Would you like a fabulous pair of Christian Louboutins for a fraction of the price?
I can offer you a pair. Tempting?
Oh, by the way, it is available in only one size, which isn't yours, but don't let that concern you. I know an expert shoe-fitter who will throw in a private appointment at no extra charge, to ensure that the shoe fits you - more or less.
Is this sounding slightly less appealing?
You might be applying this sort of thinking every time you engage with a client.
You are educated, motivated and experienced at providing your clients with cutting-edge strategy. You might coach them on time-management, home-organisation or help them discover their career path. Perhaps you are a therapist.
Regardless of your specific field, you have discovered your particular method of helping others, resulting from your unique blend of strengths, interests and character. And, you share a common passion of helping people create positive change in their lives.
However, complacency breeds stagnation. If you are not constantly learning, you are selling yourself short.
Social entrepreneur, Michael Simmons, coined the term 'five-hour rule' after exploring the patterns of some of the world's greatest achievers. His study revealed that many of them dedicated at least an hour a day to learning and discovery.
Barack Obama, read an hour a day while in office.
Warren Buffett spends between five and six hours per day reading five newspapers and 500 pages of corporate reports.
Bill Gates reads a book a week and takes an annual two-week reading vacation.
Knowledge has been termed the new money. Now more than ever, knowledge serves as a medium of exchange and store of value, its value compounding over time.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” - Benjamin Franklin
Reading, learning and constantly acquiring knowledge will expand you and keep your practice fresh and alive.
"Knowledge can be converted into many things, including things that money can’t buy, such as authentic relationships and high levels of subjective well-being. It helps you accomplish your goals faster and better. It’s fun to acquire. It makes your brain work better. It expands your vocabulary, making you a better communicator. It helps you think bigger and beyond your circumstances. It puts your life in perspective by essentially helping you live many lives in one life through other people’s experiences and wisdom." - Michael Simmons
Targeted learning will help you apply the principles of deliberate practice to maintain your career growth. Yet, theoretical knowledge remains unactualised potential, becoming power only,
'...when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action, and directed to a definite end.' - Napoleon Hill
Reading in order to increase knowledge is important but it isn't necessarily enough.
Human beings are multi-faceted, complex individuals. Providing your clients with standardised strategy is akin to forcing everyone to wear the same size shoe. If you had the tools to create targeted and individualised strategy, your clients would be able to effect more rapid and focused transformation. This may seem to you like an overwhelming task. How can you possibly discover every potential dilemma that your clients may encounter and learn each respective solution?
Coaching skills can be used in your practice to keep your strategy relevant to your clients, in order to help them attain lasting change.
In this way, unlike the shoe stockist you won't have to stock every size. As you learn the philosophy behind coaching and its respective tools, you will find yourself able to provide custom-made solutions for your clients every single time.
Devorah Rabinowitz is a life coach specialising in helping individuals discover their inner leader to reach their potential and achieve at consistently high levels. She sees clients privately and provides live and online coach training. She also offers a range of transformational self-development workshops that you can access here.
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