Lesson #1: Are You A 100% Coach?

Lesson #1: Are you a 100% coach?

All right you Smooth, Radical, Unbelievable, Yummy, 100% coach.  Here we are with lesson #1.  And one of the first and very important things we need to establish is what you can count on in this program. 

“I hope I can count on you to bring your best.”

Well, most definitely.  But actually, I was talking about you.

“Me?  What do you mean?”

I mean, what can you count on YOU for?

In other words how much are you willing to be in this game?

“What do you mean?  Like percentage?”

Sure.  Is it 10%?  50%?  90%?  Or are you ALL IN, 100%?

“Well, of course I’m 100%.  What else would I be?  That’s why I’m taking this e-course.”

Yes, of course you are.  But if it’s all right with you, I think I’ll challenge that.  After all, it’s easy to say you’re in 100%, but another thing to really do it, right? 

“Yeah, I guess so.  I hear that from my clients all the time, and yet I notice that even though they say it, I can tell they aren’t really.  I know they want to be.”

Very true.  Just as I know you want to be 100% with this program.  And I want you to be, too.  So let’s clarify a bit what we’re talking about and why this is so important.

First off, we’re not talking about end result, nor are we talking about the good old, “I’ll give it 110%” adage, which always sounds impressive, but usually the final result isn’t anywhere near that number.  Besides, it’s literally impossible to give more than 100% of anything, right?[1]

“Yeah.”

Also to be clear, we’re not talking about time.  Of course there’s no way that you’re going to give 100% of your time to anything.  You’ve got many other things requiring that—sleeping, for one, as well as family and friends, eating, working, exercise, fun and recreations and many other things.  What we’re talking about is your own Commitment to your Energy and focus—your presence—whenever you are working on this 100-day eChallenge and incorporating that learning and growing into your coaching. 

“Yeah, but I can do several things at once.”

Of course you can.  I know multitasking is very popular, but not recommended for learning, or for coaching.  Look at it this way, if you’re pouring water through a single pipe, then you’ll direct all that water to one source, and your plants will get all the water that you have and grow and flourish.  However, if you split that pipe three ways, then your garden sink and bathtub are all sharing that same amount of water.  In other words, each gets only 33%, and it takes three times longer (or more) to get the job done.  And if you allowed 10% of your water to your garden, then your flowers won’t grow nearly as fast or as beautifully.

Same as when you sit down and only eat 10% of a meal.  You’re only getting 10% full.

Or watch about 10% of a movie.  You’re only getting 10% of the story.

And what if you had only 10% sex? (There, I got your attention, didn’t I?)

Imagine how limited you would be if you only read 10% of this email. Which is back when I said, “After all, it’s easy to say, but another thing to do, isn’t it?”.  If we had stopped there, you’d be missing out on everything else that follows, including this. 

You see?  If you’re only giving 10% of your attention and Energy to something, then you’ll only get about 10% of the experience.  In other words, you get out what you put in. 

Same with our clients, right?  You said yourself that you’ve had clients who say they’re ready to make a change and to receive the coaching fully, and yet, when it comes down to it, it’s clear that they’re only willing to put themselves only 10% into the work they’re doing with you.  As a result, the coaching ends up not being nearly as valuable as either of you were hoping.

“Yeah, and I usually tell them that they’ll get more out of it when they put more into it.”

Exactly.  When they’re truly engaged 100%, then that’s when magical things happen.

Same is with you and this eChallenge.  I want you to get 100% out of this.  And I know you want to get 100% out of this.  And if that’s going to happen, you need to commit to putting 100% in. Truly and for real.

But as we asked before, what the heck does that mean?

“Yeah.  What does it mean? And are you going to help clarify this or just continue to tell me how important it is?”

You’re going to begin to discover it right now.

“I am?”

Sure.  That’s part of what being 100% is all about—you get to jump in fully and start moving and growing.  So let’s begin now.

First off, what are some activities and experiences where you have truly been 100% engaged?  I’ll challenge you to look into your past and present.  And you have permission and safety to be honest.[2]   Don’t just limit it to your coaching.  You get to use your WHOLE life. 

Now, I’ll take a guess that because you’re involved in this program, you may be feeling like you’re not 100%… yet.  But as I said, that comes later. 

What’s important right now is to recognize and create some Awareness of how it’s true that you’ve been 100% in other environments and activities.  (sports, hobbies, sex, taking baths, playing with your children, etc.—can you imagine doing any of these things only 10% engaged?)

1.____________________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________________________________

5.____________________________________________________________________________

6.____________________________________________________________________________

7.____________________________________________________________________________

8.____________________________________________________________________________

9.____________________________________________________________________________

10.___________________________________________________________________________

Now take a look at all these past activities you’ve engaged in 100%.  What was it like?  How do you know it was 100%? I want you to get a clear Awareness of what that felt like for you—your experience—and write it down here.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Wonderful.

We all have a limited amount of Time and Energy, it’s one of our most precious resources.  And we only have so much in a day, week, month, year, life.  Of course that amount changes from moment to moment, but we are also at choice every moment as well.

That means you get to choose how much of yourself—your Time and Energy—you want to devote to this program.  Just because this is a simple and inexpensive e-course doesn’t mean it isn’t worth your valuable Time and Energy.

In fact, that’s not even the question.

The REAL question is are YOU worth your valuable Time and Energy?

“Well, of course I am.”

That’s right.

So take a moment and declare for yourself what a 100% coach means for you in the context of this program.  You can use what you described above as inspiration, but be sure to put it into the context of this specific work.  You might declare how and when you will do the work.  Or you might state how you will engage with this email.  And perhaps you’ll even come up with something else.  Whatever it is, make sure it clearly reveals what a 100% coach means for you.

“As a 100% coach, I will…

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Good.

I’m glad.

How do you feel?

“Pretty good.  It’s certainly much more clear.  And now that I’m focused in this 100% mode, can we move on?”

Just about.  There’s one more thing on this topic I want to point out. 

You see, these emails are spaced out with a little time in-between each so you’ll have time to deepen and reinforce this learning.  So in the meantime, I suggest that you copy what you wrote above, about your Commitment to your 100% coach approach, so that when we resume with the next lesson, you’re able to pick up right where we left off.

And until that next lesson arrives, continue to remind yourself of what this 100% coach is all about, and that YOU are that 100% coach, in this program, and with your clients.

And I know you’re going to check in with this reminder every day, right?  Because that’s exactly what a 100% coach would do.

“Wait, that’s it?”

Well, sure.  And don’t let the size of this eChallenge fool you.  Some of the most powerful results come from small and seemingly insignificant Actions.  You’ll be amazed at what changes and shifts may occur, even in this first round with this simple task.

Besides, it’s only 5 days until the next lesson arrives.  And the more you do this work—reading  through, and even speaking aloud this 100% coach phrase to yourself—you’re actually deepening and reinforcing this part of you, making it grow stronger.

Besides, that’s what a 100% coach would do, wouldn’t they?

And since you are a 100% coach, I’ll see you in five days.

Until then,

I believe you are already a Smooth, Radical, Unbelievable, Yummy, 100% coach!

---

[1] 100% means “all of it.”  You can’t give more than that.  Not 110% or 150% or 200%.  That’s just a term used for dramatic effect to suggest that you’re going above and beyond what is necessary or required.  But it’s literally impossible.  For example, if you asked me how much of that bowl of potato salad I wanted and I said, 110%, what would you do?  Go into the kitchen and make more?

[2] After all, no one else is going to see this, right?  So go nuts.