Building your NCC Practice
By Michael Jospe
EBI Founder and Instructor
Part 2: Aligning Your Coaching Business with Your Life Vision
Welcome back! In our first lesson, we started with the big picture – your personal and business visions. Today, we’re going to dive deeper into how these two intersect and how your coaching business can help you achieve your life goals. Be sure to pull out a notebook because I’ve got a bunch of journaling prompts here for you.Dream vs. VisionFirst, let’s distinguish between a dream and a Vision. A Vision exists in the here and now. A dream only exists in the future. A Vision exists as a calling inside of you and has more to do with the kind of person you are and becoming, where a dream is often based on some external outcome or image. Dreams and Visions can blur together because a dream is often the mind’s interpretation of Vision. Vision is elusive, like trying to read a jar’s label from the inside. But when you grasp it, you get a flash of clarity and direction.The challenge is balancing the mind’s ability to dream and organize with the soul’s capacity to inspire Vision. The dream that forms from Vision is crucial, but it should be held loosely, allowing it to evolve with more Vision. The key is self-awareness and staying connected with the feelings of Vision daily. For example, when you are focusing on your dream, what is actually occurring in the here and now and how does that help generate more clarity and purpose? It’s more important to ask, “How can I express my Vision now?”, rather than “What do I need to do today to make my dream happen?” This approach helps you distinguish Vision from the dream’s details and allows Vision to guide your dream. Here is a video with more information about this conceptSo how does this apply to your coaching business? Use your Vision as a guide for your business decisions and actions. It can help you stay aligned with your purpose and values, focus on the present moment, and take steps to express your Vision through your business. As we continue this journey, remember to stay creative and open to possibilities.Designing Your Ideal Coaching Practice
Now, let’s imagine your ideal coaching practice.
- If you didn’t have to worry about marketing, networking, or the administrative details, and the money was there, what would you design? And for whom?
This is your chance to dream big and visualize the impact you want to make through your coaching practice.
Go a bit farther with this and think about how many people you would like to be working with and in what capacity?
Understanding the Market
As you’re visualizing your ideal coaching practice, it’s important to understand the coaching market and identify your niche.
- Who are the people you feel most called to serve?
- What are they trying to transform in their lives, and how are you perfectly equipped to support them?
- What does this tell you about your business or the coaching business you are going to create?
For more detailed guidance on understanding the market, refer to part 1 in the playbook.
Aligning Business and Life Vision
Next, let’s explore how your coaching business can help you live your Vision.
- How would building a successful Nature-Connected Coaching business allow you to live more fully?
As you write down your thoughts around this question, allow yourself to see and feel the impact it has on you in the present moment. Absorb that feeling!
Balancing Personal and Professional Life
Remember, your Vision includes more than the work you do. Your health, family, and well being are all part of your Vision – and it’s important to see how.
To be honest, as an entrepreneur who is committed to generating their income through Vision, you are on some level, always going to be thinking about your work. But the invitation is for that to be inspiring, motivating and part of the whole. Knowing when you need to step away from something, shift your focus, delegate and outsource are important skills that will develop with time. Honoring those needs will refocus and inspire you, always.
Also, knowing your energy cycles are important too. For example, I’m best in the early morning, rather than late in the day. I try not to do too much high-focus work in the afternoon or evening and I love getting up early, when it’s quiet in the house.
At the center of this work-life balance needs to be a daily practice of self-reflection and connection. It doesn’t have to be much but this is the time to connect with Vision and plan your day. Consider finding a place in nature where you can sit quietly and observe and connect.
- What stands out for you after reading this section? What connections did you make?
Determining Financial Goals
Now, let’s talk about money and how to set some realistic goals while you are starting out.
What is “enough” for you in terms of income? What I mean by that is what dollar amount feels right to you now? If you were to make that amount of money every month or year from this business, would you feel content?
Make sure that amount will pay the bills and allow you to breathe. Play with this a bit:
- When does the number get too high and begins to feel unrealistic?
- When does the number get too low and feels stressful?
- What is that sweet spot where you can confidently say, “making that amount feels perfect right now”.
Write that number down. As we move forward, that number will become very important. It will help you determine the rate for your services and will inspire more creative thinking about how you can generate that amount.
NOTE: It is normal for your mind to raise questions and worry about that number and if or how you will pull that off. Just tell yourself that you are Visioning right now and that we will get to all the “hows?” very soon, but for right now stay inspired!
I suggest revisiting this number a few times a year to determine how it’s changed as you’ve grown.
Addressing Internal Objections and Building Confidence
This is a big topic and one we will explore in more detail soon.
As you’re envisioning your coaching practice, you might encounter internal objections or fears. These are natural and can be addressed. The key is to acknowledge these feelings rather than resist them, like I suggested above.
Building confidence is crucial in overcoming these challenges. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey. You have the support and guidance in this community to build a successful coaching practice.
Next Steps
As we wrap up today’s lesson, take some time to reflect on your vision and how it connected to your personal and professional life. Continue refining your Vision and preparing for the next stages of building your coaching practice. In our next lesson, we’ll dive into the practical steps of turning your vision into reality.
As always, feel free to share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below. Your insights and experiences can be a source of inspiration and learning for others in this journey.
Remember, your vision is not set in stone. It will evolve and change as you grow. But having a clear vision to start with will give you a direction to move towards. Keep dreaming, keep envisioning, and keep moving forward.
Here is a video where I talk about the difference between Vision and Dream
We’re in this together! Share your thoughts and questions here
©️2023 Earth-Based Institute. All rights reserved
Education Disclaimer | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy