In this Business Blast podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews life coach Christine Young, who shares her journey from following her father's advertising career to becoming a coach focused on accountability, happiness, and personal growth. She recounts a pivotal moment at age 25 when fear and complacency kept her in an unfulfilling job, illustrating how perceived limits can block career change. Young emphasizes the importance of taking responsibility for one's choices, being true to one's word, and viewing happiness as an active choice rooted in self‑clarity and accountability. She recommends Wayne Dyer's Power of Intention as a transformative read that highlighted the power of mindset, and cites a favorite quote from Diane von Furstenberg about the primary relationship being with oneself, which underpins the ability to design one's life. The episode concludes with practical details on how listeners can access her coaching services via her website and complimentary 20‑minute consultations.
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Welcome to the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by Authors Unite. Authors Unite provides you with all the resources you need to become a successful author. You can learn more about Authors Unite and join the free community at authorsunite.com. Now let's jump into the episode.
All right everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have Christine Young with us, and for over a decade Christine has coached clients to become accountable for their choices, take action, and create change. Her clients increase overall happiness and success with career, relationships, and well-being. So welcome to the show, Christine.
Hi, Tyler. Hi, everyone. Thanks for having me.
Of course. Thanks for joining us. We'll dive into the first one, Christine. The first question I have for you today is what is the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
I love this question. So it's part of the reason why I became a coach. When I was growing up, My dad was in advertising and I idolized my father. And so I just decided I didn't really think about what I wanted to be when I grew up. I just decided I want to be like my dad and go into advertising. And I didn't grow out of that, fortunately or unfortunately. And, you know, went to college, graduated from college and moved to New York City and got my first job in advertising. And After about a year, I got promoted. I got a raise from some piddly salary to a slightly higher piddly salary. And another year goes by and I realized this isn't really what I want to do. And by the way, I don't know what I want to do because I never really thought about what I wanted. And I remember thinking to myself, you know what, I think I was 25 at the time. Literally thinking, you know what, it's too late to change careers. I was an English major. I've already gotten promoted and gotten a little bit of a salary bump. Like, I just have to deal with this. And it really, when I look back there, I can tell you lots of stories where I've had that type of thinking in my life. And it, I laugh now, you know, 25 years later, oh, 25, I think I can't change careers. And I think what's really the valuable message there is what was really happening was there was fear, right? I really, it was easier for me to keep doing what I had been doing and not have to put myself out there and, you know, send out resumes and start interviewing. And I was in a position where I didn't hate my job, but it wasn't what I wanted to do. And I just decided I was going to tolerate it. Um, it was basically out of fear, confusion, and then really just some laziness. So, um, you know, it, it's, it's the message is like we always have a choice, um, and it's just the way that we're thinking about it. And you have to, um, be willing to, if you want to make a choice, to do the work to make the change.
Yeah, I, I agree. I think that's such a huge lesson because like in hindsight, right, like it's pretty clear that like At 25, you could definitely change careers. But when you're like going through it, you're like, oh, like I've already been through, like I've done so much in this, like I'm 25, I've already done so much, like I can't change now. But it's like, ah, you're only 25.
I know, exactly right. And you know, it's that kind of gray area where, you know, if I had really hated my job, it probably would have been better. I'm sure it would have been better because I would have it would have motivated me to figure it out. But when you get stuck in the in-between, like, well, can I do better? Really? And I did that in relationships. People do it. Well, I don't know if I'm fully happy here, but then I got to go back and start dating again. I got to go through a breakup. I got to— I'll just hang out. So it's that mediocrity that you kind of settle for. It's easy. And when something is really that awful, it's actually better because then it lights fire under your ass.
Makes it more clear. Yeah.
Yeah.
So the next one I have for you is, what is the most valuable piece of information we should know that's within your expertise or industry?
Have accountability and take responsibility for the choices that you make in life. There are lots of— there are circumstances. We cannot control everything. I've tried. And what happens is usually we take our say in where we are in life and like our choices that have gotten us there and make it really small. And then there's a huge pile of circumstances that have gotten us there. And really, as I said, I'm not suggesting that, you know, people aren't victims sometimes and there's terrible circumstances and things to deal with because that's life. But really looking at it as like, How did I get here and the choices I made? And not to bash yourself, but that's actually— it's confronting, but it really opens up a door of like, gee, okay, I made these decisions. I made the choice to do this and this and this with my career, and now here's where I am. I can choose differently. And being responsible instead of feeling like you're stuck or you're a victim.
And what is your best piece of overall business advice? So not necessarily industry specific.
Be true to your word. So show up and do what you say you're gonna do when you say you're gonna do it and how you say you're gonna do it. That doesn't happen very often and it's integrity.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
It would be to not let fear stop me, to push through it. And really, you know, feeling afraid, all that is, is it meant I was moving out of my comfort zone. And typically that is a sign that, you know, you're moving, you're going where you really need to go. And it's just, it's important. Everyone feels afraid at some point, and fear doesn't go away. You just have to create a different relationship to it. And be able to tolerate being uncomfortable.
And in your opinion, what's the key to happiness?
That's a hard one. Um, so I think first, happiness is a choice. Um, you know, we, we make a choice of what we're gonna do and feel in our circumstances. And it, it's also— it's great to be happy. It's unrealistic that nothing, you know, you're never going to have down days or down times. But it is like being happy is a choice. And I think what's important is being clear with yourself on what you want and like knowing where you're going and then taking responsibility to get yourself there.
And what is the best book that you've read and what was the number one thing you learned from that?
This was a really hard one too, because I read all the time, and there's so many books, and I thought about it. The very first book that I read long before I was a life coach was Wayne Dyer's Power of Intention. And it— that I would say is number one because it was the first time I started to go, hmm, I really have a choice in how I'm thinking about this. I'm thinking it's hard. Does it really have to be hard? And, you know, I realized that I had a choice in how I was thinking and what I was going to do and that my life wasn't just going to happen to me. I had a say in it.
And what is your favorite quote and why?
My favorite quote is from Diane or Dionne, everyone pronounces it differently, von Furstenberg. The most important relationship you have in life is the one you have with yourself. And then after that, I'd say once you have that, it may be hard work, but you can actually design your life. And why? You know, when you can trust yourself to follow through, show up, and to weather storms and rough patches and ride the highs, once you know in your heart that you can do that, you really like— it's freedom. Like, oh wow, I can handle that. And, and I know that I can follow through and I can trust myself, and I'm gonna go do the work, and I have a say in, in what happens.
I love that quote. That's awesome. Um, thank you so much for coming on. Uh, the last question I have for you before we let you go is, where's the best place for people to find you online?
Um, probably my website. Um, it's christineyoungcoaching.com. Um, don't go to christineyoung.com. When I tried to get that URL years ago, I realized it was a Canadian porn site.
I kind of felt that coming.
I was like, oh no. So that's why it's christineyoungcoaching.com. And, um, I'm always happy to— I, I offer a certain amount of complimentary 20-minute consultations If anyone's interested in, you know, talking through something, interested in coaching, no pressure, just to chat, and you can go right on, book online and connect to my calendar. So that's the best way.
Perfect. Thank you for that. And again, thanks for joining. We appreciate it.
Thank you so much, Tyler Wagner Wagner.
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