4 Super Frustrating Mindset Blocks Holding Back Your Coaching Business

Today we are talking about that thing.

That one pesky THING on your coaching business to do list that you know you could or should take care of. But for whatever reason, it's just not happening.

You KNOW it’s important. You KNOW it will help grow your coaching business. And you truly do WANT to get it taken care of.

But something always gets in the way. You simply cannot get yourself to turn on your “do it” switch and get this task off your to do list once and for all.

Have you experienced this?

We certainly have. . . and it can keep us from moving forward. In our lives and in our coaching business.

It gets us STUCK. And we’re willing to bet it gets you stuck too.

While the “thing” itself may be different for everyone, the reasoning behind why it keeps not getting done is usually due to one of several possible mindset blocks. Something in your mind is holding you back from taking care of this task. Something in your mind is stopping you from taking action.

The truth is that in order to grow, both personally and professionally, all of us have to be able to stay in forward action. Which means taking on business tasks that may be intimidating or overwhelming.

Of course life and logistics get in the way sometimes. Maybe the timing truly isn’t right.

But often the only thing standing in your way is your own self and what you perceive as your limitations.

As you (may) know by now, we don’t let our coaching community stay stuck. (That includes you, dear reader!)

That’s why we’re here to help you illuminate the blind spots (or blocks) that maybe you can’t quite see for yourself. Even though you could easily point them out for your coaching clients or loved ones. (Ironic, right?)

Let’s get you thinking about how you can get consistently get into action on the things that are most important to grow and scale your coaching business. Because when you can grow and grow and grow, that’s when your coaching business succeeds.

So take a minute and think about that “thing” you have been avoiding, putting off, just not getting done.

Maybe it’s a specific task 
Maybe it’s something more broad 
Or maybe it’s a habit that you know you could or should be changing 

Related: Pricing Strategies for Coaches: 7 Ways to Shift your Money Mindset

Chances are, you know pretty quickly what it is you have been putting off. (For us it’s documenting our Standard Operating Procedures, which will help our business so much but we are totally stuck on them).

Whatever your current “thing” may be, you are fully aware that it’s something that will make your coaching business better. It will make you function better. It will improve how you reach your ideal coaching clients and run your business.

Related: How to Build a Successful Online Coaching Business

You have the understanding that this “thing” is important and really, truly needs to get done.

Ready to get it taken care of? Heck yes you are!!

The best way to start moving forward again is to figure out and name which Mindset Blocks are keeping you from taking action in your coaching business. Success starts in your mind, so let’s clear out any pesky obstacles standing in your mind’s way.

Here are the 4 most sneaky obstacles (mindset blocks) to remove so you can be free to take action and achieve what’s most important for your online coaching business.

Let’s dive in!!

Business Mindset Block #1: You tell yourself little lies (and your brain believes them).

“I don’t have time”
“I don’t know how”
“I’ll get to it when I’m not so busy”
“It’s not important right now”
"I'll be ready when ___"

Any of these statements sound familiar?
We’ve all told ourselves these things at some point, but they are not necessarily true.

Your mind believes what it wants to. If you give it an “out” by the way of a convenient little lie, you feel justified in putting that task on the back burner for now. Or for a really really, really long time.

Rather than telling and believing these convenient little lies, start turning your mind toward that which is true:

“I can make time for what’s truly important”
“I know enough to at least get started and learn as I go”
“I will always be busy, so l need to make room in my schedule now”
“If this is important enough to stay on my mind, it’s important enough to give it my time”

Here’s a way to reframe your thinking about taking on a task: Ask this simple, yet powerful question: “Is this true?”

Second-guess the reason why you’re not doing it. Get to the truth of the matter.

Because these little lies don’t come intentionally. But you can intentionally get yourself past them if they just aren’t true for you or your coaching business.

It might take some time in the beginning, but then you're going to move through those excuses and get to an empowering place. A place where you have far more time and ability to take action in your business than you previously thought.

Just keep challenging those beliefs that are keeping you stuck. And refuse to believe the ones that aren’t true.

Business Mindset Block #2: You are waiting for perfection in order to get started.

Spoiler alert: life will never be perfect.
Your business will never be perfect.
You are perfect just as you are.

