Foreword
I have always longed for a life of my own, free from the meddling of others. But I also know that this ideal of self-reliance, which is so valued in Western culture, has its limits. Sometimes, I have wished for someone to reach out to me, to listen to me, to help me. I have sent out cries for help, hoping that someone would rescue me from the traps and pitfalls of my life, or illuminate the dark corners of my soul. Just as books have given me their pages, so people have offered me their arms.
That is why I have decided to share my story and my insights with you, through this book that I hope will be like a warm embrace in the sunless mornings and starless evenings of your life.
What is this book about? It is a book with many layers, inspired by a deep desire to help you change your perspective on life, its challenges and its opportunities. I have learned from my own reactions when faced with difficulties. I have learned from my own experiences and from those of others from the coaches I have read, from the people I have coached, and, sometimes, just from the people around me.
This book is an invitation to love yourself, to love humanity, and to empower others, especially when they are lost or broken. It is a call to stand by your fellow human beings with compassion and support, and in doing so, to never feel alone. The future of our civilization depends on solidarity. And the first step of solidarity is listening to others. The next step is to help them to keep the fire of life burning when they are in the dark tunnel of despair.
A few years ago, I found my calling as a coach and trainer, and I have pursued it with passion and dedication. I do it with a constant desire to learn from others and to share with them what I have learned. A coach is a source of positive energy and attention. A coach is a path to... a light in life. Meeting a coach should be the beginning of something good.
Some might mock me for wearing a suit with special patterns, or for having a pin that shows I belong to a certain group of people. They might also think that walking around a room with my photo on the walls, saying motivational words to the sound of music, is good for my ego, and that 'coaching' is an easy job. They might not realize that being a coach requires considerable skills and knowledge, and that saying a few obvious things while looking at yourself is not enough. People will not give you a second chance to waste their time.
I am going to tell you about my life before I discovered personal development and the journey it entails. I am going to tell you about the challenges that have shaped my character and the benefits I have gained from applying a few simple principles. I have written this book without any ego, just as I would have talked to you if we were sitting together. I hope that you will find it useful and inspiring.
This book is a reminder of our duty of solidarity, and a guide to use the extraordinary inner strength that we have within us whenever we face a difficulty. Everything we need to live well is inside us, and if we don't have it, someone else does.
A Chinese proverb says that "a friend is a road". This means that, very often, that by reaching out to others, we find a better way for ourselves. So we should look for others!
