What’s in it for others?

I sometimes get told, ‘You never stop coaching Sav, do you!’

“What can you learn from this?” is one of the best questions in the world. It requires humility to answer, increases self-awareness and has great potential to progress change.

I had some deep conversations with a few people around me after being (mis)diagnosed with ALS. In my experience, as strange as it sounds, I had the clearest mind and greatest inner strength I’ve ever experienced. Some people around me though were struggling with the news, and this naturally seemed to present an opportunity for them to gain some personal insight. I asked the question; ‘So this [disease] is happening to me, but what can you take from this?’

For one person it meant burying the hatchet with an ex-partner, for another person it meant getting serious about their health, and for another it meant ending a relationship that’s not working.

Having this type of conversation is by no means the right conversation for everyone. It naturally occurs, otherwise if forced, it may not go well. It also needs exercising with a high level of non-judgment and respect for however a person responds.

It can though create some real insight – for me, I felt good that others close to me could gain something positive from my situation. For others, it seemed to lead to a place of honesty. For the relationship, it created a deeper and richer connection.