Life coach Lungisa Sonqishe chats to us about his career and partnership with the Surf School of Shine, which is helping to fight youth unemployment in South Africa. By Kwanele Mathebula
Image: Lungisa Sonqishe Facebook
I was born and raised in Katlehong, east of Johannesburg. I moved to Cape Town in my early 20s, and later went to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where I studied mass communication. After my studies, I worked in the advertising industry in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, and quickly found myself stuck. I felt that my career path wasn’t aligned with my values and how I wanted to contribute to society. I decided to consult a life coach. I knew then that I wanted to follow this path. When I moved back to Cape Town, I continued to work in this field, and learnt more about it.
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Being a life coach has been a great decision for me. It has opened my eyes to the importance of being self-aware in order to communicate better to the world. Teaching others to do the same has been a learning and fulfilling experience. Coaching appealed to me because it is result-driven and goal-oriented. It’s exciting to know that this is how I can contribute to society – by helping others find their spark and stand out.
I wanted to be a part of the Surf School of Shine initiative because I love helping people become better versions of themselves. I have a great passion for this, so when the opportunity came about, I was thrilled and thought it perfect to partner with the school to help make a powerful impact in our communities. The programmes offer jobseekers tools, tips and advice that will better prepare them for the market. These are essential in making sure that you can approach the market in a holistic manner, and thus are far better equipped to succeed.
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As a job seeker, there are a few things to keep in mind while looking for employment. Firstly, have a clear goal of what you want to achieve. Secondly, have a solid action plan that consists of 9 to 5, Monday to Friday job-searching activities until you secure employment.
Aspiring life coaches must genuinely be driven by the need to help others. Our job primarily is to inspire, motivate and lead our clients. Because there are a number of forms of coaching, you must first know yourself, and then which one best aligns with your passion.