You Can’t Be Everything to Everyone

Many years ago, I followed a creativity coach who published the most beautiful planners covered in her whimsical art.

She spoke both English and Spanish, and her fans kept asking her to offer Spanish planners too. So she spent months translating the text and adjusting the layouts.

Finally, she launched her new Spanish-language planners out into the world . . .

And hardly anyone bought them.

The coach was devastated that she put so much of her time, money, and effort into a product that people said they wanted but didn’t actually buy. She didn’t even recoup the money she spent on creating the new planners.

I thought she was very brave to share her story and feelings of failure. I learned an important lesson from her experience:

You can’t be everything to everyone.

I’ve been running my own coaching business since 2011, and I made a ton of mistakes in my first few years as a newbie coach.

I tried to appeal to everyone. I tried to solve all the world’s problems. I drove myself to near burnout by following everyone else’s suggestions.

It was only when I stopped listening to outside voices (yes, even my loyal fans) and started listening to my own instincts did my business really begin to soar!

How I Narrow My Focus and Trust Myself

• I didn’t listen to a popular coach who said I would ruin my business by sharing my story about being a suicide attempt survivor. She said, “No one will hire a life coach who tried to take her life.” It continues to be my most-read blog post and has created a bond with my followers who appreciate my vulnerability. (And yes, I laughed my buns off when that coach closed her business the next year.)
• I refused dozens of sponsorship deals for my YouTube channel from companies that don’t align with my values. Thank goodness I followed my heart because a few of them ended up involved in awful scandals.
• At least a once a year, I kindly turn down offers to make my Life Editing Process into a teachable framework for other coaches to use. If you’ve watched my “So You Want to Be a Life Coach” course, then you’re familiar with my distaste for coaching schools.

Now I want to hear from you!

Are you following your instincts? Or are you feeling swayed by other people’s opinions?

Send an email to sage@sagegrayson.com and share one action step you can take this week to trust yourself and not try to be everything to everyone. You know what’s best!