Ep #14: How to Know What You’re Truly Committed To

Welcome to The Life Coach Business Podcast, a show for coaches who are ready to up-level their business and take their impact, leadership, and results to a whole new level. If you’re ready to start taking powerful action and become the leader your business needs in order to grow and thrive, this show is for you. I’m your host, Amanda Karlstad, certified life and business coach, and entrepreneurial leadership expert. Now, let’s get down to business.

Hello and welcome everyone. Welcome to 2020. This is the first official podcast that I’m recording in the new decade and I am so excited to turn the page to 2020 and for what’s to come this year. I’m so happy that you’re joining me today. I’m so glad that you’re tuning in. I am, as always, so excited to talk to you and I hope your 2020 is off to an amazing start.

I love this time of year, every year, but especially this year because not only is it a new year, but it’s a whole new decade. How exciting is that? I feel like it is the ultimate clean slate. We honestly have the opportunity ahead of us to create whatever it is that we want in our business and in our life. So much fun.

Alright, so before we dive into today’s topic, I want to give a listener shout-out. And this shout-out comes from NatalieZ6 and she says, “If you found yourself here, this is definitely a podcast you need in your life. Amanda is a top-notch coach who is now sharing his wisdom to all by way of this valuable podcast. Be prepared to get inspired and finally break through those road blocks.”

Natalie, I love that so much. Thank you so, so much. I truly appreciate your kind words and I have to say, I just feel so blessed to have this platform and to share everything that I share each week through this podcast. It really does mean a lot to me to be able to do this work and to really create this show and share with you all what I do.

And it means even more to me that you’re finding this to be valuable, that it’s helping you, that it’s helping you create these break throughs. That really is my intention with all of this. So thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing review. You’re amazing.

And by the way, for those of you that haven’t yet, I want to remind you that I will be giving away three free VIP strategy sessions, and these are the same strategy sessions that I take all of my highest level clients through that are designed to give you full clarity in your business and where you’re heading.

And I just have to say that these sessions are so effective and they really will give you a road map of what you need to do in order to grow your business and achieve your goals. And they’re going to help address any current gaps that you have in your business.

So I really hope that you take the time today to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever else you’re listening to the podcast and be entered to win one of these three sessions. And I just think now is the absolute perfect time as we’re officially into the new year and into the new decade to do it.

Okay, so today’s topic is actually something that I have wanted to talk to you all about for a while. And in fact, it’s a topic that was one of the first topics that I outlined when I first launched my podcast and was creating my content outlines for my episodes. And so I’ve been thinking about this topic for quite a while and I’m really excited to share it with you today and to have this conversation.

And I want to give you all a bit of a disclaimer that I’m going to have some real talk with you all today because over the last few episodes, I have introduced some bigger concepts that I hope really expanded your consciousness and challenged you to think in a different way. And I did this and I’m going to continue to do this because part of what I believe my purpose is with my work is to help expand others’ consciousness and to help others uncover new ways of being and thinking that will ultimately help them step into the highest versions of themselves.

This is truly what I believe part of my purpose is in this world. And so it’s really important to me that the work that I do with my clients and the work that I do with all of you through this podcast is talking about topics that are opening you up to new levels of consciousness and new ways of thinking and being, as I said.

And I feel that as coaches especially, it is so important to be continually challenging ourselves, to have our own patterns of thinking and ways of being challenged, so we can open ourselves up to new ideas and perspectives that from there then open us up to new ways of being and new ways of approaching things, especially as we’re building our businesses.

Because let’s be honest, things aren’t always black and white. And when it comes to building a business, there really is no paint by numbers approach. You have to be willing to try new things. You have to be willing to fail. You have to be willing to step completely outside of your comfort zone if you want to grow your business in any significant way.

And so for today, I hope that this conversation does the same. I hope that it expands your thinking and it opens you up to a whole new perspective. And so to have this conversation, I decided I wanted to approach it with a little bit more of a direct approach because I believe that what we’re going to be talking about is crucially important to you if you are in fact building a business and you do in fact want a business that’s successful in the long term.

So I really hope that if that’s you, that this episode challenges you and helps you get some clarity in your business. Okay, so to start this conversation, I have a question for all of you and that question is this. What are you committed to? And when you ask yourself this question, I want you to consider it as it relates to your business.

