The Coaching Life

Phil Goddard
  • 5.0 (21)
  • BUSINESS

In the Coaching Life Podcast internationally renowned coach, speaker and author Phil Goddard interviews coaches and clients to give a real-life, no-filter look at the coaching profession and what it really takes to be a coach.

  1. FEB 8

    111 Mark Spall - The Arc of Us

    This episode is a little different to most others on The Coaching Life Podcast. Over a somewhat extended period of time, you get to witness a beautiful conversation with my dear friend, Mark Spall. Mark and I met on our very first day as apprentices in September 1984. Here we are sitting together in Bali, recording a conversation that has been unfolding for over four decades. Rather than a structured coaching conversation or a clearly defined theme, this is a slow, reflective, wide-ranging dialogue between two friends who have known each other their entire adult lives. You’ll get to witness two men remembering, wondering, circling back, and allowing meaning to surface in its own time. In this conversation we explore: • Growing up without a clear sense of direction, and how much of life is shaped by chance, encouragement, and small moments of being seen • Early work, apprenticeships, and the quiet impact of teachers, mentors, and off-hand comments • Self-doubt, belonging, and the long-carried sense of “not quite fitting in.” • Intelligence, effort, neurodivergence, and the different ways people learn and thrive. • Programming, technology, creativity, and the joy of being absorbed in something for its own sake. • Leadership, validation, and the deep human desire to matter. • Spiritual curiosity, psychology, meaning, and the slow evolution of identity over time. • Friendship itself, how relationships drift, reconnect, and quietly shape who we become There is wisdom here, and its not delivered as advice. It emerges through memory, honesty, laughter, and reflection. Looking deeper, there’s something very honest about friendship here, about becoming, evolving and belonging, and the beautiful privilege of still being in conversation after all these years. We have created this episode together because I simply wanted to share with you someone who has been a part of my entire adult life. Just a side note - the audio quality is not of a standard I would prefer, but we did what we could with what was available to us at the time here in Bali, without postponing creating the recording… You’ll hear Bali in the background, in the form of motorcycles and other noises… And I’m a big advocate for imperfect action trumping inaction… I hope you enjoy listening in.

    3h 12m

  2. 11/09/2025

    110 AI in Coaching

    AI & The Future of Coaching What Can Be Replaced, and What Never Will Artificial Intelligence is changing the landscape of every creative and human profession, including coaching. In this solo episode, Phil Goddard explores what AI can already do better than most humans, and where its reach will always end. Phil also takes a more intimate look at what those two letters, AI, might also come to mean for the coaching world. This isn’t a debate about technology; it’s an inquiry into what makes coaching truly human: presence, curiosity, and love. Phil takes listeners on a reflective, grounded journey through the evolving world of creation and connection, inviting both coaches and clients to return to the essence of what real transformation is built upon. In this episode Phil shares: • What aspects of the coaching industry are most at risk from automation • The irreplaceable qualities that keep real coaching alive • Why curiosity is the true heartbeat of transformation • How creativity loses soul when it becomes mechanical • What the future of meaningful human work might look like • If you’re a coach: this episode invites you to rediscover your depth, to shift from performance to presence, and to build your work around what no machine can replicate. • If you’re a coaching client: it offers clarity on what genuine coaching feels like, how to recognise when a conversation is alive, real, and transformative, and not formulaic. This is a meditation on where technology ends, and where humanity begins.

    34 min

  3. 05/06/2025

    109 Leo Pessl - Mentorship

    The Art of Mentorship Leo Pessl joins Phil for a thoughtful conversation on the transformative power of mentorship. With warmth and humility, they discuss how mentorship has been a thread that has connected growth, purpose, progression and their eventual roles as a guide to others. This episode is a quiet masterclass on how learning unfolds in connection with others, and is a tribute to those who light the way. Phil & Leo discuss • The vital role mentors play in personal and intellectual awakening. • Why mentorship is as much about deep listening as it is about guidance. • How being seen by the right person can spark lifelong growth. • The quiet confidence and patience essential to both mentor and mentee. • Reflections on legacy, gratitude, and the enduring value of mentorship. • The emotional depth of being truly seen, supported, and believed in. • Why great mentorship is grounded in trust, not just expertise. Here’s a little more about Leo: Born in Austria and raised in Germany by an American Mother and Austrian father, Leo developed a sense of alienation early in life. His ADD felt incompatible with traditional education and, feeling something was wrong with him, he found it difficult to connect with other people. Since 2014 he has explored the nature of the human experience and through many kind and openhearted conversations has come to understand that how he felt was as much a universal as it was a personal experience. It is what he would describe as a pandemic of disconnection and disembodiment. Having trained in Gestalt therapy and group dynamics, and being at much more ease with life, he reached a turning point in his career: daring to offer someone he had just met a coaching session. The feedback from that conversation helped him decide to follow his calling to coach. Leo has invested in working with internationally renowned coaches and teachers, and now takes much joy from helping his clients flourish and connect with a loving life. Being of service is his main drive. He also enjoys writing, listening to and playing music, volunteering in the name of happiness, and supporting organizations or individuals in their quest for a better world. You can find out more about Leo at https://leopessl.net/english

    49 min

  4. 04/14/2025

    108 Lorena Bernal

    It Starts With You In this beautifully reflective episode, Phil Goddard welcomes Lorena Bernal — actor, model, TV host, mother, wife of a Premier League Football manager, and now coach and author — for a soul-stirring conversation about what it truly means to live from the heart. Lorena’s journey has taken her from Argentina to Spain, to Hollywood, and beyond. While her life has included fame and public recognition, it’s her rich inner world and emotional depth that take center stage here. Drawing from her debut book, It Starts With You, Lorena shares powerful insights into identity, self-inquiry, and emotional intelligence — offering listeners a loving nudge toward authenticity and self-acceptance. Phil and Lorena dive into the nuances of emotional awareness, spiritual growth, and the freedom that comes when we let go of the need to prove or perform. This episode isn’t just about coaching — it’s about being human in a way that’s honest, vulnerable, and real. Highlights include: • How constant change shaped Lorena’s sense of home and identity • The “inner world” she developed as a child navigating multiple cultures • Acting as a mirror for understanding human complexity and emotion • The moment she realized her natural inclination to coach others • Why emotional resilience starts with self-trust, not strategy • Her views on parenting from the heart vs. parenting from the mind • The liberating power of recognizing you’re not your conditioned self • A fresh metaphor for life as a ride to be embraced, not controlled • A glimpse into her life with her husband, an English Premier League manager. This is a conversation filled with truth, warmth, and quiet power — a reminder that real transformation always begins within. Here’s a little more about Lorena Lorena Bernal is an internationally recognised life and spiritual coach, speaker and author dedicated to empowering individuals to reconnect with their inner wisdom and lead fulfilling purpose-driven lives. Through her own unique coaching approach and mindfulness expertise, Lorena helps individuals to achieve their personal and life goals. No stranger to fame, Lorena has gained great insight into the worlds of both celebrity, thanks to a multifaceted career as a celebrated actress, model and television presenter, and elite sport and high performance, as the wife of leading football manager Mikel Arteta - giving her firsthand experience of the psychological resilience required to thrive in competitive environments. Sharing both professional advice and personal experiences, Lorena, with her natural charisma, eloquence and authentic storytelling, can captivate audiences, offering media profound insights with a relatable and uplifting approach whilst being positioned as an expert in the wellness and lifestyle space. Lorena takes readers on a transformative journey in her debut book, It Starts With You, available this April. A powerful exploration of self-acceptance, intuition, and emotional freedom, the book is a universally relevant guide to unlocking inner peace and joy. More than just a self-help book, It Starts With You is a profound journey into discovering and embodying the love that we truly are. Drawing on her lived experiences and extensive studies in personal growth, energy healing, consciousness, and human potential, Lorena offers readers a roadmap to embracing life with clarity and confidence. You can find out more about Lorena and purchase her book at https://lbcoach.co.uk/ And follow her on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lober99

    1h 19m

  5. 03/12/2025

    107 - Rishi Rongala

    A Path of Mastery In this episode of The Coaching Life Podcast, Phil Goddard sits down with Rishi for a deep and moving conversation about the search for meaning, the twists of self-discovery, and what it truly means to live a fulfilling life. In This Episode: • How an existential crisis sparked a journey of transformation • The role of philosophy, spirituality, and psychology in shaping our reality • Navigating uncertainty and finding peace in the unknown • Lessons from personal struggle, deep reflection, and letting go • The power of deep listening and presence in coaching • What it truly means to serve clients beyond techniques and formulas • Why fulfilment isn’t about fixing life, but embracing it as it is This conversation goes beyond coaching—it’s about the universal human experience, the search for truth, and the courage to live fully. Here’s a little more about Rishi: Rishi Rongala’s work is in shifting the way people experience themselves and their world. As a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), he works with leaders, entrepreneurs, and teams to create real impact—not by teaching more strategies, but by helping them cut through the noise of overthinking, self-doubt, and conditioned patterns. With a background spanning startups, enterprise risk, and financial consulting, Rishi’s journey into coaching wasn’t a planned career move. It was a relentless personal exploration—through the intersections of psychology, philosophy, and spirituality—that led him to see human potential beyond conventional wisdom. This led to Rishi founding a boutique coaching firm called Paradigm Shift specialising in transformative coaching. His clients don’t just come for frameworks or strategies. They come for something much rarer—a space where they can see themselves more clearly than ever before. And in that space, things shift. They lead with more presence, make decisions with more clarity, and move forward without the second-guessing that used to slow them down. Whether it’s a business leader making high-stakes decisions with ease, an entrepreneur navigating uncertainty without stress, or a professional stepping into their full presence, the shift is always the same—less effort, more impact. You can find out more about Rishi at https://rishirongala.com/