So if you’re waiting for that mystical, imaginary perfection before you believe you’re “ready” to get started on something, you will just keep waiting and waiting and waiting.

It can be hard to get past this one when you are constantly surrounded by what appears to be the absolute perfection of your competitors and peers: the gorgeous Instagram feeds, the slick TikTok videos, the comprehensive coaching courses, and the sophisticated websites.

But the truth is none of your competitors created their online coaching business overnight. It took small and big action steps, big and little ideas, and constant determination to innovate and serve. What you see is the result of many, many, many years of constant trial and error, success and failure.

Perfection is an illusion.

An illusion does you no good, so stop endlessly trying to achieve it.
Your clients don’t need you to be perfect. But they do need you!

So here’s another reframe: instead of aiming for perfection, just get started and adjust as you go. Learn by doing, not by endlessly researching or taking notes or watching webinars or reading through freebies.

Eventually you just have to dive in and START. That’s when you discover how to make a task or a system your own, to take it on in your unique way to reach your unique client.

Related: 3 Quick Tips to Overcome Overwhelm in Your Online Business

Business Mindset Block #3: You face competing desires that are in constant battle with each other.

It is very common to want two opposite things at the same time. 
(So common, in fact, that we talked about this topic on our Instagram page)

I want to grow my business AND I don’t want to talk about my business
I want to get more visible AND I don’t want to be the face of my business
I want to hire a business coach AND I don’t want to spend any money
I want to be a millionaire AND I want to work 4 hours a week
Or our favorite: I want to get some work done AND I want to sit in my PJs and catch up on “Bridgerton”

These conflicting desires keep you rooted firmly in place, unable to move one direction or the other. One desire has to win in order for movement to happen.

And (shocker) it’s usually NOT the one that requires more bravery, more discomfort, more fear and worry. It’s only natural for your brain to instinctually cringe away and avoid those experiences.

Lucky for you there is always a workaround!

To get past the desire that feels safe, secure, and easy, remind yourself how much better your life and business will be once you DO THE THING you’re currently avoiding. Talk to your brain about the benefits, the wins, the accomplishments you will reap from taking bold, sometimes scary action.

Then get started a little bit at a time.

Show yourself what you’re made of. Turn off the tv and turn your laptop back on.

Keep plugging away and take that brave action step forward.

Business Mindset Block #4: You need help but aren’t asking for it.

There is NO SHAME in asking for help. None whatsoever.

There is no special trophy for the online coach who does the most work on their coaching business all by themselves.

This one can keep you stuck because you either think you “should” figure it out on your own since you’re a coach. Or because you don’t want people to think you don’t have it all together.

We (Sherri and Jessie) ask for help all the time! Because it’s literally impossible to know everything. To specialize in everything. Especially in the complicated world of building and running an online coaching business.

If we ever decide we are out of our depth on a topic, we look for advice and help. From one of our subcontractors, someone in our network, another coach we know, a specialist who we trust to move us forward with skill and ease.

That’s what community is all about: helping each other.
Even coaches need coaches!

At StarrCox we actually have a really incredible coaching community called The Collective. Members are all online coaches of different niches, and everyone is at varying stages of building their business. We have an ongoing discussion thread where members ask for help, share wins, run ideas past each other, or send up a white flag when they’re stuck. It’s so magical being part of a close-knit community that genuinely cares for its members and their success.

Learn more about The Collective here.

If you aren’t part of a community or group, then reach out to someone you trust and is qualified to help you in the area you are struggling.

Read more: How to Avoid the Lonely Struggles of an Entrepreneur

There are coaches and service providers who specialize in every single aspect of building and growing an online business, as well as business coaches (like us!) who provide everything at once.

*If you are hesitant to reach out for help because of a lack of funding, we encourage you to schedule a free strategy call so we can give you a boost in the right direction.

So those are the four most common business mindset blocks we see coaches facing when building their online coaching business.

Did one of them in particular resonate with you?

Maybe all 4??

Once you remove these blocks, the sky is the limit. For your coaching business and for your life.

Your next step is to read about our Simple, 4-Step Action Plan to Be Productive Your Coaching Business

Are you ready to get unstuck??

Let's do it!

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