I think all of us at one point in time have had a coach playing sports in school, or a favorite sixth grade teacher who helped you see your unique gifts and talents just a little differently—which was mostly like your first experience with a form of coaching, whether you realized it or not at the time. However, not everyone willingly welcomes coaching with open arms, and I believe that is because they do not truly understand what it means to be held accountable by a coach. Let’s start by unpacking the definition of coaching, because understanding why coaching is critical to your success is a game changer.
We get so caught up in our day-to-day tasks (or fake work that we think is going to make us money) that we lose focus on our goals. We get busy managing a deal or running the team. We lose sight of what are the tried-and-true money-making activities because we are caught up in the weeds of the business.
A coach will take a helicopter view of your business and allow you to see what you might not be able to. A coach cares about you and is invested in your success, which means they will keep you aware of what you say you want out of life and your business. It doesn’t matter if that makes you mad, makes you cry, or scares the living daylight out of you. That’s because accountability through coaching equals love – a love that if followed through with will conqueror the highest mountains, no matter how difficult they are to climb.
A good coach is only half of the equation; the other half is you and your willingness to be coached. You must know the answer to this question: are you coachable? And the answer had better be a big ole fat YES if you want the life you think about when you can’t sleep at night.
It’s not easy to let someone point out our weaknesses or call us out on your excuses. It’s not easy to openly listen to someone else’s perspective, especially when we have been doing something “our way” for years (even if it’s not the most proficient way to do it). Being coachable requires you to be vulnerable and that can be painful, uncomfortable, messy, and scary. Did I mention uncomfortable?
Being coachable means you are willing to try new things, create fresh habits, break through limited beliefs and trust that you don’t have all the answers, nor do you need to have them. It means that you are humble enough to know that it’s okay to ask for help. That is where the magic happens.
So, I will ask you…are you coachable?
*Excerpt taken from chapter 11 of the international best-selling book, ‘8 Ways to Dominate Any Real Estate Market’ co-authored by Sarah Michelle Bliss.
Sarah Michelle Bliss is a master coach with Workman Success Systems. Over the past 23 years, she has taught through team management and agent development. She is currently the director of agent development for RE/MAX Professionals in Glendale, Arizona. She is the international bestselling author of ‘8 Ways to Dominate Any Real Estate Market.’
