NOUN
imposter syndrome
the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills.
“people suffering from impostor syndrome may be at increased risk of anxiety”

You know that voice right?
The one that tells you you’re a fraud and you don’t belong here. Imposter Syndrome is more common than we think. Life Coach and TCA Trainer Sarah Bramall shares how we can manage it in this week’s article. Read on!

“You’re not supposed to be here”
“You’re not good enough”
“Everyone is about to find out”

You know that voice right?
The one that whispers to you; stops you in your tracks and makes you doubt yourself.

As a young teacher in 2002, recently appointed and quickly promoted that voice bothered me a lot. I thought was alone in feeling that way, until one day my colleague turned and looked at me and said:
Some days I feel like a fraud; I’m not good enough to be here and one day someone is going to find out.

At that moment my heart stopped beating. I couldn’t believe that someone else was experiencing exactly the same thoughts.
What I didn’t know then, but do know now, is that this condition is called Imposter Syndrome and is prevalent among high achievers. Although it affects men as well as women, it appears to particularly affect women and members of minority groups, due to the cultural conditioning that may have caused us to feel less than enough.

Imposter Syndrome was first coined as a term in 1978 by two psychologists, Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes who studied high achieving young women at Georgia State University. These young women presented with symptoms of anxiety; lack of self-confidence, depression and frustration. Clance and Imes found that these young women tended to attribute their success to external factors (I’ve been lucky) rather than intrinsic qualities such as their skills or experience.

The challenge with Imposter Syndrome is that it doesn’t go away.
High profile women like Michelle Obama still experience it but have learned to manage it. Michelle Obama’s conclusion from sitting around tables with some of the most important people in the world is that “They’re not that smart.”
Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook said that ‘There are still days when I feel like a fraud, not sure I should be where I am.’ Even the great Maya Angelou said, “I have written 11 books but each time I think ‘Uh oh they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody and they’re going to find me out.’”

The bad news is that Imposter Syndrome doesn’t go away.
The good news is that we can learn to manage it.

Imposter Syndrome stems from fear, a fear that we are not good enough and that we will be found out. This fear stems from our evolution as human beings.
As cave-men and cave-women we survived as being part of a tribe. When we risk exposing ourselves by stepping outside of our comfort zone or exposing ourselves to ridicule or rejection, we are fearful. For this reason, public speaking is a major fear for the majority of people.
Our brains were not designed to make us happy, but to keep us safe.
We can’t argue with or try to suppress Imposter Syndrome. What we can do is give that negative voice a face and a name. When this voice speaks to us expressing fear or negativity, we need to acknowledge it and thank it for trying to keep us safe.
But, in fact, we know that we aren’t placing ourselves in immediate danger by applying for promotion, delivering a speech or taking on a new role.

Instead, we can take the negative story- “You’re not good enough” and ask “What do I choose to think instead?”
Our beliefs are formed of words and stories, repeated over time. We can choose to change our thoughts and change our language to form a new belief that will better serve us.
When we focus on Imposter Syndrome we are focusing on ourselves: our doubts, insecurities and fears. When we shift our focus from ourselves to others and how we can serve, the story changes.
C.S Lewis said, “Humility is not thinking of ourselves but thinking of ourselves less.” When we shift our focus, we can ask ourselves more empowering questions: “What value do I bring?”; “Who needs my skills?”; “What is my unique contribution?”
In her brilliant TED Talk Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are Amy Cuddy explains how power posing can dramatically shift our confidence by increasing our testosterone (the dominance hormone) and decreasing our cortisol (the stress hormone).
And no, we don’t have to power pose in public! But, the habit of altering our body language from powerless to powerful and creating a more empowered and less stress reactive state, can help us step into the person we want to become.
Using confidence role models, visualising a positive outcome and even creating an alter ego, as Beyonce created Sasha Fierce, can all help take us to from the person we are now to the person we want to become.
And yes, Imposter Syndrome will rear its ugly head, but when we can shift our thoughts, change our body language and focus on what we have to give, that nasty little voice will no longer have the power to stop us in our tracks.

Coaching is an important relationship, so look for a personal connection between you and each one of the coaches you interview before engaging the right Coach for you.

What questions should I ask when interviewing a coach?

* What is your coaching experience and how long have you been a Professional Coach?
* What is your coaching specialty, or areas in which you often work or choose to work in?
* Can you share specific examples of clients who have succeeded as a result of coaching?
* Are you an ICF Member?
* Do you hold an ICF Credential?
* Is your training recognised?
* How many hours of coaching have you completed?

