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Preparing Young People For Adult Life with Tracey Jones

In this insightful conversation, I sat down with Tracey Jones, a highly respected Mind Management coach, keynote speaker, and leadership expert, to explore how we can better prepare young adults for the realities of adult life.

With over 14 years of coaching experience and having empowered more than 4,500 individuals through her Language Alchemy™ methodology, Tracey brings a wealth of knowledge to the table.

We discussed Tracey’s PAL (Preparing For Adult Life) programme and why self-leadership, emotional intelligence, and personal development are critical foundations for success in today’s world.

Tracey also shared some practical strategies for helping young adults cultivate deeper self-awareness, enhance interpersonal skills, and build the resilience needed to thrive personally and professionally.

Drawing on her extensive work with leaders in media, politics, sports, and business — as well as her contributions to government sectors — we explored how small, consistent changes can lead to transformative 1% marginal gains.

Expect inspiring stories, actionable tips, and the importance of coaching young people to unlock their full potential and confidently navigate the challenges of adult life.

Here are some insights from the interview you don’t want to miss:

Bridging the Gap in Education:
Tracey Jones emphasised the crucial need for programs that prepare young people for adult life, highlighting gaps in the traditional education system. Schools often miss out on teaching self-awareness, interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and practical life skills like financial literacy—essential for thriving both personally and professionally.
The Power of Self-Awareness and Emotional Resilience:
Tracey reiterated that understanding oneself—knowing your strengths, values, and emotions—serves as the foundation for good decision-making and overall wellbeing. She shared from personal experience how working through and not suppressing emotions is key to personal growth and resilience in overcoming life’s setbacks.
Coaching Young People as a Pathway to Independence:
One of Tracey’s core messages is the importance of coaching rather than simply telling young adults what to do. Empowering them to solve problems themselves (using clean, bias-free questions) helps them build independence, confidence, and critical thinking skills.
Practical Parent Strategies for Supporting Growth:
Parents can support young people by fostering independence early (such as age-appropriate chores), maintaining open and patient communication, and modelling resilience. Providing opportunities for young people to make decisions and learn from natural consequences builds their problem-solving muscles for adulthood.
Rethinking Career and Success for Young Adults:
Tracey advises that in today’s evolving work landscape, young adults should approach their careers with both curiosity and responsibility—balancing passion with practical skills like financial literacy and resilience. She stressed the value of aligning work with personal values rather than just chasing trends or quick wins, and advocates for ongoing self-development as the greatest investment.

The greatest investment that you will ever make is learning about you, and who you really are. And you will be ever evolving. And, if you allow yourself, you’ll be forever growing too
– Tracey Jones

Whether you’re a parent, educator, mentor, or young person yourself, this conversation will leave you equipped and inspired to approach the journey into adulthood with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose.

You can listen to this Business Elevation Show interview with Tracey Jones & Chris Cooper here. Alternatively on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Tunein, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio (latter US only).

More about Tracey Jones:

Tracey is a highly respected Mind Management coach and trusted confidante in the highest circles of media, politics, sports and business and is often called upon to share her knowledge and insights to government sectors.

A passionate advocate for self-leadership, Tracey empowers individuals to gain deeper self-awareness, fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration. This focus on personal development is key to achieving that critical 1% marginal gain.

Her company specialising in the human aspect of leadership. Focusing on the interpersonal skills through developing a person’s Emotional Intelligence and coaching skills.

As a global keynote speaker, she harnesses the transformative power of language, delivering impactful talks and workshops that challenge conventional thinking and drive meaningful change in team performance. Tracey inspires individuals to embark on introspective journeys, unlocking their full potential and elevating their contributions to their teams and organisations.

Tracey has spent over 14 years within the coaching and mentoring space and has delivered her programmes and methodologies in her own Language Alchemy brand of Coaching ™ to over 4500 individuals. Tracey holds the ILM Level 7 Executive Coaching qualification, is a NLP Master Practitioner and Coach along with being a Peak Flow Performance and Transformational Coach. Tracey also holds numerous qualifications including a BA Ed Batchelor of Education degree and Management Diploma.

Having won numerous awards for her efforts over the years including, but not limited to, UK Female Entrepreneur Finalist 2023, FL National Leadership Summit Award Finalist 2023 and UK Inspirational Story Award 2023. She is a member of the Institute of Leadership and Management and her coaching practice is compliant with the Global Code of Ethics of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC). Her leadership programmes have been endorsed at the highest levels within Wales and are IOL accredited.

Her favourite pastimes include hiking and traveling, which fuel her adventurous spirit. She cherishes moments spent with her nephew. When in the UK, she enjoys riding her motorbike through the stunning Welsh countryside.