Michael is on a lifelong mission to bring personal coaching to the awareness of as many people as possible. Over the last eights years, he has worked with around 400 men and women on a one-to-one basis.

Michael has been interviewed on a number of TV channels, including the BBC and Sky News, and featured on Eamonn & Ruth: How The Other Half Lives and Made in Chelsea.  He’s also been interviewed and written articles in magazines such as Forbes, GQ, The Observer, The Times, The Telegraph, Evening Standard, Metro, City Matters , H Edition, Square Mile, Mayfair Magazine , Spear’s , City A.M., Arabian Business Magazine, Portfolio Magazine, Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, and High Living.

Michael is in The Coaching Movie – the world’s first full-length coaching documentary featuring the likes of Jack Canfield, John Demartini and John Gray.

But why I really want to speak to Michael today is becuase I see in Michael someone who embodies the Courage to Be, someone who is dedicated to performing over conforming and someone who exudes moral courage

Michael was my first coach and he was was instrumental in giving me the moral courage I needed to act. I often look back at the period of time and surprise myself by my courage. To move into this next phase, to have the courage to act before I felt ready, to face the discomfort that came with my decision to become a coach, was so much easier with Michael Serwa as my coach.

I am not the only one to be fascinated by the candor and the approach of Michael.

He is a standout character in his field.

Some key highlights 

  • “There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance and I know I very much operate on that line.”
  • After a year and a half of coaching full-time Michael had an a-ha moment when he realised he was playing it too safe – no one criticised him.
  • From here, Michael became the No Bullshit Coach that he is known for today.
  • Michael didn’t become someone he wasn’t, rather he allowed his personality to come through in his coaching.
  • If you create a personal brand that is clever, but not who you are at the core, it will likely fail – the market is smart.
  • Michael always wanted to standout, be different and aim for greatness….“when you look at greatness in any line of work, in any industry in any field you don’t get there by being like everyone else”.
  • Michael shares a story about being a “failed jazz trumpet player”, when he discovered he could never be the best in the world he moved onto his next obsession.
  • Michael is obsessed with what he does and tends to only work with clients who are obsessed too “in life we don’t attract what we want we attract what we are”.
  • He expects his clients to be motivated, it is not within his interest to turn lazy people into motivated people.
  • Michael talks to the Courage to Be: @19:00 and shares that matter how successful his clients are they still worry about what others are thinking about them.
  • In fact, Michael still cares about what people think, but the difference is he doesn’t care enough to “edit” his behaviour.
  • I am no longer going to be someone I am not just to please other people – a turning point Michael had at the age of 32
  • “When I find myself being criticised I remind myself that both Jesus and Gandhi had critics… as nice as I think I am, I think we all agree that Jesus and Gandhi were nicer.”
  • No matter what you do and who you are, there will be someone who has problem with you.
  • Michael refers to it as “‘liberating” when we let go of our need to be liked.
  • When we live a life on our terms, in line with our own values, we connect with the right people, drawing on Kurt Cobain — ‘I’d rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.’
  • “Of course, I want people to like me, but I don’t NEED it”. The problem is if you NEED it – if you need that external validation.
  • Michael tells his clients that if they feel so good about themselves they won’t need that external validation.
  • I don’t think I am better than anyone, but I certainly don’t think anyone is better than me
  • I don’t give you the power to offend me
  • “I decide on my value, not you.” 

WARNING

 – this episode occasionally contains bad language. 

This interview was conducted online therefore there are a few quality issues. I do hope this doesn’t take from your listening experience as Michael insights are everything I could hope to share with you on the Courage to Be theme. 

You can find Michael on https://michaelserwa.com

Please do subscribe on your favourite podcast app – and even better, leave a review, I would love to hear your feedback. 

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