How long does it take? Episode 57 

Hello friends, welcome to this episode of She Coaches Coaches.

How are you doing?

I’m batching some episodes so that I can work ahead, I’ve got some big plans that I’m creating for you AND by recording a bunch of episodes so they can be scheduled out will give me more time to focus on the new projects I’m working on. 

It’s going to be great, and pretty soon I’ll tell you all about it. If you want to be the first to hear, then you should sign up for my email list.  That’s the fastest way to get all my updates.  I’ll put the link in the episode notes for my free resource library the coach’s online business academy. Click the link, enter your name, create your account – it will take you a minute tops. Then you’ll be part of my vip group, you’ll get access to all the free PDFs, workbooks, checklists stored there and you’ll be first in line for all the new goodies I’ve got coming your way.

Also, I started a new little experiment and I’ll keep it going over the next few episodes.

I want to hear from you.

You know I create this podcast for you. I hear some of the challenges my private clients experience day to day as they start to create clients and build a coaching business. And I create these episodes to give inspiration, motivation, strategy and tips . 

If you’re not my client yet, that’s ok…..I want to hear from you too. Cause you matter to me.

Here’s how.

I’ve made it as easy as possible.

DM me @candymotzek on Instagram and tell me what you want to learn more about. 

Share your ideas with me for podcast episodes.   

Tell me what you want to learn more about. Tell me what you’re struggling with. Tell me where you’re stuck or confused, where you need clarity. 

And I’ll respond. 

Yes, I’ll read every DM, personally and respond.

And if your question or challenge or topic is something that I think will help a larger audience I will do a podcast episode on it. 

Then I’ll dedicate the episode to you. I’ll be sure to do a shout out on social and in the episode and dedicate to you! 

So that’s it. Send me a DM @candymotzek and tell me what you’d like to hear. 

Ok that’s it for updates now let’s dive into today’s episode. 

So…..there’s this series of questions I hear…. 

How long will it take to get me first coaching clients?

How long can I expect it to take to be fully booked?

How long….until. 

Here’s the real deal – there is no exact time frame. I know you want to hear that you can expect the exact result you want on a specific timeline but you’re not going to hear me say….oh for sure you’ll be fully booked in 3 months or definitely you’re going to sign your first five clients in 30 days. 

Do you want to know why? 

Because the question 

How long will it take…doesn’t have one answer. 

Some new coaches will sign their first clients in a week, others in a month, still others in 6 months.

And there is nothing wrong with any of these scenarios.

There are better questions to ask that you can use to guide yourself to understanding what it will take for you to sign your first clients or to be fully booked. 

Here are some questions to ask instead:

1. How do I spend my time now?

2. Do I want this goal more than I want comfort and ease?

3. What if it could be easier?

4. What is the rush?

Yes, as you can tell I’m a coach. So you get these open ended powerful questions. You’re smart, you’re the expert in your life, you are the expert about your desire and intentions, you know your own stumbling blocks. And you know where you get in your own way.

Let’s talk about each of these 4 questions one by one. Some of this might be little bit of a tough talk, maybe a wake up call even.

Just know that I’m saying all these things to you from a place of compassion and also because I’ve been there too and my experience will help you create your dreams faster.

How do you spend your time now?

If you’re like most new coaches you spend a lot of time on things that don’t move the needle forward. Time spent on other things that do not help you sign clients. Does any of this sound familiar?

• Scroll on social and get all kinds of ideas
• Get stuck in reels or on Tik tok
• Listen to rooms in clubhouse for hours on end
• Obsess over your brand colours
• Second guess the domain name or the wording for your website
• Compare yourself to the “big name” coaches
• Stare at your calendar and wonder when it’s going to be full
• Worry
• Take another training or certification
• Watch Netflix, eat, take a nap, go to bed early
• Think about what you’ll do tomorrow

You might spend 90% of the time you’ve got slated to work on your coaching business doing the above list of stuff, and if only 10% on reaching out to people, finding ways to help them and inviting them to coach with you. If this is you, it’s no surprise that you’re not creating clients the way you want. 

And listen this is 100% normal. You’re human, becoming a coach can be uncomfortable, exciting and nerve wracking. 

And, if you recognize that this is your pattern, just know that you are delaying signing clients because you’re distracting yourself from the real work.

So what do you do????? 

I did an episode on the motivational triad a while ago it’s episode #46– and it talks about our tendency to avoid discomfort and look for short term pleasure.  Have a listen to that episode it’ll help. 

Next, decide on one thing you will do today. Yes, only one thing, if you’re having problems finding just one. Decide instead that you will dedicate 15 minutes each day to the highest priority task.

Of course you can do more, but even 15 minutes a day  - of topic priority focus day in and day out will net you results faster.

Do you want this goal more than you want comfort and ease? 

