One of the challenges we all face as coaches is how to step into our light in a greater way.
When we want to play a bigger game, when you want to share your light in a bigger way, when you want to get on a bigger stage, whether it be on national media, or a stage of thousands of people, there’s always that voice that tries to kick you and that says,
“What are you doing?
Who do you think you are?
You’re not the person who can do this.”
And it’s that voice that tells us we’re not enough, or we don’t have what it takes.
And that’s why, in today’s post, I’m bringing you an exclusive interview with 2-time New York Time’s Bestselling Author and one of the featured teachers in “The Secret,” Lisa Nichols!
Lisa joined us as a speaker for our inaugural Coach-A-Palooza event, sharing “How to Step Into Your Greatness and Shine Your Light” as a life coach.
By the end, you’ll feel inspired to step into your calling as a difference maker and uplevel your coaching business with light, life, and brave thinking!
A Brief Background on Lisa Nichols
Lisa Nichols is one of the world’s most-requested transformational speakers and coaches, helping people create breakthroughs and discover their own infinite potential.
She is passionate about helping you become a successful coach because she has experienced the power of life coaching firsthand:
Lisa knows what it’s like to hide, play small, and hold on to false stories of scarcity, lack, and deprivation.
So if you want to dial your light up to match the frequency of the dream and the vision that you have…
If you want to overcome those things that dampen your light…
And give yourself permission to shine and really know that your light matters, even as you face blocks, fears, and barriers in your life…
Then you’re in for a treat.
Q: Why Are You Passionate About Life Coaching?
A: Coaches are the access to transformation – breakthrough – and change.
My life is 1000 times different from in 1994 because I got a coach. I had someone who was 10 to 20 steps ahead of me to pour into me, guide me, and hold me accountable to the woman I was becoming.
So my life was transformed. I didn’t think I was going to be a coach. But once I hired a coach – and my life significantly transformed over the next 8 years into something truly unrecognizable – I hired my coach as the COO of my company.
I grew my company double digits every year for the next 10 years. When the economic recession of 2008-2009 hit, I didn’t even recognize it. My business was so solid and consistent. The biggest challenge in my business was managing the growth.
But that was because I had a coach.
Then I thought – since I was coached and had someone show me what was in my blind spot, how to manage it, and bring it to my intentionality, and that did everything for me – then I need to do that for other people.
So I became a coach. And I began to witness what would happen in someone else’s life in their self-esteem – their light – their business – and their impact. And then I said, now I want to coach coaches.
Q: What Did You Have to Overcome to Step Into Your Light?
A: Most people see me standing in my light and dancing in my greatness, but they don’t know the climb I had to go through to give myself permission to do that.
In 1994, when my son was 8 months old, I didn’t have money to buy him diapers. I don’t know how I got there. I had a job, but I would run out of money before I ran out of month. My ends didn’t meet.
I share this moment often – not because it was the only moment I had – but it was the moment that I became “done”.
I would always hear people say “you have so much potential”, and I’ve always had a bright light, but I just didn’t know how to access all of it. There was just this fire in me like greatness flickering, but I could never turn the flicker into a flame. I could never keep the flame going.
My flare would go up, and then it would go out.
So on that day in 1994, I went to the ATM to get $20 out, but it said “insufficient funds: $11.42.” I had to wrap my son in a towel for two days.
I hit my bottom.
What happened at that point was that I didn’t want to wonder anymore what greatness in me could look like.
I want to meet my greatness.
I want to meet the woman I’m becoming.
I want to meet the light that’s in me.
I looked down at my son on the second day of him being wrapped around in a towel with tears streaming down my face and promised him that “Mommy will never be this broken again.”
I decided I would spend the rest of my life chasing my own greatness – the greatest version of myself – and unleashing my inner light.
And while I wanted to move away from scarcity, lack, and deprivation, I was just as hungry to uncover the woman I had the right to be.
But when I talk about stepping into your greatness and shining your light, it doesn’t mean you aren’t in your greatness now. It’s about what the next best version of yourself looks like and what happens when you uncover a couple of other blindspots, pieces of awareness, and techniques – all while being grateful for who you are right now.
