Benefit number one, when you enroll in a program like the Certified Clarity Coach Training Program, you are not only a student, you are also a peer client, which means that you will receive all of the benefits that come from a coaching relationship. So let me explain a little more about that. When you enroll in an ICF accredited coach training program. Typically, there is a peer coaching requirement, which means that you will serve as a coach and you will coach one of your peers. And it's an opportunity for you to build your proficiency with the practice of coaching. In addition to being a peer coach, you are also the peer client for another student in your cohort, which means that you will be on the receiving end of the relationship. You will have an opportunity to bring your questions, your issues, your concerns, to your coaching sessions with your peer coach and receive real and valuable coaching from them. So while you are learning about the art of coaching, while you're developing your toolkit, and you're having opportunities to practice, you are also benefiting from being coached yourself. So anything and everything you want to be coached on is fair game for your peer coaching relationship. And you also have the security of knowing that these peer coaching sessions are being evaluated. So as a part of the program, every coach has to record and submit at least five coaching sessions with their peer client. And then I review them, I provide written feedback, and so you know both as a peer coach and as a peer client, that there is some oversight here. Because we are in the process of learning and growing as coaches, and so that's where my eye comes in, to provide that additional level of feedback and support. As a student in the Coach with Clarity Program, you will be providing a minimum of 20 hours of peer coaching, and you will be receiving a minimum of 20 hours of peer coaching. When we combine that with our weekly coaching labs, where we also have supervised practice and where you will be both coached and providing coaching, when we add all of that up, you will probably receive at least 30 hours of individual coaching through the Certified Clarity Coach Training Program. So 20 with your peer coaches, and at least 10 (if not more) during coaching labs. So not only are you investing in a training program, and not only will you walk away with the skills and the knowledge, but you are also investing in a coaching program. You will be coached, you will have breakthroughs. It is impossible not to have some level of transformation occur when you are receiving 30 hours of powerful coaching. So when you think about enrolling in a coach training program, yes you're getting the training, and that leads to certification. But you're also receiving coaching, too. So it really is a powerful one-two punch in an ICF accredited program, like the Certified Clarity Coach Training Program. So that's hidden benefit number one, yes, you get access to training and certification. And you will receive what will inevitably be some life changing coaching from your fellow students. And that in and of itself, is typically worth the investment of time, money, and energy. Because when you think about it, any transformation can occur with this level of personalized coaching. Truly, the sky's the limit. So that is what I think of as the number one hidden benefit of a coach training program, is that you get to receive some really powerful coaching while you go through the certification process. So let's look at hidden benefit number two, when you enroll in a program like this, you become part of a connected, intimate community of coaches. So all of a sudden, you have a support network of people who believe in you, who trust you, who want to see you succeed, and they are there with you every step of the way. This sense of community starts within your cohort. So when you participate in a coach training program, like the Certified Clarity Coach Program, you are a member of a cohort. Which means you have a team of fellow student coaches who are learning with, and from, and alongside you, at every step of the way. So you are having a shared experience. And shared experiences often lead to really deep bonds and connections between people. So you will, from the get go, be a part of a small, intimate cohort. For the Certified Clarity Coach Program, we're really looking at probably 16 or fewer people. So a really tight bond emerges within these cohorts. So regardless of what you're facing, what you're going through, what you're experiencing, whether it's in your coaching business, in your coaching practice, in the rest of your life, you have immediate access to a supportive community of other coaches and staff, including me, who will be there to encourage you, guide you, and support you every single step of the way. So when this happens, yes, you're making professional connections, and it's wonderful to network, but you're also making personal friendships. And I've already been able to witness really deep friendships and connections between past graduates. And I know that these relationships are going to continue likely for the rest of their lives. Which means these people are changing their lives, and you have the capacity to change someone else's life, all by being a part of this intimate cohort. I know when I think about my own coach training experience through my coach training program, I'm still in regular contact with several of the faculty members and fellow students from my training days. And they are some of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters. And I hope they feel the same way about me. Because I get so excited when I see them, creating their own successes in their businesses in their lifetime, cheering them on every step of the way. And so, I love now facilitating a coach training program that's able to offer that as well, in a really small, intimate environment. That's one of the reasons why we keep the cohorts on the smaller side, because I want to foster that sense of connection and community. Because that is integral, in my perspective, to your development as a really powerful coach. The other piece to consider too is that while not every coach starts their own business, many coaches do. Many choose to go into business for themselves, and that process can be surprisingly lonely. When you are a solopreneur, when you're out there building your business from scratch, from the ground up and you're on your own, it can feel isolating. You can have a number of wonderfully supportive people in your life: spouses, partners, parents, children, friends, colleagues, people who love you, and want you to succeed. And yet, may not have a full understanding of what it really means to start or grow your own business. And so while they're there for you and they're supportive, they don't necessarily have that understanding where you can go to them with a problem, or if you just need to vent, they may not have a full understanding of what it is you're facing.