So I want you to ask yourself in terms of your business, what am I committed to? It’s a simple question but I really want you to consider it. And I want you to be honest about what your answer is. Now, for most of you, your answer is probably that you are in fact fully committed to building and having a successful business.

And so for purposes of our conversation today, that’s where I’m going to keep our focus. And I’m going to focus on that because I know that the majority of you who are listening to this podcast is because you want to build and grow a successful coaching practice or perhaps another type of business.

I know that it’s one of your priorities, and so that’s great because you’re completely in the right place. But I want you to take this a step further with me and I want you to now look at your results. I want you to look at the results that you currently have in your business.

So let’s look at your revenue, let’s look at the number of clients you have, let’s look at your business structure, look at your business as a whole. And then I want you to ask yourself, what do your results say that you’re committed to?

I want you to take a minute and really consider that. And in fact, I think it would be useful if you can imagine that you and I are having a conversation. I want you to imagine that we’re having a conversation about your business, your goals, et cetera.

And let’s just say that instead of talking about it, imagine that I instead just asked you to show me your 2019 results and I only am going to look at the facts. So I want to know what your 2019 revenue was, I want to know how many clients you worked with, what your offers looked like, what you charged, how did you market your business, what investments did you make in your business, how did you invest in your own growth and your own development through your own coaching, all of it.

And I want you to imagine that as you’re laying that out for me, that you’re only allowed to show me the facts. So nothing subjective is allowed here. So now as you consider this, I want to go back to my original question. If we were to look at only the facts, and only the results of your business from the previous year, what would that tell us that you’re committed to?

Would your results tell us that you’re fully committed to a successful business? Or are they going to tell us a different story? Either way, what I want you to see is that the truth lies in your answer. So I want you to all really take a minute and answer this for yourself. I want you to be honest about what your results are really saying.

And now that we’ve brought this to the surface, I want to go even deeper with this and explore this a bit further, and here’s why. Because when it comes to commitment, a lot of times, we say that we’re fully committed to something, but the reality is that our results are actually telling a different story.

And let’s look at this through an example. So in the coaching industry, in this growing and booming industry that we’re in, I don’t think any of you would question the fact that there is so much possibility available. Because the fact is that never before in history has there been a time where we’ve had the ability to build a highly successful business, one that has the potential to impact others in a highly positive way, that we can do this from our homes, with let’s be honest, an extremely low barrier to entry and a relatively very low startup cost and an extremely low overhead.

I think you’d all agree to that, right? It just hasn’t existed before and it’s amazing. And so the possibilities with this work to be able to do what you truly love and are really passionate about, coupled with the opportunity to make a very good living and make more money than quite frankly you probably ever thought was possible, it’s highly attractive.

And so it’s no wonder that more and more people are moving into the industry and becoming coaches and starting coaching practices from their homes. It’s really so exciting, all of it. And I know for me, one of my mentors in particular, Brooke Castillo, it is so inspirational to see the level of impact that she is making through her work, through her business that is in turn inspiring thousands of others to do the same, by showing them what is possible. It’s such an inspiration.

And I know for those of you who are familiar with and know and follow Brooke, I’m sure that you agree. She really is amazing. And I am so, so grateful to her for paving the way and for showing me what can really be possible through this work and in this industry. And I have to say, I’ll forever be grateful to her for doing that.

But in the context of what we’re talking about today, when we’re talking about commitment, one thing that I think is very important to consider is the amount of effort, the amount of skill, the amount of work, and frankly, hours that Brooke, as an example, has put into her business over the years. Into growing her business to where she has now generated 25 million dollars plus in revenue in 2019.

But it’s also been years in the process. It’s been years and years of work and thousands of hours that have been devoted to I’m sure not only her business, but also to her own growth and her development that have allowed her to arrive at the 25 million dollars plus that she’s arrived at today.

So it certainly didn’t happen overnight. Even though her business has grown extremely fast in the past few years, there have been years of work that went into where she was today. And so for so many, I see that there’s almost this expectation that having a million-dollar business, that it’s something that can happen overnight, that results should be more immediate, that being able to work a few hours per week here and there is going to equate to a high six, and maybe even seven-figure business, that you can just work a few days a week and make a ton of money.

