How many times in my career have I let my need for approval prevent me from doing my job or at least doing my job with excellence? ~ Far too many times!

For example: When someone approaches me about coaching – they are experiencing frustration, suffering, pain, disappointment, a hunger for things to be different etc. If they weren’t experiencing these things, they wouldn’t be talking to me.

Some of those people become clients, some are not a fit, and then there are some who are a fit but talk themselves out of it – too expensive, not enough time, disbelief that change is possible, etc.

It is that 3rd group that I have been underserving. My need for approval, my desire for them to like me, has prevented me from asking tough love questions like: What happens if you don’t do anything? What is the cost of doing nothing? I’m curious, you say that X is very important to you but you spend all your time doing Y – what’s up with that? How does that make you feel? And so on . . .

These questions are not to bully them into working with me. Questions like these require people to get honest with themselves and do some real introspection which serves them tremendously whether or not they hire me. It is about being an advocate for their better life. It is about being an advocate for their greatness.

I was talking with a client recently about this. We agreed that it was time for us to sell assertively and push our need for approval to the side.

Do you want to join us?