A few years ago, in a small upstairs room in this coffee shop in Bangkok, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott, Ph.D. and her husband Michael. We were all there for an intensive 4-day Thai reading course, in an effort to improve our Thai language skills. During coffee breaks, we started talking and it turned out that was not the only thing we had in common. Like us, they also own their own business, are expatriates living in multiple countries for months at a time, taking a variety of courses to improve ourselves, love of travel and the list goes on.
When she offered to give me a coaching session, I grabbed the opportunity to get a new experience. An hour with her really brought home some truths about myself and yes, it helped!
Cherie works with a lot of owners, entrepreneurs and people going into business for themselves for the first time, so I asked her if I could ask her some questions for my blog here, in the hopes that some of the answers may also help you, my dear readers, with your business or life goals in general.
She said yes, so here we go!
Q: Thanks for the interview, Cherie. Let's start with what is a life coach? It could mean anything, what is it that you do?
A: Life Coaching is a partnership between coach and client in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires the client to maximize their personal and professional potential. The coaching relationship continually gives all the power to know and to choose to the client. The basic assumption is that the client knows the answers to all questions and challenges he or she may encounter, even if those answers appear to be hidden from their perspective.
Life Coaching is a profession that is profoundly different from consulting, mentoring, advising, therapy, or counseling. The coaching process focuses on specific objectives, examines what is going on right now, helps the client to discover their obstacles or challenges, and facilitates them making a choice to make their life what they envision.
Q: What have you found to be the most common obstacle that people encounter when starting out with their own business? And what advice would you give that might help them overcome it?
A: Fear of failure, or conversely fear of success. In fact, change is what makes people uncertain, insecure, and indecisive. Change for the worse or change for the better makes the client feel out of control and can in and of itself create a block to making a decision and taking action. To overcome fear, the individual must trust him or herself and believe that they have what it takes to make their life become what they envision. Secondly, they have to be willing for life to shift from good to great. They might have a good life, but are they willing to have their life be absolutely fantastic? If they want to go for greatness, it will require taking a risk. If they are risk averse, they must consider the cost-benefit analysis of their choices and consequences.
Q: You've been in business as a successful entrepreneur for quite some time now, and you work with family! How do you make that work without either killing each other or being consumed by your work?
A: It will be 40 years as an entrepreneur in 2014! We have six businesses that are all related to individual and organizational transformation. I work closely with my sister for 40 years as my business partner and my husband for the last 23 years. My closest associates are my family and friends. We need to stay current with each other at all times, no withheld communications, no secrets, no hidden agendas. In my book, If Love is a Game, I address "No Stones in the basket" which means that you don't put issues in the basket on your head, but rather on the table to be addressed. Transparency is our motto, and sometimes we need to preface the communication with, "I have something uncomfortable to say, and you may not want to hear it, but I have to say it or write it because it it is getting in the way of our relationship." Our pact with each other is to make it safe to say the "Unsayable," and clear the air regardless of how difficult it may be to deal with the content.
Q: What is, in your opinion, the first thing people should do when considering becoming their own boss?
A: There are questions that are really important for the potential entrepreneur to answer. I have attached this list to this interview. If you want to publish it, feel free (I've added this list at bottom of this blog post). I have learned over the years that this is absolutely critical to sort out before the person makes the leap. Honesty is key to this process. If the person is truthful and really knows him or herself well, answers the questions correctly with "Yes" answers, then they will succeed if they are willing to do whatever it takes.
Q: You've met and worked with a lot of successful people, whether they were entrepreneurs or not. Is there one thing you could say they all have in common?
A: They believe in themselves. They are flexible to change direction when required. They do whatever is needed and wanted without complaining. The four main components are: desire, willingness, belief, and commitment.
Q: Thanks very much Cherie, for your candour and being part of this interview! One final question: What do you love most about your job?
A: I love watching people manifest their heart's desires. I love watching them become successful. I love watching them release the stress and transform their lives into what they envision in their deepest desires. It fuels me, and since I can only ask them for what I am willing to live as an example, I am also going for my dreams, and this process has no end to it. That means that as long as my brain is fully functioning, and my body is at optimal performance there is no end in sight. You see, there will always be people in transition who want to make their dreams become reality...and that is why I am the dream midwife!
Thank you Cristel for asking! My website is: www.drcherie.com in case your readers want to give personally signed books for holiday gifts!
Dr. Cherie and I are working together on the Dutch audio version of her book 'If Life is a Game, these are the Rules'.
