Who Is John?
What makes a bio?
Somewhere along the way, a bio became a fixed document delivering standard information. And though many bios are written by the person being described, they typically use the third person as if composed by another. Bio is short for biography and yet, we rarely ask for someone’s biography; their life story. We ask for their bio. We want the short version of their life history as it pertains to the topic at hand. The full biography gives you a perspective; it throws open the door revealing the majesty and profundity of a life. Without the full biography, at most you have a crack through a doorway into a person’s life at a minimum; you have a series of facts. And in the business I am in, as a life coach, the facts of my life tell you little.
What makes me an expert in what it is that I do?
If you’re looking for an expert, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Like you, I am on a path that has no ending. I live in a constant state of learning and evolution. As bios typically include, I have the experience and the certifications. I am honored by my professional background but more importantly, I am strengthened by how my professional background plays with and is incorporated into an evolving belief system, my perspective of the world and of the self. In truth, I write a biography because I do want you to know me not just my certifications and the roles I’ve had. So, I will give you the standard bio information but in short form and only after I share with you (in first person) what I would want to know about the person I am considering inviting into my life.
I want you to feel comfortable working with me; to feel confident that I can give you something meaningful that opens your life to huge possibilities. I believe ultimately you hire me for my perspective and for my ability to be with you in yours. I think it’s important that you know what I believe; what I stand for. For it is born out of my life’s experiences. That to me is what a bio can and ought to be.
What I believe
I believe it is my responsibility to open; to live aligned with my unique voice.
I believe I shine brighter when you shine brighter.
I believe that your life is sacred and my life is sacred and that there is room for all of us to be exactly who we are.
I believe that in all things there is beauty one only has to train her eyes to see it.
I believe this world is full of open possibilities, gifts and abundance, “that every wall is a door,” that my voice is strengthened only through practice and intent and that I have to do the work & you have to do the work, if we want – ever – to be free.
I believe that freedom is possible and that it is born from awareness of the self and the acknowledgement of choice.
I believe that I have choice in all things in all moments in every way and without exception.
I believe that you are my mirror and that without you, I cannot see myself.
How did I get here?
The fun part of my bio really happens prior to all of my professional experience. But in consideration of space and time, I’ll share that my college career centered on the liberal arts with a focus in sociology and history. Sociology allowed me to see the individual from the outside in as he or she played within a larger cultural setting. History was important, I found out later, because I am fascinated by what we include and don’t include in our stories and how (and when) we interpret the “facts” in our stories both personal and culturally. The individual within a setting and the stories we tell ourselves and each other; this turns out to be a cornerstone in my work.
After school I went into and remained in retail for about 10 or 12 years where I played in the world of systems, beauty and people. I became enthralled by environments and how their layered existence affected the people that interacted with them. I learned that environments are powerful and can open and lift or close and shutdown. It was here that I began building teams and coaching people. Here that I developed leadership skills and an approach to working with individuals that held them as whole (not broken or deficient) while simultaneously moving towards a higher way of being.
A Different View
Later I would move into the corporate world at Dell Computer where I developed and managed sales teams. I continued to pay attention to the role of environments and their effect on people. Here I built teams, grew careers and worked towards goals. I learned what motivated people and importantly what did not. I observed people in roles and gained an understanding of how, when and why people hide out, rise up, fit in or don’t. I understood for the first time how to work with diversity; how to manage teams of disparate desires, wants and needs while working towards a common goal and how to hold both as vital to the success of the individual and the organization. I learned that our work can be more than just a means to a paycheck; that our lives are played out in these environs and so living passionately within them is not only possible but essential and immensely rewarding.
The Awakening of ME
I decided at the age of 40 to leave Dell and my 40 years in Texas. I moved to New York City, stepping out of the workforce and into the biggest experiment of my life. It was my goal to live my life against a backdrop of a bold newness; to muddy the waters, shake up my fears and look finally at who I had become. My intent was to awaken within my life. It was here that I found my way to Buddhism and the craft of acting and back into the worlds of body work and the study of the self. I read a lot and got back into therapy. I kept my eyes and ears open and watched as my understanding of the self grew – my voice along with it. It was a ride of discovery complete with all the joy and self doubt that I was seeking to stir. Eventually I made my way to the world of coaching. I got certified through an amazing program that moved my transformation to a deeper level and honed a craft I’d been working on for two decades. It was during this time that the pieces of my life started dropping into place. I began to understand the themes of my life, the trajectory I had been on and began to get glimmers of where I was headed. This all brings me to now. It’s a grand place and I am glad to be awake within my life.
More Than A Coach
As a professional coach, I am able to blend the best of my professional life with my personal journey. I have a natural, intimate and comfortable approach that respects the wisdom of the individual and the richness of each life. This is my life’s work. Clients who engage in my process will know fresh perspectives on personal challenges and opportunities, enhanced decision making skills, greater interpersonal effectiveness, and increased confidence as they move through their world. They can also expect to see appreciable results in the areas of productivity, personal satisfaction with life and work as well as the achievement of personally relevant goals.
An Invitation
Here’s the interesting thing… I cannot give my gifts until someone is willing to receive.
I am blessed with the most interesting, complex and remarkable people as clients and I believe you may be one of them. The very fact you have made it this far tells me that you are searching. You may be wondering if I’m the right one to help you get to that place you envision. Perhaps I am. But we will not know until we have a chance to connect, to hear each other’s voice and to explore how I can support you at a deep and meaningful level.
To that end I invite you to listen that small voice inside that is curious and email or call me.
John Dulworth
m 512.496.7124
o 646.415.8762
email: 
The greatest of journey begins with a single step. Take the step.
