If you’ve always had the limiting belief that being an introvert can hold you back in your career, think again: coaching is an ideal career for introverts.
Picture the classic entrepreneur stock photo: a well-dressed professional with a confident smile, shaking hands with a new acquaintance and surrounded by other people at a networking event. Did you just shudder a little and think “I can’t do that! I hate networking and putting myself out there”?
If so, you’re definitely not alone. Many sources report that anywhere from 33%–50% of the population is estimated to be introverted instead of extroverted.
Maybe you share some of these classic traits—many of which might feel like obstacles as you’re searching for a career for introverts:
- You’re generally overstimulated by crowds and big parties
- You recharge by spending your time alone or with intimate friends
- You typically spend a lot of time thinking before speaking
The truth is: many introverts have found these traits have served them beautifully on their path to becoming successful professional coaches, and coaching can be an ideal career for introverts.
And the same can be true for you, too. (P.S. The founder of iPEC, Bruce D Schneider, is an admitted introvert.)
These 4 Traits Make Coaching a Beautiful Career for Introverts
1. Big events really aren’t your jam, you prefer to keep gatherings small
If you thrive in one-on-one or small group interactions, coaching can be a perfect fit for you! Although there certainly are coaches who are successful in hosting big events or who regularly hold group coaching sessions, there are still plenty of people who prefer a more intimate coaching relationship.
As a coach, you get to choose exactly which kind of services you want to offer, and who you want to work with. So whether that means coaching multiple people at a time or just one person, you will be able to tailor your services to meet both your client’s needs as well as your own.
2. You’re not much for small talk, and prefer to get to the deeper stuff
One of the classic introvert stereotypes is their dislike of “meaningless” small talk. Now, we’re not here to make judgements on whether talking about the weather is empowering or not, but we do want to point out that in a coaching session, your client (usually) wants to get to the heart of their challenges right away.
Time is money, and when you focus on the client’s agenda right away, it shows that you value them and the reason why they’re there.
Introverts also typically spend a lot of time in deep thought or deep conversation, and are very self-aware of their internal thoughts and emotions. Being in touch with those deeper feelings can be a huge asset in helping your clients access their deeper feelings. Your tendency to discuss things in depth lends itself to the type of inner work that coaches do, and will help you to be a more effective and efficient coach compared to the one who can only connect on the surface stuff.
3. Small details speak to you
Small things make a big difference to the whole. This likely shows up in your life in two ways:
- you pay close attention to the subtle details about people
- you probably like to make everything as perfect as possible before putting yourself or your materials out there.
The ability to “deeply listen” to what a client is really saying can be incredibly helpful in identifying the root cause of their current struggles. In fact, one of the reasons iPEC is considered by many to be the best coach training program in the world is our Core Energy Coaching™ methodology, which focuses specifically on creating sustainable change within your clients by helping them to make powerful changes at their core.
By actively listening and paying attention to the small details, you’ll have an edge in identifying what is shaping the client’s perspective, and where that energy is coming from.
4. You value “doing your own thing” and setting your own schedule
At the end of the day, most of us want a fulfilling, successful career, but what that looks like for one person almost always differs from the next person’s vision. Building an independent coaching business offers you the chance to choose: your niche, your clients, your schedule, and how you market yourself. Some introverted coaches blog, others do podcasts, and still others have found ways to successfully network in person.
Life is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Embrace your introverted awesomeness and use it to your advantage to be the coach you needed when you were younger or less experienced.
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