**DISCLAIMER** I apologize in advance for this long, but extremely honest post. If you have ever felt like you were failing as a coach, if you have ever wondered if you would be better off quitting, if you have ever felt like you are the ONLY coach who struggles with success club or making a commission, then this post may be for you.
I grew up believing that I was a failure and that I could not be loved. I grew up knowing that no matter how hard I tried I would never be able to make anything of myself. And believe me I have tried, but just when I thought I would be successful, I always lost it right at the very end.
When I became a Beachbody coach in August 2014, I had dreams that I would be able to make a difference in the lives of my challengers, and with other coaches. I had dreams that I would make a difference in my own life. I had dreams that I would finally be successful. I have been very up front with my journey. I have shared personal stories that have been a struggle for me to share. I remember the first time, and let’s face it, every time that I post a bikini photo, I shake, I sweat and for 15 minutes I hold my finger over that post it button before I finally hit it and then wish that I could take it back. I am still nervous about it.
One of the things that I struggle with as a coach is tracking my business. I never use a BAT, I think the last time I tried tracking was with the system Adam had created. It was a great system and worked for me for a little while, but eventually I gave it up like everything else. The story of my life, I always start something completely gung ho and then just decide not to bother any more and give up. I am so tired of giving up, which is one of the reasons I have been fighting so hard to remain a coach.
I decided last July at Summit, that if I made just enough money to pay for my business fees and Shakeology I would be happy. I just wanted to be able to help others realize that they are worth it, they are loveable, that they don’t have to live in a world of darkness like I did. I wanted to help them overcome emotional eating. I wanted them to stop being a victim and to empower them. I had a lot of wants. If I could accomplish even half of it, I told myself that I would finally consider myself successful and be truly happy for them. I have helped a lot of women since then. Some have stuck with it, some have given up. Some continue to struggle but they are not alone, we struggle together. I have been incredibly happy, BUT…
I still don’t track my business with a BAT. And the three vital behaviors, well let’s see….1-Invite….umm…I can’t tell you the last time that I actually invited someone to join a challenge group without it being a general post on my facebook wall for everyone to see. 2- Be proof of the product….umm…I have done a few programs and they do truly work, but once I complete them I have a week or two where I slack off, gain weight back and then it seems like I am back where I started. I am proving that you can do the program, have great results and then gain it back. I don’t think that is what Carl had in mind. 3- Personal Development….this one I actually was doing pretty well, but once again I started slacking off and got into reading some fiction books, ok let’s be honest, historical romances and the personal development books were pushed to the side. So that shows you how I have been doing with the vital behaviors. What about following up with people? Well, that’s a no brainer! Without tracking my business, I had no idea who I needed to follow up with. I stopped doing any training, stopped attending team calls and the last time I listened to a national wake up call was last September. :( Are you starting to see a pattern here?
I kept a few receipts from Summit, but they were shoved in a drawer. And I can honestly say that I NEVER kept track of any other expenses or income. So, I really shouldn’t be surprised by what happened yesterday. I had to call coach relations to find out why I had not received any tax info. I should not have been shocked to hear that I wasn’t going to receive any paperwork because I had ONLY made $533 last year. I hit the floor. I felt immediately like crying. How could I spend so much time working as a coach but not make any money? Not even enough to get tax paperwork. I felt like a complete failure! I told my husband what the rep had said and he couldn’t believe it. He said that it was really worth it for me to do this coaching thing huh? Don’t you think it is about time you quit, you obviously aren’t a great coach. Please note that I did not immediately slap the hell out of him because that was exactly how I was feeling too. But to hear those words come out of my loved ones mouth. UGH! I was ready to throw in the white towel and surrender.
I sent a message to Abby, Amanda and my daughter Kaitlyn. I was frustrated, I was scared of what I was about to do but I needed to talk to them first. I guess I needed someone besides myself and my husband to say yes, Darlene you suck! It’s time to quit. It’s time to realize that you are never going to be a good coach. No money. No SC points. I lost my emerald rank again. Failure central.
Abby made me ask myself some tough questions. I had to get back to my why. Remember at the beginning of coaching when you are told to think of a why and make it so powerful that on the worst days you could draw from it. My why was powerful when I first started, but now, it really doesn’t even stir me. I struggled over the last two months to figure out my why again.
I also had to ask myself if I have given it my best every day, what did I learn from my pd, how is it helping me? Did I submerge myself in personal development? Without the positive growth that I gain from reading my pd, then I become this woman who is struggling to breathe but there is no air available. I NEED to read pd every day.
I laid down last night in bed and kept asking myself questions, then when I would give an answer I would just keep asking why. I know that if I start tracking my business that it will make a huge difference in my coaching. I need to invite, I need to be able to follow up with people, I need to be proof that the product works, I need to submerge myself in personal development. If I want to be a success as a Beachbody coach, then those are all no brainers. There is no room for anything else. It's not up for debate. They have to be done, otherwise I will remain in a little pond with nowhere to go. I will never be able to grow as a person or as a coach.
When the day comes that it just seems like you are never going to grow, you are never going to be successful, then you have to look back and draw on your why. Why are you wanting to be a coach? What do you want to gain from it? Is it all about the all mighty dollar? Or helping yourself and others. Success isn't measure by numbers, for me it is measured by how many peoples lives I can help change. How many can I inspire, that's success to me.
There are definitely things that we can do as a coach that are just window dressing….instagram, beautiful picmonkey collages etc, but I truly believe that when I stop focusing on all the shiny things around me and start focusing on the basics again that I will become the person and coach that I want to be. My journey is not over, no matter what my husband and son think. This is just the beginning and if I want to do better this year than I did last year, then I need to make a commitment to myself to go back to the basics. Once I have become successful at that then I can move on to the shiny window dressings. It’s all about the baby steps and learning how to walk before we run.
I heard a call last night and the gentleman said one of his favorite quotes was this...
NEVER quit on a bad day. I think that is great advice.
Another one of mine is...
Never give the power of your future, your success or failure to someone who does not believe in you.
Sink, survive or thrive...it's all my choice.
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