Working With A Success Coach

Do you find yourself battling countless setbacks and delays while trying to achieve your goals?

Are you challenged with negative self-talk, limiting beliefs or dysfunctional behaviors? 

Do you somehow inadvertently sabotage your own efforts?

Does the Universe seem to conspire against you?

Is success elusive?

If you've answered "yes" to any of these questions, then working with a success coach could be exactly what you need to finally reach your goals.

Let's get one thing out of the way, right off the start.  A success coach doesn't tell you what to do.  That's the role of a consultant.  Instead, a success coach offers you a map for how to move forward.  That coach also helps you get past the obstacles that come up.  Think of a success coach as something of a trail guide - leading you through the thicket, helping you find the smoothest path, and guiding you towards your destination as efficiently as possible.

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What Is It Like To Work With A Success Coach?

A success coach initiates the process by asking you to describe your goals.  What do you want to accomplish?  What are the details of that goal?  When do you want to reach this goal?  Who all is involved with reaching it?  What are the steps you've already taken?  Where are you having difficulties or feeling resistance?  These are the types of questions a success coach will ask you.  Then he or she will help you lay out a plan for reaching your goal, help you identify obstacles and figure out how to move past them, and keep you on track with your schedule.

If you don't already have a plan in place, your coach will support you in creating one.  One very commonly utilized planning tool is called the SMART goal-setting method. 'SMART' stands for 'Specific', 'Measurable', 'Achievable', 'Relevant', and 'Time-bound'. This framework enables you to set clear, attainable targets that are necessary for your end goal.

For example, consider the goal of starting a successful online business.  You might be thinking "It would be nice to have my own online business.  Set my own hours, work on something I like, make decent money."  Sounds good, but it's far too vague.  By comparison, a SMART goal would be: "To launch an e-commerce store specializing in handmade vegan soaps, generating $5,000 in monthly profit by June 2024".   This goal is much more specific, and therefore much easier to plan for, work towards and actually achieve.  A success coach can make sure that your goals are sufficiently detailed, not only in terms of the ultimate outcome but also in terms of how you work towards it on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.

A success coach will also keecan help you devise exact objectives and a detailed roadmap to achieve them.  For more information about SMART goal-setting, check out this page dedicated to the SMART goal-setting method.

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When The Going Gets Tough........

A success coach isn't just about making a pretty plan and calling it good.  The best success coaches also assist in creating weekly tasks, instrumental in achieving your goal. These small tasks are easier to accomplish, instill a sense of achievement, and steadily steer you towards your ultimate objective.  They help build motivation and momentum too, as you see yourself moving ever closer towards accomplishing your goal.

Now, consistency is key. Despite the routines in place, you may face resistance or find yourself drifting away from your plan. That's where the success coach really becomes an asset, by holding you accountable. Your success coach will follow up on the progress you've made, investigate any shortcomings, guide you through difficult choices and decisions, and keep you on track.  If you reach some kind of obstacle that seems insurmountable, a success coach will help you move over, through, around and beyond it.  Oftentimes, this is when a success coach is the most valuable.  It's these obstacles which prevent many people from succeeding.  While they seem insurmountable, success coaches are trained on how to help you overcome them and continue moving forward.

Conversely, a success coach shouldn't be mistaken for a friend or loved one offering solace or reassurances whenever you veer away from your plans. Your success coach is committed to helping you reach your goal.  His or her job, literally, is to ensure that you meet your plan's deadlines and milestones.

Ironically, one of the main reasons people are afraid of working with success coaches, is because they don't want to be criticized, shamed, or yelled at when they fail to reach some next step.  Thankfully, when you have trouble adhering to your plan (and let's face it, everyone encounters obstacles!), your coach will not simply sympathize or give you a pep talk.  Your coach won't yell at you either.  Instead, and more constructively, he or she will ask empowering questions to help you work through obstacles.  Your coach is a pathfinder, helping you see options you couldn't see before. 

When you run into situations requiring a difficult choice or hard decision, a success coach won't tell you what to do or what to choose.  Instead, he or she will help you work through and evaluate the options.  He or she will also help you see alternatives that you didn't recognize before.  Your coach will also help you identify the patterns that are holding you back, find the hidden possibilities, and chart the way forward.

