As a beginner life coach, you might face some challenges that can affect your motivation and confidence. You may have to deal with self-doubt, rejection, competition, and lack of clients. How can you overcome these obstacles and stay focused on your goals and vision? Here are some tips to help you stay motivated as a beginner life coach.
One of the first steps to staying motivated is to set realistic expectations for yourself and your coaching business. Don't compare yourself to other coaches who have more experience, credentials, or clients. Instead, focus on your own strengths, skills, and value proposition. Define what success means to you and how you will measure it. Break down your goals into manageable and achievable steps and celebrate your progress along the way.
You'll see a lot of programs that advertise overnight success as a coach--and while it can and does happen, it's definitely the exception to the rule. Building a successful coaching business is about building and establishing relationships of trust, building your network, and building your body of work. All of those things take time and consistent effort. Remember that entrepreneurship is a journey rather than a destination. Stay focused and enjoy the ride!
Create community. Those you've gone through training or certifications with. Seek out others who do similar work as well as those who are in different areas so you've always got people to share wisdom and information with. Define what your coaching means for you and be willing to shift and pivot ad you progress forward. Your goals will likely change. But having an understanding of why you do what you do, helps you navigate the challenges
Another way to stay motivated is to find a mentor or coach who can support you, guide you, and challenge you. A mentor or coach can help you with your professional development, provide feedback, and share insights and best practices. They can also help you with your personal growth, boost your confidence, and inspire you to overcome your fears and limitations. Look for someone who has experience and expertise in your niche, who shares your values and vision, and who can offer you honest and constructive advice.
Coaching is about being further up the road than your clients. Our clients need our expertise, and we need coaches and mentors who are further down the line as well. If you try to be an island, you can burn out fast, so find a coach you resonate with, who is achieving the results you want to gain, and learn as much as you can from them.
Being a life coach can sometimes feel lonely and isolating, especially if you work from home or online. That's why it's important to join a community of like-minded people who can offer you friendship, support, and collaboration. A community can help you network, learn, and grow as a coach. You can join online or offline groups, forums, or associations related to your niche, your interests, or your goals. You can also participate in events, workshops, or webinars that can enhance your skills and knowledge.
The people with whom I completed my coaching training are still valuable sparring partners for me today. We share experiences with coachees and meet once a year with external trainers to deepen our knowledge.
Entrepreneurship is a bumpy road--and sometimes a roller coaster ride. Having a solid community that provides support and shared experience along the way can keep you moving through the hard times and provide a sounding board as you hit different road blocks on your journey. Partnerships are also a big part of coaching. Everyone in a community can rise together, so find a group of like-minded individuals and give as much as you hope to gain from the experience.
One of the best ways to stay motivated is to keep learning new things that can improve your coaching practice and your personal development. Learning can help you stay updated, relevant, and competitive in your field. It can also help you discover new opportunities, ideas, and perspectives that can enrich your coaching sessions and your life. You can learn from books, podcasts, blogs, courses, or certifications . You can also learn from your own experiences, feedback, and reflections.
Last but not least, you need to take care of yourself as a beginner life coach. Coaching can be rewarding but also demanding and stressful. You need to balance your work and your life, and avoid burnout and exhaustion. You need to prioritize your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and practice self-care and self-compassion. You need to do things that make you happy, energized, and fulfilled. You need to remember why you chose to be a life coach and what impact you want to make in the world.
Having healthy boundaries is key! Selfcare has to be a priority. Many get into coaching wanting to help everyone and that's a fasttrack to burnout. Having safe people to process through with or seek professional opinions to help offer your clients the best support. We don't have to have all the answers, so having a great support team helps us to get access to helpful information and ideas when. Needed. I'd also say, have clear distinctions between work and personal. There should be cutoffs, in which you disconnect from the work and clients, and engage solely in your own personal space and enjoyment.