This is a photo of a bracelet I wear. I had it made to remind me that I have just two jobs: (1) Serve. (2) Create.
Wake up.
Serve one person.
Or, Create one thing.
Then I turn over the bracelet – there’s a check mark on the back – and it’s a reminder that I’m done for the day.
I teach a lot about the importance of being in service. But I often share with my private clients about the power of creativity.
You see, my creativity has allowed me to offer far more than just “coaching” to my clients. It’s helped me create a range of ways for people to experience my coaching before they became clients. Over the years, I’ve built a suite of resources – books, audios, videos, programs and courses. And I’ve created a menu of ways for people to work with me, that range from a few hundred dollars to over $100,000.
Some of these ideas even generate money for me when I’m asleep. And all of them were ideas that once upon a time didn’t exist.
Creating something from nothing is a high level skill…
Before I was a coach, I was a high school teacher. I taught children in inner city London and in rural Africa.
I grew my creative skills in front of one of the most challenging audiences on the planet… If you want to hold the attention of a group of teenage kids you have to be really creative, really fast!
Later, I brought my skills of creativity to coaching and I haven’t stopped creating for the past 15 years.
I’m going to teach you 3 specific ways to be creative, as a coach:
- Create For
- Create With
- Create IP
1. Create For
Level One of Create For is when you create value for your clients. You ask yourself, What do they need most? You ask them what they need most. Then you create it.
It could be anything from an article, to a class, to a group coaching program.
Level Two of Create For is when you create value for your clients’ clients (or customers). It’s as simple as asking this:
Tell me about one of your clients… What’s their biggest dream? What’s their biggest strength? What’s their biggest struggle? What’s the biggest risk to their business?
Then, you help your client to reflect on all the possible ways they could support that client.
Repeating this for every one of their clients will turn each of your clients into a raving fan!
Level Three of Create For leverages the power of community. Your community. Over time, it’s important to build a community of people who inspire you. They will be an amazing research laboratory for finding out the deepest secrets, dreams and challenges of your dream clients. They will be an amazing testing ground for your new ideas. And they’ll always be excited to hear your new ideas, first.
2. Create With
Level One of Create With is called 1×10=1,000… (That’s not a typo!)
If coaching can feel lonely, creating can feel even lonelier. But here’s the thing, you don’t have to do it alone.
Share your ideas, in real time, with your peers and colleagues. A small group of fascinating peers can multiply your impact a thousand-fold.
The prolific and innovative British musician, Brian Eno, created the distinction, Scenius vs Genius.
Stop worrying about how to be a ‘genius,’ instead find or create a ‘scene’ – an online or in-person community, where your creativity can be nurtured.
When you’re immersed in a productive scenius, you feel inspired. You blossom and produce your best work. And your genius comes out.
I’ve created my own scenius with a group of extraordinary clients, in 4PC.
Level Two of Create With is called 1+1=11… (That’s not a typo!)
I’m not talking about a ‘business partnership.’ That’s more 1+1=2. You’re a great coach, I’m a great coach, let’s build a business together…
1+1=11 is when you seek out extraordinary partners. But they stay in their Zone of Genius, which allows you to stay in yours.
Here are four examples of where I’ve leveraged 1+1=11: I partnered with Steve Chandler to write a book. I once partnered with one of the world’s most well known intuitives. Clients would fly to LA, for a 3 hour session with the two of us. I partnered with the team at Mindvalley to create programs for coaches. And I’ve just founded a new business with a friend, who is one of the most unorthodox and successful marketers I know.
3. Create IP
Level One of Create IP is creating intellectual capital.
Intellectual capital is your growing expertise and the ideas you create.
You can create distinctions, ideas, tools, visuals, models, assessments, frameworks, articles, audios and videos.
The best way to create any of these is to think of one client, or one group you lead. Ask yourself, What do they need most? Then go create it.
You build intellectual capital when you make the decision to never stop creating…
Level Two of Create IP is when you create actual Intellectual Property.
Over time, your intellectual capital will become your intellectual property. You can choose to trademark it. And you can sell it. A book, an audiobook, a course, a program, or a white paper for your industry.
Personally, I worry less about copywriting my work than focusing on constantly creating. That way, even if your competition takes your ideas – and, if they’re good ones, they will – they’ll always lag behind you.
From idea to creation
Let me share with you how quickly you can go from the germ of an idea to creating something in the world.
A week ago, I shared the 3 distinctions above with the members of 4PC, my community of leaders and coaches. I noticed how interested people were. So, I scribbled some notes on a piece of paper. Here they are:
My ideas were a little clearer, so I shared them with the members of Project Kairos, my community of leaders who are focused on one thing: creating high-performing, high-fee clients.
I saw their interest in the creative process, so I asked if anyone would be interested if I created a short training on this. Most of their hands went up.
So, that night I crafted a love letter! On a Google doc, on my phone, I drafted my ideas:
I woke up two days ago and it still felt like a fascinating and fun idea, so I asked Sarah on my team, to turn it into a page on my website.
Then I woke up yesterday morning and spent 3 hours writing this article.
I’ve literally shared some of my best ideas on how to become the most creative person you know. You could read this article and never send me a penny, yet if you apply these insights, you could generate hundreds of thousands of dollars from your creativity.
But you know what? I’ve turned my IC into IP and I’m going to run a special teaching session, called Create! Yep. That love letter was the start of something really interesting…
You can join me to learn more about the 3 distinctions above. Plus, I’ll be teaching you around a dozen more. I want to help you learn how to create your own IP, to generate revenue, for the rest of your life.
There’s even a way to upgrade, where I’ll help you and a small group, create your ideas, in real time…
Come create with me. And, if you join me live, you’ll be able to ask me all your questions on this topic.
Love. Rich