[00:00:00] Lauren Brollier Newton: Welcome back to The Abundant Coach podcast. Super happy that you’re here today. Answering some questions for all you new coaches, or maybe you’ve been a coach for awhile and you’re just second guessing yourself. Like, is this right for me? Is this the right career choice? If you’re thinking about becoming a coach, if you are a coach, but you kind of backtrack and second guess, was this the right move?

[00:00:21] Lauren Brollier Newton: Today, we’re going to talk about 7 Surefire Signs that you’re truly meant to be a coach. Doesn’t necessarily have to be a life coach. Could be any kind of coach, you’ve been dreaming up maybe doing some consulting.

[00:00:32] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, I’m going to give you the 7 Signs that you’re meant to be a coach. And I’m going to start with a quote, as I always do.

[00:00:36] Lauren Brollier Newton: The quote is from Joan of Arc. I am not afraid, I was born to do this.

[00:00:40] Lauren Brollier Newton: I love that, I love so many things about that quote. Let me just talk about that quote for a minute. I love that quote because, anytime that we’re doing something, challenging, something rigorous, something that at the level of fact, we wouldn’t prefer, whether it’s something going on in our personal life or in our business.

[00:00:57] Lauren Brollier Newton: I love to remind myself of this quote, I’m not [00:01:00] afraid, I was born to do this. I have a purpose, I have a mission, I have a calling, there’s important things about me, I’m going to keep moving forward. So, you’ll see how this quote relates to being a coach. So, I want to give you a little story of how I became a coach, because here’s the deal.

[00:01:14] Lauren Brollier Newton: I didn’t know what life coaching was when I became a life coach. And so, I kind of want to break this down for you because, you might think of coaching itself and have somewhat of a preconceived notion in your mind, of what it would actually feel like to be in sessions with client? In the beginning, when I first heard the life coach thing, I had some not so good images in my mind.

[00:01:34] Lauren Brollier Newton: One, is when I was in college, I worked in a gym, and there was a lady there, a member of the gym who would come in, and she called herself a life coach. And she was the most unskillful person on the planet. Like, just so unskillful, always creating drama with other members and stuff.

[00:01:51] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, that was really my first and only exposure to a life coach was, Oh my god, she’s so messy, Oh, this is whack. So, that was my first exposure. Then, I went to [00:02:00] this 3 day event that Brave Thinking Institute and Mary Morrissey put on called DreamBuilder Live. And I’m watching Mary speak on stage, and she’s speaking about how results occur? How does success occur? How results occur? It’s not a crap shoot.

[00:02:13] Lauren Brollier Newton: And at that time in my life, I was in the middle of a divorce. I was living in my parents basement, I was broke, I got myself into all this credit card debt, you know, picked the wrong guy. And as Mary described the results formula and how human results occur? And how it’s not luck? And these are the things you want to be watching out for, I was like, I’ve said it before that I felt like, all the DNA in my body got rearranged. Like, I finally understood how to do this thing called life, really.

[00:02:40] Lauren Brollier Newton: And so, at that DreamBuilder Live, the MC of the event came on stage and said, if you want to do what Mary does, speak, teach, help people, you can do that, and come to this info session.

[00:02:52] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, I get to the info session, and I find out that it’s life coaching, and I had a bad taste in my mouth about that cause I’m thinking about that, I’m at the [00:03:00] gym and I’m thinking about, Oh, life coaching. That’s going to be like therapy, and I’m going to be sitting in sessions with clients, they’re going to be complaining about their life, I don’t know if I’m cut out for that.

[00:03:08] Lauren Brollier Newton: And so at first, it didn’t spark me, but then I kept hearing like, Mary is calling herself a coach. She’s speaking on stages, she’s helping people, she’s supporting people, she’s guiding people. It didn’t feel like therapy at all, and felt, in fact, it felt like this, building a life that you’re absolutely in love with, it was completely different.

[00:03:23] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, I kept holding onto that, but she’s saying, you want to do what you do, and she’s calling it a life coach. I had another preconceived notion in my mind that life coaches were like, super woo woo like, I’m this like, wear flowy clothes and dance under the moon and burn incense, and I’m like, well, that’s not me.

