Coaching Business Startup 102 – Build confidence by coaching NOW!

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How to Become a Coach. Coaching Business Advice with JJ Jalopy.

Well hello again! It’s lovely to see you.

We’re just sitting down for an after dinner coffee. Come and join us.

Mmm. I can smell it from here.

I should congratulate you. You did really well yesterday – you now have a creative and inspiring way to describe what you do.

Hopefully you came up with something that makes you excited. Something that you’ll tell people with total confidence and maybe even a little bit of pride!

I bet you can’t wait to get out there and start telling people about it.

Great.

So… on the Coach Start training course, new coaches are encouraged to go out and coach fifty new clients in fifty days.

How would you feel if I suggested that you do that now?

If you’re anything like me, you’d feel pretty intimidated.

You might say something like:

I’m not ready. I haven’t created my website or brochure or welcome pack yet. I don’t even have a business card. And I haven’t finished my training course.

But in reality, we both know that these things are excuses. We could pretend otherwise if we liked, but it wouldn’t do either of us any good.

No – if you’re like me and most the rest of the world, what’s holding you back is not any of the things above, it’s a lack of CONFIDENCE.

Maybe you’re worried that you don’t have enough knowledge?

Maybe you’re worried that you’ll look silly: you won’t know what to say, or you won’t be able to help?

That’s okay. You’re in good company.

When I write these posts I try to focus on getting my message across in the clearest possible way so you’ll get the most value from what I write.

How very noble of me. Right?

Well, can I tell you a secret?

That’s not the only thing I’m focused on. I also want you to think I’m a good writer. I want you to think that I’m funny. I want you to think I’m good at what I do. I want you to be impressed that I’m motivated to write a new article for you every day.

These desires have nothing to do with my main purpose, which is to get my message across in a way that is understood. In fact, these desires are often detrimental to this purpose.

It can be the same with my coaching. Sometimes when I’m working with a client I start to think about how I can look good. I might want to show off some cool tricks. I might think about telling a story that my client will think is impressive. “I’m going to coach the £$^% out of this,” I might think. (I’m more polite outside my head. Usually.)

Once again, these desires are not well aligned with the primary purpose of the work we’re doing, which is to allow the client to build their business and confidence.

Okay, so why the confession?

Confession: I may not have permission to use this image.

Well sometimes the things that we’re focussing on are holding us back from what we’re really trying to achieve.

When we’re worried about looking good or we’re worried that we won’t be able to serve the client well, we take our focus away from our main target.

As a starting coach, your main goal should be to get experience.

The only way that you will gain confidence in your coaching abilities is to coach.

You understand this, of course, but it’s much more comfortable to tell yourself that you need to build a website or design a brochure first.

You don’t need that website or brochure right now. These are longer term marketing strategies that will be of value to you as you grow your practice. For now, we’re simply looking to expand your comfort zone and build your confidence as a coach.

In a previous post we talked about how beneficial it can be to model others who have achieved what you are looking to achieve.

Well, one thing that is common to anyone who has been successful in the coaching world is that they have thrown themselves into coaching and have got lots of experience under their belt quickly.

When self-help sasquatch Tony Robbins started studying NLP with John Grinder he started to see immediate benefit in what he was learning. He went out and applied what he had learned immediately, much to the disapproval of many of his peers who felt he should have completed the training first.

Smile, Tony!

This is a great attitude to model.

Robbins was so focussed on the value that he could provide and the experience he would receive that he didn’t think twice. He just did it.

So many people fail by simply failing to turn up.

I don’t want you to be one of those people.

You will be nervous when you start coaching. That’s okay. Do it anyway.

Don’t worry if you don’t have any idea where your clients are going to come from. We’ll discuss that in the next few days and we’ll come up with some tips that are going to make the idea much less intimidating.

Until then, try to think of some friends of acquaintances who would be interested to hear about what you do. That’s all.

Now go get yourself some chocolate. You deserve it!

See you tomorrow!

JJ Jalopy.

Become a Life Coach

If you enjoyed my writing, please share it with your friends. Thanks!

23 comments so far

Comment by Pam Schulz
7 April 2009

Great point! “If you’re like me and most the rest of the world, what’s holding you back is not any of the things above, it’s a lack of CONFIDENCE.”

You nailed that one JJ! Excuses are just easier to spew out than to take the plunge and be emotionally honest that what’s really holding you back is your lack of confidence.

Great reminder!

Pam Schulz
Great Minds, Great Wealth: How to Raise your Return, Reduce your Risk, Cut your Cost
Comment by Avery
7 April 2009

Another great post!
“When self-help sasquatch Tony Robbins…” hahaha
Comment by Lynn Lane
8 April 2009

I must agree with the idea to not overly think about it. Just Do It. Make It Happen. If you slip up or get off track, re-group and re-gain and jump back on the track and go at it.

Lynn Lane

http://www.Warriorofsuccess.com
Comment by April Braswell
8 April 2009

Indeed, sound advise that the best way to become an expert is to DO something and REPEATEDLY.

LOVE your blog. marvelous information delivered with expertise AND a SA sense of humor. just my cup of tea… and coffee!

All the best,

April Braswell

Dating Expert and Online Dating Coach
Comment by Rob Northrup
8 April 2009

JJ,

I just knew you were trying to write clearly, and in an engaging manner and to be funny. No fair, you were trying!

