MOVE TOWARD YOUR IDEAL EVERY DAY
Sometimes life can seem as though we're trudging through a barron marshland; our most fervent aims hiding far beyond the horizon. And yet, despite the odds, we continue our march towards the distant hills in search of our treasure. Allow me to be your guide, and we'll brave this journey together.
The Way
In order to help my clients to move closer toward their own personal ideal, I start by focusing on three core elements of being which have informed humanity since the dawn of time:
NATURE
Human beings are not divorced from Nature, but rather we are formed by and encapsulated within Nature. As I guide my clients to pay close attention to their external Nature, as well as their internal nature, they inevitably arrive at a greater awareness of the powerful and innate tools which they have at their immediate disposal.
CULTURE
If Nature forms us (what we are), then it is Culture which shapes us (who we are). I encourage my clients to become sophisticated stewards of their culture by utilising and improving upon the tools and wisdom of past generations in order to propel them forward toward their desired ideal.
LOGOS
We're products of both Nature and culture, but it is the Logos which guides us. This ancient philosophical term represents our ability as human beings to intelligently navigate Nature and culture in order to create "heaven on earth," or in other words, to materialise one's ideal out of potential. It can best be understood as true sight, true hearing, true speech, true intention, and true action.
Your Personal Ideal Map
Once my client is ready, I help them to pivot towards their ideal self by repeating the following cycle:
EDUCATE
As the saying goes, inspiration starts with education. The first step towards any character development is to seek better information, or at least to take stock of the wisdom which you currently have on hand.
PLAN
Next, it's time to plan. I help my clients to clearly define their own personal ideal, and then we create a road map to the perusal of that ideal.
EXECUTE
Of course, all the education and planning in the world won't account for a lack of action. I hold my clients accountable to living by the principles which they wish to embody.
REVIEW
The process of character development requires constant tweaking. As your consciousness expands with greater education, better plans, and more effective execution, your mind will be opened to better pathways or information that will lead you to your ideal.
Client Testimonials
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I have been a client of Simon's for well over a year. Simon has all the traits of an excellent life coach; he is an active listener and gives me the time and space to say what I needed during our sessions. His coaching approach is not prescriptive, but I've always left the session with a clear idea of what I need to work on afterwards. He has a pragmatic approach with his advice, so it is not all rigorously Stoic, but blended with common sense and objective neutrality. Over my time with Simon I feel that I have progressed up the curve of personal development; his support and provision of accountability has been invaluable.
Shammi Sheth - doctor
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Simon is a very wise, kind and gentle soul. He is so easy to talk to. In my sessions with him I have felt inspired and challenged. He gives me practical advice and tasks to do to help me along my journey. I'm very grateful.
LAURA FOUHSE - Minister
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I started working with Simon at the start of this year and it has been awesome to have a dialogue with someone so dedicated to helping other people excel. It’s rare to get candid feedback on one’s direction in life and Simon has been able to provide that in a way that both prompts me to think critically and encourages me to keep striving. I genuinely look forward to our conversations and value the insight gained from them.
Ryan Kerr - Paramedic
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I’ve been working with Simon for about a month and a half and can’t overstate how much of a positive impact it’s had on my day-to-day life and my overall well-being. I got to know Simon as a listener of the Practical Stoic Podcast because I loved how simple, straightforward... and well... practical his advice was. Now working with Simon personally I’m given more of these practical tools, but customized and tailored for my own personal life and situations.
Jacob Bush - Project Manager
Before We Start
I coach people because I believe that now, more than ever, we need to hold space for wisdom, character development, truth and virtue. Of course, I help many people to do this via my podcast, but one-on-one coaching allows me to go deeper with people who are searching for meaningful changes. I like to ask people to consider the following questions before they engage in coaching with me:
FAQ
As an alignment coach my aim is to help my clients to a) embody the tools and wisdom necessary for effective navigation of life's challenges and opportunities, b) help them to define their own personal ideal (the person they know they could be and should be), and then to c) help them to order their life in such a way that every day brings them closer into alignment with that personal ideal.
Not every person is the same, and so my style of coaching will vary between clients. This also means that my sessions often look quite different between clients.
That said, what you can expect is that I'll be holding space for productivity (offering strategies and homework etc.) as well as for flexibility (allowing conversations to flow naturally, which never fails to welcome profound moments of insight).
My goal with any client is simply to build a meaningful relationship with him/her during our sessions so that as we continue to work together my own style will become better suited to their needs.
The initial consultation is a chance for you and I to get to know each other. It's a no-obligation call where we can discuss your specific goals, challenges and opportunities, and I can take you through some finer details around the kind of coaching that I offer.
In order to prepare, I always recommend that people consider the following questions:
- What challenges and opportunities are you facing in your life right now?
- Why are you reaching out to me at this stage in your life?
- What do YOU want to get out of our sessions together?
- Do you have any questions for me?
I've been offering coaching since late 2018 and since then I've worked with individuals from the USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Panama, South Korea, Norway, Sweden, Germany and the United Kingdom. I've been fortunate enough to work with doctors, engineers, business executives, mothers, fathers, professors, and church ministers.
Looking back on this time I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to have worked with so many beautiful people doing great things around the world. I'm a real person trying to understand important questions in life, and I simply love people. My clients build a relationship with me via my writings and podcasts and the transition into coaching is always seamless for them.
My experience also comes from the fact that I'm not only a coach. I'm also a musician, a qualified personal trainer, a husband, a trail runner and an avid learner. Life is to be experienced, and we who experience it tend to attract each other. I hope you and I can meet soon as well!
Although the majority of my clients reside in the USA I do offer local face-to-face coaching. I find that it's also often nice to spend time with a client on a hike, at the beach, or at a local cafe where we can be outside in the fresh air.
No problem! If it's not the right time then I completely understand. Still feel free to book in your initial consultation and we might be able to come up with a game plan if this is something you're mentally ready for but simply don't have the time or resources to begin.
Ready to Meet?
The Practical Stoic Podcast
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YouTubeStoicism is an ancient philosophy that originated in Greece over 2,000 years ago, and its teachings have left ripples throughout the world ever since. I've been exploring the ideas of Stoicism on the Practical Stoic Podcast for over two years now, and it’s been an amazing journey which has taken me to the very limits of my own understanding.
On the Practical Stoic Podcast I speak with prominent philosophers, psychologists and theologians in order to try and extract the essence of Stoicism, as well as other philosophies and religions. Listen intently, and attach your listening to action so that you can see just how powerful Stoicism can be for you in your life.
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau