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99.9% of wellness coaches are in business because they’ve overcome something life changing — or someone close to them has.
And those wellness coaches — they want to show people who are suffering how to overcome their challenges as well.
Okay, I made up that statistic. I have no idea what the percentage is, but it’s high. And I bet it describes you and why you’re so passionate about helping people.
You’ve worked hard, you know your stuff, you know you can help other people get healthy, too. You’re a cheerleader who can cut to the bottom of what’s holding your clients back.
You can help your clients envision what they never knew possible for themselves — and get it.
You love this shit.
Showing people how far you’ve come with your difficult circumstances and being a model of what’s possible to people who are stuck is one of your deepest desires.
So why aren’t you getting out there with a megaphone and telling anyone who will listen to look at you? Why are you instead opting to politely clear your throat and, in a slightly elevated voice, tell only the people you know and trust about what you do?
As proud as you are of how far you’ve come (and you should be!), it’s not as easy to call attention to yourself. There’s a shadow side to putting yourself out there as a model of what’s possible for your clients.
Impostor syndrome.
Impostor syndrome asks, who am I to do this? It points out that you’re not “done” with your own journey yet — and that your clients will see that and question your expertise.
Impostor syndrome sparks a fear of being “found out” because you feel like a fraud who doesn’t belong. It points out all the other coaches who appear are so much farther along than you are.
When you believe you have no business being a wellness coach, and feel like you’re not worthy, guess what doesn’t happen?
You don’t get out there and help people. Not nearly as many as you could. You’re holding yourself back — frozen in quiet doubt that you have the chops to really do this.
When you know in your heart that you can help people – and also believe that you aren’t ready to help people, it hurts. It’s cognitive dissonance that keeps you feeling stuck, frustrated, and helpless.
It feels like you’re living in a blind spot that you just can’t seem to step out of.
I’ve been in that blind spot. The most eloquent thing I can say about it is that it sucks.
Of course you don’t have to be “done” with your health journey to teach others. We all know we only need to be about 5 years ahead of your clients to be able to teach them how to get to the next level.
I’ve heard this argument from business coaches a lot. And it’s completely true. I’m confident you’ve had a business coach tell you this before.
The problem is, knowing this and believing it in your bones are two different things. Banishing impostor syndrome takes more than simply believing a very logical -even true- argument in the moment.
So how can you be an example to clients even if you feel like you’re still a work in progress?
You need three things –
1. Trust.
Deep trust in yourself that you know your path and can stay on it no matter what triggers come your way.
2. Belief.
Not the easy, logical, “of course I believe” kind. But the kind of belief that hits right to your core. The kind that makes you forget that you ever believed that you couldn’t put yourself out there.
3. A tamed inner critic.
One that helps you instead of hurts you. An inner critic that inspires true irreverence for the haters and lets you shine.
Get those three things in your pocket, and you can absolutely feel comfortable being an example of what’s possible while still feeling like a work in progress.
You know your people need your help —and you’re in the best position to help them. Make these mindset shifts so you can consistently get out there without holding yourself back.
You’ve got important work to do.
