The Coaching Practice Crossroads

As you come to the close of another year, I'd encourage you to take some time over the festive period to take stock and review the current position and direction of your coaching practice. Are things working out as you intended?

Occasionally I'm approached by coaches who have come to a real crossroads in their coaching practice. They stand at a key decision point.

They've tried to do everything by themselves but they've yet to see the results they feel they deserve. They've put in the effort. They've given it their best shot. They've also got bills to pay.

If you find yourself in a position where you need more clients to meet your bills, you become repulsive rather than attractive to potential clients. Some prospects can smell your desperation a mile off and they rapidly move in the opposite direction. And so the incline to build your coaching practice becomes steeper.

It's much better if you can be in a position where you don't need to take on additional clients to meet your basic needs. But what can you do?

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Season's Greetings

I'd like to thank you for being a subscriber to the Authentic Practice Newsletter and I do hope that you find the information I share with you useful and pragmatic for your coaching practice.

I look forward to sharing more client-attracting, practice-building strategies for your coaching practice next year and beyond. Like you, I'll be having Christmas and New Year off and will be back in early January.

Until then, have a great festive season and do take the time to sit back, relax and enjoy and appreciate life with those who are most important to you.

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> Tips for the crossroad

Here are some options you can consider to put yourself in a position where you don't need to take on additional clients to meet your basic needs:

1 Get a J.O.B. - Yes I know, just over broke - but it can be a short-term option.

I know some coaches take part-time or full-time work to 'pay the bills' so they can better focus on their practice in their time off. They no longer need to worry about their bills or where their next client is going to come from. As a result they become less uptight and more attractive to prospective clients.

When I say a J.O.B I mean something with little or no responsibilities or worries to take home with you. One coaching colleague described this as the 'park your brain at the door' option.

2. Get a Career - This is similar to the J.O.B. option above except that the position is a bit more intellectually stimulating and usually attracts a better salary too. However, with these benefits comes more responsibilities and sometimes these spill over into your own time and affect your coaching practice too.

Some coaches go back to their previous career and others try a new one. They do this whilst building their coaching practice in their spare time. It may even be possible to incorporate and develop your coaching skills in the next career step.

3. Get Focused - Some coaches choose to use the crossroads as a key decision point in their coaching practice. They decide to really focus on what they want and become even more determined to get it. They become clearer on the purpose and intention of their coaching practice and this is reflected in their actions and the new level of results they achieve.

Remember that building a successful coaching practice will require a significant input of your time, money and effort.

So, is your coaching practice at a crossroads?

With very best wishes,

Shaun

Authentic Practice
helping coaches to get more clients
45 Capitol Court
Old Coach Road
Wollaton
Nottingham
NG8 1GX

Website: http://www.authenticpractice.com

Tel.: (0115) 928 3070 or (0845) 123 5105
Mobile: (07811) 262 111

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I work with coaches who have a strong desire to help others but are currently struggling to get clients. I help them to attract more clients and create a stable coaching practice to make a difference in the world.

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