Are You Coachable?

At 13 and 11, my children are at the stage where they believe they know everything…and it can be exasperating! Seasoned parents tell me to maintain my patience, and when they are around the age of 21, our relationship will begin to evolve. I look forward to the day when the realization sets in that they are not all knowing, and when moods and attitudes normalize.

Just the other day I overheard my wife say to my 11-year-old son, “Everyone in our house except you has gone through 6th grade, perhaps if you stop talking and listen you will learn something.” I cheered on the inside. Her lesson reminded me of a statement that Jackie Joyner-Kersee once said, “I maintained my edge by always being a student; you will always have something new to learn.” This should be a lesson for everyone who desires to actualize.

Learning from the experience of others can be rewarding. Even in my case, the success that others attribute to my leadership is really a function of me listening to people I trust, people who have something to impart because they have been where I wish to arrive. My goal in life is to help the most vulnerable among us to reach their highest potential. To be game ready, 26 years after 6th grade, I am still being coached by a stable of exceptional people. How about you? Are you coachable?

Learning from the experience of others can be rewarding.

— Orv Kimbrough

Hi, I’m Orvin Kimbrough—volunteer, board director, chairman, and CEO. I help professionals move from feeling stuck to being strengthened by reshaping how they think, lead, and live. My work focuses on confidence, leadership, and influence through mindset shifts, expanded networks, and bold, values-aligned action. My perspective is rooted in lived experience—from growing up in foster care to leading complex institutions as a CEO—and shaped by faith, resilience, and a deep belief in human potential.

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Books for Every Stage

Twice Over a Man

A memoir often described as a leadership guide wrapped in an honest, relatable story of perseverance, healing, and growth. It explores how pain can be reframed into purpose and how ordinary people build meaningful lives through courage and clarity.

More Than a Conqueror

Written for teens and young adults, this book encourages confidence, resilience, and identity formation during the years when self-belief is being shaped.

Ward and the State

A children’s book that gently introduces big ideas like belonging, courage, and hope, helping young readers see themselves as more than their circumstances

 

INTRODUCING: The Thriver’s Path™

This blog is part of The Thriver’s Path™—a growing ecosystem of writing, courses, reflections, and community designed to help people of all ages reframe their thinking, reclaim their agency, and take their next meaningful move.

→ Ready for your next move?

Explore more writings, resources, and ways to engage at orvinkimbrough.com, or join the conversation inside the Thrivers Club™ community.

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