The Reluctant Entrepreneur: “But I’m not Motivated or Confident…”
This just in from correspondent J.W.:
"I got my NLP practitioner certification last year, but have been lacking the motivation, understanding and confidence to start up my own practice. Do you have any advice to give me to pursue a practice as my end goal?Secondly, I’ve found it very difficult to use the techniques on myself as both client and practitioner, to help me move toward my goals, and away from problems. Are there any specific techniques you’ve found useful for working with yourself when you’ve been less than willing to change at that time?"
Hi J.W.,
Thanks for writing. The first question I’d ask you if you were my mentee is "why do you want a private practice"? You need to know the true answer to this before you can even begin to think about setting up shop. And btw, "to make money" is not a valid answer. That goes without saying. Now, why do you *really* want to have a private practice. This is something you should address with your coach.
I would also, personally, do a year of NLP coaching with a recognized master on your own issues if you find yourself so resistant to using NLP. You need to be a veteran of technique usage if you’re going to be selling sessions in that technique to your clients. If you’re not past your own resistance to the technique, you won’t be a good coach.
Also, if you lack motivation, then the goal isn’t juicy enough for you to pursue. Work with the goal in mind until you find one that fires you up so much you’re glowing, and you’ll have no trouble. Perhaps a special group of people really has your heart - Maybe single parents? Those preparing for exams? People who’ve just been through surgery? These are just a few "niches" you could mine - you’ll think of one special to you.
Confidence is gained through practice, so practice with anyone you can. I assign all my students coaching buddies for this reason - find a buddy who went through prac track with you and get going.
And now some advice you didn’t ask for but desperately need: start right now to take as many service business marketing classes as you can. Your business is not "doing NLP", your business as such is "marketing yourself". And I mean that in the kindest, non-prurient sort of way. Marketing yourself as a provider of NLP of course, but no one knows what NLP is. Who cares, when all I want is to get rid of this headache I’ve had for ten years or motivate myself to finish my novel or whatever else your ideal clients want. EVEN MORE IMPORTANT than marketing the technique (forget it, it’s a waste of time) is marketing the many BENEFITS that working with you can give to your clients.
We’ll be having a special class on Promoting and Filling Your Private Practice given by Energy Coach Institute trainers in the autumn. You can attend wherever you are in the world. Sign up for my newsletter (fill in the "Free Blisskit" form to the left of this post) and you’ll be in the know as soon as we announce the class.
Self-coaching - floor anchors are the best way to process yourself using the basic "mother of NLP" process which works for anything: Present State + Necessary Resources = Desired State.
I’ll post this to my blog as it’s a really great question that might be of help to others.
Warm Blessings,
Maryam Webster
Director, The Energy Coach Institute
energycoachinstitute.org
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