Earn an ICF Credential.
ICF Credential-holders are part of a self-regulating group of elite coaches who provide accountability to clients and the coaching profession as a whole. They pursue and complete rigorous education and practice requirements that provide unquestioned legitimacy to their commitment to excellence in coaching.

CREDENTIAL PATHS
ICF offers three credentials: Associate, Professional and Master Certified Coach.

PCC ACTP Path
Requirements:
Completion of an entire ICF Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP). Check for your program’s approval.
A minimum of 500 hours (440 paid*) of coaching experience with at least 25 clients following the start of your coach-specific training. At least 50 of these hours must occur within the 24 months** prior to submitting the application for the credential.
Completion of the Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA).
*Given the continued impact of the COVID-19, the ICF Credentials and Standards Board has temporarily approved an increase in the proportion of eligible pro bono coaching hours for PCC applicants who apply by December 31, 2021. This is an extension of the previously announced temporary measure, which was set to end December 31, 2020. The proportion is increasing by 20%, meaning that PCC applicants can count 60 hours of pro bono coaching toward their experience requirement (up from 50 hours).

TRAINING PROGRAM SEARCH SERVICE (TPSS)
The TPSS is a free, searchable directory of coach training accredited by ICF. ICF-accredited training has gone through a rigorous review process and demonstrated that its curriculum aligns with the ICF definition of coaching, Core Competencies and Code of Ethics. ACTP and ACSTH programs deliver foundational coach-specific training. Continuing Coach Education (CCE) offerings provide advanced learning opportunities for trained and credentialed coach practitioners.

https://coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/find-a-training-program

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the world’s largest organization leading the global advancement of the coaching profession and fostering coaching’s role as an integral part of a thriving society. Founded in 1995, its 40,000-plus members located in more than 140 countries and territories work toward common goals of enhancing awareness of coaching and upholding the integrity of the profession through lifelong learning and upholding the highest ethical standards. Through the work of its six unique family organizations, ICF empowers professional coaches, coaching clients, organizations, communities and the world through coaching.

Global organization adopts new creative visual to emphasize the future of professional coaching.
Lexington, Kentucky, USA — The International Coaching Federation (ICF) announced a visual rebrand highlighting its focus on the future of coaching. As the largest and most influential organization in the coaching industry, ICF continues to build upon last year’s transformation into six unique family organizations to fully represent all aspects of the coaching profession. At a time when ICF’s latest research identified a 33% global growth in coaching, the refashioning of ICF’s brand positions the organization for continued expansion following its 25th anniversary.

“Our new identity is more than a cosmetic change; it is an extension of our vision and mission to showcase coaching as an integral part of a thriving society,” said ICF CEO Magdalena Nowicka Mook. “This visual enhancement also reflects the philosophy of One ICF fully committed to serve as the leading voice for the global coaching community in support of all our stakeholders—from coaches to training providers to consumers,” Mook said.

ICF’s new logo is an evolution of the organization’s previous design, with a visual aesthetic that is open and inviting. The updated brand also reflects ICF’s core values of integrity, excellence, collaboration and respect.

“We wanted our new mark to illustrate our willingness to be innovative and daring while affording our members a tool to feature their adoption of the highest standards of ethics and excellence in the coaching profession,” Mook stated.

A distinctive stylization highlights the unique and specialized purpose of each family organization within the ICF ecosystem:

ICF Professional Coaches is the membership organization for trained, professional coach practitioners.
ICF Credentials and Standards is the body that oversees and manages credentialing of individual coach practitioners.
ICF Coach Training is the body that oversees and manages accreditation and approval of coach-training providers.
ICF Foundation is the nonprofit / philanthropic piece of the ICF ecosystem.
ICF Coaching in Organizations is a new entity specifically for businesses and organizations that use coaching.
ICF Thought Leadership Institute is the organization whose goal is to create and
influence the future of coaching. It facilitates interaction between innovators, researchers, technologists, venture capitalists, press and influencers to build and maintain the most comprehensive and highest-quality body of knowledge on the art and practice of coaching.

More information about ICF is available at coachingfederation.org

Most people ask questions to:

Get information

Coaches ask questions to:

• Create awareness of a limiting belief
• Remove a limiting belief
• Get unstuck
• Gain clarity
• Change focus
• Move forward
• Broaden thinking
• Change state
• Access resources
• Explore possibilities

“Why would anyone pay hundreds of dollars per hour to have somebody help them thinking better?” you might ask.

