I’m going to share a secret with you:
Business coaches are helping you discover some pretty common-sense stuff.
Okay, not a big secret after all. But a coach — a good coach — can help you uncover the simple shit you’re overlooking. They can give you some pretty good advice on what to try to amp up your freelance career too, but the basics? That’s helping you recognize what’s right in front of you.
Some of the coaches I’ve known and worked with over the years have done just that for me. I’ve had a few head-slap moments and I’ve happily paid coaches to help me realize what I’m missing.
I think we all have it in us to coach another writer. While the coaches I know are incredibly gifted at asking the right questions and using their training to get their clients to the right result, knowing how to do that for yourself, even at a very basic level, should be something in our toolbox.
Knowing how to coach yourself can level up your career. I say if you’re really struggling, you should locate a reputable, trusted coach to help you along. But if you’re suffering a smidgen of stagnation or you’re just in a funk, try coaching yourself out of it.
Ask yourself the following:
What seems to be the biggest obstacle?
Yes, I want you to ask yourself that very question. Go on. Put aside your lunch break or some time this evening to reflect on that. Are you disorganized? Afraid? Aiming too low? What do you think is hindering your progress? Be honest with yourself. If it’s that you’re not charging enough or you’re not marketing enough, you know it already.
What have I tried in the past?
If you attempted marketing or stuck your neck out or did anything to move yourself beyond your current block, give yourself credit. Now, here comes the tricky part: For how long did you try? Was it something you knew you could do, or were you parroting something you saw on the internet that wasn’t really feeling right? Again, be honest. If you dabbled or if you pieced something together that didn’t quite fit you, say so. Admit it to yourself.
Am I willing to try it again?
If you were okay with your attempt to unstick yourself, are you willing to give it another go? If so, are you willing to track your own progress or use an accountability partner to help you stay on task? If not, that’s okay. If you’d like to do something different, what does that look like in your mind? How can you hold yourself accountable for your attempts/results?
If I were teaching another freelancer how to overcome this same obstacle, what would I advise?
That’s right — it’s time to turn the tables. Pretend you’re the coach and the other freelancer is the client. Even if it feels goofy, talk out loud to that invisible freelancer. Give them your best advice on how to get past their block. Don’t hold back, even if it’s not something you’d do yourself. Yet. Because what you say to that imaginary freelancer is exactly what you should be trying. If the advice you give is good enough for someone else, why not for you, too?
If you find yourself stuck, call a friend or a relative. Ask them to let you bounce your answers to these questions off them. It’s amazing how verbalizing things can bring clarity.
Writers, what other questions would you include?
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received for your roadblocks?