The coaches with the best intentions, those driven by the heart with all the passion there is….⁣

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Are often the coaches with the least successful clients.⁣

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And in the worst-case scenario: they 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲.⁣

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All while meaning well and truly trying to help.⁣

What’s happening here?!

Issue: You are immediately providing suggestions and solutions to your clients. They came to you because you’re an expert with all the answers, right?

Why this might be problematic: In an effort to help your clients, you miss out on the opportunity to help them CHANGE.

What you can try instead: Ask your clients what worked for them in the past and what ideas they might have before you start listing off your suggestions. 

Issue: Ignoring the bad and only focusing on the good. As a coach, you should always focus on your clients’ strengths and dismiss their slip-ups, right?

Why this might be problematic: Without properly addressing the slip-ups, your client won’t be prepared to handle similar situations in the future. 

What you can try instead: Normalize the “mistakes” and empathize with them. Ask your client what they might do differently next time they’re in a similar situation and help them formulate a game plan. 

Issue: Allowing clients to attempt to make massive changes. They’re excited to get started and want to do all the things! As a coach, we should let them, right?

Why this might be problematic: Your client is riding on a sense of hope. They want to do it all, but they might be overzealous, and their self-efficacy will tank when they can’t meet their expectations.

What you can try instead: Ask your client about their current lifestyle and have them determine what they’re most confident they can achieve. 

Issue: Only discussing the benefits of changing with your client. After all, you shouldn’t discuss the benefits of NOT changing with your client, right?

Why this might be problematic: You’ll miss out on crucial information about your client, such as the reasons why their current, less healthy, lifestyle works for them. 

What you can try instead: Ask your client about the good that comes from their unhealthy behaviors. This strategy often results in them saying “...BUT” and providing reasons for change. 

The UNDERLYING issue

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You aren’t the only one who faces these issues. It’s common among coaches, and that’s because there’s an underlying issue. 

Unfortunately, there is a lack of education and understanding regarding human behavior, mindset, and psychology.⁣

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You can be a GOOD COACH but have poor client retention, adherence, and overall success due to a lack of training in these areas.⁣

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Areas that I refer to as the “art” of coaching.⁣ This is often the missing piece.⁣

Contrary to popular belief

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You might not need a fancy sales funnel, prettier website, or more client resources to lEvEL uP your coaching game.⁣

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You might... just need to be a better coach.⁣

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I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but it might be what you need to hear. And it’s not your fault — this stuff isn’t taught in certifications.⁣

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In fact, it’s placed pretty far down on the “importance totem pole” in coaching education, period.⁣

It takes two to tango

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If you feel like your clients are resisting change, there’s a good chance they’re actually resisting you. While that definitely sucks to hear, it’s not a career ender. In fact, being aware that you need to make certain improvements as a coach will help you and your clients!

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And I’m not about to leave you hanging high and dry. Like I said, if you’re experiencing these issues you are not alone. This is why the Health Mindset Coaching Certification exists.⁣

If you’re interested in learning how to cultivate a growth mindset and guide your clients to sustained behavior change using evidence-based practices in psychology, you need to sign up for the next round of my Health Mindset Coaching Certification.

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