Top Five Self-Coaching Tips For Internet Businesses

Do new Internet businesses really need the services of a business Coach, even if they can afford it? Being that one of my roles is as an Internet business coach I am somewhat biased and would generally answer "yes" to my own question!

Nonetheless, it is possible to effectively self coach regardless of whether you have a flesh and blood business coach or not.

While a student with the International Coach Academy, I also had a demanding full-time IT career with a major investment bank. And during my own transition from salaried employee status to that of startup Internet business owner, I used the following 5 self-coaching tips regularly.

1-Be Open To Alternative Ideas:

One potential downside of the social and peer conditioning in schools and corporate life, is that many people automatically resist even considering new ideas. Why is this? My experience suggests that these people have learned by experience not to rock the boat. If you think this looks and smells like fear of failure, you'd be absolutely right. As a solo business owner your challenge is to notice alternative ways of achieving objectives. Practically speaking, even if only a small percentage of these ideas might be useful in your business, they could still be the difference between success and failure.

2-Experience Life To The Max:

Here's a saying I recall that brings this into focus:

"there are people worrying about what they will be doing in an eternal afterlife who have no idea how to spend a wet Sunday afternoon."

The more richness and vitality you can find in the ordinary aspects of your everyday life, the better equipped you will be to handle the ups and downs, and yes the occasional boredom, of running and operating your own solo business. So, what are you going to enjoy doing on the next available rainy Sunday afternoon?

3-Who Needs More Accountability?:

Probably all us...based on what I have observed about effective coaching. It comes down to this. There are two primary ways I know of making real and usually lasting changes in a Business person's life. Number 1 is raising awareness and number 2 is taking responsibility.

(Notice that I did not say taking 100% responsibility. - the degree of responsibility taken is a matter of practicalities as much as personal ownership.) As far as self coaching goes, taking more responsibility (number 2 from above) invariably ends up in applied accountability. Applied personal accountability. Choosing to compassionately but precisely observe your behavior several times a day can add up over time to a liberating feeling of accepting more accountability and all that goes with the territory. Are you up to this challenge? Just start with a basic intention of being more accountable and notice what happens over a period of weeks and months.

4-Get To the Point:

Getting to the point is in danger of becoming a lost art in a corporate world where taking responsibility is sometimes like being exposed to a highly contagious and career limiting disease! And that's probably why it surprises many new Internet business owners when they comprehend just how many hours in their already busy business days are being expended in not getting to the point. In this arena I have again found that self coaching works well with simple acts of observation. All you have to do at the start of each activity is to ask yourself : "what's the point of this?" Keep asking and you'll get answers. OK, so had you a purpose in mind before reading this article? If not, get one.

5-The Art of Polite Conversation:

Internet business owners spend a lot of time glued to computer screens. However, there are people out there with whom it is probably a good idea to be able to have a polite conversation with. In person, via email, on the phone, via Skype-chat etc. Whatever, the ability to talk in a polite and respectful manner, and still get the job done, is a skill that will never age! In fact, a set of basic rules based on the art of polite conversation is probably the single best thing you can do for your own peace of mind and happiness in your Internet business. Although you can probably come up with your own way of doing this, an increasingly famous and incredibly effective method is given in Dr. Paddi Lund's book, "Building The Happiness-Centred Business". Go get the book out and say G'day to the Solutions Press folks who publish it!