I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was sitting in my apartment, wanting to tell the world I was starting my coaching business.
But my mind wouldn’t shut up: “Who will pay you for coaching? You have no certifications! Real coaches have 20 years of experience! You’re just pretending to be someone you’re not.” These thoughts tortured me day and night. Every time I tried to write my first post, these voices got louder and louder.
I loved personal development. I helped many friends transform their lives. But calling myself a “coach”? I had this burning desire to help people, but the fear of being called a fraud paralyzed me.
I started small. I wrote articles sharing what worked in my life, adding my thoughts to ideas from books I’d read. Hiding behind other people’s knowledge felt safer.
Then came the scary moment – writing my first original article. I sat there for 20 minutes writing complete garbage. My hands were shaking, and every word felt wrong. But suddenly, something magical happened: words started flowing like a river. It felt like the content wasn’t coming from my head but from my heart – from all the life lessons I’d learned the hard way.
The real test came with my first client. “Who am I to coach anyone?” ran through my head constantly. The night before our session, I couldn’t sleep. But during our call, something amazing happened. Just by listening and asking questions – skills I already had – I helped them see things clearly. When they told me how much I helped, I couldn’t believe it.
The worst moment was when a potential client asked about my coaching experience. I started mumbling, feeling like a total fake. My heart was racing, and I wanted to disappear. But then I got honest. I told them about my passion for helping people grow and how my life experience gave me unique insights. Guess what? They loved my honesty and became a long-term client.
Everything changed when I realized being new to coaching was my advantage. Unlike coaches doing this forever, I knew exactly how hard transformation is because I was living it right then. My struggles were fresh. My insights were real. I understood exactly what my clients were going through because I was going through similar things myself.
One day, my client said something I’ll never forget: “Your energy is contagious. I come feeling hopeless and leave believing I can do anything. You don’t just coach – you light a fire in me.” That’s when it hit me – coaching isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about bringing energy that makes people believe in themselves. All my fears about not being “experienced enough” started to fade away.
Looking back now, what I thought made me ‘not ready’ was actually my superpower. My ‘lack of experience’ meant I was more relatable and could connect with clients on a deeper level.
When coaches tell me they’re not “ready” to start, I tell them: You don’t need to be perfect.
Your life experience and real desire to help people are exactly what makes you a great coach. You just need to be a few steps ahead of your clients and truly care about their success.
Your struggles and doubts don’t disqualify you – they make you more real and relatable.