For instance, if you've been delaying launching your website due to fear of technical difficulties, an effective line of questioning from your coach might include any or all of the following:

• What is the worst that could happen if you tried and it didn't work out
• What resources/support are available to you?
• What actions can you take to enhance your technical skills? 
• What benefit do you gain from this delay? 
• How else can you reap that benefit, while still proceeding?

These kinds of empowering questions challenge your fears, shine a light on limiting beliefs or dysfunctional expectations, and help to push through mental barriers so you can make real progress.

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How Does NLP Fit Into Success Coaching?

If your success coach has NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) certification, he or she can also incorporate powerful techniques and strategies to address the root cause of your challenges and help you move past them more efficiently.

NLP explores the underlying patterns of thought that often drive our dysfunctional behaviors and actions. For example, if you procrastinate on certain tasks, an NLP-certified coach could help you recognize and restructure the subconscious thought patterns fueling your procrastination, then help you replace those negative thoughts with more constructive thoughts which help you move forward.

Please note that not all coaches are equally qualified. There are numerous schools providing coaching certifications, but only a handful offer NLP training for coaching purposes. An NLP-certified success coach is adept at digging deeper into your psyche, delivering insights, pushing your boundaries. and equipping you with invaluable skills and capabilities.  One of the best is Transform Destiny.  If you are interested in learning more about NLP techniques and how they apply to personal or professional success, they offer a comprehensive set of online classes to help you.  Several classes related to using NLP to achieve success include:

• End Anxiety Now
• Clear Your Calendar
• Create Your Life: The NLP Experience Home Study
• Creating Magical Relationships With NLP
• Eliminate Imposter Syndrome
• Empowering Yourself For A Change
• Goal Setting with NLP
• Magnetic Wealth
• Marketing Your Way To Success with NLP
• Mastering Sales with NLP

That's only a partial list.  If you are interested in a different topic, contact me and I can either build a class specifically for you, or refer you to an existing class from a reputable trainer.

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Setting Reasonable Expectations For Working With A Success Coach

So, will a success coach do all the work for you?  Definitely no!  Your successes and achievements are ultimately your responsibility. A coach can identify limitations, provide guidance, help devise a plan and help you stick to the plan.  But you will need the courage to step out of your comfort zone, and the discipline to stick to that plan.  If needed, a good success coach can help you find ways to build momentum, motivation and confidence too, if those are the issues holding you back.

To be clear, success coaching is not a quick fix or magic wand.  Instead, a success coach offers proven set of "success recipes", along with a tailored approach to personal and professional change, that fosters your growth and helps overcome challenges.

The most effective coaching programs typically require weekly sessions over a period of 6 to 12 months.  Why such a long commitment? Because change takes time, and you may have new skills, habits, mindset issues, and external logistics to work through.  Remember the phrase, "Rome wasn't built in a day."  The bigger your goal, the more time you'll need to take all the little steps to reach it.  Breaking down a big goal into those little steps, and making sure you take those little steps, are the recipe for success.  Your success coach will help you every step of the way.

Ultimately, working with a success coach is an investment in yourself. Yes, there are costs involved.  But those costs are offset (sometimes by an order of magnitude) by the knowledge, skills and transformation you gain as a result.  Put it this way: would a $1,000 class be worthwhile if it helped you make $10,000 more per year?  Even a young child can do that kind of math. Your coach is more than just a mentor or guide; he or she is your partner in success, pushing you to reach new heights and helping you be the best version of yourself.

If you've been circling around your goals, grappling with barriers, or are simply ready for a change, a success coach can finally help you push through all the obstacles and achieve or goals.  Remember, you're capable of achieving your ambitions in a timely and fulfilling manner, and capable of much more than you're currently willing to try.  A well-qualified, NLP-certified success coach can make the journey not just easier, but deeply rewarding and truly transformative.  If you'd like to discuss your plans, goals, frustrations and next steps with an NLP success coach, contact me today and let's schedule that first conversation.

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Contact Me For Help Reaching Your Goals

When you're ready to move forward, push through obstacles and make real progress towards your goals, Contact Me today.

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