LIFE CHANGING! These are the two best words to describe my experience of working with David. Whether your are in a ‘good place’ or perhaps somewhere else, having David by your side is completely invaluable.
David does not tell you what to do, nor does he ever attempt to do so. He does something that is rare to find in this world and truly listens. He guides us to dig deep into who we really are and unleash what is truly within us. Since working with David I believe I have found out who I actually am and in doing so am able to be true to myself.
I have experienced times when life hasn’t been all rosy but I couldn’t work out why and David has helped me to find my own way out. Other times when there have been clearer obstacles we have worked together to help me to focus on who I truly am and how to deal with the obstacle.
Since working with David my life is better, my health is better, my relationships are better and above all else I AM better.
Long may this partnership continue.
Scott Kingsley – Husband, Father and Finacial Wellbeing Coach.
David is an excellent mind set and performance coach, there is not doubt about that!
For me, being part of a family run business certainly has its challenges, its far easier to disagree. This effects family life as you cannot get away from it.
Doing the same job in the same industry for the same businesses also has its challenges. The mix of the two for 25 years had took its toll.
Having a lot of entrepreneurial ideas and aspirations Ive found it hard to get these off the ground having been met with a lack of similar interests and ambitions in the family business.
I would react negatively toward anything which went wrong and looked for blame and consequence within others.
During a coffee with a friend, he had suggested I go to speak to a coach, David.
I met with David on a Zoom call where we discussed where I was mentally and what I wanted to achieve, and more importantly why I wasn’t achieving these goals.
Over a 12-month period David and I talked about the weight which I carried and why it was there. He dug deep and listened to me, but more importantly focused on what I wasn’t saying.
He changed my attention and focus on to more positive actions. Changed my way of looking at things. Made me understand the difference between what I can control and what I can’t control.
This change in mind set has given me a new way forward. Ive managed to release the worthless and needless thoughts, all the things that made me unhappy and change them into a much calmer, happier Gary.
Over the past 8 months we have had our most challenging period I think we have ever had, and I don’t think that I could have strolled through it if I had not have spent the time with David prior to this. His coaching has helped me change the way I deal with everything, home and work.
What will be, will be!
Gary Finley – Managing Director at SCH Site Services LTD
When I started working with David in January 2020 my goal was pretty clear. I wanted to leave medicine behind but I felt completely stuck and had no idea what to do.It’s hard to recall what all of that journey was like because this isn’t hyperbole to say…I’m really not the same Rich now. I don’t have the same thought processes I did then, I don’t react to situations the same way I used to and I view myself in very different way.You see what started out as a journey to leave medicine turned into so much more: – Discovery of who I was, what I stood for and what I love. – The stories I’ve been telling myself all my life that simply weren’t true. – How important our language is in how we communicate to ourselves and others. – The way I was discounting all the amazing things I’ve done with my life with a shrug when I should be celebrating them! – What it would mean to me to leave behind a career and identity I’d spent over 20 years creating. – My blind spots – Learning self acceptance…And this list is far from exhaustive!It’s a testament to David that having achieved my goal of leaving medicine in September 2020 I am still working with him to this day. I knew we’d only started scratching the surface of what’s possible and I knew I wanted him along with me to help me discover what is possible. If you’ve done a lot of surface work on yourself already should you want to David is more than capable of getting to a deeper level where real lasting change happens.David is professional, warm, compassionate, trustworthy, open and non judgemental. He has a great sense of humour but at the same time has no qualms calling out BS when he hears it!At the time of writing this I’m entering my third year of coaching with David. I think that speaks volumes about what a great coach and human being David is and I look forward to my continued journey with him.
Dr Richard Harkness – Transformation Life Coach.
David has had a huge impact on the Onyx Health team, providing group and one-to-one coaching sessions that have improved our social awareness and perspective of how to get the best out of each other. More recently the leadership team have been working with David during a period of transition and have gained confidence and direction on how to become a better leader.
David is a fantastic coach and has a unique ability to get real value out of every session. Personally, I have a lot to thank David for, he has taught me to realise what I am capable of as a leader, worked with me to define my own leadership style and made me more self-aware so that I continually look after myself, benefitting others in the process.
Trevor Pill – Managing Director of Onyx Health
This is been one of the most challenging things I have ever written. It has taken me 2 months as I had no idea where to start.
However like every good story I will start at the beginning. The incredible thing about this story is that is has no end.
Around 18 months ago I found myself in a place of feeling so lost with myself. I had very little self awareness, very little drive or ambition and I did not know who I was or what my purpose was.
I found myself being very aggressive, very erratic and my emotions were all over the place.
