31st Of January marks my 1st year of working formally as life coach. I stared full of enthusiasm and excitement and just as much full of doubt and fear. I wish I could say that there was a clear and vivid dream for my practice, but the reality is that there was a lot of dreaming and visioning and probably too many ideas to start with.
This year has been a total rollercoaster, full of highs and lows. As I reviewed my first year I decided to put together a list of things that I have learned to not forget them and in the hope that it may help someone else getting started on his or her dream. I believe most of these will be feelings, challenges and fear we all face while working on our dreams, whatever the dream is.
Sometimes it will feel scary and that is OK – Planning your dreams is fun and exciting and… safe. Making them a reality is harder, scarier, and more difficult than you can ever imagine when in the dreaming phase. Some things are worth feeling the fear of having to be brave, some are not. Give yourself time to define your non-negotiables.
Your plan will change and that’s OK too – The reality of your business may not look like the dream you had before you started. Change does not mean that you have given up on your dream.
Get support – A successful business is rarely built alone, you need support. Paid professionals, advisors, or mentors, work out what you need and go get it. Remember, your family and friends may not always be the right advisors. They love you, so they are invested in your wellbeing and that can make it hard for them to be objective or impartial. You don`t have to do it alone.
Keep earning, keep growing – There is always more to learn, even when you have it all figured out. You don`t. Nothing Grows in your Comfort Zone. It is easy to do what is safe and comfortable. Neither I nor my business seems to grow from this place. You won`t either.
Give yourself time – It can take time to feel comfortable with your new working identity. It took time for me to describe myself a life coach to others. Being ok with people not knowing what a life coach does, also takes practice. Whatever the dream you are working on, if it is something new, less common, or highly technical and specific you may also feel like that and that is OK too. Practice is what gets you comfortable with your new working identity.
Remember Why you started – Remembering why you started is the most important thing you can do on a bad day. Everything looks better after a few deep breaths, failing that a good night’s sleep works too. Your dream is part of who you. `The world needs that special gift that only you have. ` ( Marie Forelo)
Trust yourself – Like parenting, you’re going to want someone to tell you what to do. Also, like parenting, nobody can really know your business better than you. Your intuition and your vision are your best friends and the how will make it`s way.
Doubts are normal – Try not to make big decisions while panicking about deadlines or money or feeling tired and hungry. Being calm and feeling grounded is the best mindset for tackling big decisions.
Mistakes and failures are your best teachers, learn from them.
Be prepared for Hard Work – Everything takes time, don’t give up at the first hurdle, or the second, or the third.
I am immensely proud and grateful for everything I have achieved and learned over this last year. I am looking forward to building on that foundation with all my lessons to help me this year. Reinventing a little, working more and learning even more. And the same I wish to all of you out there working on that special dream!