{"id":17533,"date":"2021-09-15T06:00:16","date_gmt":"2021-09-15T10:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coaching4clergy.com\/?p=17533"},"modified":"2021-09-09T16:43:47","modified_gmt":"2021-09-09T20:43:47","slug":"the-transition-to-full-time-coaching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coaching4clergy.com\/the-transition-to-full-time-coaching\/","title":{"rendered":"The Transition to Full-Time Coaching"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

The majority of coaches that I\u2019ve trained and worked with started out part-time. They added coaching to their already busy schedule, a half-day or day at a time. When that time filled up, they couldn\u2019t add any more clients.<\/p>\n

So when is the time to take that leap into full-time coaching and let go of your other work? That\u2019s a very real tension all coaches have to address. For me, I\u2019ve made multiple transitions, beginning when I went from being a full-time pastor to being a full-time coach.<\/p>\n

I started with one day of coaching. So how did I pick a day that would work for everybody? Well, I discovered that if people wanted to work with me, they would make it work. On that one day, I worked morning, afternoon, and evening to increase my capacity. It\u2019s not sustainable, but what do you do? I learned that I had to just keep working the plan – to one day transition to full-time coaching – and to stay focused.<\/p>\n

I filled the day, but it didn\u2019t always stay that way. New clients would arrive, and current clients would leave. Sometimes I had to say to people, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I\u2019m booked now but in two months I have an opening,\u201d and you know what? They were willing to wait.<\/p>\n

Working within the parameters of that one day forced me to be creative, such as doing some group work. And then came my big break that swung the door open wide. And that is what happens for some people. In my case, it was a leader hiring me to coach 38 people over the course of 18 months, coaching each person twice a month. You just can\u2019t do that in one day per week. It forced me to make the change.<\/p>\n

Until then, it was a three-year period of getting new clients and losing clients. So what does it take not to throw in the towel when you\u2019re in this place? Keep your eye on the prize, and focus on what you want for your coaching business. And be creative! When I made my first transition 20 years ago, there were not as many options as there are now:<\/p>\n