[00:03:38] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, I had some notions about being a life coach. And so, I think that’s why this episode is so important too, because you might have some of the telltale signs that coaching is perfect for you. But it’s not how you’re imagining it in your mind.

[00:03:50] Lauren Brollier Newton: Like I was imagining it like therapy. I was like, Oh my gosh, I have to be like a hippie chick, with like a tie dye and stuff to be able to do this. No offense to the hippie chick, it’s just not my [00:04:00] personality. And so, I want to get rid of some of the preconceived notions, and let’s talk about what coaching really is. Even if it’s not life coaching, there’s a very certain characteristics to coaching.

[00:04:09] Lauren Brollier Newton: So I became a coach, and it was nothing like I was thinking, like, I have to just hear clients complain and all of this, because the difference between something like therapy and coaching, is that therapy is a lot about processing. Coaching is a lot about moving things forward, at least in the way that I’ve been trained in it.

[00:04:28] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, we’re going to do 7 Surefire Signs that you’re meant to be a coach. And we’re going to see how this goes out.

[00:04:33] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, the first telltale sign that you’re truly meant to be a coach, is you truly want to make a difference. So, let’s talk about that one, cause it can sound cliche, Oh, I want to make a difference in the world, but it can sound cliche, but let’s really break it down. If you’re feeling that desire that your work is fulfilling, and purpose driven, and that you know you’re making an impact, coaching is such a powerful possibility for you.

[00:04:58] Lauren Brollier Newton: Because, yes, [00:05:00] we do one to one coaching, or coaching in groups, or larger Masterminds, or larger Masterclasses with clients. But you can also speak on stages, give workshops, make a giant impact, have online programs that reach thousands of people, have online classes that reach thousands of people.

[00:05:16] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, this ability to make a difference, doing something that really helps people, if that calls to you, then coaching is certainly something to explore. I want to say here that the level of impact that you’re able to have, is going to depend on how good you are at actually building the life coaching, or coaching business.

[00:05:37] Lauren Brollier Newton: And so, I would suggest, that whatever kind of coach you’re going to become, whether it’s a life coach, business coach, fitness coach, whatever it is. That you get in a mentorship program, or a certification program where the business is taught just as much as the modality of coaching is taught.

[00:05:52] Lauren Brollier Newton: Because otherwise, you’ll have this really great modality, but you won’t know how to get it in front of people. That’s just a side note, but if you want to make a difference, [00:06:00] coaching can certainly be right for you. So, that’s number 1.

[00:06:02] Lauren Brollier Newton: Number 2, you feel upset when you know there are solutions, and people don’t have them in their hands.

[00:06:09] Lauren Brollier Newton: So for example, if you’ve thought about fitness coaching, and you look at people who have been struggling for years and years with exercise or diet or injuries or whatever it is. And you think, Oh my gosh, I could help them. There’s a solution to this and it can be easy and it doesn’t have to be stressful.

[00:06:25] Lauren Brollier Newton: That is a sign that you would be someone, who’d be perfect to go into that field, and give people the support that they need. I remember, again, at this DreamBuilder Live event. So I’m divorced, I’m broke, like I said, I’m living in my parents basement. And at the DreamBuilder Live, I started to understand why this had occurred in my life. I understood that I didn’t know how human results occurred. I didn’t know I could ask myself different questions. I didn’t know I could dream for more in my life or demand more of my life.

[00:06:53] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, when I found that out, and it wasn’t just in some philosophical airy fairy, in the sky way, it was in a really [00:07:00] practical, easy to understand way. I wanted everybody to have that, everybody to have that understanding. Because I’m looking all around the world, and I’m seeing people struggling with stuff that’s actually not that hard to fix if you just get the right tools in your hand.

