In this week’s guest post Amber Fogarty shares her expertise and thoughts about what will assist you, as a coach, to continue growing.

Knowing versus Doing

By Amber Fogarty

In my last Coaching Confidence blog post, I wrote about the importance of being coachable. I also emphasized the value of HAVING a coach if you are a coach.

Here’s the undeniable reality: Even coaches get stuck. Our lives aren’t perfect, and we shouldn’t claim that they are. In many cases, we KNOW what we should be doing. We just don’t always do it. Right? In each of our lives, there is often a gap between knowing and doing. At times, that gap is as wide as the Grand Canyon.

We’ve all heard the saying that “knowing is the enemy of doing.” Knowing is also the enemy of learning, and we always have more to learn.

At a recent team meeting of the coaches in the SOS Coaching Network, we discussed the pressure coaches often feel as they strive to be “a product of the product” and how tough it can be for coaches to challenge themselves in the same ways they challenge their clients.

Our founder Bill Moyer, a veteran coach of 25+ years, imparted this advice, “You can teach something you haven’t mastered, but you can’t teach something you haven’t tried.” He reminded us of the importance of continuing to strive to become a better version of ourselves.

Bill’s words of wisdom ring true, “Perfection is not a realistic goal nor is it relatable for the people we work with. Our clients don’t need a perfect coach, but they do need a coach who’s growing. Working toward our full potential is a lifelong journey. We can NEVER stop growing.”

One of our organizational mottos is, “If you don’t grow, you go.” We share our personal development goals and continually work to achieve them. We encourage each other, while recognizing the need for personal accountability in addition to accountability to each other and the clients we serve. All of us are in the personal development industry, so we must remain committed to our own personal development.

Give some thought to these questions today:

• Am I stuck? If so, what am I doing about it?

• Where do I see a gap in my life between knowing and doing, between my thoughts and my actions?

• Am I striving for perfection, an unattainable goal?

• Do I challenge myself in the same way I challenge my clients?

• Do I have a personal development plan that outlines specific goals that will help me to reach my full potential?

• Do I have a coach who I meet with regularly who holds me accountable for the goals that matter most to me?

About the Author/Further Resources

Amber Fogarty is a Partner and Coach with the SOS Coaching Network, which unites an elite group of coaches, trainers, and consultants from around the world, providing them with personalized programs, one-on-one and group coaching, and tools to help them succeed in the rapidly growing coaching industry. Learn more at www.soscoachingnetwork.com.