Dealing with Stagnation

As a novice coach I found that I came out of "Coaching School" with  many ideas and a bucket load of motivation. Then life happened. The unfortunate result was that I have found it difficult to really lean into my coaching. I found myself grappling with growing sense of listlessness and unease as my credentialing has stalled out. I believe that this is something many may identify with.

Here's my cure:

Set a goal! [Roll on floor and laugh out loud]:
You don't have to be on the client side of the equation and set goals. One small step breeds momentum. Just like the wind - it picks up.  My small goal is to record some sessions - I can then use these for feedback for my next level of credential.
 
Get a wingman:
Surround yourself with motivated people. Meet with them – so that they may give you a spark.  Ask that they keep you accountable. Watching my buds Kyle and Steve achieve their credentials is motivating me to emulate them.
 
Coach!
You MUST continue to work on your craft. The credential doesn’t make you an effective coach – it gives others the illusion that you are an effective coach.  Only through working reflectively on the craft do you improve. I am grateful that I have been able to keep at least one client on my roster throughout these doldrums - it has allowed me to practise. But still - every conversation is a coachable moment! Use these to listen deeply and ask 'the next' question.
 
Say YES!
Take clients wherever they may come from.   Building your brand means that you continue to hustle and never give up on a lead. I plan on using a couple of pro bono clients to record my sessions.
 
Savour it:
If you really care about coaching – even having ONE client that you can help is an immensely rewarding enterprise!  Don’t give up the tawny bird in front of you while chasing the brood of peacocks in the bush. Savour it and give everything to that tawny bird  ... you never know they might just end up doing some amazing things.

[Image free use from Wikipedia]