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Everyone Needs a Coach

It’s been thirteen months since I coached my first writer in a paid capacity. Would it surprise you that it’s been even longer that I’ve worked with a coach of my own?

That’s right. Coaches need coaching. Maybe even more than other people.

I’ve been coached by three different types of coaches because I had different pain points and they had the expertise to help me locate them and relieve the pressure.

Although it always took plenty of action on my part. That’s why I wouldn’t say everyone should be coached even if I believe they need it. Because until a person is ready to do the work to change their situation, having a coach isn’t going to help them.

In fact, it could frustrate them. And I promise it will drive the coach toward crazy, too.

Business Coach

I started my own business years ago when I published the first book in my biblical fiction series (although I believed it was a stand-alone book at that point).

I created a business plan, ordered business cards, purchased my domain name and found a website host who specialized in serving writers.

But starting a coaching business felt like harnessing an elephant to my donkey cart. Yep. Big. Beyond my ability to understand it.

I purchased a course from the coach I worked with, too, but we met one-on-one a couple times because I had questions. And I will say that she asked questions to clarify what I was really asking before she offered up the insight I needed.

I walked away with a bit more confidence but I will likely seek her expertise again before I’m fully prepared to walk this path alone.

Marketing Coach

Some people might say this is the same as a business coach, but for me it is distinctly different. A business is my service or product. Marketing involves connecting with my ideal audience.

It’s about more than having an email list I notify about sales and such. And it isn’t only about how, when, and what to post on social media channels.
I needed to know how to convert cold calls into warm leads. And even how to convince warm leads to purchase my coaching services.

And I’m still falling short. I spent the hours I worked with these two coaches talking specifically about an upcoming launch. I needed to know I was on the right track and learn if there were other things I should be doing.

There were. And I decided which of them I would invest time and money into.

I appreciated that both of these coaches listened to what I was saying, and they heard things I wasn’t saying. Things that related to my brand message, my target audience, and even my signature offer.

You can be sure I’ll need to contract their services again. Unless I can find a marketing genie who will take that monkey off my back.

Creativity Coach

For the most part, this is where I feel I land with my coaching services. And the coach I paid to discuss my creative burnout reassured me that working in this sector was the right fit.

She asked a ton of questions. She listened and clarified, and then she let me know how she could help me. If I contracted with her for a longer term. And I wanted to but there are always budgetary constraints for a freelancer.

The peer coach I’m working with during this certification course falls into this category, too. Truthfully, I’m hoping those of us in this cohort can continue to offer reciprocal coaching for the coach as we go forward.

Maybe a life coach doesn’t fall into one of these three broad categories. But as I move forward to brand myself as a story coach, I believe I’ll remain in the creativity coaching category (say that five times fast).

A coach guides us to find our deeper truth and then to create a plan of action that will take us closer to living out that soul mission. Everyone needs someone to listen to them and ask the hard questions that will root out the weeds in the lovely garden of life.

Which area do you feel you could use coaching in right now?

What do you think? Add to the discussion here.