We're All Teachers

When I was 18 my mother took me to have my astrological chart done.  The astrologer told me two things:  don’t get married for another 3 years because the element of change will be in my marriage house, and that I was destined to be a teacher.  Being 18, I rejected both.  The marriage 3 months later and subsequent divorce is a closed book, but I’ve often thought about the teacher prophecy.  At the time, the only image I could envision was being a school teacher, a noble profession (just ask my older brother), but not one that called to me. 

However, over the years I’ve learned that being a school teacher isn’t the only path to teaching.  In fact, I believe we’re all teachers in many ways.  Some of us have the title of teacher or trainer and make a living imparting knowledge to others.  Some of us teach and inspire through example (good and bad), and some of us are mentors at work or as volunteers.  Parenting, for better or worse, is a great example of teaching every day; and one of my favorite Dr. Phil-isms is that we teach others how to treat us through our actions and boundaries.

Unlike high school algebra, the lessons we teach either consciously or unconsciously are like the gifts that keep on giving; they can have an impact today and continue for many years – hopefully in a good way. 

I have a former boss and friend, Jennifer, who has a strong bias for action. Being a hardcore procrastinator, it was a real eye opener for me.  My first response to most things is to put it on my To Do list, especially if it’s something new or unfamiliar.  I need to think about it, prioritize it, figure it out, put it off and secretly hope it will go away.  But it usually just turns into a crisis, so not only am I unproductive, I’m stressed!  Then I got hired by Jennifer.  Her first response is always:  let’s take care of that right now.  She’d then just pick up the phone, call someone, and deal with it.  Over the years I learned from and channeled this behavior at work in my corporate environment, and it created an impression that I was a ‘get it done’ girl. Having embarked on a new career path, I’m now finding that just about everything is new, and I’ve fallen into my comfortable procrastinator mode.  Old habits die hard.  I’m less productive than I’d like to be and more than a little stressed about it.  So I’m going back to that lesson I learned ten years ago.  Thank you, Jennifer!

So how do you teach?  And what do you teach?  Do you lead by example, and is that example good or not-so-good?  Are you generous with your expertise?  Do you contribute the best of yourself to the world around you, and do you inspire others to be their best?  Or are you sometimes a cautionary tale?  Do you walk around with a bad attitude and hair trigger temper?  Griping, complaining, gossiping?  What lessons are you teaching and how might these lessons influence and inspire people today and over the years?  And just as important, what are you learning and how are you using those learnings?

As a coach, my way of teaching is to support others in discovering and appreciating the knowledge and truths that lay within themselves. I’ve finally come to realize that the astrologer’s prophecy has come to pass. 

Think about how you can bring your inner teacher and inner student to the surface each day.  Be generous with your knowledge and experience (without being a know-it-all), be conscious of your impact, and at the same time be inspired by others and be open to learning and growing.