What is your goal, what do you want? Is it 5 paying clients, your first paying client, your first $50k or something else?

Choose one thing. Then once you’ve decided ask “why do I want this?” “why does it matter to me?” write down your answer in your journal.

Ask “why” 5 – 6- 7- times and keep writing. As you inquire you will uncover more and more that drives you. Find out why the goal is meaningful, and you will uncover passion to achieve it.

Let me share a little secret with you. I realized after a lot of stress and struggle and impatience that I am the biggest obstacle in my own way to reaching my goals.

You want to know why?

Because I self sabotage, I stop myself. Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes it’s not so obvious. 

I avoid being uncomfortable. Plain and simple. This can be – avoid pitching my services to a larger audience or it can be when I get nervous because I’m getting too successful, and I don’t know how I’ll handle it.

This secret. When I avoid discomfort I know it’s THE biggest thing that slows me down.

And my guess is we are very similar.

Do you want to know why we avoid potential discomfort? Sure it’s because we’re nervous or scared, but the heart of it is actually my brain, my biology, my habits trying to keep me safe. 

It thinks this growth, this risk or this success might be dangerous, and it wants more than anything to protect me from harm. 

I’m hoping this gives you some insight and encourages some self acceptance and compassion.

Every time you stall, or procrastinate or forget what you committed to, or outright avoid doing the work, you delay your success, you delay signing clients and the reason you do it is because your biology and your thoughts are trying to protect you.

So when it’s hard….are you still willing to do what it takes?

It will be easier to ask and answer this question when you accept and respect yourself.  Have your own back. Intentionally remind yourself, if this one thing doesn’t quite work the way I want it to, I’m not going to be mean to myself. I’ve got my own back and no matter what I’m proud of who I am becoming.

What if it could be easier? 

Have you signed up for lots of different free webinars and bought all the courses?

 Do you think you need to:

• create a brand
• build a website
• show up consistently (and perfectly) on social media,
• blog regularly,
• start a podcast
• or a YouTube channel

Do you think you need to do all this to sign your first clients? 

I’m here to tell you that is NOT the case. You don’t need any of that to create your first clients. 

This is good news, it means it might be easier, simpler than you think. 

 So if you’re feeling overwhelmed with “all the things” it’s ok to pause and catch your breath.

To create clients the steps are simple.

1. You only need to talk to people and
2. Find out how you can help them and
3. Then offer to help them.

Yes, it’s that simple.  You can talk to people, in person, on social, anywhere you find the kind of people you enjoy speaking with.

It can be easier than you thought. So allow it to be. You can do all those things (or none of them) once you’ve signed some clients and you’re a paid coach.

What is the rush?

If you’re like me, you’re probably called to be a coach. I’ve been a coach for years, and there is always something that is so inspiring, impactful  and often  fun about every coaching session.

Working with my clients energizes me – it’s just the best.

Well, if you’re called to be a coach, how many years do you plan on coaching?

You can start now and continue coaching through semi-retirement and even into retirement if you choose. Right? So maybe you’ll be a coach for 10 - 20 or even 30 years?

That’s a lot of years.

If you consider being a coach for 10 - 20 or even 30 years, what’s the rush? 

Sure you want to get started coaching. I get it.

But when you rush, sometimes it takes longer to create what you want, to sign your first clients or to be fully booked.

When I rush, I feel pressured, and then I spend a lot of time doing things haphazardly, I skim through a training so I don’t get the full benefit, I second guess myself, I get frustrated and impatient. I avoid “doing the work”, like “doing the basics” because I think they’re boring. Then I judge myself because I haven’t made the progress I thought I should make.

So when I rush, it takes so much longer…..so how will rushing serve you?

Remember the tortoise and the hare story?  The tortoise won! So keep that in mind

Here’s a recap of what we spoke about today

Instead of asking “how long will it take?” consider these four questions.

1. How do I spend my time now?

2. Do I want this goal more than I want comfort and ease?

3. What if it could be easier?

4. What is the rush?

Alright that’s it for today.

I so appreciate that you’re here as part of my community and I trust that you’re applying this stuff too. And remember I want to hear from you, send me a DM with ideas for future episodes and I’ll dedicate the episode to you and give you a shout out too on social. 

My clients are go-getters, and many of them wanted to become a coach for weeks, months or even years before they got started. If this is your time sign up for my free resource library. The Coaches Online Business Academy, there’s lots of free help waiting for in there right now.

The link is in the episode notes waiting for you to sign up for free.

And if you want more help, maybe you want to work more closely with me. Click the link in the episode notes to find out how to apply to work with me.

I’ll be back to talk with you next week. 

Featured on The Show:

• Coaches Online Business Academy – free resource library
• Click here to learn how to apply to work with me
• Episode 36: I’m uncomfortable charging money

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