Tasting My Own Medicine

Via Creative Commons: Flickr

As I said in my previous post, I have taken the plunge and am giving my first workshop   open to the public called, "Your Hidden Potential: Discover Talents You Never Knew You Had."

I've done other workshops, but not an open one.  And it's a bit scary for me, to tell you the truth. I've performed onstage in front of thousands of people- but always in character.  (The only exception was a cabaret I did for charity, and even though it went smashingly well I was a nervous wreck beforehand!)

But I'm excited.  And I know that I need to venture on to a new stage, excuse the pun. I also know it's time to let everyone know about the talents they don't know about!

(Excuse the plug.)

I will admit that this wasn't my idea.  It was my mentor's idea. When we got together a few months ago we talked yet again about how someday I would do a public workshop.  As in, distant future, when the time was right and I'd know EXACTLY what I would say: 100% crystal clear vision and content.

But that's when he gave me a taste of my own medicine and encouraged me to "just book a date" for a workshop and then commit to doing it.  It didn't matter what the specifics were.  I could figure that out after I'd committed to doing the presentation.

Hmmm.... I raised an eyebrow and scrunched up my nose a bit; I always do that when someone calls me out on something.

That advice did sound familiar... kind of like the suggestions I'd doled out to my clients hundreds of times!  Wasn't I the one always telling people to, "Just go for it!  Take a little step!  You don't have to have every single piece in place before starting the puzzle." (And helloooo?! My very first blog post!)

So how could I argue with my mentor who taught me everything I know about helping people move forward?  And I'm certainly glad he did, once again, push me to move forward. It's why coaches need coaches!

Back to the Medicine Cabinet

Fast forward a couple of months later and I realized I needed yet another dose of my own medicine, since apparently the original dose was wearing off.

This time I was going through a frustrating time business wise (in the form of internet marketing) and said to my husband in despair, "You know, all people seem to want is someone to tweak their resumes or show them how to interview or network.  They don't want someone who can actually help them with what they need FIRST, which is to figure out what exactly they WANT on their resumes or WHO they want to work for or network WITH!!  But, by god, if that's where all the money is, maybe I should just play that game and target the mass market driven by conventional wisdom."

He just looked at me and quietly said, "Have you read your own blog lately?"

Pause.  

(I hate it when he's right. $%@* it!)

"Oh, I know, you're right," I conceded. "And I suppose I should remember the 'create yourself' part."

Then, in order to do some out loud (so I could hear it) affirmation, I said, "I know, deep down, that just because most other career coaches out there (besides my mentor and a handful of others) are banking on the quick fixes a lot of people seek doesn't mean I can't develop an innovative and lucrative coaching business for a niche market.

(And here's where my voice became less timid and more declarative.  It always comes from remembering my great clients who continue to inspire me.)

Besides, the people who choose to work with me tend to be intelligent, thoughtful individuals.  They're intuitive enough to know that the front end of career design- the discovery piece- is just as important as the back end- the interviews, the networking and resumes.  I'm sticking to my mission come hell or high water!"

"There you go," is all he said. And gave me a hug.

(I know, I'm really a lucky lady.)

I felt much better after that.  My medicine tasted surprisingly good.

Workshop, Here I Come!!

Now I'm honestly looking forward to the workshop.  I've come up with a fun program that should be equal parts entertainment and insight. (If you don't think my theatrical background will be shining its way through you'd be mistaken!) Sure, it will be different than most workshops; but then again, Grow Career Coaching marches to its own drummer.

(Like someone else I know, who is going to keep her medicine bottle handy.)

Live in the DC area? Click here for tickets:

http://growcareercoaching.eventbrite.com