Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lisa Stryker. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lisa , we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
I was not confident for the first few decades of my life. I noticed it in others though. I thought they were just lucky to be born confident. That somehow I missed out on it. But my curiosity wouldn’t quit and I kept asking myself what makes someone confident? How can I be more confident? I slowly built up my confidence naturally by overcoming challenges.
But when I learned through coaching that confidence comes after courage everything changed. I stopped equating my doubt and anxiety over trying new things with a lack of capability. We become more capable and then we develop confidence. Doing it scared. That’s how I’ve built – and continue to build my confidence.
My self-esteem has grown exponentially as I grow self-compassion and release judging myself. Brene Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection helped me shift my perspective on myself. It truly is okay to make mistakes! Really believe that is an ongoing journey. And well worth the results!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
People ask me all the time why I became a coach. It’s not obvious. My professional background is in communications – PR, marketing, social media, etc. I was a good student. The employee who got great performance reviews. Until I became a leader. This was something I really wanted but I was not well-equipped for leadership.
I cared so much about my colleagues and had the best of intentions. But I had a hard time saying no and avoided conflict. I wasn’t a good decision-maker. I didn’t have a mentor and was afraid to ask for help. Then I got laid off. And it rocked me to my core.
That’s when I realized I had more work to do. I found coaching through podcasts and couldn’t get enough. I joined a coaching program and my whole self-image changed. I figured out what I’d been missing as a leader. I took responsibility for myself and my growth. I got another leadership role and realized that helping others develop themselves was all I wanted to do. Everyone needs to know how to manage their minds! I decided that the way to have the biggest impact was to become a coach myself and dedicate myself full-time to being a coach. That was over two years ago and I haven’t looked back!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I’ve always been extremely curious. It serves me and my clients so well. I’m always trying to figure things out and listen with great interest. I find people endlessly fascinating.
Empathy. I am really tuned in to how others feel. Another important quality for a life coach.
I’m a great problem-solver. This comes in handy as a business owner. Building a business is really just solving an ongoing series of problems.
I will always recommend coaching to anyone who’s interested in becoming a coach. I also have a business coach. Having someone to guide and support you and hold you accountable accelerates your progress and makes the journey far more enjoyable.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
I have grown so much in the area of allowing, respecting and processing my feelings. Building a business is challenging and reveals all your fears to you. There’s nowhere to hide when it’s all you. In the past year, I’ve faced down the fear of failure as a business owner. The fear of being so visible on social media. I’m letting myself really feel everything and it’s allowing me to keep moving even when I doubt something’s going to work or I think I’m going to embarrass myself. If you’re not afraid to feel anxious or embarrassed or anything else you;re unstoppable. I’m on my way.
Contact Info:
- Website: lisastryker.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisa__stryker/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisastryker/
