Limiting beliefs start with negative thoughts such as:
I’m not able to do this…
No one will ever pay this much money for my services…
There’s never enough hours in the day…
These thoughts can be driven by fear of success, a lack of confidence or an uncertainty about the unknown.
Limiting beliefs are false beliefs that an individual acquires as a result of making an incorrect conclusion about themselves or a situation.
The best way to stop negative thoughts turning into limiting beliefs is to squash them before they take hold.
Here are five causes of limiting beliefs that can manifest in the minds of health coaches with tips on how to stop them in their tracks.
1. Lack of Confidence
Limiting beliefs (PDF) for many people manifest as a result of a lack of confidence.
Your lack of confidence may be due to the impostor syndrome, or perhaps you just feel like a fish out of water after transitioning careers from your comfortable, but unsatisfying previous profession.
Whatever the cause, it’s important to focus on the aspects of health coaching that you excel at, rather than those with which you feel less confident.
Seeking help, delegating or outsourcing tasks is a great way to keep your confidence up, as it gives you more time to focus on the parts of running a business that you do best.
For example, you may love client interaction, blog writing and the marketing side of your business. However, you may not feel as confident or be as interested in managing your business’s finances. This is okay. We’re not expected to excel in all aspects of running a business.
Confidence is key to your success, no matter your goal, and the saying “fake it until you make it” definitely rings true when combatting limiting beliefs. You may not feel like a health coach, but if you play the part of a coach anyway, you may start feeling like the real deal before you know it.
It’s also imperative to never let your confidence be dictated by others.
With so many different nutrition “experts” online, you’re likely to be asked whether your Primal Health Coach credential qualifies you to give nutrition advice?
Be confident within yourself and your knowledge so you can reply with a confident YES if this question ever arises.
2. Feeling a Little Stuck?
Feeling stagnant personally or professionally is another major contributor to the formation of limiting beliefs.
If you can relate to feeling this way, we have 3 tips to help you get your mojo back.
1. Set SMART Goals
SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and goals set within a defined time frame) are a clever way to avoid feeling as though your business has stalled.
SMART goal setting helps turn a dream into an achievable action plan by breaking your goal into smaller, measurable milestones.
This can help two fold as it (1) can eliminate the sense of feeling stuck and (2) it can help you feel more in control of your business’s destiny.
2. Write a Business Plan
Writing a business plan is essential to running your own health coaching business and will go a long way to reducing the feeling of being stuck in a rut.
A business plan will help you visual realistic business goals and will help keep you motivated and on track both in the short and long term.
3. Invest in a Life or Business Coach
As coaches, we understand the importance of guidance. Now is the time to practice what you preach (so to speak) and invest in a coach yourself. Depending on your unique situation you may turn to either a life coach or a business coach.
4. Turn to a Mentor
A great tip for any entrepreneur is to find a business mentor. A mentor is someone you can bounce ideas off of. They can provide advice when you’re feeling a little unsure as to which direction to take.
Having someone that is a few steps ahead of you is a huge asset and can make the difference between your business success and failure.
3. Underestimating Your Worth
Limiting beliefs can greatly affect the financial value you place on your health coaching services.
Many coaches struggle to charge the true value of their health coaching services out of a fear of rejection or an overwhelming sense of self-doubt.
Perceived value (PDF) is the worth of a product or service in the eye of a consumer.
How a consumer perceives the value of a product or service is just as important as the product itself.
When determining your coaching rate, it’s important to think of your value based on the results you offer, rather than the time you spend with clients. Your value as a health coach can’t truly be measured in hours. It’s measured in the impact you have on your clients’ lives.
Helping a client move closer towards lifelong health and wellness is a huge achievement and you should be paid accordingly.
When putting a price on your health coaching services consider how much you would pay for a complete lifestyle transformation.
4. Taking on Too Much
One of the biggest mistakes made by new business owners is taking on too much.
As mentioned previously, a business plan will help you avoid taking on too much, as you should be able to see a clear outline of business progression and growth.
Be realistic with your expectations. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your health coaching business won’t be either. Slow and steady is key.
It is completely unrealistic to try and take on all aspects of your business on your own. Make a list of the aspects of your health caoching business that you enjoy the most. The items and action points at the top of this list are likely to be the aspects of your business that you will be most suited to perform yourself.
It’s also important to make a separate list that details the aspects of your business that you like the least. These action points should be outsourced, or if you’re in a position to hire staff, you can delegate these tasks to a staff member.
It’s essential that you avoid spreading yourself too thin. If you do, then you’re at a higher risk of burnout, which is not good for your health or your business.
Getting organized will help with the sensation that there’s always something that has to be done. Use a calendar app such as Google Calendar to plan your week, month and year.
5. Your Business Structure Is Too Broad
When you’re just starting out as a health coach, there may be the temptation to work with anyone and everyone.
Trying to meet the needs of everyone will leave your business structure too broad. This can leave you questioning your abilities as a health coach and may lead to the formation of limiting beliefs.
A better approach is to identify your niche market within the field of health coaching.
So how do you go about this?
The first step is to discover your secret sauce. Your secret sauce is the recipe that makes you and your coaching services unique. This is based on your talents, education, passion, life experiences and your interests.
Once you’ve discovered your secret sauce you can identify your ideal client.
For example, if you’re a mommy that loves nothing better than hitting a daily CrossFit WOD, your ideal client is likely to be other mommies striving to reach their full health and fitness potential through healthy nutrition and CrossFit-style workouts.
Finding your niche will help prevent and alleviate the formation of limiting beliefs regarding your health coaching.
In conclusion, being aware of what can trigger the formation of limiting beliefs is the first step to preventing them.
Here we’ve discussed five potential causes of limiting beliefs in health coaches including:
- Lack of confidence
- Feeling a little stuck
- Underestimating your worth
- Taking on too much
- Your business structure is too broad
We have also provided helpful strategies to overcome each of these causes, so there’ll be nothing holding you back from being the very best health coach you can possibly be!
