Deciding on Creativity Coaching
The time to hire yourself a creativity
coach is when the timing is right! You’ve already read about how
Coaching Helps Artists in three major ways:
 | Getting the
Art Made |
| Building
Your Body of Work |
|
Strengthening Your Unique Style and Vision |
Individual vs. Group
Coaching
There are times when your creative acts
will best be supported in a private relationship with a creativity coach
who becomes person who understands all the details of your unique creative
work. One-to-one coaching over the telephone is especially suited to this
private time; it is a special way to follow your own personal style of
creativity and how it is trying to bloom forth.
There are other times when the give and
take of a small group is just what is needed to get your work jump-started
or momentum maintained. The sharing of the ups and downs and complicated
spirals of the creative process can enrich the journey for every member of
the group. Again, a small group working together regularly either by phone
or in a combination of phone and shared e-mails can be just the ticket. I
offer several Groups each year.
In terms of fees, group coaching is
costs less, but that is only a bargain if there is value for you in
working in a group. Also know that I offer a range of Creativity
Coaching Gift Certificates (anchor link inside contact) as you
consider your choice.
Timing
Checklist
Are you . . .
. . .
ready to take your creativity more seriously because you
want to be producing more work than you are now?
. .
. ready to upgrade your basic creativity skills and build your body
of work? or
. .
. ready to strengthen and deepen your unique style and creative
vision?
Then you are ready for
creativity coaching.
Choosing a
good time to start coaching includes considering the other commitments you
have in your life. Imagine the overall balance you desire between your
active creative work and time spent in other areas such as family,
business, caretaking, and just taking a break for a while. Is this a good
time to take your work more seriously and invest more energy using the
power of coaching to improve your work?
If you’d like to check out on your own
whether this is the right time for you to start coaching, see my
Readiness for Coaching checklist below. However, the most efficient
way to see if creativity coaching is right for you is to jump right in and
Schedule a Free Coaching Session. Send an e-mail with your
open times (and time zone, please) for a complimentary phone session with
no obligation.
Even though many artists could benefit
from the support of creativity coaching at any time, there are certain
crossroads that can serve as triggers for coaching.
| your normal flow is blocked and you
can’t think of any reason for its timing |
| your feeling stuck and your usual
techniques to get going again are not working |
| you have committed to a new project
or deadline and want support to successfully reach this next level. |
| you recently started off with great
energy and now have lost momentum. |
| you have been feeling isolated and
would like some honest feedback in a confidential, supportive
relationship. |
| classes are leaving with you with
work that looks more like the teachers’ than your own style.
|
| you are plagued by a variety of inner
critics brandishing a weapons arsenal of self-sabotage, fears of the
creative process, perfectionism, overwhelm, self-doubt, immobilizing
comparisons to others, and plain old low self-confidence (whew!) |
| self-help books are not helping. |
Ready for Coaching
Questionnaire
When you think about coaching, you may
already have a pretty good idea what changes you will be asking of
yourself so you can make the art your were meant to make. Being ready to
face these changes is something only you can assess.
In addition, here are some general
readiness questions*. If you can answer yes to them, this may be just the
right time for creativity coaching in your life.
□ I am able to arrange my schedule
to keep coaching appointments and work on creativity tasks between times.
□ I am willing to experiment with
changes in my behavior and track the results.
□ I am open to learning more about
my creative process and becoming aware of the related decisions I make on
a daily basis.
□ I can arrange the next three month
period so I can invest the money and time to include creativity coaching
in my life.
□ I will work as a partner with my
creativity coach in taking my creative process to a new level.
*Adapted from Auerbach, Jeffrey.
Personal and Executive Coaching. 2001. p. 246.
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