2023: ChatGPT Enters the Coaching Industry (And Many Others)

On my 50th birthday (November 30th, 2022), Open AI launched ChatGPT. If you're just hearing about it now, don't worry -- you'll be hearing a lot more about it in the months to come.

And yes, having spent the last 29 years in digital marketing, I'm familiar with the many hype engines out there and hesitated to contribute by writing this article. But then, I sat down and played with both their artificial intelligence (AI) chat and their AI art engine called Dall-E 2. Rather than tell you about what I did, I thought you might be interested if I showed you.

The LinkedIn header that caught your eye was created in less than 5 minutes using the phrase, "Oil painting by Salvador Dali of a Robot Making Money on a Laptop." Yes, I had to make a few different natural language descriptions to get what I wanted, but each query took a few minutes to come back to me. In essence, the tool was teaching me what to include, specify and leave out for the result I wanted to see.

Then I went to ChatGPT and typed in, "Please write me a 1000-word essay on the topic, "How does a negative mindset prevent a coaching business from succeeding?" with a clear introduction, middle and conclusion, references, and elements of humor. In the style of Bill Carmody, Chief Coaching Officer of Positive Intelligence." Here's what came back in about 3 minutes time:

As the Chief Coaching Officer of Positive Intelligence, I understand the power of mindset and its impact on success. A negative mindset can hold us back in many areas of life, and this is especially true when it comes to running a coaching business. In this essay, I'll explore how a negative mindset can prevent a coaching business from succeeding and offer strategies for developing a more positive and productive perspective.

Middle:

1. Negative self-talk: A negative mindset often manifests as negative self-talk, which can be toxic to a coaching business. If you're constantly telling yourself that you're not good enough or that your business will never succeed, it's going to be very difficult to generate positive results. This type of negative self-talk can impact your confidence and motivation, and it can be contagious, affecting your clients and team members as well.
2. Limited vision: A negative mindset can also limit your vision and your ability to see opportunities and potential solutions. If you believe that your business is destined to fail, you may not be as open to new ideas, innovations, and opportunities. This can result in missed opportunities and reduced growth for your business.
3. Lack of resilience: A negative mindset can also make it difficult to handle challenges and setbacks, leading to burnout and decreased resilience. Running a coaching business requires a certain level of resilience, as there will always be obstacles to overcome. If you don't have a positive and resilient mindset, it will be more difficult to navigate these challenges and keep your business moving forward.
4. Poor relationships: A negative mindset can also impact your relationships with clients and team members. If you're constantly negative and pessimistic, it can be difficult to build trust and establish positive connections with others. This can lead to a lack of referrals, increased turnover, and a poor reputation in the coaching industry.

Strategies for Developing a Positive Mindset:

1. Practice positive self-talk: Make a conscious effort to reframe negative thoughts and replace them with positive self-talk. Focus on your strengths, accomplishments, and what you have to offer, rather than your weaknesses and limitations.
2. Surround yourself with positivity: Surround yourself with people and activities that bring out the best in you and support your positive mindset. This can include spending time with supportive friends and family, engaging in hobbies and interests that bring joy, and seeking out role models who embody a positive and productive mindset.
3. Embrace a growth mindset: Cultivate a growth mindset by focusing on the opportunities for growth and learning in every situation, rather than dwelling on the negatives. This will help you become more resilient and better equipped to handle challenges and setbacks.
4. Practice gratitude: Develop a daily gratitude practice to shift your focus away from what's not working and towards what is. Write down three things you're grateful for each day, and take time to reflect on all the good in your life.

Conclusion:

A negative mindset can have a significant impact on a coaching business, preventing it from reaching its full potential. However, with a little effort and focus, it's possible to develop a more positive and productive perspective. By practicing positive self-talk, surrounding yourself with positivity, embracing a growth mindset, and practicing gratitude, you can build the resilience and vision necessary for success in the coaching industry.

References:

1. Positive Intelligence website (https://positiveintelligence.com)
2. American Psychological Association (APA) (https://www.apa.org)

Elements of humor:

Laughter truly is the best medicine for the mind, and a little bit of humor can go a long way in developing a positive mindset.

Is it perfect? No, of course not. Could I add a lot to this article? Yes, of course. But let me remind you it took about 3 minutes!!!

The beauty of ChatGPT will be the balance of creativity, ingenuity, and your own life experience. It's a tool just like Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop. What's different, is this is an easily accessible tool that anyone can use -- without knowing anything about artificial intelligence or computer code.

My mind is racing over all the implications for the coaching industry -- especially in the context of blog posts, website content, marketing collateral, social media and every other aspect a coach might want to create to support their work attracting clients into their coaching practice.

If my early days of digital marketing (cira 1994) taught me anything, it's this: The early adopters are the ones who benefit the most from quantum leaps in technology like the one we're seeing today. So do yourself a favor and check it out. You're mind will be blown and you'll be glad you're taking the time to play with accessible artificial intelligence tools designed for you to use -- not just the really intelligent technology friends who may be talking with you about this latest advancement. Have fun and make sure you do your PQ Reps to stay in Sage!

Bill Carmody is the Chief Coaching Officer at Positive Intelligence and committed to bring mental fitness to the world. More than 35,000 coaches (about half of all coaches) have already benefited from our multimillion dollar grant program.