I did not feel that I had a place in this world.
I was having conversations with myself in my head about stuff that may happen. I was creating stories and scenarios about my interactions with others that were so negative and simply untrue.
Then one day a good friend of mine who was being coached by David introduced me to him. He said that he was worth having a conversation with. After a bit of should I shouldn’t I… I got in touch and since our first conversation I can honestly say that my world has changed.
Through conversations I have been challenged, encouraged, supported and believed in.
I have found an inner peace and calmness that has enabled me to see myself for how incredible I am, the world for how incredible it is and others as they are.
I call David a freak of nature (that’s a good thing). The way he shapes language, provokes thinking and leads with empathy is incredible.
David has enabled me to enable me to be me. He has provided sets of keys and encouraged me to use those keys as I see fit. Encouraged me to find out what kind of doors the keys open.
I have learnt so much since meeting David and the beautiful thing is that there will never be an end to that journey.
There are so many powerful things that I have come to understand and use in my life.
Here are 3 that may help you:
1- There is only now. Tomorrow doesn’t exist. Live in the moment.
2- Everything… everything starts with me. How I react is me, how I succeed is me. Who I am is not because of what happening around me but what’s happening in me.
3- I have the ability to create whatever I want as a result of understanding who I REALLY am.
This all sounds amazing, I still have off days, I still have stuff to deal with but through challenging my perspective and changing my language these days are better managed internally.
David has become a real friend. What I love about him is how genuine he is. He is an all round top bloke.
If your looking for someone to change your life… David is not your man.
If your looking for someone to support and enable YOU to discover the real YOU and unleash YOU then get David in your life.
The story continues…
Graham Marsh – Director of Digital Edge.
When I reached out to David I was in a tough place, mentally, and had dreams but no clear plan for achieving them, also lacking many of the life skills to implement such a plan.
I knew wanted to become ‘something’ but had low self-esteem and confidence in my ability.
I’d made some half-hearted attempts to sort myself out. It didn’t work because I didn’t know myself and my values. I just wasn’t able to commit to being disciplined and needed help seeing the potential in myself, then going about achieving it.
Since working with David my life, business and entire outlook have transformed. My level of self-confidence is almost unrecognisable from previously and I’m stepping up as a director and leader of my company. I’m 100% clear on my direction in life and business and to top it off I’m in the best shape of my adult years.
David, I wanted to write you a testimonial to both say thank you, and hopefully to help other potential clients who are thinking of working with you.
Where to start?
Well, like most guys my age, I had an underlying feeling something wasn’t ‘right’. I ‘should’ have been happy. I ‘should’ have been content. I ‘should’ know what I wanted. However, it was becoming clearer to me that none of those ‘shoulds’ were happening.
Initially, I was sceptical working with a professional coach as I couldn’t really see how it would help – in fact this is what I believe is called, ‘having my head up my arse’. But you came with a strong recommendation of a good friend so decided to give it a try.
That was the best decision I ever made…your calm and reassuring manner put me at ease and your sessions allowed me to explore what was already deep inside – because all the answers were there all along! But then, that’s what a great coach does – they get you to see for yourself.
I won’t go into details about my own situation because everyone is different. What I would say is whether you are unsure of your own personal situation, career, job, business, etc then you need to start listening to yourself and act!
I can’t recommend David enough to anyone who feels they may need some help. But if you’re reading this then it is probably already reached the point that you need to help yourself. The question is, are you ready for a professional to guide you along?
Thanks again David
Very happy to recommend David – who in my experience is a brilliant coach. A superb listener, David helped me reconfigure my outlook for how I want to see the world; my vision professionally, how I want to lead and support others… and bring more of ‘me’ to what I do. Working together has been inspiring and I’ve made strides in all aspects of my life.
David is both an outstanding coach & an outstanding human too! After going through some major changes in my personal & professional life in early 2020, I was looking for someone who could help me maintain my focus & become a better version of myself & David was the perfect person to help me do that.
In my opinion, men will only listen to & be led by other men they admire for their virtues & experience which is what makes him such a great coach. I’ve been a client of his now since May 2020 & our bi-weekly 1-2-1 video calls (& weekly group chats with some of his other clients) have enabled me to gain the clarity I needed to become the very best father, partner, business leader & even friend to myself I could be & helped me understand what I need to do to pursue my dreams & fulfil my potential in the months & years ahead. If you’re at a crossroads in life, feel like you’ve lost your way or just want to be a better man, speak to David Wilkinson!
I started working with David just before lockdown 1. I had met him and listened to him a number of times before I engaged with his coaching. I loved his idea that men needed their own space.
