“How many of you love helping people?” the facilitator asked the audience, emphasizing the word love.

A hand from every one of the 50 or so entrepreneurs and service providers in the audience shot up quickly.

“That’s amazing! How many of you love asking for help?” he asked, again emphasizing the word love.

About five hands went back up, while the remainder of hands remained in their laps.

“Take a look around” said the facilitator, pleased with the result.

“How many of you honestly struggle to ask for help when you need it?” he said coming at the same point from a different angle.

Just about every hand in the room shot up again.

I was sitting at the table with a prospect for my open Operations Manager role. Sitting in front of me was a candidate who possessed all of the qualities I am looking for in a leader to implement my vision: dynamic, forward, and strategic thinking, drive, energy, positivity, enthusiasm, experience leading others, & passion for processes, details, and structure. She had all the professional qualities which would perfectly complement my talents. I hadn’t considered that a great prospect would trigger my upper limit.

Despite being a leader you might lack confidence, courage, and the resolve to feel fully effective in your leadership role. You simply show up each day and hope everything turns out ok. It usually does, and you hope it always will.

Hope is not an effective strategy.

Deep inside, you know your performance would improve if you just felt more internally powerful. You wonder why you continue to doubt yourself and your abilities day-after-day. Second guessing yourself while occasionally shrinking and hiding from challenges, you wonder when it’s all going to fall apart.

At least that’s my story, and I have coached executives and other professionals who felt the same exact things. Regardless of role or title, no one is immune. Sometimes, the bigger the title, the bigger the paycheck, the bigger the self-doubt.

The scene is in Punxsutawney, PA on Groundhog’s Day. Phil, a news reporter, is set to cover the big day. He’s in bed with the covers up to his neck. On the nightstand beside him, his master, the alarm clock, reads 5:59am. Phil is sleeping, and we wait for the clock to flip so that he can get out of bed.

The clock flips to 6:00am. Phil carries out the same morning routine as past mornings. He has the same breakfast. He sees the same people on the streets. He does the same job. Even Phil’s evening is a loop.

Then, he is back in bed in the very next morning, with the exact same scene, with his master at 5:59am, waiting to flip to 6:00am… So he can experience the same day, over and over and over.

 I have a cool title, Executive Self-Mastery Coach. I knew it was right when I felt that ‘click’ moment. It epitomizes everything I strive for in my own life, and what I teach. 

I’m not just a life or business coach. There is an incredible difference between self-mastery coaching and life and business coaching. Self-mastery coaching addresses life and business challenges as necessary, but life and business coaching do not bring self-mastery. I know it sounds complicated, but stick with me here. 

Technically I am a certified life coach, and I also hold an MBA and 20+ years of business leadership experience. I use all of these in my practice.