A few years ago I found the perfect coach! She dazzled me so much I signed up for her group coaching program. I was under her spell!
For like a month…
All the artsy creativity and pizazz that was in HER was NOT in the program. I felt duped. I’ve gotten pretty good at vetting online marketers so how did I not see thru the smoke and mirrors this time?
I know I’m not alone, you’ve probably fallen prey to a Merlin or two. It’s a trick the pros play BUT, I know their secret. And I’m going to share it with you… For $1499.00.
Just kidding.
My first step into understanding how I was charmed was when I went deep into Megan Macedo’s Artist and Business Paradigm work. If you’re not familiar with it, let’s review.
A paradigm is a set of rules to play a game. If you play soccer with basketball’s rules you’re gonna be a really shitty soccer player.
Remember BlockBuster video and DVD rental? They made like 20% of their money from late fees so they didn’t want to get into Internet streaming. They chose to play with the old rules and folded faster than tortillas on Taco Tuesday.
The Artist Paradigm is about doing what Macedo calls your “real work”. The focus is on doing your art and focusing on what makes you come alive.
The Business Paradigm is about profits and the needs of the market. This can be important and very handy but it’s #2 in my book.
Just so you know…
The coaching program I took wasn’t bad and I don’t have any ill feelings towards it or the peeps who sold it. Some people got a lot of value from that program. Why didn’t I?
If you’ve bought a course before and if what you bought seemed different from what you received, this may be true for you too.
You ready to find out what I learned?
Here it goes…
Most people sell you in Artist Paradigm but they teach you in the Business Paradigm.
I’m gonna repeat that.
Most people sell you in Artist Paradigm but they teach you in the Business Paradigm.
Now just let that sink in…
When I purchased that coaching program I resonated with the founder’s story. She was an artist who wanted more. She learned the skills and developed the confidence to play a bigger game.
Who wouldn’t want to learn from her?
But when I signed up I didn’t get HOW she did it, I got her SYSTEM. It was full of spreadsheets, goal setting, numbers, scaling, almost all Business Paradigm stuff. Her coaching program may have been great for me had I enrolled in it 5 or 10 years ago.
I have a friend right now that is doing what I used to do. She’s taking courses, traveling to conferences, using new technologies and is overly BP focused. She won’t admit it but she’s tired. And more importantly she’s not getting what she wants.
It’s like how contestants lose weight on The Biggest Loser TV show. After you cut your calories to 1200 a day and do more cardio than a cheetah, almost none of the contestants can sustain their results. A former contestant said they’ll never do a reunion show because almost all contestants gain ALL of the weight back.
So what was the solution to my problem? What did I eventually learn?
I realized the answers to the big problems need to come from within. Fulfillment is about loving what you do and who you become.
At least once a day you need to slow down and make space for quiet time (meditation, etc.) and connect with your inner YOU. You’re connecting to intuition, source, god, that feeling in your gut, etc. Use whatever term you want.
If not, you’ll keep being bewitched by the Business Paradigm. And let me tell you, the Business Paradigm ALWAYS has stuff for you to DO and BUY!
You can get more done if you buy this program!
You’re sucking wind cause you need SEO.
Why are you not posting on TikTok 5 times a day?
These are tactics and they work. You can even do these tactics in an artful way. The best pros do! But my point is, tactics don’t create fulfillment. Tactics don’t put you in the right direction to do your REAL WORK.
When you get quiet and get answers from the inside you’ll know you’re on the right track and it will ‘feel right’.
Adam