Secrets to 4th Quarter Coaching Success
A writing teacher's wise words nudge us to Get coaching! Take risks! Finish the year strong!
When I decided I wanted to learn how to write for publication, I took a class at a local college and worked with a writing coach for a few sessions. I told her, “I need to write so I have a platform.” She replied, “A platform is something you stand on. Write because you love to write.”
She also shared another piece of wisdom for getting started: “Just throw mud at the wall and see what sticks.”
These nudges are on my mind as we move into the final stretch of the year and I lean in with several supportive offerings for coaches. Read on!
Many health and wellbeing coaches, myself included, suffer from paralysis by analysis. When it’s time to put our passion and desire to help others into action, we’re often flooded with feelings of overwhelm, confusion, self-doubt, and the question:
“Now what do I do?”
To make things even more challenging, we’re often navigating the way forward without the support of the knowledgeable educators and learning communities we enjoyed in our training programs, or the coaching team atmosphere we’d have in place if we could only land a health coaching job.
It’s easy to become stalled, discouraged, stuck—not unlike the way I felt when I sought support for my writing journey.
What if it didn’t have to be that way?
The Good ‘Ole Magic Wand Question
Recently, I asked myself a favorite coaching question around this conundrum:
“If we could wave a magic wand and have the ongoing kind of support that coach training or employment settings offer, what would that look like?”
Here are a few ideas that came to mind . . .
Expert and Peer Support: Opportunities for continuous learning, mentoring, periodic check-ins, and peer support while launching and growing our coaching careers.
Skill development and proficiency: Opportunities to practice and deepen our skillset in supportive environments to help us coach with confidence and meaningful, measurable impact.
Self-exploration, self-care, and personal growth: Opportunities to self-explore our experiences both in and out of our coaching roles to support self-care, personal growth, and a sustainable path to career success.
Then I took a moment to consider the benefits of each, which were obvious:
Less overwhelm, more clarity.
Less isolation, more collaboration.
Less self-doubt, more self-confidence.
Less stagnation, more forward progress.
And that’s when I heard the voice of my wise teacher (now my own wise and knowing inner voice) nudging:
“What are you waiting for? Throw mud at the wall and see what sticks!”
Proof of Concept
I took the advice of my writing teacher back then and it worked.
As I moved beyond the myths I had embraced about what it takes to succeed as a writer and got down to the business of writing, I gradually wrote my way into paid writing opportunities, a grad school degree, and a game-changing job in the corporate coaching industry that accelerated my coach development.
I guess this post is turning out to be an encouraging nudge to all of us to consider taking that same advice now.
After all, her wisdom is not far from what we know and embrace as part of our coaching role and even coaching science, for that matter—helping our clients move past limiting beliefs and obstacles to STEP OUT BOLDLY and begin experimenting with new and different ways of being to see what “sticks.”
Then, guiding them to build on that learning to grow, expand, and become who and what they want to be.
Notice any parallels?
It makes sense that if we apply this approach to our health coaching career and business efforts, the pursuit of doing what we love (coaching!) coupled with taking a few risks to get things moving would be a recipe for 4th quarter success.
You Want Me To Do What?
In an insightful book for those interested in leadership development, "Real-Time Leadership: Find Your Winning Moves When the Stakes are High,” the authors, David Noble and Carol Kauffman, share there are times to “lean back” and consider, “lean with” and collaborate, “don’t lean,” allowing situations to play out without intervention, and “lean in” by taking thoughtful action.
They explain there’s a time and place for each stance, and interestingly, we all have a default mode—mine being all of the above EXCEPT leaning in, lol!
On the flip side, it is encouraging to learn we can shift our stance and embrace the others by assessing the situation at hand and mindfully choosing the best approach.
If you’re like me, it’s a little scary to choose the lean in option around grand ideas and action steps with little proof of concept—yet leaning in and throwing mud at the wall is really just about betting on yourself, living aligned with your true purpose, not waiting for permission or validation to be who you were meant to be.
