Ending Coaching
For the first time ever, I'm doing nothing.
Since the start of this year, I've been struggling with motivation for my coaching service. This is natural, so I didn't dwell on it. In fact, it has happened to me in the past. Typically, I take a vacation or change up my routine in some way and that makes it better.
This time it feels different.
In 2023 and 2024, I hustled to get clients. I had countless free calls, met tons of great people, and landed 20 clients in a short amount of time.
This year, I haven't tried to get a single new client. Whenever someone finished their time with me, I didn't bother to replace them. In fact, I actually welcome it because it means fewer meetings. It was at this point that I began to question my desire to continue coaching.
The People Are Great
The thing is, I like the folks I work with. The ones that are still around have very successful businesses, are motivated, and are open to feedback. We have fantastic one-on-one sessions as well as group sessions.
Aside from the people I coach, Iām realizing that there are other aspects to coaching that I really don't like.
The obvious one for me is control over my time. When I had 20+ clients, a big part of my time was spent shuffling meetings around to accommodate everyone's busy schedules. It was exhausting in that I couldn't plan my own activities during the week. If there was a cancellation, then there was the stress of trying to find a new day and time.
I'm less busy than I was, but that element still exists. For example, any time I want to go on a vacation or trip, I'm front-loading sessions just so I can have some days off. Or, I end up taking calls while Iām away.
All of this is mentally taxing. I start to feel trapped, and whenever I feel that way, I start looking for ways to disengage. Having complete control over my time and what I do with it is what motivated me to start LearnDash in the first place. It's my North Star, so to speak.
But this is also about more than owning my time.
The pressure of not having complete control over my schedule is indeed frustrating, but I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn't dissect this feeling a bit further. I've spent six weeks or so reflecting on why I feel the way I feel, and I've come to an answer.
Coaching gives me the ability to be creative, but I don't get to live the creativity. In my sessions, I offer up marketing ideas, brand building initiatives, and the like. I love doing that kind of thing, but part of that love comes from the execution of the ideas. Competing. Winning. I don't get any of that with coaching. It feels like training for a match only to sit on the bench.
Stepping Away from Everything
Since the sale of LearnDash, I've been constantly doing something. It was mostly out of habit, but on some level, due to outside expectations. Whenever you meet someone, they always ask what you do for a living. I felt uncomfortable not having an answer to that question.
The reality is that this has been a self-imposed issue. I need time to do nothing, for the first time in my life. I need mental silence and simplicity, so that's what I am finally doing.
I don't have any expectations or goals. I don't know how long. I'm living in the moment, and that's it. I'm focusing on the small things in life. The little pleasures. I'll see where it takes me eventually, but for now, I'm enjoying the ride.
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