So I wasn’t racing or competing against anyone else. And I have to tell you – looking over the last 20+ years, building over a multi-millionaire dollar enterprise and traveling all around the globe – having a life that blows my own mind only occurred when I started chasing every crevice of my light and unleashing it. Unapologetically.
I used to slide into a room and open up my light, but I would stand there and measure the room to see if it could handle my light. So instead of walking into the room, I was “easing” into the room. I was serving the room teaspoons of me until I was sure the room could digest me.
Shining your light is sharing your light and allowing others to get comfortable in your light.
Q: What Can Dampen Your Light?
A: In short: the mindset of “Am I good enough to be at ‘that’ level?”
As a prime example, when I did “Chicken Soup for the African-American Woman Soul” I felt like I could own that greatness.
But when I got the call to be part of “The Secret”, I had to overcome a negative limiting belief. After that, I got a call to go on Oprah. Then I wrote “No Matter What”, my first solo book, and ended up with my first book deal over 7 figures. With each step, my negative chatter would kick in.
So one of the things that I’ve learned how to do is constantly manage the chatter and minimize it. To let my purpose rise above the “Am I good enough?” conversation.
How do you raise your passion – purpose – light – and determination above all the circumstances that would cause you to shrink?
My number one interview question is people asking me how I overcame the fear. Not just the fear of failure, but the fear of success.
One of the things I share is this:
Who said you had to get rid of that fear to take the leap?
Who said the fear is working against you?
How about we create a whole new relationship with this conversation about fear? It’s a bold assumption to think that with all the leaping I’ve done in my life, that I managed the fear before the leap.
What if I put the fear in my backpack, strapped it on my back, and leapt with it on? And allowed the reality and actuality to replace the perception that made me afraid in the first place?
So if you replace “What if?” with “What would happen?” – then all of a sudden you’re not guessing anymore.
If I couldn’t get rid of the fear before I went on Oprah – Larry King – Steve Harvey – Dr. Phil – then I would have had to look back at my fear and say “I guess you’re coming with me because I’m not stopping.”
Your fear is just a story that you’ve told yourself about the projection you believe might happen. When you can replace that projection with some “actuals”, then you don’t worry about it.
It’s Not About “Doing It All”, It’s About Stepping Into Your Light
During one of our Accelerator calls, there was a woman coach who asked, “How can I get more people into my workshops?” So I asked her what she’s been doing in terms of her marketing strategies.
She started listing them off, and there was something about the way she was sharing her actions that helped me understand there was something deeper going on.
It was the fear of being seen. That if she was “really” seen, she’d be in danger. She was taking the actions, recording the videos, but her energy was being held back.
So I asked Lisa to speak to that experience. Here’s what she shared:
Number one, there is a mind management that needs to occur around the willingness to be seen “as is”.
The “I am exactly where I should be to do exactly this thing, right now.”
Benjamin Franklin says that comparison is and will always be the thief of all your joy. There is no power to be looking to the left and to the right, but there is all the power in the world to say “I am a unique, unrepeatable miracle – and my individual fingerprint is exactly who someone needs right now.”
There has to be a willingness to allow the soul in you to touch the soul in them.
To be so convicted about producing change and transformation that “looking good” takes a back seat.
That doesn’t mean “abandon your brand” – it’s about being willing to show that passion and turning that part of you up that’s on fire.
What I love about coaching is helping others unleash some of that. To agitate complacency and shake up mediocrity.
And when you remove the need to prove – protect – hide – or defend anything – then you can become everything.
Reach Your Next Evolution at Coach-A-Palooza
In preparation for this year’s Coach-A-Palooza, we have been dreaming up the most important question of all to prepare the entire event:
What will serve you most on your journey, you can make the difference you were born to make?
It’s the same question we asked to deliver the premiere coaching event, where Lisa Nichols previously graced the stage!
So if you feel this clicking in your spirit, listen. That’s why we designed Coach-A-Palooza.
For you.
For your next evolution.
This is your moment. If you haven’t registered yet, click the link below to join the coaching event of the year – or get on the waiting list:
>> [Reserve My Coach-A-Palooza Spot Here]
It’s going to be such a rewarding experience. I’m looking forward to seeing you there!
Until next time – think bravely and act boldly,
Mat Boggs
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