    1h 24m
  6. 106 Ian Watson - The Accidental Coach -

    10/05/2024

    106 Ian Watson - The Accidental Coach -

    The Accidental Coach What has really struck me in my conversations with Ian, and in reading his throughly beautiful book, The Tao of Homeopathy, is that everything in homeopathy is applicable in some way to masterful coaching. We explore this and more in this wholesome exploration of healing and what it is to be human. Phil & Ian discuss: * Ian’s expansion of his work into coaching. * The miracle ‘cure’ of Phil’s back & knee pains, & the interconnected nature of everything. * What is healing and how it is different from curing. * How the Tao Te Ching is applicable and can help us in coaching and all of our relationships. * Being you versus Being present. * Teaching vs Educating, and getting to truly know ourselves. * The role of susceptibility in getting sick and healing. * What does it mean to follow the path of ease? Here’s a little more about Ian: Ian Watson is an educator, author and facilitator who has worked in the field of well-being, holistic healing and inner transformation since1988. Ian became well known as a homeopathic practitioner and writer, and he subsequently went on to pursue a deeper understanding of mental and emotional health. This led to the study and practice of a wide variety of disciplines including Journey Process work, Emotional Freedom Technique, Shen Physio-emotional Release Therapy, Jungian psychology, Byron Katie work, family constellations and Hakomi technique. In 2011 he trained in the Three Principles paradigm discovered by Sydney Banks, and this psycho-spiritual understanding has been the foundation of his work ever since. Ian has been invited to share his understanding with schoolchildren, health professionals, business leaders and countless individuals and groups in the UK and overseas. Further information at: www.theinsightspace.com

    1h 3m
  7. 105 Exploring with Tibi Sátor

    09/19/2024

    105 Exploring with Tibi Sátor

    Exploring Human Experience A special episode in which Phil responds to some queries raised by Tibi, and they explore together how we create our experience and our most compassionate way of Loving Being Human. Phil & Tibi discuss: * Are we really 100% responsible for our experience? * Goddard’s Law of Spiritual Exploration. * How can we be compassionate towards everyone? * Dysfunctional compassion. * How are boundaries misused? * What’s our role in relating with people who have ‘wounds’? * What’s the point of forgiveness? * Phil’s story of understanding his father. * Handling things that irritate us. Tibi Sátor is a Coach, Creator, Husband and Dad. He specialises in Relationship and Parenting Coaching. You can connect with Tibi here: http://facebook.com/tibor.sator And subscribe to his newsletter here: tiborsator.substack.com

    1h 7m
  8. 104 Sara Priestley - Ethics, Cults and Coaching Integrity -

    09/05/2024

    104 Sara Priestley - Ethics, Cults and Coaching Integrity -

    Ethics, Cults and Coaching Integrity In a necessary conversation for all coaches and service professionals, Sara and Phil talk in-depth about ethics, cults, integrity, and how important it is for us to be aware of unhealthy aspects of our desires to help others. Topics of conversation include: * When and when not to share our writing. * Embellishment on social media. * The power dynamics between a coach and client, and the required care and awareness of these dynamics. * Unhealthy aspirations and how some teachings can distance us from ourselves. * The importance of expressing emotions. * The ethics of charging and being transparent with costs of time, energy and money. * Non-duality - what is it? What use is it? * The role of a coach in this exploration. * Manipulation and cult-like behaviour in some communities. * What are the elements of a cult, what’s the appeal and how do people end up involved in them. * What specifically do coaches need to be aware of, to ensure they operate with integrity? Here’s a little more about Sara: Sara brings a wealth of experience to her work as a coach and spiritual mentor. She firmly believes in empowerment and support. She has a focus on our true self, learning to love all of ourselves, and gently disentangling anything that gets in the way. She is also an advocate for those who've been through cult-like groups, and is a special advisor to the Association for Spiritual Integrity. You'll find her in her garden shed with at least a couple of cats, a big mug of coffee, and always open to chat. You can connect with Sara here: https://www.sarapriestley.com/

    1h 25m
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5
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

In the Coaching Life Podcast internationally renowned coach, speaker and author Phil Goddard interviews coaches and clients to give a real-life, no-filter look at the coaching profession and what it really takes to be a coach.

Information

  • Creator
    Phil Goddard
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    108
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The Coaching Life