And what I want to say to this is that just because it might appear from the outside for those of us that are looking at those in the industry that are in the high seven, eight-figure range in their businesses, like Brooke, and side note, I will say, Brooke is very public about the fact that she only works three days per week, that doesn’t necessarily mean that someone who is brand new to the industry, maybe fresh off of certification, or honestly, even a couple of years into the industry can work that same three-day schedule and expect to see massive results in their business.

Because the reality is and I think for most of us, yes, that is a goal that we have, to be able to work a part-time or a condensed schedule, to have that flexibility and to have a successful business. And I know for me and for many of you, that’s part of the reason that you probably got into this industry. Why you’re choosing to do this work.

And it’s honestly one of the greatest benefits of doing this work and being an entrepreneur in having the ability to build and structure your business in a way that allows you to do that. It really is phenomenal. But what I want to say about this is that it also doesn’t mean that we’re entitled to that right out of the gate. That doesn’t mean that we can decide to start a business and then choose to only work a few hours per week and expect to create a business to a level that hasn’t been nurtured to that level. Does that make sense?

It’s almost like if you were to plant a garden or a crop and then expect the crop or the plants that you planted in your garden to yield overnight. It just doesn’t happen. And we all know that it’s ridiculous to expect that and we don’t expect that, right? Yet I see so many that approach their business this way and put so much pressure on themselves to build their business this way.

And as a result, I see all of these schedules and these parameters like, we’re only going to work a certain amount of hours, we’re only going to put a certain amount of energy into growing the business. It’s all coming from a place of what we’re not willing to do. And then we become frustrated that we don’t yet have the results that we think we should have, or the results that we want.

And what I want to say to this is that if you’re truly committed to building a successful business, it means you’re in it for the long game. It means you’re willing to do what it takes. It means you’re willing to put in the hours that are going to be required to build your foundation. It means you’re willing to invest in yourself and in your business so that you can get the help, you can get the guidance you need to build your business to the level that you want.

It means it’s not a conditional thing. It means being fully committed. And that, my friends, in most cases is going to require some significant investments. It’s going to require a significant amount of effort to be able to develop yourself in a way where you become the person and the coach who makes a million dollars per year or more in your business. It means being willing to invest in your business, in things like your marketing, in the technology that you’re using, in your own coaching, so that you can continue to grow and develop and step into that next highest version of yourself.

So while you might be saying that you’re fully committed to growing your business and reaching your goals, I want to just open you up to the conversation today that what is actually happening, what you’re actually doing and the actual results that you’re getting might just be in conflict with that.

And so I want to offer you a very easy premise when it comes to commitment, and that is this. You’re either committed or you’re not. It’s really that simple. And when you’re truly committed to something, you either have the results that are in alignment with that commitment, or you’re taking the actions that line up with that commitment so that you can eventually arrive at that end result that you want. It’s really that simple.

And so once you can truly come to understand this premise in your life, I see that it can make things so much easier on you and so much easier for you to understand why it is that maybe you haven’t met a certain goal, or why you haven’t gotten to a certain outcome in your life.

So my point with all of this is that I want you to get real with yourself today. Through this conversation, when it comes to what you’re really committed to as it relates to building your business. Because the reality is there’s a lot of people that are saying that they’re committed to building and growing a successful business, and I have to say almost every person I talk to in this industry that wants to build a business says that they’re fully committed to growing it.

But what it takes to do that, to really be able to walk through the fire, to be resourceful, to be willing to fail, to be so emotionally resilient and to be all in, now, that takes a real level of commitment that quite honestly is what is separating the ones that are doing it versus the ones that are not doing it. It’s really that simple.

So if you’re saying you want a highly successful business and you’re saying that you’re fully committed to it, yet, on a daily basis you’re not showing up in your business or you’re not developing the skills you need in order to grow your business to that level, or you’re not investing in yourself or your business to learn the necessary strategies or getting the help that you need, well, there’s a pretty big gap there.