We are made up differently and we do need something separate to women. It just is a fact of life. 2020 was a tough year! It was for many of us and it was no different for me. I had challenges of my own from a personal, business and mind perspective. The stresses and strains were there for me in every area of life. 5 kids, a business and a very busy mind. Balance is the key to life.
Happiness is the outcome we all crave and doing more stuff that I want to do always appeared to be at the bottom of the pile. I still have never heard my kids say “You stay at home dad and put your feet up, I will get the bus” or the business never says “Take a day off Ian, you had a really busy week last week”. These things never happen.
David provided an insight of this leading up to us engaging services. David is a real top guy. Easy to be around and open. I have always felt at ease with him. I literally could tell him anything. Sometimes that’s a good thing right? Over the past year I have become much calmer. Things that would have flipped my lid don’t any more. I know what I want from life more now than ever. David just teases it out in the most subtle ways. I have so much more clarity on all areas of my life now compared to last year. I have made peace with the things I have had to make peace with. I hit every challenge with a calmness I never thought I could have.
Working with David is like working with a friend. A friend that cares and a one that stops you in your tracks and helps you consider the why. Why are you doing this, why are you worried, why are you stressing. I would say that everyone needs a David no matter where you are in your cycle of business and life. It’s important to keep all areas of life in perspective.
Should you work with David? I will ask you 2 questions… 1) Are you male? 2) Does anyone actually care about you, your life, your business and your mind? Like really care, as in spending an hour a week and an hour a month going through you and your needs? (As much as my mam and my wife and my kids and my friends all love me, they really don’t do this) Everyone needs a David in their life. Be more like Ian, get a David involved!
Before I started working with David I was struggling with the balancing of my business with my personal life.
I was always working too much and as a result neglecting every other aspect of my life. I was far too driven by financial reward in terms of numbers alone rather than stepping back and recognising that what I actually wanted was flexibility, not money. I was neglecting the relationship with my wife and justifying that to myself by saying I was
‘providing’ when all she ever wants from me is affection and attention, not material things. I had read many self help books but these were mainly compounding my problem of ‘more, more, more’. I was naturally drawn to books and content that would help me to increase wealth, not balance out my entire life.
I was skeptical before I joined David’s coaching program, as I think there is a general belief that ‘coaches’ aren’t qualified in any particular area of expertise. What I now recognise is this is simply due to a lack of regulating body and examination board as the principles and theory you are able to learn with the help of a coach are worth their weight in gold and having the support and accountability to implement as I go has been transformational.
I started the program and instantly started working on balancing my lifestyle which for me is the most important thing. This allowed a more honest, open and connected relationship with my wife. I have adapted my business to operate around our lifestyle and now more than ever I am working to live instead of living to work. This has created more time freedom as well as the ability to continually grow my business.
Over the past couple of years I had been struggling both at work and at home.
I found myself feeling miserable most of the time. I was struggling with things and trying to find and understand what I wanted to do with my life. I was feeling like I wasn’t achieving anything and this made things tough. I would come home from work and I found myself taking things out on my family. I needed to do something but wasn’t sure what.
I was thinking of going to see a GP but wasn’t sure if that was the right path so I thought I would try a different route instead.
A couple of years before this I had worked with Dave as a client at his gym and I knew of his experience of coaching clients. Most of this was around fitness but I had attended a couple of sessions with him on mindset and setting goals. The results I achieved working with him on my fitness were superb so I contacted him to discuss my challenges.
After the initial contact we met up and he listened to what I was saying and asked a few uncomfortable questions. We then came up with a plan which I worked on to move forward which was tailored specifically for me. I will be the first to admit that I can be quite cynical about life coaching, etc. but I was genuinely blown away with how well things went.
I am not going to say it is an easy process; Dave asked some difficult questions and prompted me to push myself out of my comfort zone. He set some exercises to make me look at my life in a different way and how to identify what was important to me and where I should focus.
There was no magic pill or anything like that. You need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and being totally honest with yourself but with the way Dave conducted the sessions I always felt supported. I feel as though I am in a better place. I have a greater clarity on work which has improved things at home. I can better separate these areas of my life and have a greater focus on what is important to me. I have some additional fitness/outdoor challenges that I am working on over the next 12 months or so and the work I have done with Dave has greatly improved my focus.
I am still using the activities and techniques that we worked on to push myself further and to look inwardly at myself and my life as I still have a long way to go. The Coaching was a massive help and I would recommend David to anybody who needs support or guidance with any part of their life be that, work, their own business, fitness, challenges, etc. you will not look back.
A great guy who helps you get results if you are willing to put the work in.