That’s certainly an understandable question. So, what is the Definition of Coaching?

International Coach Federation (ICF) definition of coaching: Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.

This definition gets closer to what really happens in an effective coaching session, but if you’ve never been coached, it’s still hard to imagine the value, so it’s no wonder untrained coaches tend to give advice and then wonder why they don’t have more paying coaching clients.

If your “coaching” is really about giving advice, you’re not coaching; you’re consulting. Sometimes the client needs consulting, so if you’re qualified to consult within your specialty, go ahead and consult. But don’t call it coaching, because your clients won’t know what they’re buying.

And don’t ever call yourself a coach just to get around the fact that you don’t have the credentials to do something else. Coaching is unregulated virtually everywhere, but If you’re not qualified to be a counselor, psychotherapist, financial advisor, legal advisor, or health professional, etc.; it’s unethical to advise people under the heading of “coach”, because coaches don’t advise and because calling your service one thing, when it’s really something else, is false advertising. And finally, because these specialties are usually regulated.

What coaches really do is shift their clients’ mind-states. This is pretty profound, requires skill, and it results in dramatically better outcomes.

In short, coaching clients think better. Way better.

When clients think better, they see solutions to problems and pathways to reaching goals. They sometimes realize they don’t even have problems (or maybe what they have are really good problems) and they even become grateful for what they already have. Sometimes, they find strengths they’d forgotten, or values they truly treasure that pull them forward. Sometimes they realize they already have the people and resources they need, or that they know where to find them.

And occasionally, they discover a gap that needs filling.

There may be a gap in knowledge, vision, plan, or relationships. In these rare cases, the coach may prompt clients with a few possibilities they didn’t know about.

Offering options is ineffective unless it’s really needed, which is pretty rare.

Do you know how to help people think better? Do you know how to shift people’s mind-states so they think and act more resourcefully? Do you know how to elicit people’s personal greatness? Do you want to know more?

Do you think you could be a facilitator in helping people redirect outcomes, choices, plans and goals?

Do you think you could empower someone to have a lightbulb moment?

Do you think you could be a positive, forward-thinking partner on a journey of self-discovery?

Discover how you can become a Nationally Recognised and Internationally Accredited Life Coach at the ACTP level:  Professional Coach ICF ACTP program is what you need!!

www.lifecoachingacademy.edu.au

Contact us today Life Coaching Academy

“Each person holds so much power within themselves that needs to be let out. Sometimes they just need a little nudge, a little direction, a little support, a little coaching, and the greatest things can happen.” — Pete Carrol

What Is A Life Coach?

In sports, we often hear about coaches to the world’s most elite athletes. They sculpt and shape those individuals into who they are. When we’re talking about playing a sport at the highest levels, we often know that there’s a coach embedded in there somewhere. But it’s not just in sports.

In business or in life, we might refer to some of these people as mentors. They help to guide us through some of the most tumultuous times and steer us in the right direction to achieve our goals and our dreams. It’s difficult to see things from a fresh perspective and realize what you’re capable of without them.

But not all of us have access to mentors. Not all of us are proficient in networking or in touch with people playing life at its highest levels. That’s the beauty of having a life coach. You don’t need to know someone who’s rich or famous or who has the proverbial keys to success. All you need to do is to enlist the help of a professional who can help to guide you through things.

So, what is a life coach? It’s not just a mentor. It’s not just a friend. It’s not just a coach in the most basic sense. A life coach is a partner, someone who’s there for you through life’s most difficult and challenging times, able to guide you through and help you  to see things differently, refine your approach and achieve your loftiest dreams.

Most of us are so set in our ways, that unless we have an objective third-party actually point things out to us, we often fail to notice the things that are setting us back. It’s a monumental undertaking to do this by yourself. With that being said, here are the 10 reasons why you absolutely must have a life coach if you’re serious about succeeding at whatever it is that you’re aiming for.

#1 — You Have Trouble Following Through With Goals

For most people, achieving goals is hard. It’s not just the art of goal setting that they find difficult, but actually following through. However, a life coach can help you not only define your goals, but also to help you find powerful enough reasons for why you must achieve them in the first place.