There’s a pretty big misalignment happening. Because what you’re saying you’re committed to versus what you’re actually doing, versus who you are being is a very different story. So I want you to get really honest with yourself about this because one of the worst cycles you can get in is telling yourself or telling others that you’re fully committed to building and growing your business, but then not actually doing the work. Not actually doing and being fully committed to doing what’s required in order to build to that result.

And there’s a huge gap that exists when you’re trying to tell yourself that you’re committed to something, but deep down, your actions, your beliefs, your ways of being are in direct conflict with that. It’s a really difficult spot to be in and I know a lot of you are in it. And when you’re in this place, it creates an internal conflict that honestly, it makes it all so much more work.

And when you’ve got this internal battle going on, when you’re in this conflict where you might be saying you really want something, but when it comes down to it, the level of commitment that’s really required to do what it is you’re saying you want to do, it makes it so much harder to move forward and here’s why.

Because when you’re not clear on what you’re committed to, it makes it very difficult in just the day-to-day to stay focused, to be able to make decisions that help you move your business forward. And the reason for this is because you’re not fully clear on what you’re committed to. And so it makes it extremely difficult to have confidence in what you’re doing and to be able to make choices that align with your desired outcome.

And so a lot of times this leads to emotions like indecision and overwhelm and confusion, frustration, all of those emotions like that. And in this place, what tends to happen is that we revert then back to these old patterns and we get even more frustrated then with ourselves because we’re going back to these old patterns and we see it, but we’re only doing it because we haven’t gained enough awareness yet to see that we haven’t truly made this new commitment. That we’re still, at the end of the day, more committed to the old patterns than we are to the new ones.

And part of it is just because of habit. It’s something a lot of times subconscious that we’re not even aware of. So what I want to offer to you all here with this conversation today is that whatever you’re doing and whatever you’re doing with consistency in your life, I want you to see that that is what you’re committed to doing, regardless of whether or not you say you’re committed to it. Regardless of whether or not it serves you.

So no matter if you’re saying you’re committed to something, what really matters is who you are being and what you are doing on a daily basis in your effort to achieve that goal. Because saying that you’re committed to a goal does not automatically mean that you’re truly committed to achieving that goal.

It’s a really important distinction to make, especially if you’re trying to build a business. Because if you’re serious about living your dream life and building your dream business, then you’re either committed to that and doing what needs to be done in order to build that, or you’re not. And the first 13 podcast episodes, I’ve went into detail about what it takes to actually build a highly successful coaching practice in today’s industry.

And so if you need more clarity on what it takes, I highly encourage you to go back and listen to those episodes. But here’s what I want to leave you with today. The simple fact is that you are either committed to doing what it takes to build your dream business in life, or you’re not.

So if you’re finding yourself frustrated that you don’t yet have the level of results that you want or that you think you should have, I want you to really take a look at this for yourself. Ask yourself what you’re really committed to. Look at the results that you do have. What do those results say that you’re committed to? I think you’re going to find a lot of clarity in your answer.

And my hope is that it helps you understand where you might need to shift your level of commitment going forward, and I hope that at the very least that this awareness brings you some needed clarity in your business and in your life. I hope this conversation served you today. I encourage you to really take some time right now to look at this for yourself. Ask yourself what your results are telling you.

Ask yourself if what you’ve been telling yourself or telling others is truly in full integrity with what you’re actually committed to. Sometimes all it takes is a new level of awareness to that you can make this shift. Alright my friends, have an amazing week. I’ll talk to you all again very soon. Take care, bye-bye.

Hey, before you go, I have something amazing I want to share with you. To celebrate the launch of the show, I’m going to be giving away three free VIP strategy sessions where I’ll be diving deep into your business and help you put a strategy in place for the next 90 days, so you have a real game plan on how to create results in your business and finally gain momentum.

I’m going to be giving away one free VIP strategy session, the same VIP strategy session I offer to all of my highest-level clients to three lucky listeners who subscribe, rate, and review the show on Apple Podcasts. Visit amandakarlstadcoaching.com/podcastlaunch to learn more about the contest and how to enter. I’ll be announcing the winners on the show in an upcoming episode. Thanks so much.

Thank you for listening to this episode of The Life Coach Business Podcast. If you want to learn more about how to build, grow, and scale your business and accelerate your results visit amandakarlstadcoaching.com.