It’s pushing your own boulder up the hill instead of always pushing other’s.
Hmmm . . . I’ve almost convinced myself this leaning in thing is a good idea . . . what about you?
What would be the benefit of changing your stance in the coming year and choosing to put your work out into the world more confidently? What might that look like?
Leaning “With” Is Always a Good Choice
If you are up for throwing a little mud at the wall around your business and coaching efforts this quarter, let’s lean with each other and make it happen.
Nobody succeeds at the big stuff in life alone.
First, try the magic wand question as a 20-minute gentle journaling exercise:
“If I had a magic wand and could (launch my coaching business, land 5 new clients, create a signature program, land a corporate client, find a coaching job, YOU FILL IN THE BLANK), what would that look like?
Explore your motivation and benefits for taking action on that vision. Remember, the why is always more important than the how. Why’s move mountains and help us do hard things!
Identify 1-5 HYPOTHETICAL STEPS you could take to support your vision (this is the mud at the wall part) . Don’t hold back. They are just hypotheticals.
Which 1-3 ideas stand out as holding more energy and possibility than the others?
What are you waiting for . . . get slinging!
Next . . . a gentle nudge and invitation to click my “Coach’s Corner” link below to set up a 30-minute one-on-one session to share your vision, or whatever else you need support with.
If you like the group idea better, join “Coaches Who Write” this month and let’s unpack our magic wand visions together! November is “NO CHARGE NOVEMBER” so no risk involved.
My November “Lean In To Coaching” Offerings
When I threw mud at my wall, this is what stuck for me. My links are live.
How can I help?
Coach’s Corner
Ever feel stuck and wish there was someone to help in that moment?
Bring your coaching conundrum, skill question, desire to practice coaching for an upcoming job interview, or any other kind of support you need in your coaching process right now. Let's work it through together!
Various 30-minute time slots available on Tuesdays/Wednesdays/Thursdays in November. Free! Just click the link and book!
Here’s the link to schedule a 30 minute Coach’s Corner Session: https://calendly.com/megcoaching/coach-s-corner
Coaching Playgrounds
Do you remember how fun playgrounds were as a child? I loved them!
They were a place to explore, take risks, fall down and get back up, play together, and have fun! That’s the environment of Coaching Playgrounds. Join me and other coaches in a safe, supportive, and fun space for improving our evidence-based skillset through practice exercises and discussion.
Tuesday, November 19th at 3pm-4pm PST. (CST 5pm EST 6pm). Free! Just register and have fun!
Here’s the link to join Coaching Playgrounds: https://calendly.com/megcoaching/coaching-playgrounds
Coaches Who Write
I know there are many coaches out there who love writing as much as I do—or at least think about starting a writing practice.
Writing has been a steady companion in my life since I was a child—from an on-and-off journaling practice over the years, to learning how to write for publication and content creation.
Join this safe and supportive writing community for coaches who like to write to explore, for self-care, to teach, maybe to publish--or wherever your writing ends up leading you! Just show up with a pen and paper and I will bring the prompts!
All writers and would-be writers welcome!
Here’s the link to join Coaches Who Write. I’m trying out a couple of time slots:
Wednesday, November 6th, 9am-10am PST (11am CST, 12noon EST)
https://calendly.com/megcoaching/coaches-who-write
Thursday, November 14th, 3pm-4pm PST (5pm CST, 6pm EST)
https://calendly.com/megcoaching/coaches-who-write
Free! Just register and have fun!
Don’t see something that works, but you are interested? DM me through Substack and let’s find something that does!
About Me!
Wondering about the skillset I bring to these offerings? Visit my Substack About Page and learn more about my work and experience.
Visit and connect with me on LinkedIn! I love connecting and supporting the voices of other coaches on that platform. I look forward to following you back.
Oh, and I love mums!
The “Never Apologize for Promoting Your Coaching Work” Section
As always, thank you for visiting and reading this week. My aim is to share ideas that provide value in a way that nudges your coaching and the field of health coaching forward.
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Onward!