I was asked to write this piece following a rant I had recently on LinkedIn – read it here. The post attracted many reactions and comments that I don’t normally achieve with a planned post. It is a fact that many micro business owners, whether a Coach or not, cannot always make it about process and planning to get the numbers or success they want.
And I’m sure you’re already wondering what a picture of rows of sun-beds on a beach has got to do with
this article. Well keep going, you’ll get to that ……
For Coaches, Coaching is a passion and a way of being!
This is probably relevant to your business and you too. You have to have passion for what you do and live and breathe it. Stop listening to all those people out there who are telling you that they have the magic formula and that if you do it their way you’ll get the success you dream of – it’ll probably cost you an arm and a leg in the process.
It really angers me that these companies are making money from people’s vulnerabilities. Most of what they preach is either basic common sense, or scaremongering to make you doubt yourself, so you spend money with them. You alone have the magic formula to your success and yours is the right way!
Keep the faith; have passion and trust that if you keep doing the right thing consistently, your business will develop. You know your business and your customers better than anyone else.
Look after your customers, nurture them and you will achieve your own version of success, whatever that might mean to you.
I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t have any plans, you absolutely should. Planning is what will turn your dream into a reality and keep you on track, but they should be your plans. Even when I’ve worked in highly target driven roles, I’ve never worried too much about the targets I’ve set, or had set for me. My way has always been to make my own robust and realistic plan and then just do what I do, to the best of my ability, and keep on doing it. 9 times out of 10 I’ve always achieved my targets, and often more.
Consistency is the key and if you have the passion then just keep the faith.
“If you Build it, They Will Come” If you’ve never watched the film Field of Dreams, then I highly recommend that you do so. It’s a fantasy, but that’s what dreams remain as, until you turn them into plans and then make them become reality. I know this from personal experience because it’s what I’ve always done to achieve any of my dreams.
Five years ago my husband and I had a really big dream of living and working abroad, we made plans and worked through them consistently over four years and now it’s a reality. We did get professional help and support, particularly around our finances, when we needed it but we didn’t listen to the scaremongers and moodhoovers who gave us their opinions and advice, mostly uncalled for.
And Yes! We emigrated in the middle of a pandemic and continued with our plans, regardless of Covid continually trying to knock us off course. We kept the faith and continued to believe and continued to work hard. The photos attached to this piece are evidence of our reality, built from that original dream.
As I write this, just last night Portugal was added to the UK Government’s green travel list, which helps with the final piece in our jigsaw. The next part of our plan is to turn our home into a business too and have holidaymakers come and stay here. Next year my plan is to run Coaching retreats from here – note the word “plan” and not “dream” any more.
If you genuinely need help and support, and you will throughout your business journey, then there is so much really good, and often free, support and advice available already. There are other professional micro business owners who you can pay to help you, as and when you need it, for what you need, not for what others tell you that you need.
Does she practice what she preaches ?
Yes, I am a Professional and Personal Development Coach, I get paid for helping and supporting people. It is however my client’s plans that I help them to develop and it’s their dreams, not mine, that I help them work out how to achieve. I support others wherever I can and run free personal development workshops online; I host a free co-working day every Wednesday for people who would like a day working with others and to get some accountability and I also host a free Mindset Monday session, from 9am – 10am, to help business owners and Managers to kickstart their week – find the link here. I’m always happy to have a complimentary Zoom call too, to signpost other Coaches / Business Owners to where they can get genuine help and support.
Follow our journey
And if you’re interested in seeing how our current plans work out you can follow our Villa Azul journey at www.facebook.com/VillaAzulAlvisquer – maybe you could even come to visit us.