[00:07:14] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, that gave me this burning desire inside. Like, I’m sick of watching people struggle with things that actually could be easy, based on what I’m learning and seeing here. And so, if you ever have that feeling like, Oh my gosh, I know there’s solutions for people, and I just want to help them because it doesn’t have to be this hard. That’s a telltale sign, a Surefire Sign that coaching might be right for you.

[00:07:34] Lauren Brollier Newton: So number 1 of the Surefire Signs, was you actually want to make a difference and feel that difference making in your life. 2 is, you feel upset when you know there’s solutions for people that can be easy, and the people don’t have them in their hands.

[00:07:46] Lauren Brollier Newton: Let’s talk about number 3. Number 3 is, you know there’s a power inside of every person that is actually stronger than their circumstances. Now, this is what Brave Thinking Institute is built on. That there is a power in [00:08:00] each one of us that goes beyond condition, beyond circumstance, beyond the situation that we’re in.

[00:08:05] Lauren Brollier Newton: That I don’t have to bow down to a circumstance because something happened in my life. Or something’s going on with the economy, or one party is an office. I don’t have to stop living my life in an expansive, powerful, forward moving way, just because there are some things outside of me that are not ideal.

[00:08:20] Lauren Brollier Newton: This is very important, because if you see people, now, let me just say about number 3. You don’t have to be perfect at this, knowing that there’s a power inside people greater than condition. But if you love inspiring things, and seeing people succeed, and seeing people overcome the odds, that’s a really good sign that coaching would be right for you.

[00:08:40] Lauren Brollier Newton: And it can be challenging, when you look at a circumstance to see the person as stronger than sometime. So, I don’t want you to feel like, Oh my gosh, if you’re not perfect as not seeing people as victims or whatever that you can’t be a coach, absolutely not. Just the inner, if you’re really in your best and highest self, do you believe [00:09:00] people have some power in them they’re not using.

[00:09:03] Lauren Brollier Newton: Some power that’s greater than circumstance, something that can guide them beyond the challenges they’re facing, whether it’s an illness, or a divorce, or a breakup. That’s what we’re looking for, is that true deep down belief that people can actually not just survive but thrive. No matter what the conditions are in their life.

[00:09:20] Lauren Brollier Newton: And a lot of times, those people who’ve become coaches believe this, because you have overcome it. Maybe you’ve overcome a terrible circumstance in childhood, or a divorce, or a career change in midlife, or you’ve overcome feeling like you’re not good enough. Whatever it is, if that is often what makes people want to become coaches, because they’ve overcome it.

[00:09:42] Lauren Brollier Newton: And so, they can see in others, Oh, there is a power in each of us where we can overcome these things. So, that would be number 3, there’s a power inside people stronger than circumstance.

[00:09:53] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, number 4 of the Surefire Signs that you are meant to be a coach. You’ve always been in some sort of a [00:10:00] helping profession, or you feel better when you make a difference in someone’s life.

[00:10:05] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, if you’ve been a teacher, a nurse, therapist, a counselor, anybody in a helping profession, even a police officer, a firefighter, any kind of helping profession, it could be administrative, where you’re helping people succeed. If you’ve always been in a helping profession and that just keeps being where you find yourself, that could be a sign that you are meant to be a coach.

[00:10:28] Lauren Brollier Newton: If you’re a teacher, that teacher in you can thrive so big when you’re teaching content that you feel like makes an even bigger difference in people’s lives. I remember, when I was a school teacher, I taught 4th Grade, and then I was a reading specialist, and we called it a literacy coach in our district.

[00:10:44] Lauren Brollier Newton: I remember thinking to myself, at one point as I was teaching, because I saw the most underserved, underprivileged kids to help them with their reading. And I remember thinking to myself, this actually doesn’t have a lot to do with reading.

[00:10:58] Lauren Brollier Newton: This position, you know, I can teach [00:11:00] kids to read, I can do that, but it has to do with me being able to build relationships with them, and care about them, and show I care, and oversee any of their shortcomings, overlook their shortcomings, and really, love them up so that they could believe in themselves that that could read. That was more than half of the battle, the reading itself. Yes, I can teach kids how to sound out words and comprehend and all that stuff.

