Northern Irish actor, Michael Legge, knows a lot about being in the spotlight. Having commenced his acting career in the late 1990s, Legge went on to star in a variety of feature films, including Angela’s Ashes (1999) and Cowboy’s and Angels (2003), along with several television series. In fact, he appeared in the British black comedy series, “Shameless”, between 2007 and 2009.
However, Legge has parted ways with his acting roots in recent years, creating a highly successful life coach business, known as Boethius. Michael was able to take some time away from his schedule to answer a few of our questions about his new-found passion, life coaching.
What inspired the shift from acting to life coaching?
Alongside of acting, I had coached actors and performers for quite some time, mainly for overcoming stage fright, anxiety and becoming better communicators. Many of my well-known actor clients recommended their non actor friends to me for stress related issues as well as high performance, and things began to really take off. When my agent retired, I took it as the perfect opportunity to become a full-time high-performance coach and officially open my business and life coaching company– Boethius. I still coach actors, artists and performers, though my client list is now a mix of every background and career you could imagine and from all over the world!
What is the most rewarding part of your career?
I think the most rewarding part is to experience firsthand the phenomenal results my clients achieve and the many beautiful messages, emails and words of gratitude I receive for helping them to live a happier, more productive life. I also love that I can access my clients in another part of the world in one click from my office in Denmark. In the morning I may be working online with a client in Los Angeles, before lunch one in Sao Paulo, Brazil and in the afternoon London and perhaps Madrid. I can even finish the day with a client in Melbourne. The scope of my work means I can associate with many different cultures, which is very rewarding to me.
Who are your biggest role models?
My parents – they have been together for 50 years and inspire me daily with their intelligence, sensitivity and love. They taught me the importance of both doing a job you love and always being yourself. Two things which have taken me far in life and which I teach my clients.
Where are you based, and how does your environment influence your work and mindset?
Currently I live in Copenhagen. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world and the happiest, according to the world happiness report. It’s one of the reasons I moved here. I wanted to live in a society that identifies as happier than most, and to learn the secrets of their happiness so I can pass them on to my clients. Many of my Instagram posts – @boethiuslifecoaching are a study of how the people here have created such terrific well -being. The Danes certainly live more in trust than in fear. This, coupled with their strong community support, is a wonderful lesson to other nations. I’m lucky to live in the oldest and prettiest part of the city next to the canal and the view over it from my home office is stunning. It certainly inspires me on days when I’m online with back to back clients all day! I often travel to different countries to meet and spend time with my regular clients and the many environments and differences I experience in each fills me with gratitude and education.
What is your go-to approach for dealing with stress?
The first step is to fully understand and appreciate why it’s occurring and how the individual is processing and manifesting the stress. There are many gimmicks and quick fixes out there that don’t last. I believe it’s crucial to educate clients that stress, anxiety and many nervous issues that affect our wellbeing, are simply unhelpful programs we are running that can be rewritten with the right tools and the right approach. I help reduce my clients stress levels in one session. My Mind Over Matter Program takes them even deeper and gives them a manual and a toolbox for the mind, so they can deal with any situation that comes their way. This program has effectively transformed the lives of many stressed, burned out and anxious people I have worked with.
What are you most looking forward to in the next year?
As always, I am looking forward to meeting new clients and developing strong relationships so I can help people all over the world find their passion and live happy, purposeful lives. This year, as my business is growing, I aim to help as many new clients as I possibly can. On top of that, I’m excited and looking forward to seeing more positive results than ever!
Off the back of a very successful acting career in the world of film, television and theatre, Michael Legge is looking for other ways he can help people achieve their goals. His life coaching business, Boethius, has been helping young actors and professionals across the world deal with their stress, anxiety and cynical world views. If you think Michael could help you deal with some of your stress, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
