It is so tempting for entrepreneurs to believe the lie that you have to be "self-made." You think it's cheating to have a coach or a mentor, or anyone to guide you. You take on the ridiculous pressure of figuring it ALL out yourself and making it happen all on your own.

 

But there is no way that one person can be amazing at everything. The concept of being self-made, self-reliant, or the ultimate everything is just impossible and it's a sure way to set yourself and your business up for failure.

 

In fact, I'd go as far as saying that we are all made to work together, in teams, and on something bigger than us, that requires more than our individual parts.

 

The problem most entrepreneurs have is that either you are not getting any advice or you are getting it from the wrong people, like friends and family. 

 

Yes they love us and we love them, but just because they are the loudest voices around us and the people we see most regularly, it doesn't mean they are the right people to get advice from. 

 

I am here to point you in the direction of 2 pivotal role players for you if you are an entrepreneur building a sexy business for a sexy life.

The 2 kinds of partnerships every entrepreneur needs to consider for their business are coaches and mentors. But there’s a big difference between mentors and coaches that isn’t obvious at the start of the journey. 

 

The most basic question to ask is, "Do you need someone in your life telling you what to do, or do you need someone showing you the way?"

 

In general, a MENTOR is an overall guide that is focused on you, not necessarily on your business. They look at the big picture and are focused on helping you become what it will take to get to that big picture. 

 

On the other hand, a COACH helps you learn skills  - to play in the game - to learn the particular strategies of any area of life - business, fitness, finance, and more. It is very specific and there is a lot of accountability.

 

While a Mentor can help you with business and a coach can help you create a better life, their goals are different. Their focus is different. And so their definitions of success will be different too.

The number 1 characteristic of an amazing coach is that they won't let you be less than your best! 

 

A coach is NOT

Someone you just love and get along with super well

Your best friend

Sweet to you all the time 

 

A coach will push you past what you think you can do. They will push you past the roadblocks in your mind. They will get you beyond your own personal upper limits and glass ceilings. They will challenge you. They’ll get in your face. They won't let you make excuses - personally and in business. And most importantly, a coach will hold you ACCOUNTABLE. 

 

Now let's be honest. How do you feel about being challenged? When people challenge me, I love it but I also get mad! But just because I'm getting mad, doesn’t mean that it is bad! 

 

Can you imagine a football coach speaking like this “Ok boys, whatever you feel like, just go do that.” Clapping on the side of the field non-stop with a huge cheesy grin. Giving a thumbs-up whenever the players look over at him. 

 

We know that is NOT how the team is going to win. It’s obvious that he is a BAD coach. 

 

But in life, we make up comfortable rules. We push out anyone who challenges us and think we will still be successful. But that’s not how you win at football, it’s not how you win in business, and it’s not how you win at life.

 

Now, I don’t want a coach to yell at me. And I don’t want a coach to be ugly to me. But I do want a coach who won't let me be less than what I can be because I don’t even always know my potential. 

 

And it is so sexy when you find out that you are capable of so much more than you ever imagined! 

A mentor’s approach is to show you how to live. They give you a living, breathing, real-life example of how to make your big picture dreams come true.

 

A mentor usually asks a lot of questions and they listen thoroughly to your answers and the answers behind your answers. 

 

And there are different mentors that suit different people. Not all entrepreneurs have the same life goals. So you need to choose your mentor wisely. 

 

If you are looking at them thinking … That is not where I want to be. Then that is definitely the mentor for you!

 

You want to be thinking "That is my dream mentor! I don't even think they would take me on as a client!" They have success going on and are way ahead of you on your journey. Not just one step ahead, they are 10 steps ahead and you would be super excited to trust them to take you there. 

My challenge for you right now is to keep this one major consideration at the forefront of your entrepreneurial mindset and then to ask yourself 2 practical questions on the topic of Coach vs Mentor.

 

Consider who you are listening to

Don’t take advice from someone who is not ahead of you. This may seem so obvious but a lot of us listen to our peers, our friends, and our families because they love us and want us to succeed. 

 

But are they experts in that field? Do they have experience in that area? Have they been successful in that area? If they are not where you want to be, then be careful of trusting them to lead you on your journey. 

 

And here's a warning that applies specifically to choosing coaches. Beware of someone claiming to be an “all inclusive” coach. Nobody knows everything on every topic! Would you want a business coach to be your personal trainer for your health? Unless they are skilled in that area, you wouldn’t want their guidance in every area of your life

 

Question 1 

Short term, which one are you lacking right now - specific skills for your sexy business or big picture strategy for your sexy life?

 

Question 2 

Long term, do you need both a coach and a mentor? Do you need several coaches for the different areas of your sexy life and sexy business?

 

In the My Sexy Business Magazine you can read about the impact that Mentors and Coaches have made on some real people - entrepreneurs with personal challenges and incredible success. Don't miss this opportunity to be inspired and motivated in your journey to a sexy life!

 

And I would love to hear from you on the My Sexy Business Facebook Page if you have had a story of success with a mentor or a coach!