Episode #114: Robbie Swale - The Power to Choose: Calm, Complexity, and the Courage to Be Fully Yourself

In this special episode, Alex Whitton and Alex Swallow take the reins to interview Robbie about the release of his new book, The Power to Choose: Finding Calm and Connection in a Complex World.

What unfolds is a warm, honest and surprisingly vulnerable exploration of choice, mindset, relationships, and the inner work that helps us meet complexity with more skill and less fear.

Across the conversation, Robbie shares the nine-year journey behind the book - from a powerful coaching question asked by Joel Monk in 2016 through to the resistance, the rewrites, and the emotional cost of releasing something deeply personal into the world.

Together, the three of them explore themes at the heart of both the book and coaching itself.

In this episode they explore:

  • Why in almost every moment, there’s more choice available than we think.

  • The idea of the Higher Self - and why we all have moments where we forget it.

  • How curiosity becomes an antidote to reactivity and contraction.

  • What really happens when we assume others are doing their best.

  • Why connection and calm matter so much in a complex world.

  • How writing a book becomes its own developmental journey.

  • The castle metaphor for working with shadow parts of ourselves.

  • The stories that shape us - and the ones we get to rewrite.

  • Why none of this work is ever really finished.

Robbie also shares two stories that bring these ideas to life in very human ways: a tense exchange with a neighbour, and a moment on a crowded train that turned into a masterclass in choosing calm rather than escalating conflict.

This episode is thoughtful, grounded and full of practical wisdom - for coaches, and for anyone navigating the complexity of modern life.

For more information about Robbie, visit https://www.robbieswale.com/

To buy The Power to Choose, visit http://geni.us/powertochoose

For more information about Alex Whitton, visit http://www.exploregrowbe.com/

For more information about Alex Swallow, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexswallow/

Read more about The Coach's Journey at www.thecoachsjourney.com.

Get Robbie’s ebook for coaches, An Introduction to The Coach’s Journey Flywheel at https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/the-coaching-business-flywheel

Music by My Good Man William: listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KmeQUcTbeE31uFynHQLQg

To support the Coach's Journey, visit www.patreon.com/thecoachsjourney and to join the Coach's Journey Community visit www.thecoachsjourney.com/community.

THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN:

BIOGRAPHY FROM ROBBIE

Since his initial training with The Coaching School, Robbie has learnt from some of the leaders in the field, doing everything he can to get into rooms with the most inspiring and cutting edge teachers, trainers and coaches including Robert Holden, Brené Brown, Karen Kimsey-House, Jennifer Garvey Berger, Jim Dethmer, Michael Neill, Jamie Smart and many more. He spent six months being coached by Rich Litvin, co-author of The Prosperous Coach, as part of the Prosperous Coach Salon and has attended two of his 3-day intensives, one in London and one in Santa Monica.

Robbie has trained people as diverse as prospective coaches and leading academics in coaching skills, and has provided coaching, mentoring, supervision and advice to many people who are striving to develop themselves as coaches.

Alongside his work with coaches, Robbie coaches leaders and entrepreneurs who want to make a difference in the world. They are investors, theatre directors, academics and everything in between. Robbie has provided coaching, training and facilitation for organisations as diverse as Swiss Re, The University of Edinburgh, 64 Million Artists, BetterUp and the UK Department for International Development.

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