Great points on the need to get out there and do it. Copywriter extrordinaire John Carlton told me a few years ago during a Brain Cleanse phone call to stop sticking my toe in the pool and do a cannonball off the diving board into the deep end…

Seize the Day,
Rob
Personal Asset Protection For Small Business Owners
Have You Covered Your Assets?
Comment by Steve Chambers
8 April 2009

I think the best attitude to take is one of experimentation…get out there and try something. Tony Robbins is an excellent example (if you want some real background to Tony’s story I’ll tell you someday. Right now I’m bound by my confidentiality agreement.)

And your writing is clear, concise and enjoyable. You manage the customer experience very well. Keep doing what you’re doing.

Steve
Comment by Lisa McLellan
8 April 2009

heeheehee love the “sasquatch Tony Robbins” comment. Yes, I am guilty of the lack of confidence that keeps me from getting out there and doing something. (but it is also the kids – they take all my time! )

Lisa McLellan, Child Care Expert – Babysitters, Nannies, and Au-pairs
Comment by JC MacKenzie
8 April 2009

You are a good writer, no worries there. My guess is that when you get right down to it, the biggest fear is not public speaking [from a study a few years ago ] but looking foolish

As Richard Branson says to his employees “Screw it, let’s do it”. Certainly works well for him.

Thanks

JC JC
Comment by mark mallen
8 April 2009

JJ, I love the way you incorporate some of the little pleasures in life into your posts. Coffee, hot chocolate, movies, wine, etc You are a hell of a writer and I am pretty sure you are really good at what you do. Mark

Glacier Ice Cream
Comment by Duane Cunningham
8 April 2009

He JJ,

I’m sure that Tony would be glad to hear that your calling him a sasquatch!..lol But now that you mention his name and you talk about modeling even someone as good as Tony is in his area of expertise was once a novice and he modeled one of the greats in the speaking business Jim Rohn!

And in internet marketing he is also modeling those people that are successful as he looks to increase his confidence in an area which isn’t his area of expertise yet

it makes sense to model success in your field as this gives you that boost of confidence your looking for!

Great stuff JJ I look forward to your words of wisdom each day!

Duane

Learn Winning Persuasion
Techniques that Work Like Magic by Tapping Into the Psychology of
the Mind with Persuasion Expert Duane Cunningham!
Comment by mark mallen
8 April 2009

My site glaciermarketing.wordpress.com was shut down at wordpress for an unknown reason. I am leaving this message at all the blogs.
My new blog address is

marketingscoops.blogspot.com
Marketingscoops

Thanks Mark
Comment by Pat
8 April 2009

Hummm Practice, or to carry that further practice makes perfect. What you point out so well is that we are far better off putting our skill into action immediately rather than waiting until we’re perfect.

-Pat
Business Owners Fast Track to Internet Profits
Comment by David James
8 April 2009

Stop pretending to be humble JJ – you’re not fooling anyone!

Saying that, great post as always.

Keep on keeping on.
Dave
Comment by DIY Lawyer
8 April 2009

You are a great writer, I enjoy it a great deal

The DIY Lawyer
DIY Lawyer – Where you can sign up for our free living trust e-course
Comment by John Ho
8 April 2009

Speaking of coaching, I ALWAYS had an “irrational” and biased thinking since young that I had something to teach others. I longed to have a younger brother so that I could teach him all knew (which is next to nothing anyway!).

Over the years, people are telling me that I sound like a scholar (but I am not), a coach (that I want myself to be without joining any mainstream like “Life Coach”) or even a “professor” (what an exaggeration and high praise!).

Anyway, I have the required patience for most of the time. Coaches can be of any grades. So let me start at the bottom rung then!

John Ho
Understanding Personalities for Better Influence & Persuasion (WordPress)
Understanding Personalities for Better Influence & Persuasion (Vox Blog)
Comment by Christian Haller
8 April 2009

Your site is a constant source of solid info – keep it up.

christian
http://www.christianhalleronline.com
Comment by Philip Graves
8 April 2009

Inspirational advice.

I’ve found that acting the part is the first step to becoming whatever it is you want to be. Quite where the line is drawn between a fraud and a developing expert is very hard to pin down!

Philip
[The Consumer Behaviour Research Resource]
Comment by Yann Vernier - ProfitsTactics.com
8 April 2009

How true! Lack of confidence stopped me from taking action many times in the past.

But I’m now saved. I was annointed by a Worthiness Minister at the weekend.

Now, I feel super-confident that I deserve some of that chocolate!

All the best,
Yannc
Comment by Bob Kaufer
8 April 2009

Get in the game is great advice.

And you are funny and a good writer.

Bob Kaufer
If you MOVE like the Tin Man, you will THINK like the Scarecrow and FEEL like the Lion
Comment by Sonya Lenzo
8 April 2009

When you get a idea and you try it, the worst that can happen is that you gather lots of good experience for the next good idea!!!
Sunny Marie
Glamour and Glitz
http://www.sunnymarie.wordpress.com
Comment by Darryl Pace
10 April 2009

JJ,

I like this post. It’s like Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan. Your post is motivational and encouraging.

Health, Fitness — Darryl Pace