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This post focuses on managing a common issue experienced by most new executive function coaches: the great wall of overwhelm.
Starting a new executive function coaching business creates a lot of questions:
What should I name my business?
What tax structure should I use?
How do I run a coaching session?
Do I need insurance?
These are valid questions, but they shouldn't get in the way of you doing what you're best at -- coaching students and adults with executive function needs.
By the end of this post, you’ll have a clear roadmap with actionable steps to navigate overwhelm and build a thriving executive function coaching practice.
What do most new EF coaches feel overwhelmed by?
Through our courses and community at the Executive Function Coaching Academy, we've guided hundreds of new coaches from pondering the idea of coaching to setting up a profitable practice.
Here are the most common areas that cause overwhelm for new coaches:
Lack of experience in business setup
Many coaches enter the field without prior experience building a business, leading to uncertainty about creating a website, handling forms, and choosing the proper structure.
While it is true that setting up a business can be tricky, we've made it easy on new coaches by providing things like:
Terms of Service templates
Scripts for discovery calls
Guidance on how to build your website
Checklists for running your first coaching session
And so much more!
If you want more support, check out SCORE, which offers free business mentoring and a consultation with a local attorney when setting up your new coaching practice.
Self-doubt and inexperience
New coaches often question their expertise, fearing they need to know everything to be effective. This can result in offering free services or hesitating to start their practice.
While it is ok to offer a few sessions for free to gain experience or testimonials, undervaluing your expertise and giving away too much can be a recipe for burn out and continued overwhelm.
Misconceptions about coaching
Many think they must provide an extraordinary experience for every client.
In reality, being slightly ahead of your client and guiding them through their challenges is often enough to have a student and family leave the coaching experience with gratitude and new skills.
When new coaches try to do too much, they often leave clients feeling overwhelmed and hesitant to continue the coaching process.
5 actionable strategies to manage overwhelm as a new executive function coach
Here are some actionable strategies to help you navigate overwhelm as you set your sights on building a profitable executive function coaching practice.
1. Try the "2 minute" method ⏰
We've found that action alleviates anxiety. Commit to doing something small each day that contributes to your practice.
If you are struggling to start, ask yourself:
What is the two minute version of the task that is overwhelming me?
Even a two-minute task can make a difference. Consistent action builds momentum and reduces feelings of overwhelm.
2. Reframe your overwhelm 🖼️
Acknowledge the feeling of overwhelm, appreciate it, and then set it aside.
Shift your focus to more productive emotions, like enthusiasm for building your practice. Try completing this sentence:
I'm grateful I have the courage to try...
The feeling of overwhelm is a signal that you are trying new things. Embrace that!
"Each week I did the steps you recommended and watch a couple additional videos from the Vault and I feel more prepared and confident to launch my business in the fall. I subscribed to Tutorbird and made my website and did things I never even attempted to do before. Thank you so much for everything you have provided! I'm really excited to start this journey."
3. Use the "ONE THING" approach 1️⃣
When everything seems urgent, ask yourself, “If I could only accomplish one thing today that would make me proud, what would it be?”
If you get in the habit of doing this, I promise each day will start to feel more meaningful and connected to your higher calling, rather than just staying busy.
4. Ensure progress is visualized
When your inner critic starts to say things like, “I’m not doing enough,” you need a way to talk back.
One thing I like to do is keep visual reminders of my progress. This might look like:
Putting completed steps and goals on Post It notes that are put on a spike
Tracking milestones using Google Sheets
Writing your goals in a journal and crossing them off
Tracking completed goals in a note
I use the App, Day One, to keep a journal, and here is how I visualize my progress toward goals in 2023.
5. Join a supportive community
Connect with other coaches by joining a community like the Executive Function Coaching Academy.
Engaging with peers provides support, feedback, and motivation. Or consider creating your own mastermind group to learn from others and maintain motivation.
"Nothing sustains motivation better than belonging to the tribe. It transforms a personal quest into a shared one...This is why remaining part of a group after achieving a goal is crucial to maintaining your habits. It's friendship and community that embed a new identity and help behaviors last over the long run."
-James Clear, Atomic Habits
Check out what EFCA member, Catriona, said about her experience in the community 👇
Summary
If you are feeling overwhelmed as you start your new coaching venture, fear not. Things will take shape quicker than you can imagine, if you learn to manage your overwhelm and enjoy the journey.
Here are small steps you can take today:
1. Commit to daily tasks that take two minutes or less.
2. Acknowledge overwhelm, then convert it to appreciation.
3. Identify one KEY task to complete each day.
4. Visualize progress by looking at what you have done.
5. Build a tribe to stay engaged.
Hope this helps 🤙🏻
P.S.
Consider joining hundreds of educators and professional who have completed our executive function coaching certification. You'll gain all the tools, templates, and techniques you'll need as a coach, plus you'll make new friends and have a community you can rely on to grow and learn. Learn more.
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About Me
Hey! I'm Sean 👋
I'm a former public school special education teacher who realized that executive function skills are more important than knowing when George Washington crossed the Potomac.
Since then, I've made it my mission to teach anyone who will listen about how to develop these key life skills.
In 2020, I founded Executive Function Specialists to ensure all students with ADHD and Autism have access to high-quality online executive function coaching services. We offer online EF coaching and courses to help students and families.
Realizing I could only reach so many people through coaching, in 2021 I started the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains schools, educators, and individuals to learn the key strategies to improve executive function skills for students.
In 2023, I co-founded of UpSkill Specialists, to provide neurodivergent adults with high-quality executive function coaching services.
When not pursuing my passions through work, I love spending time with my family, getting exercise, and expanding my brain through reading. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.