As an aspiring coach, there are certain personal and professional obstacles you'll have to overcome if you want to be successful. Some of these obstacles exist for pretty much everyone such as where you´ll get the money to pursue your training or how you'll go about managing the new responsibilities and commitments that come with starting a new career.
The obstacles I´m going to address today however are really nothing more than self-imposed obstacles - mental games you play with yourself that hold you back from being the expert coach you have it in you to be.
“They CAN because they think they can!” ~ Homer
7 Obstacles To Your Coaching Success
Overcome these obstacles and you will be well on your way to achieving your greatest potential as a coach.
#1: I don´t have the time
Just about everyone I know seems to have this “problem”. The problem of not “having enough time” has always been one of the biggest obstacles to success.
If you´re a go-getter and set goals you really want to achieve, it´s easy to feel frustrated when other commitments - be they business or family - get in your way. You can wind up feeling like you just don't have enough hours in your day!
Still, there are ways you can create more time in your busy schedule and the best one is through effective communication.
Talk to those closest to you. Explain your situation to them. Get their support in helping you block off time to commit to your training and to building your new business.
Sometimes, our biggest obstacle here is feeling like we have to be able to do everything ourselves - and there is simply not enough time in the day for any of us to achieve that! So, ask for what you want and show appreciation for the support offered. Then use the time you gain wisely.
#2: I´m afraid of change...
Being afraid of change keeps us from adapting to new ways of thinking and doing. It shrinks our world and our thinking becomes rigid.
If you allow a fear of change to take over, you will become irrelevant in your field. New ways of doing things are always emerging and if you are not open to them, you will quickly lose your effectiveness as a coach.
The answer here has to do with mindset.
Focus on the goal and not on the fear. Shift your energy into learning something new and being good at it. The more you put your mind to learning a new skill, adapting to a new situation or practicing a new technique, the easier it will become. And the less of a hold fear will have over you.
You have created more neural pathways in your brain that are chosen rather than defaulting to old messages that have been there since childhood. Do you want a four year old running your life and business?
#3: I´m afraid of failing
The fear of failure will always keep you from doing your best. It creeps into your mind, ignoring your strengths and opportunities, while magnifying your weaknesses.
Be careful with this fear because it can easily rob you of all motivation.
The best way to deal with the fear of failure is to renew your focus. Surround yourself with people who give off positive energy. Spend time with them. Exchange ideas. Get their support.
Let go of the negative thoughts and re-adjust your focus. Zero in on what you are trying to achieve. Practice harder. Be consistent.
Focused action is the absolute best way to stop fear of failure in its tracks.
#4: I can't do this all myself
This is a tricky one. It´s easy to feel like you are not on the right track when the people you expect to have your back aren´t willing to support you.
Still, that´s no reason to abandon your dream of becoming an expert coach.
Unfortunately, this is an obstacle that will rise up to challenge you more than once on your journey. Which is why it's so important for you to find a way to overcome it each and every time.
Know that you have it in you to do what you set out to do, even without the help of those people you thought you could count on. If one path doesn´t take you where you want to go, there is always another you can follow.
Find yourself a mentor and a fellow traveler or many on the same path. Create a virtual or meet up Mastermind Group and you have stellar company on your way to success. In fact, that in and of itself, is a success and you have broken out of your old pattern! Yeaayyy!
#5: I don´t have the money
The hurdle of money is an understandable one. You fear not being able to afford the things you've been able to afford in the past if you make the shift from your regular job to coaching. I won't kid you, there will be some changes and adjustments to make.
This is where your perseverance will be put to the test. This is where you must decide how much you are willing to sacrifice in order to reach your dream.
In this case, efficient financial management is the answer. You will not fall into poverty if you do things right. There are many people who have shifted into coaching and ended up earning so much more.
The thing is nobody starts at the peak of the mountain. You have to be willing to cut through the brush in the beginning to clear a path to the top. And think of all the expensive things that you have managed to purchase along the way: cars, houses, mega-televisions, dating, vacations, wardrobes and college educations all of which did not concretely train you for a specific career. Be creative and talk to you mentor about this. Keep asking and you will find.
#6: I can´t...
Let me just say this: Self-doubt kills more dreams than failure ever has.
When you doubt yourself, that´s fear of failure creeping in again. And that voice inside your head is only telling you lies.
A small failure makes you question yourself and your abilities and, next thing you know, you feel like you aren’t good enough or smart enough to do anything. And that’s when you stop trying.
Know that you always have a choice. When it comes to achieving your goal of becoming an expert coach you can either allow yourself to be sucked into that a pit of self-doubt...OR believe in yourself and get into action.
I´d suggest you choose the latter. ACTION TRUMPS FEAR!
#7: I´m afraid of making the wrong decision
It really doesn’t matter if a decision is right or wrong. There are advantages and disadvantages to every decision you make. Being afraid of making a mistake cripples you in your progress and leads to you losing track of your dreams.
The answer here is to trust yourself. Have faith in your decisions. And, no matter what the outcome may be, deal with the situation the very best that you can.
When confronted with a decision, do your research. Weigh the pros and cons. Equip yourself with the knowledge you need to decide in a way that works for you.
You cannot control everything, so don't even try. Just make your decision then keep on moving forwards toward your goal. Chances are you'll need to make some adjustments along the way...and that's okay. Forward motion is the key here; one decision at a time.
The young billionaire owner/creator of Spanx when she came home as a child from school told her dad that she had tried really hard at something and she had failed. She got a big surprise. Her wise dad celebrated and told her that we all fail often in life and the Secret is to Keep Trying. Then your failures become course correcting lessons/gifts along the way
Now that you know how to push past those obstacles that may be getting in the way of you becoming the expert coach you have it in you to be, it´s time you put my suggestions to a practical test.
Remember, quite often we are the biggest obstacle on the path to our success!
But it doesn´t have to be that way.
Take these tips to heart. Apply them in your life.
Do one for a few days and take note of your wins.
You´ve got what it takes to be an expert coach. Now, get to work!
