An Interview With KimHow long have you been doing what you do and how did you get to be a Life Coach? To answer this question, it's probably best that I share with you one of the defining moments in my life that brought me to where I am today - coaching people like you on exactly what to do to live happier, more fulfilling lives. That defining moment in my life happened in 1992. I was working for a large retail chain as a Jewelry Department Assistant Manager, and was EXTREMELY unhappy at the time. Every aspect of my life was a complete mess. Finances, relationships, health, you name it, I was screwing it up. The irony here is that I thought it was everyone else that was doing it to me, but that's another story in itself. One day while on a dinner break at work, I was killing time browsing through a nearby mall. For some strange reason (I now know it was "Divine Intervention") I found myself drawn into one of the bookstores. Next thing I knew I was leafing through the book that literally put me on the path to where I am today. That book was "Awaken the Giant Within" by Anthony Robbins. Right there, at that very moment in the bookstore, something in me shifted. I bought the book and read it cover to cover in a couple of days, then went to work applying the principles that resonated with me. Not only did I read that book, but I became almost fanatical about studying everything I could get my hands on in the area of Personal Development, especially the subjects of happiness and success. Books, audio, seminars, you name it, I immersed myself in it. I essentially decided to become a mini-expert in the areas of happiness and success. The next thing I knew I was back at college (after a long 10 year hiatus), studying psychology in an effort to further understand and refine the secrets anyone could apply to create the happy and successful lives they desired. I was like a sponge, soaking up everything I could find, so naturally after getting my undergrad degree I felt compelled to go on to Graduate school to uncover more about the mysteries of happiness and success. Within a couple of years I had a Masters degree in Guidance & Counseling and knew for sure that I was on the right path. During this process, I had an epiphany! The thing that I enjoyed MOST about my search to understand my life was actually taking that knowledge and using it to help others create happier, more successful lives. Soon, people who knew me were asking, "What did you do? What's the secret? Can you help me do it too?" From that point on I made the commitment to dedicate the rest of my professional life to helping others clarify, pursue and attain their personal and professional goals. And since that day, I've worked with hundreds of private clients around the world helping them design and live happier, more fulfilling lives. It definitely took a lot longer than I had ever imagined it would, but lo and behold I am now living the life I had only once dreamed of. I now have a loving, supportive wife, a beautiful home, excellent health and fitness, and a job that I LOVE! Who are your clients? I work with a wide variety of people just like you, who want to figure out what they really want from life, and how to get it, but have never been taught exactly how to do this with ease and consistency. What happens if you haven't yet worked with people in my field? I've worked with hundreds of clients, covering a variety of fields and occupations. Most likely I've worked with people in your field. Yet, I have to share with you that if I haven't, you're not at a disadvantage, quite to the contrary. Here's why; after years of working with all these different types of clients I've noticed they ALL have the same issues when it comes to figuring out what they really want from life! What my current and former clients have found exceedingly helpful is that I bring an extremely fresh perspective to their struggle, and give them the support and resources they need to make dramatic changes in their lives, no matter what field they're currently working in. How are you different from other "Life Coaches?" It's very important for me to correctly assess if I'm the right partner for you. I am extremely committed to the growth, success, and happiness of each of my clients, and therefore only work with a limited number of individuals who are serious about taking their lives to the next level. If I don't think I'm right for the job, I'll let you know immediately, and try to refer you to a more appropriate resource. Also, I have experienced MANY very challenging things in my lifetime which I've had to overcome. Over the course of time I've simply become an expert at this stuff and that's why my clients get great results. Not to mention that my approach is lighthearted, fun, compassionate and supportive, which ALWAYS helps! What type of personality do you work best with? My clients are people who want more out of life and are dissatisfied with the results they are getting. It's not that they haven't produced results or experienced success yet. In fact, in many ways they are already very successful by society's standards, but they still feel something is missing. They believe that it's possible to live a life that is bursting with opportunities for more growth, happiness, joy, passion, and fulfillment. Very often the clients I work with are looking for help in their quest to find answers to questions like:
My clients are often looking for a confidential place where they can go to discuss their problems, challenges and life situations. Somewhere to explore what life truly has to offer them. A place that allows them to experience the benefits of having the unbiased perspective of a trained, caring professional, who can help them see and correct what they themselves cannot. Very often clients simply need to take the time to get focused and clear on who they are and what they really want, but for one reason or another they just never seem to be able to make that time a priority. Frequently they feel overwhelmed with their work and/or home lives, afraid of venturing out of their comfort zones, uncertain in their abilities to manifest what they want, or unsure of what to do to make their dreams come true. You'll be most successful working with me if you're:
