When you first started your coaching business you
probably thought it was going to be amazing.
“I’ll get paid to help people…”
“I can coach from anywhere in the world…”
What’s not to like?
So you embark upon your journey and commit to the
process.
Then, suddenly…
You discover that nothing about starting a coaching
business feels comfortable.
And that discomfort gets you thinking…
“Perhaps I should wait until it feels right?”
“I should wait until I have more time…”
“…Or until I’m not so tired…”
Or you might think…
“What’s wrong with me?”
“What’s wrong with the coaching business?”
…all because you’re not ‘feeling right’ about it.
But that’s where your feelings are lying to you.
This is NOT the time to bend to your
‘intuition’.
But how are you supposed to enjoy the journey
when you’re feeling this way?
You know you’ve got to enjoy the process, or you’re
going to quit.
For instance, I’m about to get my Purple Belt in
Taekwondo.
I would never have arrived at this accomplishment if
I didn’t enjoy the journey.
Buuuuuuuut…
That accomplishment took years…
…and it often wasn’t a comfortable journey.
I started taking Taekwondo classes because I wanted to change my
exercise regime and I just loved the first class.
So, I signed up for the two-week intro program.
It was awesome.
I immediately began to feel stronger, and I was able to run faster…
I decided to commit to a year of classes.
Ironically, during the 3rd week the happy feelings took a turn…
My whole body was sore.
For the first time in my life, my calves were so tight that I had trouble
walking across my bedroom in the morning.
I was really UNCOMFORTABLE.
The irony was that I thought something was wrong…
But I was exactly where I needed to be… if I wanted to achieve my goal
of becoming a black belt.
Because of my determination to work through that discomfort…
…I’m kicking boards in half.
I never thought I’d be able to do that.
And my new Purple Belt is just the icing on ‘determination cake’.
“OK, Colette, but how does THAT apply to my coaching business
goals?”
Here’s how…
In order to succeed, you must learn to embrace the
discomfort.
In order to succeed, you must learn to embrace the discomfort.“
If you don’t embrace it…
…you’ll avoid it.
What does ‘avoiding discomfort’ look like in your coaching business?
It looks like working on your website…
…or working on your bio.
…or trying to figure out the perfect niche.
….or taking a break because you’ve worked so hard.
And these activities rarely produce new clients…
…even if they are ‘comfortable’.
Also, being committed to your own comfort is the fastest way to
become an ‘armchair coach’.
What’s an ‘armchair coach’?
You know the type… the coach on the sidelines who yells at the players
but doesn’t really do anything themselves?
If you’re committed to always being comfortable, you’ll never become
the coach who enrolls many clients and has a full schedule…
…because even the worst clients can tell you’re a hypocrite.
If you’re committed to always being comfortable, you’ll never become the coach who enrolls many clients and has a full schedule…because even the worst clients can tell you’re a hypocrite.”
So, how do you embrace being uncomfortable?
I don’t know if you really ever do…
…but accepting discomfort as part of the journey is a start.
And when I accept being uncomfortable, there are moments of joy in
that feeling…
…and moments of fear.
It’s 50% JOY & 50% FEAR.
Somehow I’ve learned to embrace that my business feels half good
and half not so good, and that empowers me to produce some pretty
extraordinary results.
Whether I’m working on my business, or kicking a board with my bare
feet…
…when I start to feel discomfort…
I nod my head and say “That’s right”.
“Bring it on.”
What would YOUR coaching business look like if you made room
for discomfort?
If you made room for fear?
If you made room for struggle?
How much more inspiring would you be to your clients?
What kind of extraordinary accomplishments could that journey
produce?
Colette “No Comfort Zone” Coiner