[00:11:21] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, if you’re the person who’s been in a helping profession, and you can see that it’s not just being good at nursing. Like, I’m really good at giving whatever actual physical aid needs to be given, or not just teaching, like, I’m really good at helping kids sound out words, but if you can see that it’s your personality, and your love for people, and that connection, and that building relationships that has kept you in those helping professions, that’s a really good sign that you’re meant to be a coach.

[00:11:47] Lauren Brollier Newton: And maybe, you haven’t been in a helping profession and yet, you’re always the person that ends up being the helper, right? That is a very good sign that you’re meant to be a coach, especially, if you feel good when you’re doing it.

[00:11:59] Lauren Brollier Newton: [00:12:00] Teachers, therapists, helping professions, nurses, tend to make wonderful transitions to coaches. Because the center stream of their being and their work has always been doing that thing that lights them up, that really supports other people. So, that’s number 4.

[00:12:15] Lauren Brollier Newton: Number 5, I like this one, I mean, I wrote these, so of course I like them, tooting my own horn here. But number 5 is you appreciate structured improvement, not just a bitch session. So again, going back to when I first became coach, I was like, I don’t want to sit there and listen to people’s problems, and then have to bring them back, and they never improve, and every week it’s the same story.

[00:12:35] Lauren Brollier Newton: For me, that would be miserable, because, actually, this will make some of you feel better who are more like the type A sort of, tough love or stronger personality, that’s more me, I’m not super empathic. Like, I know a lot of coaches are. I’m more like, all right, come on, let’s go here.

[00:12:51] Lauren Brollier Newton: And so, I’m sure that I show a great deal of empathy and things on my session, but my personality is more like, let’s keep moving forward, let’s keep taking steps. So, I was worried that I wouldn’t have [00:13:00] a high enough level of empathy or compassion. I didn’t want to hear people bitch and not move forward.

[00:13:05] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, that was like my whole preconceived notion. And what I found is that, the best coach training and the best coaches are structuring the sessions so that the client is always moving forward, always making progress.

[00:13:19] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, we can talk about this in a different episode, but I believe, coaching that is just the coaching itself, meaning, you get on the phone and it’s like, all right, what’s coming up for you this week? How can I help you? Is the least effective if there’s no forward moving curriculum, or forward moving structure to the coaching.

[00:13:38] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, what I found is that coaching when it’s done right, whatever kind of coaching you’re doing, has a structure to it that moves the client forward week to week. And doesn’t leave room for getting stuck and over processing and talking about the problem over and over again. It’s forward moving, it’s here’s what the issue is, we’re looking for solutions.

[00:13:56] Lauren Brollier Newton: And the gratifying thing about that, and what is so powerful [00:14:00] about that, is you get to see your clients moving really fast. And when they first enroll with you, they’ll say, I’ve been struggling with this for 5 years, or 10 years, or my whole life.

[00:14:10] Lauren Brollier Newton: And after not that long, sometimes a 12 week program, or a 6 month program, or a year long program, they’re having a completely different result. And that is so gratifying, but that only comes if your coaching is structured. If your coaching is structured in a way that it’s designed, both from a curriculum kind of standpoint, if I can use that word. And how you’re organizing your sessions, that the people are moving forward.

[00:14:34] Lauren Brollier Newton: And if you love that, coaching is great for you. And I want to give a plug, a shameless plug, because I think it’s so important for what we do at Brave Thinking Institute, because we not only give you how to structure a coaching session. How do I coach if I’m one to one? How do I coach? If I’m in a group?

[00:14:48] Lauren Brollier Newton: That really moves people forward, but we also give you a curriculum framework that you can follow week by week by week. And we have curriculum that can last a client like, 16 months view of curriculum that they [00:15:00] can use.

[00:15:00] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, finding something like that, designing something like that, where it’s structured enough that the client moves forward, and they’re making progress so you can feel fulfilled and they can feel thrilled. That is perfect.

[00:15:11] Lauren Brollier Newton: If you would love that, coaching is perfect for you, but you have to get the right structure and certification.

