Your Only Job is Self-Actualization
“The most important thing for you to know right now is this: as a Transformational Coach, your only job is self-actualization.”
I said this to someone just the other day as we were discussing my 3-month program for new Coaches.
It kind of rocked his world. And I get it!
Most trainings (and Coaches’ Coaches) prioritize “being of service” and (especially for new coaches) “making money.” Yet those same trainings (and trainers) often:
- never quite teach you how to build a sustainable practice by “being of service” (seriously – brass tacks – what does this even mean?); and
- when it comes to “making money:” teach the same old, tired, and, let’s be real here: ethically suspect sales tactics. (So much for “being of service.”)
As a Transformational Coach, your only job is self-actualization.
So, in this 3-part series, I’m going to share with you what I shared with him:
What it looks like to build a sustainable, high-value, high-integrity, and yes, profitable, Coaching Practice while prioritizing your own Self-Actualization above all…
even if you’re building from the ground, up.
Principle 1: You Choose Your Clients
(Never, not ever, the other way around.)
What I’m not talking about here is creating an “Ideal Client Avatar; ” this is a marketing tool that has its place, though is seriously limited, especially for Transformational Coaches. More on this in Part 2.
What I mean is that you get to say YES to working intimately (that is – one-on-one, or in relatively small group settings) only with those who are capable of receiving (and then implementing, creating from) the very, very highest level of value you can deliver right now.
What this means is that your clients are an absolute joy to serve, because they’re operating and experiencing life at the top of their game… even as they want more.
What this also means is that you get to coach at the top of your game; and of course, always grow and evolve in the direction of ‘more’, yourself.
None of this is possible – certainly with any real ease – when you wake up every morning to messages from clients mired in the “problems” you’re supposedly there, as a coach to help them “solve.”
This approach is way more profitable, too.
As you may have already guessed (because you’re smart like that), you’ll be charging much higher rates than your “Problem Solving Coach” peers.
Not because your clients will be “rich” (though, of course, they could be!), but because they will be ready and available for the very, very highest level of value you can deliver right now; and your fees will reflect that value.
And that means a much, much more profitable business from the get-go.
All of the above (and we’re just getting started) means you get to start – or evolve – as a Coach, and in your coaching practice, in a completely different paradigm than that of the vast majority of your peers.
Now you’re in a completely different paradigm than that of most of your peers…
That’s perfect for many reasons, including the fact that being in a class by yourself totally suits you. (I see you in your glory!)
And because of marketing.
When Self-Actualization is your priority as a Transformational Coach, “Client Attraction” becomes the effect, not the focus, of marketing; and all “marketing” is, is self-expression.
Principle 2: Client Attraction is a natural effect, not an area of focus.
That is to say…
Client Attraction (a critical part of building and growing your business) is a natural effect of your creativity and creation, rather than an area to focus your effort.
Adopting this perspective will fundamentally change how you think about marketing, sales, and money.
TLDR; it gets to be playful and fun.
That whole ‘Ideal Client Avatar’ thing…
You’ve got to “show up,” right? We can all agree on that.
But, show up and do, say, be… what? and how? That’s the natural next question, and it’s most often answered with: “Well, that depends on your ‘Ideal Client.’” (Or your ‘niche.’)
The “Ideal Client Avatar” is a pretty straightforward (and valuable) tool for “Problem-Solving” Coaches; but for Transformational Coaches, not so much.
For Transformational Coaches, marketing is teaching
That’s because Marketing (done well and done successfully) for Transformational Coaches is teaching; and the very best teachers are those who:
That number 3? That’s key.
It’s the very essence of Transformational Coaching; and of Self-Actualization.
See how this is all starting to come together?
“Ideal Client” is a myth…
Notice how none of those three points above mention anything about the best teachers teaching “what their (ideal) students want to learn…”?
I mean – it even sounds ridiculous – doesn’t it?
