How To Leverage Your Story Through Coaching

Picasso frolicking on the beach, juxtaposed with his “Sand Relief” pieces

from the summer of 1930.

Picasso had a prodigious memory. He remembered things like learning to walk and the details of his sister's birth; memories most of us don't store long term. Shockingly however, he did not remember when he started drawing. It must have been when he was quite young as his first words were "piz, piz", which was his way to say 'lapiz', a pencil.

His father, Don José, was a painter who taught art classes at a local museum. Every day, he would bring his brushes and supplies home with him. Picasso revered these instruments and indeed they would become an extension of himself.

"Every time I draw a man, automatically I think of my father... As far as I'm considered, the man is Don José, and that will be so as long I live. He had a heard... I see all the men I draw with his features more or less."

~ O’Brian, Patrick. Picasso: A Biography. HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Helen Downie began painting at the age of 48. She began exhibiting her work on her Instagram account @unskilledworker and was later discovered by fashion photographer, Nick Knight, who commissioned her to paint portraits of Alexander Macqueen. Since then, she has reached international acclaim and is exhibited and published widely.

By painting, "it was the same feeling as when I was seven, I totally recognized that", describes Downie in an interview on Quartz.

She recounts in Vanity Fair that “whenever I was asked ‘what do you want to be?’ it was only ever to be an artist—there wasn’t anything else,” Downie explains. “But somewhere from the age of 14 through to 48, I forgot. I just forgot, and then one day walking down the road I remembered.” Downie went on to become a hair dresser and mother of four by the time she was 28.

As Joseph Campbell says, our brains are hardwired for stories. We connect with each other through stories; we see ourselves in the stories of others. Some of us relate with Picasso, who had a clear sense of purpose and seemed to have been destined to become a visionary. Downie reclaimed her creativity later in life, after it lay dormant for years.

Using these examples, we can see how exploring personal narratives brings depth and meaning into our work. Our experiences and world view create a unique lens which can give us valuable insight in the work we do and our relationships with others.

Through 1:1 coaching, my goal is to help you unravel your journey to the present so you can be strategic in how you look to the future.

Here are some ways we might use narratives in coaching:

1. In your earliest memories of creative outpouring, how were you feeling? If you could go back there, would you?

2. What sequences of events brought you to this place in time?

3. How might your memory of playing as a child serve you in your creative process?

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As a CCA-Certified Creativity Coach, with over 30 years’ experience in art, design, and mentorship, I work with individuals and groups who value creativity in their daily lives and work.

Hi, I’m Roy Stevens, a Creativity Catalyst Life Coach. I help talented, creative professionals refuel their inspiration and reimagine their true potential using effective, client-focused strategies and proven methods. With over 30 years' experience in art, design, and mentorship, it's my honor and privilege to support my clients success.

Ready to welcome and embrace the next stage of your creative journey? Complete my Coaching Assessment to book your exploratory call.

Roy Stevens

Creativity Catalyst Life Coach