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I grew up believing I’d never amount to much and left school without any qualifications. But in my twenties, I had a stroke of luck. I was accepted onto a course at a further education college, and thanks to some inspirational teachers, I found I was quite good as learning. Realising that I wasn't as hopeless as I’d believed, and that I could enjoy developing new skills and knowledge made me want to help others experience the same joy of learning.

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I spent several years taking evening and weekend teaching courses while working full-time. Eventually, I qualified as a teacher and began applying for positions that aligned with my passions. When I landed my first teaching role I was elated, convinced that I would be surrounded by like-minded, considerate individuals who were as passionate about teaching as I was. I imagined educators to be thoughtful, non-judgmental, and liberal-minded, focused on making a positive impact on learners.

Imagine my disappointment when, less than a year later, I discovered that the world of education was far different from what I had envisioned. It was fiercely competitive, disorganized, and often lacked compassion. It could be a toxic environment that demanded excessively long hours and offered little protection from petty jealousies or unwarranted accusations from students, parents, or colleagues.

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In those early years, I watched new teachers—full of energy and enthusiasm—quickly lose their idealism. Time and again, they reassessed their beliefs as they faced the harsh realities of the profession. I witnessed detached and indifferent management whose primary concern wasn’t the quality of learning, the welfare of students, or the wellbeing of staff. Instead, their focus was on national benchmarks and rankings. When I questioned the high turnover of staff, I was told, "Teaching is not for everyone." I quickly realized that if you weren’t willing to work a 50-hour week with no overtime pay, couldn’t handle conflicting and impossible targets, or expected a supportive, nurturing environment, this career might not be for you.

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Despite the challenges, I was still hooked. There’s something incredibly rewarding about helping someone overcome their limiting beliefs and gain the knowledge and confidence to move forward in life. That’s what drew me to teaching in the first place. But, as I soon learned, those values weren’t shared by the everyone. Cognitive overload, conflicting targets, excessive marking are what ultimately drives many out of the profession. In my first year, I was already showing signs of burnout. At home, I cried often, had a short temper, overindulged in food and drink, and struggled in my personal relationships. The negativity and contempt I sometimes faced from colleagues left me confused and emotionally drained. I knew that if I were to survive in this profession, something had to change.

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Although I didn’t know it at the time, my mindset followed a stoic philosophy: Don’t waste energy on trying to change what is outside of your control.   I began a course of coaching and self-healing, and what I learned was both simple and transformative. My key realization was that I could only control myself. Everything outside of me was beyond my influence. Coaching helped me raise my self-awareness and identify what I could change—and what I had to accept.

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I recognised my tendency to please others had led me to take on too much work. I learned that I was working excessively long hours out of fear of criticism. I understood that other people’s negative attitudes didn’t have to affect me. I found my voice, learned to speak truth to power, and started to prioritize my personal relationships, seeing them as essential rather than optional. By consistently applying the techniques I learned, I was able to navigate a sometimes turbulent 30-year career in education, remaining resilient despite the demands.

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Then something wonderful happened. Some of my colleagues noticed the change in me and asked how I’d managed it. That’s when I did something I’m truly proud of: I became a coach. Later, I qualified as a coach, determined to help other teachers who were facing the same struggles I had.

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Through my coaching work with individuals in multinational companies across education, legal, and publishing sectors, I’ve helped people rediscover their passion for teaching by recalibrating their commitments. I’ve guided them to manage their time effectively so they can nurture family and personal relationships, come to terms with the fact that we can’t please everyone, and let negativity slide off them. The result: they’ve been able to inspire students to embrace lifelong learning while still maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

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I still work in education, although nowadays, I focus more on coaching than on teaching. My goal is to help educators teach with passion and still have a life outside of work.

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If you’re a teacher who has a genuine passion for the profession but has lost it along the way, please feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to help. Don’t wait until you burn out, contact me now for your free 60 minutes discovery session.