Good morning! Today, I’m excited to introduce Joe Saul-Sehy, who is here to talk about how having mentors can help you achieve more than you ever thought possible. If you’re interested in guest posting on RFI, just let me know! Also, there’s a new post on Make Money Your Way about marketing your skills and finding a tutoring gig, so check it out!
On my desk, there’s a small box labeled “Life Coach in a Box,” which I bought off a discount table at Barnes and Noble. I thought it was fantastic because I could get coaching without talking to anyone. It’s perfect for my introverted self who’s always looking for deals. Funny thing is, I’ve never even opened it.
We often think we’d go out of our way to find the secrets to success, and I’m no different. I’m always diving deep into Bing searches (I use Bing for those Amazon rewards). But a great coach can streamline this process by highlighting exactly what I need to know.
My Experience with Coaches
I first hired a life coach out of curiosity. I didn’t believe I needed one and thought it was a waste of money. I already have my spouse and daughter giving me plenty of advice, after all. But this life coach was also considering hiring me to manage some money, so I thought I’d give her service a try.
It turned out to be a game-changer.
Unexpected Changes
Our first task was completing a survey called “The Wheel,” a simple pie chart on a piece of paper that rated various aspects of my life—Spirituality, Work, Friends, Children, Spouse, Finances, Health, and Mental Health—on a scale from 1 to 10. Discussing why I rated some areas lower than others, my coach pointed out that we often focus too much on the negatives. She advised leveraging my strengths first since I’d set up successful systems in those areas. The goal was to replicate these successes across other parts of my life.
Key Lessons I Learned:
1. Schedule time: I excelled at my job because of my strict schedule. Applying this structure to other areas could bring the same success.
2. Know your body rhythm: I’m a morning person. Trying to work out in the packed afternoons was a fail. So I started exercising in the mornings.
3. Work with your tendencies: I saved money by bringing lunch from home. To avoid eating alone, I organized a book club during lunch, mixing good food with good conversation.
Thanks to my coach, I:
– Coached my kids’ soccer teams
– Created amazing birthday parties and family events
– Attended church more regularly
– Read more fiction and watched more movies
And the big one: I quadrupled my business over three years.
The last point baffled me. How could I be spending more time on non-work activities yet still see such significant business growth? It turned out aligning my priorities with my actions led to greater productivity and less stress.
What I Learned:
Initially, I didn’t want a coach; I was just trying to grow my business. Now I’m convinced that mentors and coaches help you achieve far more than you can alone. I continually remind myself to seek feedback to better myself.
Who do you get coaching from?
Joe Saul-Sehy is the co-host of the popular podcast Stacking Benjamins and regularly blogs about personal finance. You can find Joe on Facebook and Twitter @AverageJoeMoney.