The Hardest Part About Becoming a Coach

When I committed to launching my coaching services more formally several months ago, the hardest part wasn’t staying up late after a long work day to make it through my certification class, fixing technical issues with my website, or sharing my passion for coaching with people who could benefit from working together. It was a challenge I never saw coming.

I’m not a natural salesperson, but over the years have developed the confidence to sell products and pitch ideas without batting an eye. However, in order to share my perspective as a Coach, I have to promote myself. Honestly, this scared me to death. I’d rather ask someone to make a $10,000 donation than tell someone else I'm an expert in anything. Would people think I’m arrogant? Celebrating accomplishments that I shouldn’t? Claiming to know everything?

The more I wrestled with this nagging feeling, I came to two realizations:

I am an expert. There is only one Megan Stith in the entire history of the universe. Nobody in the world has likely ever gone from a meeting with legislators at our state capitol to the National Farm Machinery Show to look at cattle chutes and take care of farm business all in the same day. I’ve gone from crying myself to sleep when I first moved to Meade County because I thought I’d never fit in here to startling myself when I went to buy a soda at the gas station and came face to face with my picture on the front page of the newspaper. I’ve had an unconventional path that admittedly wasn’t planned, but if I could work backward and figure out how I got here, maybe I could bring others along for a journey of growth with me. If I can’t share the struggles, lessons learned, and successes to benefit someone else, what’s the point? At the very least, I'm an expert on the subject of my personal experience and nobody can tell that story for me.

I need to practice what I preach. I’ve coached many young women to promote themselves, claim their contributions, and celebrate their accomplishments because if they don’t, who will? Did I get here on my own? Definitely not. I will readily proclaim that my path has been guided by God’s grace, fortunate timing, and the generosity of others. But just because I built some great things shoulder to shoulder with others doesn’t mean I can’t be proud of them.

So here I am. Out there offering what I can, continuing to push outside my comfort zone, and not letting what people could think hold me back from helping others. I hope this is proof that Bosses aren’t born, we just never stop working.

I appreciate all the positivity and encouragement I’ve received to get me started in this new venture!