This may come out as a surprise to you, but way too many coaches and healers who are great at what they do, secretly fear they are not good enough.
“ Who am I do this?” -they wonder.
They get credential after credential, go from class to class and yet, they never feel like they are ready to do the work they do.
And that keeps them from taking the actions that would make them visible, and be found by their ideal clients.
They resist being known as the experts they truly are.
That is so sad.
If this issue resonates with you, read this:
“Your work is needed.
Now.
But as long as you focus on what is still missing -and let me tell you there will always be another class to take and a new technique to include in your toolbox- there are people who you need your help who aren’t receiving it.
It’s about time you live your purpose.
Stop the excuses, and go make the impact you are meant to make. Now.”
The Confidence Scale.
Let’s do a quick and easy exercise.
On a scale from 0 to 10 where 0 is “I have no clue about this topic and could never help anyone with it”, and 10 is “I feel totally confident in my expertise around this topic, where do you place yourself right now?
Whatever you got, it’s ok.
It’s just a starting point, and you can grow your confidence from here.
I’m sharing here my Soul-Based Positioning Process. You can use it to increase your level of confidence naturally.
Going through it will help you to know exactly why you are uniquely qualified to do the work you do, are you ready to start?
The Soul-Based Expert Positioning Process.
There are 7 elements of your unique expert positioning. Review all of them and take plenty of time to answer each question. It will help you to fully embrace your identity as an authority in your field.
#1: Your Story:
Something happened in your life that motivated you to focus on your specific type of transformational work.
The events that led you to choose this path and not another. the obstacles you faced, the lessons you learned, and the wisdom you gained along the way are all part of your path.
This is your life story, your life’s purpose, and it’s uniquely yours.
And it differentiates you from all the other professionals who do what you do.
- Your Story Discovery Questions:
-Why did I choose to become a coach or healer?
-What problem do I feel motivated to solve? Why?
#2: Your Strengths
We all have strengths and weaknesses. You are naturally wired to do some things better than others. while not being so good at some other things.
Maybe you are great at setting boundaries or keeping someone accountable. Maybe your strengths are more related to using your intuition or with taking action in moments of stress.
Whatever your strengths are, your personality plays a big role in identifying them.
And yes, other coaches and healers will share some of those strengths with you, but they don’t have the very same combination that you do. Not even if you share the same personality type. Again, you are unique.
- Your Strengths Discovery Questions:
-Which is my natural mental wiring?
-Which are my strengths?
#3: Your Soul’s Calling
It’s important to know where you come from, but it’s equally important to know where you are headed. Because your Soul is calling you to become something more.
We could say that you are in an archetypal path. However, this is mostly unconscious. And it nevertheless pulls you to behave, act and make decisions in very specific ways.
Becoming aware of your own Archetypal Path is very empowering, and helps you be more intentional about sharing your own voice.
- Your Soul’s Calling Discovery Questions:
-Who am I called to be?
-Where am I in my archetypal Path?
(My quiz: What makes you different? will help you figure out who you are called to become. You can take if here for free. Visit:
http://www.DiscoverYourDifference.com
#4 Your Solution
If you’ve been in this for a while, I mean both learning about your topic and working with clients, you’ve gathered a deep knowledge about what is required for your clients to achieve the transformation they want.
You have a higher perspective of their problem than they do. You know the terrain, so to speak, that they’ll need to cover to achieve that desired result.
For example, if you are a coach that might involve some mindset shift, setting clear goals, improving their environment, etc.
Or if you are a healer it might involve some physical detox, a change in their diet, and include some type of exercise.
You’ll know what they’ll want to skip, too. Because clients resist some steps, -typically what they need the most- but you know it’s essential if they are ever to achieve what they say they want.
All those steps you know they need to take are your expert solution. Even if what you do is very intuitive in nature, there is a framework you unconsciously use to produce the transformation your clients want.
I call that your own Signature Process.
And one of my areas of genius consist in helping others identify their own signature process.
Having your own Signature Process has many benefits, both for you and your ideal clients. And it’s a huge confidence booster.
There are few things more powerful than becoming aware of what you really know, -your signature process- and fully embracing it.
- Your Solution Discovery Questions
-How do I solve my client’s problem?
-How do I deliver the transformation they want?
#5 Your Stand
Exactly as you have a preferred way of doing things, you have also found “solutions” that don’t work. Either you’ve witnessed bad practices, or there is a certain type of common wisdom that you know is totally wrong.
Take a stand for that. Be transparent about your point of view, because again, that is unique.
Develop your own, well-informed opinion about your field, based on personal research, on observation of what others do, on books you’ve read, etc.
In the process, you’ll increase your knowledge base on the topic, and your level of confidence about what you know as well.
- Your Stand Discovery Questions:
-What’s a piece of common wisdom on my field that I completely disagree with?
-What are my beliefs about my client’s problems? Why?
#6 Your Skills
Most coaches and healers have a huge toolbox full of techniques, methods and processes that they use to help their clients.
For example, some coaches use the Enneagram to help their clients understand themselves. I prefer to use Archetypes and personality types. And so that makes me a bit different than other coaches.
By using your favorite tools to help your clients, you are also doing things in different ways than other professionals.
And that’s a good thing.
However, there is a caveat though.
Leading with your techniques is not what matters to your clients.
That’s why it’s so difficult to sell coaching, because in truth nobody wants coaching, they want the result you will help them achieve with the coaching.
For you, is good to be reminded of how many great techniques you’ve added to your toolbox, and use that to sustain your self-confidence a bit more. But never put too much emphasis on them while communicating with your potential clients, ok?
- Your Skills Discovery Questions:
-Which are my credentials?
-How many classes, courses, and workshops have I attended along the years?
-How many techniques am I an expert in?
And finally…
#7: Where You Show up.
Share your knowledge. Be generous. Demonstrate what you know by creating articles, videos, podcasts, webinars, live talks.
This will help you in two ways:
First, the more content you create the more you will structure your ideas, and make you more of an expert on your field.
And second, others will recognize you as the expert, since becoming an author will naturally position your as the authority,
Show up in your natural environment. You are where you are for a reason -which I believe if part of your purpose- and just by showing up there you can positively influence other people.
Find the communities and groups that you have access to that other professionals don’t. Maybe it’s because of the geographical area, the affinity of ideas, the language…, you might find groups where you are the only professional who solves that specific problem.
Take advantage of that.
Allow yourself to be seen. Because not everyone will show up in the same groups that you do, and won’t be friends with the same people that you do.
- Your Showing Up Discovery Questions:
-What type of content do I like to create?
-Which communities and groups am I already a member of?
Bonus tip to increase your level of confidence fast.
If you are into mindmaps, create one with this seven elements.
Put it on a wall where you can see it frequently. It will give you a quick reminder -and overview- of why you are truly the expert in your field.
In a month rate yourself again in the Confidence Scale.
How has that changed?
Again, I want to invite you to take my quiz: What makes you different? It will help you embrace part of your identity as an expert by connecting with who you naturally are.
For now, just let me know: What have you discovered about yourself?
Please leave your comments below.