100 Conversations

Photo: Kepler Track, New Zealand. I took this photo while celebrating achieving my goal.

100 PEOPLE. 100 LIVES. 100 CONVERSATIONS.

In one year I coached 100 people. ONE HUNDRED different people. In addition to my regular clients, I discovered how to connect with people all over the world I had never met and share my coaching with them. Many of these were two-hour Discovery Sessions, where I would meet with a new person and we would spend two hours together. TWO HOURS. No agenda. No plan.

Together we would explore what was going on in that person’s world and I would help them. It was that simple.

How did I decide to coach 100 different people?

One day I was talking with my coach, and I was sharing how I wanted to share my coaching with more people. I told him I wanted to further develop my coaching skills, learn how to create clients in my coaching business, and learn how to serve people powerfully.

“How can I do that??” I asked.

“Well.. what if you had 100 conversations with people?” he said.

Right then a light bulb went off in my head.

“Yes! 100 Conversations! I love that idea. I am going to DO IT!”

I decided to define my goal of “conversations” as actual coaching. Not just, “Hi, how ya doing? Let me tell you about coaching..” but Let’s sit down and really go deep in exploring what is really going on in your life and what you really want and see how to move you forward.

I like doing hard things, and seeing what I am capable of doing.

I love metrics and having tangible goals. One hundred coaching conversations was a very tangible goal. I was excited about it. But where in the heck was I going to find ONE HUNDRED people to help?!

I had no idea, but I got to work.

I found that the approach that resonated most with me was the Prosperous Coach philosophy. Find ways to connect with people genuinely, learn about them, be present, listen, ask questions, and help them.

It is all about service, which is core to Who I Am and what I am about.

If often begins with the simple question, “How can I help?”

Once I got to work, I focused on the process of connecting with people and finding ways to help them.

Of course I made a list, so that I could keep track and stay motivated. But I didn’t think about how I was going to find 100 people all at once. That would be overwhelming.

Just one person, and one conversation at a time.

The process reminded me of one of my favorite Zen proverbs:

Chop wood, carry water.

This is what is required for success.

For an entire year I chopped wood, and carried water. Day in, day out.

And by the end of the year, I had successfully met my goal. I had coached 100 different people.

What is your current big goal?

If you don’t have a goal that excites you and scares you at least a little bit, you probably aren’t thinking big enough.