From Journalist to Boat Builder to Business Coach

Roland, an experienced business coach in his mid 50’s, worked as both a journalist and a boat builder before he found his niche.

Growing up in a family of journalists in Holland, the profession seemed like the right way to go. But after 5 years he decided to leave journalism and try his hand at boat building. This lead him to Australia, where he discovered that while he loved and knew a lot about boats, he didn’t know much about business.

But along the way he developed a keen eye for processes and systems to support others like him. “I noticed that what I enjoyed most about my previous profession was helping clients come up with solutions, and problem solving, I thought that applying that in a different context would be useful and fun”

But his greatest insight along the way was about himself.  “I’d come to realise that a self-belief and self-image I had was no longer serving me and that it was time to change. The process was tough but also really powerful. As I transitioned from my old self to a new identity I realised on reflection that I had found myself in the wilderness.  This can be a very uncomfortable and even a painful place.

When you step out of your comfort zone you will immediately find yourself in a strange place, where you don’t recognise the world and yourself anymore and you will you feel lost. I realised I had to develop the new “me”. Being in the wilderness is where we can be at our most resourceful and creative and where we can start to shape our new identity.

During this reflective time, I realised that I had to start to change from the inside as well as the outside. I changed my behaviours, as well as my look and sound. I can assure you this felt awkward for a while, but over time it became more comfortable and I slowly started to identify with the new me.

Change is messy, confronting and scary and, as friends, partners, employers and bosses of people who are going through the wilderness, the best thing we can do to support them is to acknowledge that change.

We can reassure them that they do have the courage and resourcefulness to create their new selves.
My advice to anyone considering a career change is to learn to accept that the discomfort you are feeling is ok.

It's actually ok to be scared and anxious and to feel a bit lost or out of control. You have every reason to trust yourself. After all, you got this far.”

Roland Hanekroot
New Perspectives Business Coaching
http://newperspectives.com.au