRIDE with ARROGANCE?

Here's the Oxford Dictionary definitions:

PRIDE: "a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements..."

ARROGANCE: "having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities."

And here's my favourite definition of PRIDE:

"Consciousness of one's own dignity."

If we can't be conscious of our own dignity, how can we ever be fully alive to ourselves and to others?

What do you think?

Seeing this pic makes me tear up…🥲

I’ve always been insecure of my body.

Growing up, I was a weak and skinny boy. I was more into books than sports and I got bullied a lot.

And even as I grew older, I still felt very awkward and uncomfortable in my skin.

I’d never look at myself in the mirror and I hated seeing myself in photos.

And no matter how successful I was in other things, I never felt I was good enough: because my body gave away who I really was.

So it blows my mind to see myself here looking so strong, so confident, and so proud—it’s like I’ve become a completely different person.

And maybe in a way, I am.

My hope in sharing this is that you get inspired and challenged to create your own possibilities—in your health, in your careers, in your relationships, or any other aspects in your life that matters.

Use me as evidence that any change is possible.

WHAT GOT ME FROM COUCH TO 10K:

Weeks of training: 14

Days of running: 59

Total distance ran: 309.8 KM

Total time running: 43 hours 05 mins (that’s almost 2 full days! 🤯)

Tomorrow is race day but the results don’t really matter all that much.

Because I’ve already won.

And I’ve never been so proud of myself!! 🥳

Thoughts that stopped me from pursuing a career change:

Like if you can relate!

Also people that are just chill…

I’VE BEEN REJECTED 60X THIS YEAR 😭

Was looking at my data today and I found out I had 60 consults that didn’t sign up for a program.

That’s essentially someone telling me “No” once a week, every week of this year. 😱

I’d love to say that it doesn’t bother me…but it sucks!

And it’s very tempting to say, “why bother?”

But I know this isn’t going to stop me from continuing to do what I do.

Because when seen from a different lens, this number is actually amazing!

🙌 It means 60 people are seeing value in what I offer so that they’re willing to reach out. It proves I am in demand!

🙌 It means I’ve been given an opportunity to help 60 people see a possible way to get unstuck from their challenges and hopefully, inspire new possibilities.

🙌 It means 60 people now have a personal experience with me and my coaching, which they can talk about and share with other people who need it.

When we’re trying to pursue our dreams, the biggest temptation is to give up when the “No’s” start piling up.

But if we can learn to accept them, and perhaps even to appreciate them (gasp!), then success is not just possible, but inevitable with time, effort, and consistency.

Meanwhile, I think I deserve a good night’s sleep!