You Don't Have to Be Perfect to Be a Life Coach
(2 min read)
You can’t be the kind of coach who deep down inside you’re not. I had to learn this the hard way.
Early in my career, trying to be the coach who deep down inside I was not led to much unnecessary pain and failure.
Mostly I spent a lot of time and energy trying to be perfect.
I remember the first coaching calls I did. I was extremely nervous. I had the mindset that the value in my coaching would come directly from me and what I shared.
As a result, I would have a bunch of notes secretly prepped on my computer for the Zoom sessions. If we coached over the phone I didn’t have to be so secretive about my notes.
Looking back at those notes (I still have them!), I would say to clients:
“After you get clear on what you want, it’s imperative for you to realize WHY you want it because it’s where the emotional juice and drive come from to keep you going!”
I think I had heard that from Tony Robbins, one of the world’s most successful and seemingly perfect coaches.
So many perfect looking, perfect sounding and perfect coaching coaches in the world, making it seem like perfection is a requirement.
But it’s not. Straight up.
I’m not perfect and will never be. I don’t even want to be perfect.
Perfect is not real. It’s not realistic. And it’s definitely not necessary to be a successful coach.
People aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for someone they connect with. Someone who’s been there, done that and is now moving forward in life.
Russell Brunson, traditional marketer and founder of Click Funnels, says, “The gap between where they see themselves (prospective clients) and where they see you is what moves them to action and helps them make the necessary changes. So if you aren’t willing, or don’t show them, both sides—where you came from and where you are now—then they won’t take action.”
Your job is to inspire others through your ability to be your authentic self.
Never hesitate to be real.
Don’t try to be perfect. Instead, be professional.
Show up to your coaching with no agenda and no preconceived ideas.
Then coach people with all your heart and all your emptiness.
There’s nothing within you they need. It’s all within them.
Here to serve,
John Strasser