It has a lot of simple truths in it that you may find helpful, whether you're on your way to becoming an entrepreneur or just would like a better grasp of your own life.
I hope you all enjoyed Cherie's input as much as I have! Contact her directly through the links in the text above the interview if you would like to schedule a life coaching session with Dr. Cherie or if you'd like to learn more about what she does. If you've been inspired to become your own boss, contact me ;-)
Style on!
Cristel
Q: Thanks for the interview, Cherie. Let's start with what is a life coach? It could mean anything, what is it that you do?
A: Life Coaching is a partnership between coach and client in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires the client to maximize their personal and professional potential. The coaching relationship continually gives all the power to know and to choose to the client. The basic assumption is that the client knows the answers to all questions and challenges he or she may encounter, even if those answers appear to be hidden from their perspective.
Life Coaching is a profession that is profoundly different from consulting, mentoring, advising, therapy, or counseling. The coaching process focuses on specific objectives, examines what is going on right now, helps the client to discover their obstacles or challenges, and facilitates them making a choice to make their life what they envision.
Q: What have you found to be the most common obstacle that people encounter when starting out with their own business? And what advice would you give that might help them overcome it?
A: Fear of failure, or conversely fear of success. In fact, change is what makes people uncertain, insecure, and indecisive. Change for the worse or change for the better makes the client feel out of control and can in and of itself create a block to making a decision and taking action. To overcome fear, the individual must trust him or herself and believe that they have what it takes to make their life become what they envision. Secondly, they have to be willing for life to shift from good to great. They might have a good life, but are they willing to have their life be absolutely fantastic? If they want to go for greatness, it will require taking a risk. If they are risk averse, they must consider the cost-benefit analysis of their choices and consequences.
Q: You've been in business as a successful entrepreneur for quite some time now, and you work with family! How do you make that work without either killing each other or being consumed by your work?
A: It will be 40 years as an entrepreneur in 2014! We have six businesses that are all related to individual and organizational transformation. I work closely with my sister for 40 years as my business partner and my husband for the last 23 years. My closest associates are my family and friends. We need to stay current with each other at all times, no withheld communications, no secrets, no hidden agendas. In my book, If Love is a Game, I address "No Stones in the basket" which means that you don't put issues in the basket on your head, but rather on the table to be addressed. Transparency is our motto, and sometimes we need to preface the communication with, "I have something uncomfortable to say, and you may not want to hear it, but I have to say it or write it because it it is getting in the way of our relationship." Our pact with each other is to make it safe to say the "Unsayable," and clear the air regardless of how difficult it may be to deal with the content.
Q: What is, in your opinion, the first thing people should do when considering becoming their own boss?
A: There are questions that are really important for the potential entrepreneur to answer. I have attached this list to this interview. If you want to publish it, feel free (I've added this list at bottom of this blog post). I have learned over the years that this is absolutely critical to sort out before the person makes the leap. Honesty is key to this process. If the person is truthful and really knows him or herself well, answers the questions correctly with "Yes" answers, then they will succeed if they are willing to do whatever it takes.
Q: You've met and worked with a lot of successful people, whether they were entrepreneurs or not. Is there one thing you could say they all have in common?
A: They believe in themselves. They are flexible to change direction when required. They do whatever is needed and wanted without complaining. The four main components are: desire, willingness, belief, and commitment.
Q: Thanks very much Cherie, for your candour and being part of this interview! One final question: What do you love most about your job?
A: I love watching people manifest their heart's desires. I love watching them become successful. I love watching them release the stress and transform their lives into what they envision in their deepest desires. It fuels me, and since I can only ask them for what I am willing to live as an example, I am also going for my dreams, and this process has no end to it. That means that as long as my brain is fully functioning, and my body is at optimal performance there is no end in sight. You see, there will always be people in transition who want to make their dreams become reality...and that is why I am the dream midwife!
Thank you Cristel for asking! My website is: www.drcherie.com in case your readers want to give personally signed books for holiday gifts!
Dr. Cherie and I are working together on the Dutch audio version of her book 'If Life is a Game, these are the Rules'.
It has a lot of simple truths in it that you may find helpful, whether you're on your way to becoming an entrepreneur or just would like a better grasp of your own life.
I hope you all enjoyed Cherie's input as much as I have! Contact her directly through the links in the text above the interview if you would like to schedule a life coaching session with Dr. Cherie or if you'd like to learn more about what she does. If you've been inspired to become your own boss, contact me ;-)
Style on!
Cristel