What type of person is NOT a good fit for working with you? Please know I'm very selective in who I work with. I choose to suggest alternatives for people who are not a good fit for my style and approach. It's important to me that people get the results that they want, need and expect from coaching. Life Coaching is NOT for those who have no money coming in and are financially desperate, at least not right away. It's been my experience that people in financial crisis do not trust the recommendations I give them and do not do the work (usually because they are so distracted by their financial life and do not yet understand the way you approach money and business actually affects the way your money manifests). If you fall within this category, it's absolutely OK, and I recommend you do the following at this point in time:
Doing these three things will really help you create a solid foundation for beginning a coaching relationship. When you're ready, call me and we'll get you started. Another type of person I won't work with (without exception) is the chronic pessimist or complainer, as well as individuals who consistently make excuses for not getting their assignments done or challenging every recommendation I make. If you are one of these people, please don't call and I hope you understand why. We'll probably just not work well together and I wouldn't want you to waste your time or money. What is the approach you use to help me achieve my desired outcomes? Designing and living a happy and successful life involves clarifying what you really want, figuring out what skills and strategies are needed to accomplish your objectives, and developing and implementing those skills and strategies on a regular basis until you achieve your desired outcomes. Here's how we typically proceed in the coaching process:
This is the approach I normally follow, which has been developed after working with hundreds of clients over the last 10 years to help them design and live happier, more successful lives. In addition, you can expect to learn many other things that will help you begin crafting a life that you're truly proud of. What can I expect to happen when I decide to work with you? Here is how we usually begin the coaching process:
What happens during a typical coaching call? Usually you can expect the following to occur during a coaching call:
Each and every client is unique. Your needs and desires will be different from the other clients I work with, and will vary from session to session. Therefore, we will focus on what is most pressing to you on each call. I will always be prepared for your session, but never attached to a specific agenda! I take pride in my ability to customize my coaching style and approach to meet the needs of each individual I work with. Does this really work? Yes! Why do you think professional athletes all over the world use coaches? It's because most of us need a coach or mentor on our team. Someone with the knowledge, skills, training, and ability to help us achieve what we want. A coach can not only help you with the "know how," but more importantly can provide the things that almost all of us are missing in our daily lives. Things like support, encouragement, and an unbiased perspective, that can help you get where you want to go much faster than you can on your own. Partnering with me as your own Life Coach will dramatically alter the course of your life for the better. The result of our work together is an approach that over time, and with your dedication, helps you clarify, pursue and attain your personal and professional goals. What results can I expect? You can expect to:
Can I contact some of your former clients to see what it's like to work with you? Yes, that's a great idea! Go to the Client Testimonials page and read through all the comments. See who you feel drawn to, then email or call them to ask what it was like to work with me as their coach. How quickly can I expect results? That honestly depends on where you currently are in your journey, and with how much time and effort you put into our work together. With that said, virtually all of my clients see results within the first couple of months in the form of increased awareness of how their thinking creates their reality, greater clarity of what they truly want, and a solid foundation on which to set meaningful goals. How can I guarantee myself that I will get these results? You'll need to do all the homework we decide on, and be totally open to trying out new ways of thinking and behaving. If you think that Life Coaching is going to provide you with "instant results " then you're sadly mistaken. It takes time to plant the seeds of happiness and success, and for those seeds to grow into something that you can delightfully harvest! All of my clients who have diligently applied what they've learned have turned their lives around in much less time than they would have on their own, and have become much happier and more fulfilled along the way. Will I recover the investment I put into coaching? Yes! Think about it. I want you to stop reading for just one moment and ask yourself, "What is the value of figuring out how to design and live a truly happy and fulfilling life? " For most of us the answer is something like a VISA commercial - "PRICELESS!" Do you offer any kind of guarantee? Yes! I unconditionally guarantee your satisfaction! If you're not completely satisfied with your results I will refund any unused sessions without hesitation. What options do I have for getting started?
Do you accept credit cards? Yes. Once we decide to work together you will receive an invoice via email that you can pay right online. This sounds like exactly what I need. How do I get started? Excellent! Here's what to do next: Go here to set up a complimentary Life Assessment Session, so that we can get together via phone to make sure we're a good match for working together. Once we've both decided to move forward we'll set up our first coaching call. Then I'll send you a questionnaire to complete in preparation for that call so that we hit the ground running. If I'm not sure I'm ready to get started, how can I sample your work at low cost to see if it's the right solution for me? Sure. One thing you can do is get the free Life Mastery Starter Kit. Another low cost option that'll give you a great idea of what it's like to work with me is my eBook, "How to Figure Out What You Really Want." Click here to learn more. OK, I'm ready to do this for myself, but I have a couple of additional questions. Can I call you? Of course! I'd be delighted to speak with you. Just call me at (914) 941-2503 or email me at kim@coachkim.com and we'll set up a date and time to talk so that I can answer any questions you might have. |
© 2009 Kim Smith. All rights reserved. Site Map |