The other day, I was in a session with a client who is an outstanding coach and meditation master, and he dropped this zinger:
“The ego provides a never-ending business model.”
Here’s what I mean:
Sometimes, as coaches and/or spiritual teachers, we can get fixated on the solution that will make all of our clients' problems disappear.
For example, my personal favorite “inner-game” solutions are Prophetic Presence, the Inner Salam Method and The Psychological Switch.
As enjoyable as it is for me to teach all of these things to clients who are paying attention, it's equally important that I never forget that nobody actually ever signs up for the deep truths I want to share
What people sign up for, is to solve the problems that their own egos are creating.
For example:
- the problem of feeling insecure about being single at a certain phase in life;
- or fear of losing a partner or not being able to make a relationship work
- or the desire to grow a business with as many clients as possible
- or feeling embarrassed about being out of shape
- or being frustrated at kids who don’t pay attention
- Ad infinitum
There is no end to the myriad of ways in which the ego will, time and time again, trick totally innocent, well-meaning, even growth-oriented people into completely sabotaging themselves.
Our job as coaches is to identify those tricks, shed light and awareness on them, and invite people into a sacred relationship where we can coach them through it.
The deep spiritual teachings we want to share, or the techniques we want to use do not provide a never-ending business model.
The ego does.
Keep your message focused on solving problems that your client’s ego creates and you’ll never run out of content and never stop changing people’s lives.
Anyway, if your ego has any fear, insecurity or self-doubt around your ability to attract an never-ending stream of clients, then tune into your True Self and you might find that your God-given intuition is gently guiding you right over here: