Why Business Coaching is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Before Wi-Fi, there was a dial-up connection to the internet, and life moved much slower. Now, clicks and connections happen at lightning speed, and we all expect information and responses immediately. While this is good—great, even—there is a catch.

Businesses must deal with a culture that does not tolerate waiting. We live in a time when instant gratification is the norm.

If you want it, you’ve got it. We expect life to happen in an instant.

Hold Your Horses

There’s no argument that speed is a good thing; this faster pace enables us to get more done. However, there is a case to be made that such speed doesn’t apply to all things, yet we still expect it to.

There it is, the real, blaring red flag. Let me repeat that: not all things move fast, but we expect the same hyper-speed for everything. The expectation is the problem. When you hold an expectation that fails to be met, the resulting feelings are a range of emotions, including disappointment and frustration.

Today, we find more dissatisfaction among those who want instant results from aspects of life that do not occur at a rapid pace. Simply stated, they are unhappy when they don’t get what they want.

As human nature adapts, the process works by adjusting to new variables until they feel normal. Then, we begin to expect the norm. When something doesn’t fit the pattern, we struggle. Following this pattern, life moves faster now, we accept that, but then we believe everything should follow at that pace. But some things just take time.

Some things can’t be rushed.

Time For A Change

When you run a business, you are probably well-aware of this faster pace of life. You must react and respond to customers right away. Think of all the services that now connect to your customer base immediately. Chatbots, texting, and comment sections link you and customers in an instant feedback loop. Keep up, don’t wait, or unleash a flood of negative replies!

So yes, it makes sense that you need to move quickly and want things instantly. You kind of need to…

But it can trap you, too. Mistakes happen when we rush, the frenzy of instant gratification drives us to our limits, and we are always seeking the next big thing to keep up with trends. It’s exhausting! And, speed doesn’t equate to success if things aren’t done well. It’s a little like running on a hamster wheel.

This isn’t sustainable, for you or your business.

As a business coach, I recognize the signs of disappointment and frustration, and my expertise lies in finding the source. We work together to get you off the wheel to nowhere, so when you run, you actually make progress!

But it doesn’t happen overnight — the wheels of change roll slowly.

Change Management

Change is notoriously tricky. Entire graduate-level courses exist to teach ways to manage it. And, there’s a reason for this—there is always a reason when you look below the surface. Let’s dive down.

Think of New Year’s resolutions. Most fall flat a few weeks or days into the year. Why? Well, when you want to change, it starts with recognizing that you’re unhappy. Something is going wrong, and you feel dissatisfied in some way or even desperate. This is when most of us make the declaration, “I AM GOING TO CHANGE!” We set out with the best of intentions, and we invariably fall flat.

The reason most people fail to change despite their most desperate and deep desires has to do with proximity. You’re too close to the flame, blinded and dangerously close to getting burned, unable to see to get away.

That’s what a business coach does best—we guide you away from the fire and around it.

Secrets Of Success Through Coaching

It’s easy to lose your way when you’re blind, trapped, and alone, and that’s when coaching can do the most for you. A coach provides the following ingredients to create real, lasting change: perspective, momentum, motivation, and accountability.

• Perspective: Business owners juggle hundreds of tasks and responsibilities. It’s hard to get a grip and focus when faced with a massive to-do list. How can you find your way when you’re pulled in every direction? With coaching, you learn to sort the list and organize tasks in a way that will generate momentum.
• Momentum. The opposite of spinning your wheels is forward momentum, making progress. When you’re stuck, you not only must find bursts of productivity that move you ahead but also keep you going. How can you get more productive? Coaching provides the tools to learn how, but it takes time. It won’t happen overnight, but slow and steady. Momentum isn’t a switch to flip but a slow burn to build. The goal is a progression, not fits and spurts, so you need constant motivation.
• Motivation. If momentum is the vehicle, then motivation is the fuel. The effort to run a business is massive, and you should give yourself credit for doing so. However, you need metric amounts of energy to sustain and succeed! Energy is a limited resource but one that can be replenished, and that’s where coaching excels. There are so many motivational strategies to put into place and draw from, and it’s amazing to see the transformative effect of motivation! This is the magic behind coaching—the best source of fuel comes from others who share theirs when your tank runs dry. And that’s why coaching includes accountability.
• Accountability. Working with others who hold you accountable is the difference between making an empty declaration and truly making a change. Far from a nag, an accountability group champions, and shares in your success. It’s your change, but we’re invested in you. We want what you want. It’s so we can remove any roadblocks that you set up and get in the way.

Allowing The Process To Work

When receiving business coaching, expecting immediate results is a sure-fire way to sabotage any progress because change takes time. From learning your habits to creating new ones, there is a process in place, and a process is a series of steps.

You don’t count from 1 to 5 and then jump to 20; you don’t start with ABC and jump to XYZ. There is an order of steps that happen, which will bring you through the experience so that you emerge differently. Skip an action, and you miss the stage of development that links you to the next, setting you back.

Coaching can get you beyond running in place, but plan for a marathon, not a sprint. Instant results will exist, but true personal development and changes in your business through coaching take time. But never fear—you’ll have a cheering section the whole way, and when you reach the finish line, you’ll have more than enough resources to sign up for the next race.