Do you want to become a successful run coach? Are you willing to do anything it takes to become a full time run coach?
You probably want me to share the best social media tips and marketing tactics.
But here’s the truth: your beliefs actually impact your level of success FAR more than your knowledge.
Being people pleaser is something that many run coaches struggle with. In fact, over 50% of the population admits to being a people pleaser and I believe far more are people pleasers but don’t even know it!
Signs a Run Coach is a People Pleaser
Are you a people pleaser? A 2022 survey by YouGov showed that 50% of people would definitely or probably describe themselves as people-pleasers, and 39% said it made their lives harder.
This can impact your success in 2 areas of your run coaching business:
People Pleasing In Your Run Coaching Marketing
- You are afraid to speak up when you don’t agree with a training philosophy or take a strong stance on YOUR philosophy
- You think about what a certain run coach you admire will think of your posts or you worry about “hater” comments
- Worry that your friends/family are judging you
Impact on your business
Soft, watery marketing that doesn’t attract your ideal client. It may attract license but not the ones you actually are excited to work with.
People Pleasing In Your Run Coaching
- You tend to let you running athletes off the hook or “go easy” on them
- Not asking for feedback from your athletes to make your coaching better/more effective.
- You fear looking selfish or unworthy when pricing (see my pricing episode)
- You overcommit to things and overdeliver to the point of depleting yourself
Impact on your business
You aren’t giving your athletes the coaching they truly need and/or you’re too overwhelmed to properly coach them all in order to make enough money.
In my early days of mentoring other coaches, I wanted to make growing a business seem easy. I thought that if they bought it was easy, they’d be more motivated to keep going.
Unfortunately I received some bad advice that I needed to make what I do seem so simple that ANYONE can be successful. But the truth is; growing a business or achieving your PR is going to take some hard work. There’s not magic pill. And you as the coach are there to give them the feedback that they need to course correct and get there faster and more confidently.
But in the end, the best people WANT feedback. They want to get push back and they want to be held accountable. When I surveyed the women I mentored asking if they wanted honest feedback, 90% of them said yes – tell me the truth and 10% said “yes but go easy on me.”
Steps to Stop People Pleasing
Shifting your behaviors takes time. But working on this can have a dramatic impact on your success.
- Recognizing it and how it impacts you (and your athletes) negatively.
- Setting a goal to improve. For example, this year I set a goal to be more BOLD.
- Doing things that scare you. Speak up when you disagree. Ask for constructive criticism. Start small & it doesn’t even have to do with running- maybe send back your meal if it was prepared wrong or simply ask for no onions instead of picking them off!!!
- Say no more often & stop apologizing!! Decline that party invitation. Don’t say sorry when your neighbor tells you that you left your trash cans out.
- NOTICE how this feels. Encourage yourself when you say no or do something bold and you get GOOD feedback.
Does this sound like you? Take a listen to this week’s Runner Rising podcast episode where I dive deep into the topic of people pleasing. I provide some relatable stories.
Looking for more 1:1 help with your run coach business? Check out Runner Rising Academy Group Program!
