Episode 273 - Become a Thought Leader by Tapping into Your Unique Genius
This episode is inspired by all my VIP clients, who are far more intelligent and gifted than they give themselves credit for. You too are gifted and intelligent. Believe it!
Being the CEO of your own coaching business is a great way to uncover and set loose your creativity. I’m not talking about poetry writing, painting and sculpting here. I’m talking about the vast reserves of your innate ability to create something from nothing. Out of thin air.
When I started as a coach I had no idea I would create so much. I figured that everyone else’s ideas were better than mine and that I would read books and apply those ideas to my coaching. Know what I mean?
The First Time I Truly Tapped into My Genius
Well, sure, I did some of that. But I will tell you … I feel much more engaged in my business when I create from my own ideas. I’ve created my own models for processes, my own terms and a lot more. I’ve shared those with you in this podcast.
Coaches tell me that they understand complex things that they didn’t before because of those unique models and words.
You can do this and more too. I’m here to tell you it’s both challenging and meaningful. All things that are meaningful have a large dose of challenge in them.
In 2001, I was 3 years into my coaching business and was the Treasurer for the Denver chapter of the International Coach Federation. The president of the board was Will Craig.
Will has creativity coming out of his pores … all day long. I’ve never met a person who is more the director of their own life. He is unstoppable. If Will wants something he will make it happen!
Creating a business for him was child’s play. And this is the potential for you. Your coaching business could feel like play. Can you imagine that? It’s a mindset.
Rise to the Occasion of Your Coaching Business
I was blessed in more ways than I can count when Will asked me to be a trainer for his new coach training company. That was the start of something hugely satisfying and profitable for me that has affected my whole coaching career. It became a point of credibility and a prosperous network for me. It grew my confidence.
They say if you teach a thing you become the master of that thing.
One year later, Will asked me to co-author new curriculum for his coach training school. His belief in me was stunning! I didn’t know how to write curriculum! But I rose to the occasion.
It’s time for you to do that if you haven’t already … rise to the occasion of your coaching business. Rise to each of the occasions that show up in that territory.
Will gave me some guidelines and encouraged me to think like a beginner. Over the next few months I dug deep inside myself to write something I’d only 3 years ago learned to do — coach!
I knew I had to create something original — to figure out my unique perspective and come up with a fresh coaching model. It was a birthing process.
I’m amazed my marriage survived this time. But you know what? My husband, Seth, helped me greatly by interviewing me about each chapter’s topics. That would get me writing.
By the way, that’s a writing tip. If you’re having trouble getting your words onto the page, record yourself talking about the topic or have someone interview you about your topic and jot down your words. It primes the pump.
When it was all done I had no idea that my writing would stand the test of time. Coach Training Alliance is still using the curriculum two decades later – with some timely updates of course. And I have the privilege sometimes of working with CTA graduates to help them choose a smart niche and build their business from the ground up.
Unleash Your Genius, Coach
I wonder … as I shared my story what happened inside you?
Can you imagine yourself creating something uniquely from your own perspective and genius?
That word — genius — scares some people. They believe you have to be high IQ and highly accomplished already. But everyone has genius. Often it’s innate. And it can get honed through use like all skills. It’s simply about allowing it to find its way.
Your creativity might be like an underground stream that just needs to be tapped once for it to rush out into a reliable flow.
When I work with coaches in my VIP program, we create compelling messaging of all sorts in the form of web copy and a lead magnet, compelling emails and other content. It’s all written in a relational way to strike a resonant chord with their target audience about the coach’s niche.
Many of my clients feel at first that they cannot do these things. And then they do! Isn’t that the way life is? You don’t know what you can do until you do it.
I like to think that I help my clients trust what’s inside of them and to bring it out into the world. We package it into something concrete – something that inspires people to follow them and become their client.
Sometimes all you need is a nudge, a bit of guidance and a reason to let your light shine out of you. Your coaching business is that reason. Helping others is the purpose.
You just need to start with your WHO and WHAT. Who are you serving and what is the big problem they want to solve? Once you know those things you have objects to apply your creativity to.
Always create with your audience in mind. Connect to them as a human being. Share your stories in an artful way so you can help them have an ‘aha’. That’s creative genius!
Now, what are you working on for your business that will help you attract paying clients? How can you summon then apply your creativity? One day soon you’ll wake up and realize that you’ve created something out of thin air and you can do it again and again.