(Yet another blog about spin class and life.)
Coaching is coaching. Business coaches are modeled on sports coaches and there is a reason for that. I get much of my inspiration from sports coaches because their goal is the same as my goal. A good coach in either field will:
1. Listen for what you want. (“I want to get in shape.” “I want to be a good football player.” “I want to grow my business.”) And,
2. Take a stand for you. Be your champion. Push you farther than you think you can go.
What is valuable about coaches in both business and sports is that a truly great coach will not worry a lot if you like them. A truly great coach (and as I write this I realize that parents are coaches too) will take a stand for YOU to be who you said you wanted to be – the best version of yourself. By nature, we cannot see ourselves. That’s why we have mirrors. By nature, we cannot literally stand outside ourselves and push ourselves. So those of us who want to go farther than we’ve gone before know that we need other people outside of us, to both be our mirror and to push us, to believe in us more than we believe in ourselves. Because when you are going for it, reaching for that next level, you are going to get tired. You are going to doubt yourself. You are going to want to quit. But your coach will look over at your sweaty tired self and she will see your potential and out of love she will say, “Keep going.” And you will keep going. And you will get there. Because of who you are.
Whether you hire a professional coach or not, find someone to take that stand for you. Someone who will not get sucked in and let you off the hook, someone who sees you for who you are. (“Your playing small does not serve the world….We are all meant to shine, as children do.” –Marianne Williamson)
Yesterday in spin here is what I heard:
“We are going to push you to the edge.”
“And what do you do when you get to the edge?”
“You breathe and stay.”
This is such a brilliant metaphor for life change. Change does not occur inside the comfort zone. Everything you want is outside your comfort zone. How do I know? Because you don’t have it. If it was comfortable, you’d have it by now. Allow your coach to push you to the edge. It is the edge of your comfort zone. 
You won’t fall off and you won’t die. You will grow and you will move toward what you really want. And when you reach your edge, my friends, Breathe.
And stay.
You will be amazed.
(Thank you, Chelsea and the amazing, fantastic, beautiful, ass-kickers at Team Ride in Sacramento! https://team-ride.com)
