The blinking cursor on the Google search bar popped the letters as I typed: certification on coaching.
1 million results. 1 million possibilities. Endless doubts. Would I ever be successful as a coach if I don't know where to start?
Many coaches are spending a lot of time getting certified.
And I can see why. They want to make sure they are really great coaches But here is where it can go sideways.
There is nothing more important in your coaching business than actually coaching people. I can't emphasize this enough.
Why? Because we want to make the greatest difference in the world and in people's lives. When we do this, it makes a difference in our own lives too.
Guess how many clients have asked me if I was certified in the last 20 years? Zero.
In fact, the only people who have ever asked me if I was certified were other coaches.
There are no requirements to start a coaching business today. This means that you can start your own coaching business with very few requirements.
Truth is, I've never had a potential client ask me if I was certified.
People who want to become a coach often wonder if getting certified is important.
Truth is, there's an untold little secret regarding certification: clients want the results you can help them achieve and they will hire you based on your ability to help them reach their goals!
Imagine this: A potential client is in a situation where they need something, but they're not getting it on their own. They're no longer willing to stay where they are, and they feel certain you can help them.
Boom! They will hire you, and it doesn't matter if you're certified. They want results.
Yet, it's still worth taking any training that might be required so that you can add more value to your clients and be sure you can help them achieve their goals.
I'm not saying there's no value in the process. All I'm saying is there's no need for it in today's economy. There's nothing that says you need to get some kind of a coaching certification.
It makes me sad to see so many great coaches not start their businesses because they are waiting for their certification. They think they need that external validation to feel good enough to get paid for their work.
Some people might think that getting certified is what's stopping them from having a thriving coaching business. But that's not really true.
Certification isn't the issue, confidence is. Some of us tend to need outside validation to know that we're really good enough. So…
If you have a heart for coaching and can help people achieve the results they are looking for, that's all the ‘certification' you need to make a massive impact in people's lives.
Take this blog post as your official certificate for being an awesome coach.
You have to get out there and start getting clients. Spend less time waiting for your website to be finished, for your certification to be issued, for a brochure, business cards…
Stop waiting and actually go out and get some clients!
The world needs you and your coaching. Let's get people coached!
With all the love in my heart,
Christian
