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As a life and business coach, I don’t talk about myself and what’s going on in my world in my coaching sessions … unless somebody asks. And they often do.

At the beginning of our recent call, my client asked me, “What are you up to this week?”

“I’m leaving Friday for a speaking engagement.”

“You must be so excited! I know how much you like speaking!”

“Uh, no … I’m not excited at all.”

Many of you know me as a life coach and business coach, but I also do a lot of training.

We conducted some presentation skills training recently with 14 senior executives at a well-known tech firm.

Great folks, and it went extremely well.

Part of what made it a good training was they’d done a good job of familiarizing themselves with their material ahead of time.

But there were still some stumbles out of the gate … as there always are.

After all, we had them on camera. They were nervous.

And people want to get it just right. They want to be perfect. And so, a couple of folks stopped speaking and asked if they could start all over again.

Of course.
But in an actual presentation, you don’t get to start again. You have to make the best of it when things go awry.

And if that isn’t a metaphor for life, I don’t know what is.

You got that new client. She looks like a great fit. You send off your welcome package and make the initial charge to her credit card as you agreed. Yea!

Later that day, she replies, “I’m not totally comfortable with that 6-month commitment to coaching we discussed. I’d be willing to contract for three months and then reevaluate.”

You know it doesn’t actually serve most clients to expect to see full results in less than six months, but you want to accommodate her needs, so you reply …

“I want you to feel comfortable with me and confident in the process. So, I’ve changed the paperwork to reflect a three-month commitment. We can reevaluate where you are then. I want you to feel delighted with our work together!”

A few hours later, you’re totally surprised to hear: “I’ve changed my mind and have decided not to pursue coaching. I’m not ready at this time. Please refund my fee.”

Wait! … What?

As a life coach, I’ve been privileged to hear the life stories of a lot of people, and I can tell you, without hesitation, the truism rings true. Into every life, a little rain must fall.

You’re in business to make a profit. So, as a business coach, I always look at what your numbers are telling you about how you’re doing and, more specifically, where you’re getting the most return on the time, money, and effort you’re investing.

Numbers?

Yeah, like …

It was a simple exchange, and yet it could have easily sent us down the wrong road.

There’s nothing wrong with using LinkedIn to connect with people who may eventually become customers or clients. That’s clearly a big part of the appeal.

But there’s a problem out there in LinkedIn land, and I don’t want you to fall into a common trap where you turn people off and end up hurting your reputation.

The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.

– Joseph Addison

Why would this simple thought throw me into a tailspin?

Well, it wouldn’t now.

Have you ever wondered why one service provider gets chosen over another? Why did they pick that coach or consultant instead of you? The first thing I’ll tell you, as a business coach, is it’s not always about price.

Intangibles play a much bigger role than you might imagine.

And I want to give you one simple insight that can mean everything for your business, allowing you to attract more clients and make more money!

As a life coach, I ask a lot of questions. It’s my job.

And I have a kind of unusual question for you today.

If an angel were to come to you and tell you that s/he who wins the game of life is s/he who stresses the least, has the most fun, and gains the most satisfaction from living … and you believed what she said completely … how would you live your life differently from here on?