 When you are in a certified training program like the Certified Clarity Coach Program, you know you've got a network of people who are going through everything with you. That can be there to challenge you, to encourage you, to share feedback and ideas. Because you are all in it together, you're on a similar journey, you're facing similar challenges. And within a cohort that is small, but still a decent size, you know, 12, 15, 16 members, there is enough diversity of thought and experience that oftentimes, someone in your cohort might have a different viewpoint or perspective on the situation, and may be able to provide that insight, provide that perspective that inspires you to view things a different way, and to come up with opportunities and solutions. And so you have that when you are in a program that focuses on cohort-based learning. And that's what the Certified Clarity Coach Program does. So, hidden benefit number two, when you enroll in the Certified Clarity Coach Program, you become a part of a very intimate community of coaches, certainly within your cohort. And also, as the program grows, you will have access to fellow graduates, alumni of the Certified Clarity Coach Training Program. And as we grow, I fully expect that alumni network to grow as well. So you can get in right now on the ground floor of that. All right, we've talked about two hidden benefits so far. Number one is that you will be receiving powerful coaching as you are studying to become a powerful coach. And number two is that you have connections with a supportive, intimate community of coaches who are there to back you up every step of the way. So the third and final hidden benefit I want to talk about today, is what happens as we go through the change process within a coaching program. As we learn about different ways to show up and support our clients, as we learn about different coaching tools that we can apply, and as we learn about different approaches to the work and connecting with other people, we can't help but be changed on some level. And what I found when I went through my program, and what my graduates have found going through the Certified Clarity Coach Program, is that there is a shift in how we view the world and how we view everyone in the world, including yourself. It's a hard thing to talk about, to put words to, because it is such an intensely personal experience. And I know what I experienced is probably different from what Wendy experienced, and what other graduates experienced as well. But the commonality is that, when we really step into the belief that our clients have the ability to create the change they desire, we also then see our own ability to create the change we want in our own lives. So just as we learn to support others through their change process, we also learn how to support ourselves through it as well. We also recognize that because the power is with the client, as coaches, we simply serve as the catalyst for the client's change. And to me, this is the absolute definition of a strengths-based outlook on life. We see what's possible, and our clients see what's possible as well. And as coaches, we're able to see our clients strengths, and talents, and passions, and abilities. And sometimes those may be hidden. Sometimes we may see something in the client that they don't necessarily see in themselves, and then we get to reflect it back to them. And once they have that awareness, then they can decide how they want to use that strength, that talent, that ability, that maybe they hadn't seen before. And from there, we can help them decide how they want to leverage that newfound strength, or ability, towards the change they want to create in their life. It is such an empowering experience, to be a coach and to be coached. And when we recognize that, and when we see that we have the ability to extend this perspective to everything in life, then anything is possible. We as coaches believe in the power of change, because we've seen it happen. And because we've experienced it ourselves. No institution is too big, too powerful, too corrupt, or too far gone to change. Now we recognize that it takes action. It takes more than simply wanting or wishing something into being. No, there's some effort that goes into it as well. And so we recognize that yes, action is necessary. It takes work to create change, and we are ready to work for it. So truly, one of the hidden benefits of a coach training program, is that when you go through a program that is the right fit for you, at the right time in your life, and you're ready to go all in and really invest the time and the energy in yourself, then you cannot help but be transformed. And you cannot help but develop a new way of looking at the world and of everyone in it, including yourself. So those are the three hidden benefits I have found from facilitating a coach training program and from my own experience in one as well. Number one is getting hours and hours of extraordinary coaching to really help you in your business, your relationships, and in your life. Number two is becoming a part of a really powerful community of coaches that you can always access whenever you need. And number three is that you now have the ability to view the world, and systems, processes, and decision making, in an entirely different matter. And you realize that there's no limits on what you're able to create. With that, let's move into this week's Clarity in Action Moment. 

