A Story of Transformation and Determination– Episode 2 of 4 -

Now that the purpose of my company has been revealed, I am going to share the source of its name, Eagle Business Coaching. It comes from a legend that I heard from the mouth of a North American Indigenous in a Pow-Wow just months after arriving in Alberta. His storytelling skills impressed me, but the legend itself triggered in me an episode of deep reflection that lasted for months, and for which, I will be eternally grateful.

The legend says that eagles are the longest-lived of all birds, living up to 70 years. By the time they reach 40 years of age, their talons, beaks, and feathers have deteriorated from use, leading them to make a crucial decision in their lives: get rid of them to allow new ones to grow, or die because these organs are no longer useful for hunting, feeding, or flying effectively. If they choose the first option, and in order not to become easy prey for other predators, eagles must soar to the highest and most inaccessible places of a mountain and there, tear off their feathers and claws one by one; and at the end, force the detachment of their beak by hitting it against the rocks. A humiliating and terribly painful process, no doubt, which also turns the monarch of the skies into a miserable living being, totally vulnerable and unable to do what it does best: hunting and flying. The bird goes into self-exile to, in the cold, solitude, and silence, experience a rebirth that will allow it to soar again high in the firmament until the end of its days.

After several months in the top of a mountain, his legs will have sprouted new, sharp claws with which the bird will hunt fearless again. New, shiny, conditioned feathers will allow it to make a full display of its wings and regain its sovereignty in the skies. A strong new beak will allow it to nourish itself properly. But more importantly, a wise and humble heart will beat stronger than ever, because it has overcome its own fears and limitations.

The eagle is considered an admirably strong animal, appreciated with special cultural, patriotic, and spiritual symbolism within some cultures around the world. And, although this is only a legend, I was able to associate many fragments of the transformation process of the eagle, with different moments of my own life in which I had to get rid of: toxic relationships and habits, limiting beliefs, and, above all, my own pride and vanity in order to evolve in different areas: personal, social, familial, economic or professional.

I also associated the transformation of the eagle with the growth process of leaders and entrepreneurs: how many efforts, sacrifices, bending and even pain do we have to experience to become the best version of ourselves and carry out a mission and a vision that is often bigger than ourselves?

Over time we learn that adversity, uncertainty, silence, solitude, and change are necessary components to gain momentum in life and that maintaining a positive mind ensures a healthy body, a prosperous career, a thriving business, and a united family. All things considered, we accept that detoxification and pruning (metaphorically speaking), in conjunction with mental and physical challenges, always strengthen the mind, body, and spirit. Just as an eagle chooses to do.

Eagle Business Coaching is a commitment to honor the continuous journey of the development of my clients, my community, my collaborators and myself, through my service to them.

Ana-María Ortega P.