Back when I first resigned from my corporate position to work full-time in my online coaching business, people thought I was crazy.
They couldn’t understand why I would leave a 6-figure job for “such a high risk endeavour”, as they thought all online businesses were.
If you’ve ever had someone doubt your dream coaching business, you could understand how crushing those comments were to me!
They fueled my doubts into overdrive and I started questioning EVERYTHING!
What I didn’t recognize at the time was how crucial having confidence was to the success of my business (and my overall happiness in life).
Experiencing this huge self-doubt made me anxious and, ultimately, procrastinate from performing tasks that would grow my business, such as:
- Talking to potential clients
- Becoming visible and marketing my coaching
- Charging what I knew my services were worth
This lack of confidence weighed on my chest like a 50-pound dumbbell. It’s also part of the reason why I felt I needed a double-certification in coaching — shouldn’t more certificates mean more confidence?
Not necessarily.
Even with all of my qualifications, life experience and coaching certificates, I still wallowed in murky, anxious self-doubt. Worst of all, I thought that I was the only coach feeling this way. I mean, everyone else appeared so successful and happy! I never realized at the time how common a lack of confidence is for ambitious people, especially for new entrepreneurs.
Nevertheless, I used to believe that confidence meant you had to be that brash, self-centered, loud and annoying person in the room. As a full-on introvert myself, that just felt so cringe-worthy!
Because I dreaded EVER being thought of like this, I would shrink when someone asked me about my business. I tried to brush them off and quickly change the topic.
Now I’ve learned that I can still remain humble WHILE being confident — it doesn’t have to be an either/or! Confidence can be your soft-spoken, inner truth that you know can change lives.
What is important to recognize is that confident coaches attract amazing clients, know their worth and make an impact on those they connect with.
Talking about your zone of genius is not ‘bragging’, but sharing in a way that can positively impact someone else, improve their mindset, get them to take action and potentially change the course of their life.
And THAT is powerful!
A confident person can still be beautiful, kind and compassionate. Confidence can be your choice — and it starts with believing in yourself, your dreams and your skills.
You choose confidence every time you take action and step outside of your comfort zone. When you do something for your business and self-development that makes you uncomfortable, just remember that you are growing confidence.
Confidence is like a muscle — the more you use it, the easier it becomes, the bigger it grows and the closer you get to stepping into your zone of genius as a leader that your clients need you to be.
If you’ve ever felt the despair of self-doubt while working in your online business, keep reading for seven super handy ways to instantly grow your confidence for your own sanity and success.
7 Invaluable Techniques to Immediately Boost Your Confidence and Derail Self-Doubt:
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Remind yourself that you have a beautiful coaching gift inside of you that no one can take away from you.
It is your duty as a committed coach to help others live a better life through your gift — whether that is health coaching, business coaching, life coaching, relationship coaching… If you don’t step into your gift, your future clients will never reach their amazing future that, right now, is hidden by their own limiting beliefs and blocks.
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Keep it simple with your business.
You do NOT need a marketing funnel, Instagram account, Twitter feed, Pinterest board etc. to get started. The requirement to have ‘everything just right’ before you even get a client are just busy work barriers. Many of my clients do not have all that in place when they start landing coaching clients. Choose ONE medium to begin making connections and forming relationships. Let’s be clear though, a marketing funnel, automated email sequence etc. are very helpful as you grow, but you DON’T need these to start generating revenue with your coaching business!
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If someone is doubting your coaching business, ask yourself: Are they living a life that you admire?
Critically assessing the person dishing out (usually unsolicited) advice about my online business was a big revelation for me. Instead of taking what they say at face value, look at their life: Are they living in alignment with your beliefs and goals? Are they happy and fulfilled with their job/business? If not, take their advice with a pinch of salt and seek mentorship from someone who actually has a business and life that you strive for.
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Recognize that you ARE enough.
If you are offering a service from your heart and expertise, genuinely helping others improve their lives, you are more than enough. It doesn’t mean that we are not always trying to improve ourselves and our craft through certifications, books and training, but coming from a place of honesty, love and genuine care for a prospect or client will mean more to that person than the 15 certificates hanging on your wall.
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When you have a win in your business, make sure to celebrate (super important)!
This could be as simple as taking a bubble bath, curling up with a good book, drinking a fancy cup of tea or meeting up with friends. This reaffirms in your subconscious that moving away from your comfort zone and putting yourself out there results in awesome rewards.
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Complete a small task that you have been procrastinating from.
This could be finishing up some client notes, clearing your work area of clutter or finally learning that new software. A small accomplishment will provide a great boost in your mood, and how relieving will it feel when you can finally cross that off your to-do list!
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Exercise!
This is probably one of my favourite ways to boost confidence. After working out, your endorphins will be high, you’ll be thinking sharper and feel like you’re able to conquer the world. If I’m stuck on an issue with my business, I usually find that half-way through my workout I get a huge ‘ah-ha’ clarity moment that will propel me forward.
Now over to you! Have you ever felt that you couldn’t be confident in your business? How did that impact you? Comment below!
Join Me?
Do you want a free workbook to instantly unlock your confidence and land clients? Grab it here.
I’d love for you to come hang out and meet me in my Facebook group, The Freedom Lifestyle Coach: A community dedicated to the coach who is looking to build her online business without pressure, effortlessly attract clients and create her freedom lifestyle, whether that means travelling the globe or taking 3-day weekends to spend with loved ones.
Kalila Bodden is a medical doctor and business coach for ambitious, introverted women. Supporting them in going from self-doubt to beautiful confidence is her specialty! Helping her clients create an online coaching business that makes 4- and 5-figure months so they can live their dream life of freedom, wellness and travel is what she’s all about.
Originally published at medium.com