Beyond than that? A life coach can offer you a fresh perspective on why you maybe haven’t been able to achieve the big goals you’ve wanted in the past, and just how you can reorganize your life to empower you rather than to continue holding you back. They also act as an accountability partner, there right by your side, step by step, to ensure you see things through.

#2 — Limiting Beliefs Have Been Holding You Back

Most of the time, we find it difficult to follow through with things in life because, in our subconscious minds, we have limiting beliefs that are holding us back. A life coach is instrumental in helping you to identify those limiting beliefs so that you can push forward rather than feeling left behind.

For example, if you’ve heard your entire life that you’re big boned and you’ve been telling people the same thing for years, how can you possibly believe, wholeheartedly, that you can lose a significant amount of weight? The story you’ve been telling yourself for years will override your ability to follow through. A life coach can help you recognize and overcome these types of limiting beliefs.

#3 — You Simply Don’t Know Where To Begin

Sometimes we just don’t know where to begin. We get sucked into the notion of success and know that we want to achieve something, but we feel so helpless that we just fail to start. Maybe it’s because we don’t feel like we deserve it or maybe it’s some other reason, but we just don’t know how or where to even begin.

The enormity of big goals can often overwhelm us. It’s hard to get clear on things when you can’t even get past that feeling of helplessness and not knowing where to start. Life coaches can assess your personal situation and help you get on the path towards taking action towards your dreams.

#4 — Anxiety And Stress Are Recurring Themes

Life can get stressful. Plain and simple. I know that when I failed repeatedly in the past, I went through some of the most anxious and stressful times in my life. I was depressed beyond belief. Even though I learned a lot through failure, having those constant emotions become a recurring theme in your life isn’t fun whatsoever.

When you combine all of our responsibilities, from work to family and social lives, it’s easy to see why we get so stressed out. It’s not a good feeling, especially when it feels like the walls are caving in on you. Getting the perspective and outside help that life coaching affords is integral in helping you move past those disheartening emotions.

#5 — You’re Unable To Define A Clear Vision

Sometimes we feel like we’re living our lives according to someone else’s rules or wishes. We have goals, but they’re not what we really want. Because of that, we lack a clear vision. We’re so confused, being pushed and pulled in every direction, that we’re unable to create that clear vision for what we want out of life.

Life coaches can help you cut through all the noise and get clear on what you want. It isn’t the easiest thing to understand, especially when trying to see it from a perspective that we’ve been looking at it from for years or decades even. This is one of the best parts of having a coach on your side, giving you the extra

#6 — Your Finances, Health, Relationships, Career Or Business Is In Complete Disarray

If your life is in a state of complete disarray, you might be in drastic need of a coach that will help you get through some of the most difficult times. Whether it’s your finances, your health, your relationships, your career or your business, oftentimes it’s hard to focus and see the forest through the trees when we’re struggling to move through the fog of today’s complexities.

When your marriage fails, your health is shot, and your career, finances or your business is completely shattered, it’s hard to make it through those tough times. But a life coach will help you wade through the seas of sorrow to emerge on the shores of hope as your guide.

#7 — The Passion You Once Had For Life Is Gone

I once lost passion in my life and in my work. It happened after I had an earth-shattering failure. I didn’t even want to go on. I sincerely think that those were some of the worst times in my life and I never want to revisit that place mentally or emotionally. But there’s also some good to be said about it. In fact, I wouldn’t take them back even if I could.

But when you lose that passion or that spark for life or for business, you need someone there to help move you along. You need someone to help identify the issues that you’ve faced and the upshots in your past that have led you to where you are today. Without that, it’s hard to get that passion and the juice back for your life that you once had.

#8 — You Get Easily Sidetracked By Time-Wasters

It’s easy to get sidetracked in life. We have bad habits that are hard to quit and it’s difficult to manage our time to make progress. Often, we’re stuck spinning our wheels. I know I feel that way sometimes. But, those time-wasters can completely debilitate us from achieving anything in life.

Life coaches aren’t just there to help you achieve your goals, but they’re also there to help you improve your life on so many levels. This includes things like your habits. Considering that habits make up 45% of our behavior, good habits offer a pathway to both discipline and achievement.

#9 — Your Friends And Family Aren’t Supporting Your Dreams

It’s hard to stay focused on your goals when you don’t have the support of people around you. When your friends and your family members aren’t supporting your dreams, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. When we’re so busy dealing with negativity from all around us, how are we supposed to make progress and move forward?

