Two key ingredients of success are preparation and patience. But most people aren’t willing to prepare and they have little patience. 

Success often takes longer than you think, and then happens faster than you would have imagined. So you need to commit to the long haul. 

Morgan Housel, author of the fascinating book, The Psychology of Money, wrote about the problem with success:

“Most of what people share is what they want you to see. Skills are advertised, flaws are hidden. Wins are exaggerated, losses are downplayed. 

Doubt and anxiety are rarely shared on social media. Defeated soldiers and failed CEOs rarely sit for interviews.

Most things are harder than they look and not as fun as they seem because the information we’re exposed to tends to be a highlight reel of what people want you to know about themselves to increase their own chances of success. It’s easiest to convince people that you’re special if they don’t know you well enough to see all the ways you’re not.

When you are keenly aware of your own struggles but blind to others’, it’s easy to assume you’re missing some skill or secret that others have. Sometimes that’s true. More often you’re just blind to how much everyone else is making it up as they go, one challenge at a time.”

This is my 8 year old son, Ellington, learning how to surf. Preparation meets patience.

This is my 10 year old son, Kaleo, learning how to kick a soccer ball from behind, over his head. Preparation meets patience. 

The Prosperous Coach Approach teaches you to thrive as a coach, one powerful conversation at a time. No SEO, no social media, no online ads. 

Selling the experience of coaching not the concept of coaching isn’t a mystery but it takes effort. It’s simple but not easy. 

The Prosperous Coach Approach teaches you to love selling coaching as much as you love coaching. But it’s not for everyone. 

The hard truth is that many coaches, with great coaching skills, aren’t cut out to be entrepreneurs. 

And that’s ok. You can coach part-time, you can join a coaching organization, or you can leverage your coaching skills to be a great leader. Being great at enrollment isn’t for everyone. 

If you want to be a GREAT COACH… 

You need to be intensely curious about everyone you meet. You need to make silence your most powerful coaching tool: say nothing more often than you think. Create enough safety and love to get to the heart of what your clients need, not what they want. Ask provocative and “obvious” questions to listen for what’s not being said. Help your clients dream big and create what “looks” impossible. Stretch them just beyond their comfort zone but help them balance challenge with recovery. Bring up uncomfortable topics that really help them grow. When you help your clients see – and shift – their identity, environment and energy, you’ll be different from the 95% of coaches who jump in at the level of tactics. 

If you want to be a SUCCESSFUL COACH… 

You need to commit to the long haul. You need to serve your ass off. Create value first, then raise your fees. Make your bank account a barometer for your actions, not your emotions. Charge for your impact, not your time. Collect NOs. Track the money you make in Proposals, not income – because income is a lag indicator. Never stop creating clients, even when you are oversubscribed – especially when you’re oversubscribed – don’t get complacent. Focus on cash flow and profit, not revenue. Stop being derivative, stop quoting other coaches, stop copying other people. Constantly create new IP and provoke people’s thinking. Build an audience and then build a community of raving fans. Astonish your clients but remember: you can’t astonish everyone and you will upset someone. Stop trying to become Instagram-famous and become the go-to coach for a small group of your dream clients. 

Remember: you’re not here to be liked, you’re here to make a difference. So, do what needs to be done and say what needs to be said. Make sure that everything you do – your coaching, your writing, your speaking, your videos and your podcast – serves people so powerfully they never forget your conversation for the rest of their life. 

Love. Rich