This week's Clarity in Action Moment is brought to you by the Certified Clarity Coach Training Program. We have been talking about this program for a few weeks, in large part because the next cohort begins on August 23. So we are in the final push for registration, I'm very excited by the applicants that we've had so far. And I've had the opportunity to connect with each one personally. I'm going to talk more about why I do that, by the way, in next week's episode, so you're definitely gonna want to stick around for that. But for now, I'll say we are shaping up to have an extraordinary cohort in August, and I would love for you to be a part of it. So the Certified Clarity Coach Training Program is a 125 hour training program. Every single one of those hours can be applied towards your ICF credential application. This means that you have all of the training hours you need to apply for either the Associate Certified Coach, the ACC, or the Professional Certified Coach, the PCC, through the International Coaching Federation. Now, there are a few other things you have to have in order to apply for an ICF credential, and one of them is 10 hours of mentor coaching. Of those 10 hours, a minimum of three need to be one-on-one. And the other seven can be group coaching. Typically, I offer the 10 hours of mentor coaching as an add-on to the training program. So if you want the mentor coaching, you can pay an additional fee, and then be enrolled in that portion of the program as well. However, for this priority enrollment period, which ends today, I will be including the mentor coaching component at no additional cost. So typically, it is an additional $1,000 for the mentor coaching. But when you apply by the end of today, you will get those 10 hours of mentor coaching included for the training only tuition. So that is a huge savings. And you also have the peace of mind of knowing that when you conclude the program, you will have both the training hours, and the mentor coaching hours required for your credential. So you will be in fantastic shape by the time you wrap up the program. So this special edition of the mentor coaching hours is only good for those people who apply by the end of today, August 2nd. So if you do not already have your application in, and you are thinking about pursuing a coach training program, I strongly recommend you head on over to CoachwithClarity.com/apply, that will take you directly to the application form. Should take about 15 or 20 minutes to complete. It is a thorough application, because that helps me get to know you better and helps me ensure that this program really is the best fit for you right now. And then when it comes time to match you with peer coaches and peer clients, I use that information to ensure that the match is going to be the very best one it can be for you. So if you have any questions about the program and you want to see what it includes, and if you've got some questions, they're probably going to be answered in the Frequently Asked Questions section over at the certification webpage. So just head to CoachwithClarity.com/certification to learn more. And then you can click the Apply Now button on that page to apply. Or if you know you're ready to go straight to the application, just head to CoachwithClarity.com/apply to do so today. I can't wait to review your application, I can't wait to schedule our connection call. And above all, I can't wait to welcome you to the next cohort of the Certified Clarity Coach Training Program. 

For this week's Clarity in Action Moment, I have two questions for you to consider. Question number one, what motivates you as a coach? So why are you a coach? Why did you enter this profession? What is it about coaching that not only drew you in from the first place, but keeps you in? Why are you in this for the long haul? So when we're really clear on our motivation, we're often able to connect it to a deeper value. And that really encapsulates our sense of purpose in terms of why we do the work that we do. And as we talked about in the past, there's no right or wrong answer to this question. My motivation may look a little different from yours, and that is absolutely okay. And I would argue that's part of what makes it interesting, is that we all come to this with different motivations and different desires, and that diversity really enhances our profession. So I want you to get really clear on what your motivation is to be a coach. That's question number one. And then question number two, I want you to ask yourself, what type of support do you need right now? I want you to get really specific with this question. When we assess the current health of our businesses, our relationships, our lives, we need to look at what we already have that we can make work for us. And we need to be aware of any blind spots, or deficits, or areas that need a little strengthening. So this is a time for you to really take stock of your own coaching work and ask yourself, what feels like it's missing? What feels like it's incomplete? And what additional support do I want around my coaching practice? And I can tell you right now that if anything you've listed has to do with building your coaching business, or improving your skills as a coach, then we can address those within the Certified Clarity Coach Training Program. And because the cohorts are on the smaller side, it means that you will get personalized attention. And if there are specific questions, or tools, or things that you need addressed in the program, we are able to do that. So do keep that in mind as one option to consider in your journey. But to sum up this week's Clarity in Action Moment, I want you to get really clear on what motivates you to be a coach, and what areas of your coaching work would benefit from some additional support or structure. And if there's anything I can do to support you in that journey, whether it's through the Certified Clarity Coach Training Program, or some of my other offers, including my private coaching, I hope you'll reach out. You can find me over on Instagram @CoachwithClarity, and you are always welcome to send me an email at info@CoachwithClarity.com

Well, my friends, we've done it again, we've wrapped up another episode of the Coach with Clarity Podcast. As always, I am so grateful that you've chosen to spend the last 25 minutes or so with me. I hope it's been helpful. And I look forward to connecting with you again next week. And in next week's episode, we are going to explore the role we have in creating community within our programs, especially if we are running group coaching programs. So we're going to kind of dive into what it means to cultivate community. And I've got some thoughts on that. So you're definitely going to want to stick around for next week's episode. And to make sure you don't miss it, go ahead and follow this podcast now. So in whatever app you're using, whether it's Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Audible, IHeartRadio, you name it, there should be an option to follow, or maybe subscribe, to this podcast. Now it's free to do so. There's absolutely no cost when it comes to following or subscribing to a podcast. But you do need to opt-in. And when you do, you can be assured that you will have every new episode of the podcast waiting for you when you open your app. So click that follow button or that subscribe button today. And then I will talk to you next week in a brand new episode of the Coach with Clarity Podcast. So until then, my name is Lee Chaix McDonough, reminding you to get out there and show the world what it means to be a Coach with Clarity.