However, your life coach is there for you no matter what. They act as your support system. Even if friends and family aren’t sticking by you, you have them. Although it’s not free, it is well worth it. The experience and knowledge of some life coaches are invaluable instruments in helping us achieve our goals.

#10 — You’re Completely Lost And Feel Like All Hope Is Gone

There was a time when I lost hope in life. It was so bad that I didn’t want to go on. I was lost, drowning in a sea of despair. When you feel like that, you can’t even focus on getting through the day, let alone moving closer to your goals. If you feel lost or like all hope is gone, you absolutely need a life coach.

This becomes, not just an option, but a necessity. If you feel hopeless or like a failure or unable to accomplish anything, you need to do more than read a blog post or watch an empowering video.

You need someone there by your side.

You need a Coach to help you regain the confidence that you once had and push closer towards your dreams.

Our thoughts and internal dialogue can lead to stories that we carry with us throughout our whole life.

Stories that don’t inspire us to think big but rather keep us from reaching our true potential.

The language we use to communicate with ourselves has incredible power and it is often the case that the words we use can be a reflection of both our internal and external experiences.

Learning to become aware of the impact your words have on your reality is the first step towards being able to change the way you speak to yourself when going after your dreams.

Below are six of the most common phrases that could be holding you back:

1. I don’t have enough money/time/knowledge etc.

What if, you did have all of the money, time and knowledge? What would your life look like? Instead of focusing your attention on what you don’t have, consider how you could have it.

If you made time to work on your hobby could it build your confidence to turn it into a business? If you invested in the correct training or courses would that help to enhance your knowledge? How could you find ways to make more money to invest in doing the things that you love?

Instead of allowing your thoughts to stop you with ‘I don’t have’ statements, consider directing your mind to ‘how could I’ questions. When you do so, you can feel more empowered and your mind is more able to direct you to a solution that moves you forwards instead of hitting a dead end.

2. It’s too hard

When you go after what you want, it won’t always be smooth sailing. There may be times where you encounter challenges along the way.

Everything takes practice, maybe there were times you thought learning how to ride a bike, drive a car or learn a new language seemed difficult but after investing time into developing your skill, maybe you are now able to do these things effortlessly.

Staying focused on the bigger picture and knowing that every bump in the road is a stepping stone that is moving you one step closer to pushing through your limits can help you to stay motivated to keep going.

3. I’m scared

Experiencing moments of fear and self-doubt are common when going after what you want. When you move out of your comfort zone it is natural to feel nervous, but you shouldn’t allow your fear to paralyze you.

Fear doesn’t always mean STOP, sometimes it means keep going.

Instead of saying ‘I’m afraid’ consider saying ‘I’m excited’. Start with smaller steps and move at a pace that you feel comfortable with and eventually you can build up your courage to go after bigger goals.

4. That’s just who I am

If you maintain a rigid way of looking at yourself and situations, you may limit yourself from creating a life that you love. The world around us is constantly evolving and if we don’t allow ourselves to be flexible to adapt, we hold ourselves back from growing.

Keeping an open mind and being willing to explore the parts of ourselves and our lifestyles that aren’t in alignment with what we want and considering how we can change, helps us to open doorways to new ways of being, doing and achieving.

5. I’ve tried before and it didn’t work out

There is no failure, only feedback!

If things haven’t worked the first time around it doesn’t mean that you are any worse off, in fact, you are one step closer because you may have learnt what doesn’t work.

There have been countless success stories of people who didn’t get things right the first time around, Thomas Edison is one example of someone who didn’t give up, it took him 1,000 attempts before he was able to invent the light bulb and light up our world.

Asking yourself what wisdom you attained from your failed experience and considering what you could do differently next time, are both ways that you can continue to move forwards.

6. I’m not ready

Often perfectionism is procrastination dressed in disguise. We may wait for a ‘perfect moment’ that never seems to arrive or tell ourselves that we need to do more before we even consider getting started.

This mentality can keep us stuck and stop us from taking action.

When you’re able to remind yourself that ‘you don’t need to get it perfect straight away, you just need to get it going’ you let go of the pressure you may put on yourself to make things perfect and you’re able to move into a space of exploring small action steps that you feel comfortable with to move things forward. With every action step that you take, you’re able to move your dreams out of your head and into your world.

When we become aware of the language we’re using when considering our ideas, it can quite literally be the breakthrough that unlocks our potential to move forwards.