Don’t Give People What They Want, Wake Them Up
Last night I participated in an online training event for transformation coaches with Sean Smith at Motivating the Masses. It was a really good session for coaches like myself. I’ve also read awesome things about Sean Smith in the past so it was a great opportunity to experience him teach for myself and to learn from him directly. He gave a lot great information in the two hour session, but he also said something that I do not agree with. It is something I have heard many times before and every time I hear it I still disagree.
He said that as a coach, speaker, trainer, etc., you have to talk about what people want to hear and teach what they want to learn. The idea is that people are more receptive and open to listening if you are saying what they want to hear. They are more likely to work with you and buy from you if you are teaching what they want to learn.
But what if I don’t want to talk about what they want to hear? What if I don’t want to teach what they want to learn? Should I just go along with something that doesn’t interest me or set my heart on fire? That is the reason why I decided to leave corporate America. To finally do what is meaningful and full of passion to me. Now Mr. Smith is telling me to forgo what I want and give the people what they want. Actually, he’s not the only person saying that. Check out any article with blogging or coaching advice and you’ll pretty much hear the same thing. “Don’t write about what you want to write about. Write or talk about what your audience wants to read about and listen to.”
Henry Ford said that if he would have asked people what they wanted they would have said faster horses. I definitely think there is a balance between meeting people’s immediate wants and holding the vision for them when they can’t see it for themselves. As a coach, I hold the vision. My goal isn’t to deliver faster horses, at least not in the long run. My goal is deliver cars.
There are plenty of things that people need to hear but they do not want to hear. They are simply too afraid to hear. They prefer not to hear because then they can use the excuse that they didn’t know and no one ever told them. At times they don’t even realize that there is something else worth listening to.
If your spouse needed to get up and get ready for work, would you just let them sleep? Of course not. You would wake them up. And so it is with the mark you leave on this world. If you have a message that you’re passionate about and you truly believe in, maybe, just maybe that message is your calling. If no one wants to learn what you are teaching, maybe it is your responsibility to wake them up. Yes, it is possible that they will be reluctant or even disengaged. Don’t let that deter you for this is when people’s lives are truly transformed. Teaching someone what they want to learn will change them. Teaching someone what they need to learn will transform them. (Tweet this)
IT Statement (Inspiring & Transformational)
I am leaving my mark on this world.
