I am not a life coach

I am not a life coach. However, I do coach individuals in accomplishing their goals and welcoming their next chapter with great optimism.

Often when people talk about strategy, they are referring to business strategy. However, I believe that strategizing is a necessary tool that we often do not utilize. We do not know how to turn our dreams into goals and properly strategize towards making them a reality. It's a sad truth that a dream without a plan isn't a goal, and a goal without a strategy will remain just but a wish.

"Small business isn't for the faint of heart. It's for the brave, the patient, and the persistent. It's for the overcomer." --Unknown

Why does the term "small business" even exist? You do not have to be a juggernaut to have an impact. Nor do you have to be a fortune 500 to make a lasting difference in millions of lives. Nor do I believe you have to show up on the Wall Street Journal several times over to be considered anything other than small. And yet, small is how many businesses, ministries, fathers, mothers, solopreneurs, and aspiring (fill in the blank) feel - small. 

The people I have worked with had a dream but needed that help to develop a real -actionable strategy. So no, I am not a life coach. I am a strategic coach. Why should the word strategy be reserved for those who are also not called "small businesses"? Why is it that only those who are "at the top" are the only ones who know how to strategize? I stand against that.

I spoke with someone who said, "strategizing is easy." He said, "if I want to eat an elephant, I must decide what part I will eat first before finishing it; that is strategy." However, some parts are missing.

- How will you capture the elephant?

- When will you capture the elephant?

- Who can help you in the pursuit of catching the elephant?

- Once the elephant is in your grasp, how will you ensure it doesn't get back up?

- How will you ensure the meat you don't consume isn't wasted or lost?

But, what is strategy? Strategy is an identified number of steps to arrive at a specific end goal. The strategy looks at all sides of the equation and asks questions, even though we do not have the answer. We must highlight the words "identified number of steps:" because, indeed, we are not all in the same place in life. In fact, where you are now and who you are now is not who you once were, and therefore, the specific steps required for you to accomplish an objective breakthrough change. Because it changes, strategizing is something we must do continually.

Recently, Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor fought in their much-anticipated trilogy fight. This fight did not end well for McGregor, as towards the end of the first round, he broke his ankle. 

In a recent interview with McGregor's coach, Coach John Kavanagh, he mentioned that during the training camp, they used 24-hour goals. Instead of worrying about the things they couldn't control, they would set 24-hour goals and work towards them. Likewise, strategizing requires that we constantly reevaluate where we are going and if the steps we are taking align with where we'd like to go. 

Identifying where you are is essential when wanting to establish a goal because life is full of transitions. In his book titled Courage Calling, author Gordon T. Smith says the following with regards to transitions: "Transition is one of the givens in our lives, and we only live well, we only manage our lives well, when we manage these transitions well."

Each transition requires a level of strategy, and this is where a coach can be of massive value. A coach provides knowledge and perspective, and accountability and helps you have a well-defined vision of what that next phase in your life may look like. 

Tony Robbins is an American author, coach, speaker, and philanthropist. And in a recent interview with Entreprenuer.com, Tony defined a coach as "Someone [who is] professionally trained to help you maximize your full potential and reach your desired results." In this article written by Zack Teperman, he mentioned that Tony expounds upon his definition, saying a coach is "like a supportive friend and a trusted adviser rolled into one. They're someone who will push you to identify your goals, hold you accountable, and provide encouragement throughout your journey to become a better version of yourself."

You may not see the value of having a life coach, and that's okay because I am not a life coach. I am a leader and a visionary, and a strategic thinker. I am a mentor, and I believe in the power of mentorship. I am a strategic coach, I believe in the necessity to properly strategize to accomplish a goal. I am not afraid of asking questions that even I do not know the answer to; I know that curiosity did not kill the cat, but rather the lack of a real-world action plan. Actually, the original statement' curiosity killed the cat' started off as 'care killed the cat.' By 'care,' the coiner of the expression meant 'worry/sorrow.' And for many individuals, it is the worry that is stopping them from accomplishing all of their goals.

When we worry, our thoughts are often caused by realistic or specific concerns we can resolve by problem-solving. Usually, the issue comes down to limiting beliefs. We believe that a particular situation or event is inevitable. Instead of actually using our energy to strategize, we decide to worry. It was worry, not curiosity, that killed the cat. And it was a lack of strategy that seems to destroy any hope of a better tomorrow. Still, optimism creates opportunities. If you surround yourself with people that will nourish your vision, you can achieve all of your goals.

"Surround yourself with mentors, coaches, and advisors, and you'll harness the power of their diverse range of knowledge, perspective, and experience, which can help you eliminate, delegate, innovate, accelerate, and dominate." - Ellie Shefi

What do you want that next chapter to look like? If you want it to be different, your next chapter will require a different perspective, a different attitude, a different take on life. But it's also going to need a strategy. Most people don't have an issue with creating a goal and objective. But instead, they struggle in obtaining their objective breakthrough, which comes down to accountability and strategy.

So, I am not a life coach; I am a strategic coach. How does this benefit you? As a tenacious motivator, a strategic thinker, a goal-oriented leader with over 10 years of experience, I can help you identify potential roadblocks and create a strategy to reach your objective breakthrough.