Tackling Your Client’s Fear of Change
We all talk about balance, such as a work-life balance. This phrasing is a bit of a misguided metaphor that ignores the nuances and hard realities of our human experiences. To truly achieve balance, we are each forced to contend with the trade-offs. It’s almost as if our client feels that they have to give up one part of their life for another part to emerge… a better part. But we also know that we can’t have everything.
If you’ve been in the coaching industry for quite a while now, you’ve probably met with clients asking you why they end-up having too many foul-ups only when they’re on the verge of breakthroughs. During these crucial moments, they tend to become touchy, careless, and they tend to procrastinate on the things that will seal the deal of their success.
These are the common symptoms (among many others) that people with the fear of change and success often display. If you’re uncertain how to help your clients past through it, then this guide will help you with just that.
Fear of the Unknown
One of the key reasons people self-sabotage is they are comfortable with where they’re at. Now, this doesn’t mean that where they’re at is good or even healthy. But it is one where nothing too unexpected can occur. People get comfortable in their habits and while it may not be great it is safe. The underlying reason for this is that people fear not knowing. They fear to put themselves out there and not having all the answers. Fear of failure keeps a lot of people from making positive changes in their lives whether it be changing their careers, moving to a new city or state, or trying and their lives.
How to Counter Your Fear of the Unknown
Here’s how you can help. First off be sure to remind them that they’ve made it through hard times before to make it to where they’re at and that its this determination that is leading to greater success. Also, bring up the positives that come with this change they are making. For example, if they are changing careers are moving up in their company, they’ll have a bigger support network, the confidence that their work has been rewarded, healthier finances, a better professional reputation, and the continued support of their friends and family.
Fear of Change
A lot of people fear that a big change, whether thats getting a better job with more money, leaving a relationship, or moving will change them as a person. This can be rather terrifying. There comes a point in everyone’s life where they feel they’ve got it under control and like who they are. When you finally feel you have a good handle on things why would you want to change at all? This is where that fear comes from that having higher status or more money means you now have to act a certain way.
How to Counter Your Fear of Change
First and foremost you have to remind them that change isn’t always bad nor is it totally destructive of what came before it. New duties and a new station in life won’t destroy a person they merely add new skills and new talents. Be sure to highlight that they can discover new things about themselves that they never knew before but they greatly enjoy it. Lastly above all else stress that they’re still the same person they were before with the same friends and family. When they get home at the end of the day the uniform comes off and they get on with the business of living as they always have.
What Next?
If you’ve been thinking about going online, or if you tried before and just lacked the needed skills, this is the time to get everything you need to become highly successful. The Online Coaching Certification is your step-by-step blueprint to build a highly profitable online coaching business.
Between NESTA and the Spencer Institute, we have well over 25 courses, certifications, and business systems to help you build a totally customized career and business. You have the choice to add and combine the programs in any way which serves you and your clients best.
Our team is here to help you thrive during this crisis and provide our members with constant support during this unprecedented time. As always, we welcome your thoughts and feedback. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve the coaching industry.
Stay healthy!
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