Our thinking and thoughts are central to how we perceive our everyday life. Out of our thoughts come action — or inaction. Out of action comes hope, change, and even revolution. Even a slight change in an entrepreneur’s thinking can free them from stagnation, cleanly move them through transitional periods, and satiate their yearning for more purpose and action.
The entrepreneurs I have had the pleasure of working with share this in common: they have an undying need to make an impact in their worlds. They have purpose, but sometimes have trouble bridging the gap between dreaming and doing.
Coaches are trained to focus on the individual, not the problem. They are adept at raising entrepreneurs’ self-awareness and pinpointing what metaphorically lights them on fire. A coach’s end goal is to take their clients outside of their comfort zone to achieve the results they never dreamed of as a solopreneur.
Here are 5 ways entrepreneurs benefit from investing in a success coach:
- A coach can give you the competitive advantage
Business can be cutthroat, but no one is doing what you do the way YOU do it. A coach will focus on what makes your business unique by identifying your core values. Once aligned to your values – the things that matter most to you – the business you generate will be from a place of honesty and authenticity. Who will you attract when you’re honest and authentic? The clients you WANT. The business and projects you WANT. You will live the life you WANT.
- Coaches identify your blind spots, strengths and weaknesses
Coaches listen deeply to what you say, but also to what you do not say. They are like curious children with an incessant “why?” Coaches are able to cut through the stories we tell ourselves with laser precision in an unbiased manner, to reveal the heart of your “why” — your purpose. For an entrepreneur to be successful, they must be willing to explore the areas of their business that are not only flourishing, but withering. A coach is like a flashlight shining light into the dark corners you dare not go alone, and they provide an entrepreneur with better vision to see their own solutions.
- A coach gets you crystal clear on your goals, and is an encourager
The entrepreneurial mind is a beautiful web that catches and weaves ideas into existence. It’s easy to have your dish run away with the spoon! You started your business as a creative but you’re now tasked with running an administrative ship in order to share your work. That can be a lot of pressure! A coach can help move you to intentional strategic action, and prioritize your needs to drive business and support sustainable change and growth. What do you want to achieve and how can we get you there?
- Coaches hold you accountable
As an entrepreneur, you already have a blossoming creative mind but are you executing your tasks on time? A coach acts as a reminder for the promises you made to yourself. Entrepreneurs are their own bosses and report to no one, so it can be easy to fudge deadlines. However, when held accountable to someone external you suddenly have the necessary pressure to get sh*t done. A coach does not give you the luxury of promise breaking, but they do not judge you if you miss the boat. Rather, they use it as one more opportunity to help you get crystal clear on what REALLY matters.
- A coach helps you get unstuck and find motivation
Creatives are sorely aware of the mental roadblocks that come with sharing pieces of their soul. Sometimes the well runs shallow and you need a top up. Coaches are equipped to ask you powerful questions and offer up reflection time you may not have taken to answer: “what’s really important to you?”, “what beliefs do you have that limit you?” These questions have the potential to open Pandora’s box and bring you to inspiration you never thought possible. In short, a coach can remove the roadblocks to increase your creativity and productivity.
Having a coach is like having a best friend who is 100% focused on making you the most self-aware, successful and fulfilled version of yourself. Coaches create a playground for you to dabble in ideas you may not feel comfortable exploring with loved ones — for fear of judgement or unintentional discouragement. Coaches aren’t afraid to tell you the hard truths and will challenge you in new ways to keep you moving towards your bigger picture.
A coach can be your business’ secret weapon, the rabbit up your sleeve, your greatest ally – and who wouldn’t want that?
Photographer: Raymond Wong
Kimberley Dawn Thurn,
KD and You Coaching Inc.
Kimberley Dawn Thurn is a five foot small Euro-Trinidadian powerhouse of passion and energy — changing the world one transformational conversation at a time. As the Founder of KD and You Coaching Inc., a Calgary-based success coaching company, Kimberley helps women rediscover, honour and expand their life’s passions. When she’s not coaching or blogging, she’s deadlifting or eating peanut butter with a spoon.
Website: www.KDandYou.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KDandYou/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KDandYou_YYC
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kdandyou/
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