Do You Have the Guts to be Coached?

I Double-Dog Dare You

I challenge you to take a big step in your business and life - get a coach! Sure, you may think I am writing this because I am a Coach. To be honest, I risk writing this and sounding self serving, when in reality I am trying to serve you. I truly believe everyone needs a coach along their path of business ownership, among other things. Whether it is me or someone else, you need to find a coach that can guide you. 

My Coaches

I have used coaches for sports (duh!), weight loss, endurance athletics, business, podcasting, farming and recently for being confident on video (listen to episode 30). This is the affiliate link if you want to see my video confidence coach interview me literally right of the farm. Anytime I tackle a new endeavor, I look for someone to coach me. 

Why I Use Coaches

You will spend money and time one way or another, so I have learned that doing it with a coach is the most efficient and effective way possible. I can hear you saying it now, "but their expensive". If you look at it at face value only, you would be correct. However, if you look at all the costs of time, energy, money and even stress; its a bargain.

Many times when I hear the objection of price, what I really see is fear. Fear of it not working, fear of being uncomfortable, fear of having to do the work and fear of having to humble the ego to be open for learning. 

Let's look at a business owner that is growing a business from the technician level to the owner level. He/She has to learn and utilize new skills than what they used to start the business. They can most certainly learn along the way and save a few dollars, at least that is the perception. What if they had a coach that guided them and they could grow the business at a rate where it pays for the coaching if not more? It should in the long run. Not only that, but they will do and learn some things without putting the business in jeopardy. There is some peace to having a guide. 

There is another important reason I use coaches. I cannot coach myself. I cannot see things happening or that I am experiencing with the outside perspective a coach brings. That is why I use a business coach, while I am a business coach. I need that perspective and honest feedback. 

It Takes Guts to be Coached

Why do I say that it takes guts to be coached? There are several reasons. First, you have to set ego aside to learn. The art of learning only occurs when you are receptive to learning and can acknowledge that you need to learn. An unchecked ego does not allow for that. 

Secondly, you have to be willing to do the homework. Coaching requires action, trial and error, and focus. You have to commit to doing the work and doing it well. There is no room for 'do it for me' mentality with coaching.

You cannot work with a good coach and not feel pushed or uncomfortable at times. You must honor the fact that you will step outside of your comfort zone. The area of growth is in the zone of uncomfortable. Expect it, honor it and learn to love it, being uncomfortable that is. 

What a Coach Is

A coach is a guide. They give honest feedback and intuitive insights at the right moments. A coach is there to encourage, challenge and be bluntly honest. A coach will teach you, reason with you and facilitate change. What they will not do is the work for you. 

A coach is not a consultant, who will dig into the finite details and projects. Sure a coach will talk through some of these things with you but not like a consultant. A coach does work very hard. They put in a lot of energy outside the engagements preparing and most definitely within the engagement. Coaching takes a lot of energy. 

A coach is a farmer. What? Yes, well like a farmer. A coach has patience to know what the harvest will bring, but they follow the proper timing until the bounty is ready. A coach knows that planting small seeds along the way can convert into a great result. A coach knows there will be tough times, set backs and moments of doubt that have to be worked through. They know how to pull the weeds. While it takes a lot of energy and physicality, it takes even more mental toughness to persevere as a coach. So just as with a Farmer, it takes guts to be a coach too. 

How to Find a Coach

Once you have determined you need a coach, you then have to find one. There are several ways to do that. Listen to podcast, ask for referrals, seek coaches at conventions and events. You can even go on LinkedIn and other social apps to find coaches. The key is to find the RIGHT coach for you. 

As we mentioned before, do not let pricing be the determining factor. Find a coach that you resonate with, that understands what you are trying to do and that has worked with many clients, if not hundreds, before. If they have a proven system, that is a plus. Much like our program, the Business Freedom System, a coach should have a prescribed method for getting you to your goals. 

Enjoy the Journey!

Greg

PS - If we can help you in anyway, please reach out to us at www.BusinessOwnerFreedom.com or email us at [email protected]. We accept a limited amount of one-on-one coaching clients and also have masterminds for business owners. To apply for a mastermind, go to www.BusinessOwnerFreedom.com/Mastermind.