[00:15:16] Lauren Brollier Newton: So we’ve done 1 through 5, number 6 of the 7 Surefire Signs that you’re truly meant to be a coach. Number 6 is, people tend to feel open to telling you about their life.

[00:15:28] Lauren Brollier Newton: If you’re just one of those people that it’s like, you meet someone and you just learn a lot about them in a short amount of time. There’s something about your energy that’s welcoming, that’s inclusive, that’s open. So, the person sharing with you just feels energetically from you that they can talk to you.

[00:15:44] Lauren Brollier Newton: Now, especially, in my younger days, I’m not so much anymore. I’ve learned a lot, I’ve evolved, but I was kind of a hard ass in my younger days. And yet, I would see people would always want to share their life with me, even though that was more of my personality.

[00:15:57] Lauren Brollier Newton: And so, there’s something about you, if that’s you too, whether you [00:16:00] go from on the scale from hard ass to empath, whatever it is. That people just seem to have an easy time opening up to you.

[00:16:07] Lauren Brollier Newton: That is a wonderful sign that you’re meant to be a coach, because that means just sort of naturally, or the skills that you’ve developed over time, you have an openness, a receptivity. One of the things that I think is, this is not one of the 7, but I’ll mention it here. It sounds funny, it sounds like Game of Thrones.

[00:16:22] Lauren Brollier Newton: Any of you watch Game of Thrones, because it’s like the Gods and Goddesses are the 7. So I’m like, Oh, this is one of the 7. I’m just thinking about Game of Thrones, excuse me, total tangent. But going back to, this is not one of the 7, but I think people who have had a challenging time at life, or a challenging time in a career, or a challenging time running a business, or any sort of challenges in their life that, since overcome and even feel good about now, make the greatest coaches.

[00:16:48] Lauren Brollier Newton: Because there’s something about a client knowing that you’ve been through it too, or you’re not perfect, or you’ve had some hard times too, that just opens them up to feel vulnerable enough to say, like, I’m struggling here. Because they know, and they’ve [00:17:00] heard from you, that you’re not perfect, and you haven’t always had a perfect life.

[00:17:03] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, that’s just kind of a side note. Going back to number 6, just to bring it home, if people feel comfortable with you, tend to open up to you, tend to talk to you, that is a Surefire Sign that you’re meant to be a coach.

[00:17:15] Lauren Brollier Newton: And number 7, drum roll. You love when something produces results and is not just philosophical. You know, we’ve talked about this in different episodes. Let’s just talk about personal development culture. You hear things like, believe in yourself, go after your dreams, blah, blah, blah. And that’s great, but I was the person who was always like, but how do I do that?

[00:17:35] Lauren Brollier Newton: Someone tell me, how do I do that? Because I don’t believe in myself right now. I don’t know what my dreams are. So, that can sometimes just feel a little bit fluffy, you know, like a little bit philosophical, but not practical. Same thing with the more goal oriented culture of personal and professional development.

[00:17:52] Lauren Brollier Newton: When people are like, hustle, slay, wake up at 5:00 AM. I don’t feel motivated for that. So it’s like, how do I motivate to [00:18:00] do myself? So, if you’re someone who’s interested in going beyond slogans, and beyond philosophy, and really helping clients get result, based on practical step-by-step info, being a coach could be absolutely perfect for you.

[00:18:13] Lauren Brollier Newton: Because, again, this ties into the one about structure. If you’re taking your clients through a structure, and there’s practical step-by-step ways for you to support them, you’re going to see growth so fast. If it’s just philosophical, it’s nice. You could then just be an inspirational speaker and not a coach.

[00:18:30] Lauren Brollier Newton: Not to say inspirational speakers don’t give great tips and tools and things like that. But the coaching takes it to a next level where you’re rolling up your sleeves with someone, and you’re giving them practical step-by-step tools to actually change their life. So, if you’re interested in helping people see results, not just philosophically making them feel good like a Hallmark card. Coaching is a great thing for you.

