Why work with a business / life / career / creative coach?
Starting my business I fell into it.
I was stubborn.
I was naive.
I was afraid to admit what I didn't know.
I felt I had to learn how to do everything I didn't know. (Ahem, accounting.)
I didn't know there was another way.
Fast forward to 8 years later.
I'm offering services I wish I knew existed when I started out.
I'm NOT pretending I have all the answers. I AM working to share what I wish I knew along the way.
I am a guide, not a guru.
I am also a student.
I walk the talk. I'm open to change. I hired a creative coach for myself. 6 months of coaching. Bring it on!
Yes, even coaches have coaches.
I invest in myself regularly. Even when it’s scary.
I joined Marie Forleo's B-School. It’s an alternative business school.
Everything I learn I get to apply to my business, but also bring the knowledge to my clients.
There’s so much nuance to business, there’s always something to refine. Everything in business is a constant work in progress.
Perfection is over-rated. Refine as you go.
I learned in business you are never done learning. You manage to learn even more the deeper into it you get. It's exciting!
So what can a business coach, life coach, career coach or creative coach work with you to do?
Keep you accountable.
Explore possibilities.
Be a sounding board.
Be your biggest cheerleader
Change your mindset.
Think differently.
Set goals.
Work towards even bigger goals.
Facilitate change.
Break big ideas into smaller steps.
Reduce overwhelm.
Set priorities.
Provide an outside perspective.
Work through challenges.
Make you feel less crazy or alone.
Strengthen your mental game.
Hold space.
Work on business from the inside out.
Discover new inspiration.
Get on track. Stay on track.
Find your "flow".
Add fun back into your work.
This is the short list.
Even doctors need coaches according to Atul Gwande. It's how we get better and improve our craft. We make fewer mistakes. We improve our workflow.
There are all kinds of coaches, so it's about finding the one that is right for YOU.
It can feel like a financial investment. But here's the thing. The more I invested in myself, the more money I made, the less stress I had, and the more excited I got about my work.
When there’s a WHY behind what you’re doing, it’s much easier.
There's no magic wand to wave that can give us all the answers. Change doesn't happen over night. It's slow and intentional. It's about putting in the time and effort to make change happen. And putting the pieces in place to make magic happen.
You have do DO THE WORK.
You have to PUT IN THE TIME.
You have to be OPEN TO CHANGE.
Sometimes you’re not ready for the next step. I also give you full permission to do things when you’re not ready.
Take a leap and reach your goals.
I wish someone had told me long ago that I did not have to go this alone. It was a long, slow road to get to where I am now. Work is hard. Building a business is hard. It’s also fun. The journey that makes it rewarding. You see progress and growth. You can look back and see how far you've come.
If a coach isn't in your immediate future, consider starting your own Mastermind group, finding a mentor, or scheduling regular calls with friends and industry peers in a similar situation. There’s not one way of doing things.
Experiment with what works for you. Find the person/people for you.
Getting started is the hardest part.
Make the decision to prioritize yourself and your goals and good things await.
What are you doing to UP YOUR GAME?
Pssst. If you're interested in my coaching and consulting services, you can find more info here.
image: Song Dong installation “Through the Wall” at the Voorlinden Museum in The Hague.