Just like as a widely beloved and sought-after teacher, whose classes fill up, semester after semester, within hours of opening enrollment…
we, as Transformational Coaches, can’t actually control who is going to resonate so deeply with our content and concepts, our way of expressing, our weird ass vibe, our beliefs, perspectives, etc. etc. etc.
And we wouldn’t want to!
Being open and curious, and absolutely delighted and astounded to see who comes through our (virtual) doors to pick up what we’re puttin’ down – that’s part of what makes Transformational Coaching so much fun.
What we can control – or ‘discern’ is a much better word here – is who we choose – among those delightful souls who show up around us – as clients.
Principle 3: A high-Value Transformational Coaching program, created through the lens of Self-Actualization, always sells itself.
“I have idea how I’m going to market and sell that bad boy!”
Those were among the first words one of my long-time Clients said to me when we first started working together. She was talking about her new coaching program that she had priced at $20k for (I believe it was) 3 months.
I knew that she was a relatively new coach, so I was a bit surprised, and got curious…
“Tell me about it – what does this program entail? What are you actually delivering… and to whom?”
“Oh, I have no idea,” she said. “I just felt like $20k sounded like a really good number.”
To this day, we both still laugh about it.
(To be clear, we nixed that plan immediately.)
Imposter Syndrome be gone.
So, how do you sell a High Value Transformational Program, even as a new Coach, while keeping your integrity, and your clients’ dignity, intact?
Well, the very first step is: you don’t sell a high value Transformational Program!
What I mean is: selling the thing is the last, last, last, last-est of the last things to do, let alone think about, let alone focus on.
I know, I know… this goes against everything you’ve learned about starting, building, growing a Coaching Business.
That’s because, in the online space, “Coaching” has (very unfortunately, and to the detriment of a fantastic field and a ton of talented coaches), become virtually synonymous with “Business Coaching.”
So, if you got into ‘business coaching’ because you (kinda) thought you had to, I’ve got great news for you! There’s a whole, wide, expansive and expanding world of coaching out here, and we’d love to have you in it.
Same goes for you if you’re a Business Coach who absolutely loves it: there’s always so much more available for you if you want it!
Back to the topic at hand…
The easiest sales you’ll ever make are the ones you don’t (make).
Principle 1: “High Value” in this context refers to the number of aspects of a person’s (your client’s) life that your Program is designed to transform; and how deep and permanent those transformations are.
The “more” (in number, depth, and permanence), the higher the value of your program.
Principle 2: Pricing a high-value Transformational Program is simple: it reflects the value.
The greater the value (see Point 1 above), the higher the investment (the price, the fee). Simple.
Principle 3: When you understand how Transformation really works, and how to leverage that understanding for the purposes of coaching another person to permanent change (which is a journey that, in itself is part of your transformation and self-actualization as a coach):
the only kind of Transformational Program you can create is one that you are infinitely capable of delivering successfully.
In other words, you’ll never again question if you’re a “good enough Coach” to work with “high level” clients, because you know the journey to your current “highest level” inside and out.
You also know how to guide other people on their own journeys there, even as those journeys will look very, very different to yours.
Principle 4: Finally, speaking of your (“ideal,” “high level”) Clients…
Notice I haven’t addressed considerations like:
- what can they afford?
- what are they willing to pay for?
- and whether or not they’ll “see the value” of your program?
That’s because the only people who are capable of resonating with your marketing around your program (see Principle 2 ↑) at the level required for them to actually succeed in it, are the only people you would enroll as Clients. (See also Principle 1 ↑.)
And if they resonate at the level required to succeed in your program, they know it. No “selling” required – they’re already “sold.”
The (coaching) world is your oyster.
The best news?
All of the above grow and expand quickly and exponentially when you put Self-Actualization at the very center of your Transformational Coaching practice:
- the Value (Principle 1) you’re able to design into our Transformational Program;
- its investment level (Principle 2);
- the results your clients are capable of achieving; and your confidence in delivering (Principle 3);
- and the caliber of clients you’re capable of attracting and enrolling (Principle 4).
In other words, the (coaching) world becomes your oyster.
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