[00:18:52] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, you’re gonna see that a lot of these 7 things are dependent upon. You might be thinking, well, how do I give them step-by-step practical [00:19:00] advice? That’s why it’s so important to get a certification, or some training. So, you’re not just rolling the dice with clients, so you really know you’re putting something in front of them that’s gonna help them.

[00:19:09] Lauren Brollier Newton: But let’s review the 7 Surefire Signs that you’re truly meant to be a coach. 1, you want to make a difference. You want to feel that fulfillment of knowing that you’re leaving this world having made a massive difference in people’s lives.

[00:19:21] Lauren Brollier Newton: 2nd Surefire Sign you’re truly meant to be a coach, is that you feel upset when you know there are solutions and people don’t have them. And you think if only I could get those solutions into people’s hands.

[00:19:30] Lauren Brollier Newton: Number 3 Surefire Sign you’re truly meant to be a coach, you know there’s a power inside every person that is much greater than circumstance. Even if it’s hard, even if it’s challenging, you can see in yourself and others that there’s something about the human spirit that can overcome.

[00:19:45] Lauren Brollier Newton: Number 4 Surefire Sign, you’ve always been in a helping profession, or you’ve noticed that you just feel better when you’re helping someone else.

[00:19:52] Lauren Brollier Newton: Number 5, you appreciate structured improvement and not just a bitch session. So you’d love to, in a structured way, support people in [00:20:00] moving forward.

[00:20:00] Lauren Brollier Newton: Number 6 of a Surefire Signs you’re truly meant to be a coach, people tend to feel open to telling you about their life. There’s something about you where people just seem to feel pretty darn comfortable sharing things with you. That’s just beautiful, because you’ve already got that energetic signature to really make people feel comfortable.

[00:20:20] Lauren Brollier Newton: And number 7, you tend to love to see results, not just philosophy, not just fluff.

[00:20:27] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, these are all the signs that coaching would be a really great profession for you. So, if you resonate with the majority of that list, I’m going to invite you now to take a step. Think to yourself, I’m not going to tell you what step to take. What I love if you come hang out with me, and get certified over at Brave Thinking Institute? Of course I would.

[00:20:46] Lauren Brollier Newton: And I know, that each of you is going to have your own soul blueprint, and your own idea of what’s calling to you. So, don’t just leave this podcast episode going like, Oh, I think I might meant to be a coach. I’m going to go to work and then make dinner tonight.

[00:20:57] Lauren Brollier Newton: Take a step right now. What step could you [00:21:00] take in the direction of becoming a coach if you’re resonating with this? And go ahead and make a commitment to yourself around that. Because one thing I know is that, the more you put off what is your calling, the louder it’s going to get until something happens where you just have to listen to it.

[00:21:15] Lauren Brollier Newton: I remember having a client who actually was already certified as a coach, but she kept delaying, quitting her other job, and getting the business started and blah, blah, blah. And then, she got laid off, and she called me and she said, you know what? Sometimes the universe just has to kick you into what is yours to do. And I totally agreed with her.

[00:21:35] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, rather than getting kicked into what you need to do or what you would love to do, what if you took a step today that leads you in the direction? Especially, of these 7 Surefire Signs you’re truly meant to be a coach.

[00:21:45] Lauren Brollier Newton: And I’ll say this, there’s no one size fits all in coaching. Even though I got trained and certified at Brave Thinking Institute, which comes with curriculum and programs and structure, I always made it my own. You let your personality shine in whatever kind of coaching you do, get the structure, get the mentorship, but [00:22:00] just know, that there’s only one of you on this planet.

[00:22:01] Lauren Brollier Newton: There’s never been another you, there never will be another you, you’re it. And so, your own energy, and personality, and the things you like to do, and what you would infuse into your coaching business, is going to be perfect because there are people that will really only resonate with you. They’ll never be able to hear it from anybody else.

[00:22:18] Lauren Brollier Newton: So, you guys are amazing. Take that step, don’t sit on it, don’t wait for it to get easier, go ahead. Do the thing that you know is yours to do when it comes to becoming a coach. And I’ll see you in the next episode.