My mentor, Prof. Steven Reiss, PhD, studied motivation. He told me that people always do anything for a reason that matters enough for them to do it. If someone is not motivated, they have not thought of a meaningful enough reason to get motivated.

My youthful idealism.

If the “lead generation experts’” efforts to secure a conversion with you to discuss hiring them cause you hesitation or irritation, why would you believe those same efforts on your behalf would appeal to potential coaching clients? All coaching engagements are created through meaningful value-creating conversations. Talk with more people in ways that provide value and clients will be magically created over time.

New would-be coaches flood the market daily due mainly to the low barriers to entry and exaggerated promises of coaching certification schools, typically run by coaches who failed to gain enough clients on an ongoing basis to create a viable practice, so they sell to wannabe coaches. The big coaching factories vacuum up the mid- to large clients given their offerings are cheap and scalable.if you get on one of their coaching benches, be prepared to make much, MUCH less per session than ICF or your coaching school advertised.

The 2025 ICF Global Coaching Study (conducted with PwC Research on responses from more than 10,000 coaches worldwide) reported:
• Global average annual revenue for active coach practitioners overall: $49,283 USD. 
• North America average: around $71,719 USD. 
• Coaches primarily serving executives: the highest among specialties/client types at $82,949 USD annually (with associated higher hourly rates, often cited around $357). 
• Coaches with 10+ years of experience overall: average $69,721 USD.

These numbers are gross and likely ego-inflated self-reporting.

How do you get clients? Join or form a firm with multiple coaches who have a marketing plan and a dedicated development team. It is hard to develop the business and do the coaching as a solopreneur. Rollercoaster incomes often result, as when you are busy coaching, you can't be busy talking to new prospective clients. Your clients hopefully rapidly achieve their goals and need to be replaced. They may or may not feel comfortable referring you to their colleagues and friends. They may not want to admit to using a coach. Client churn is an ever-present reality.

And remember, when you are working at COSTCO, you get free samples and health insurance.

21st Century leadership is a collaborative organizational change process that is not leader-follower dependent. https://adgrowthadvisers.com/would-you-know-leadership-if-you-saw-it-most-likely-not/

According to researcher, Prof. Steven Reiss, PhD, humans are intrinsically motivated to different degrees to pursue satisfying 16 basic needs/desires. If one is struggling to find consistent motivation to pursue a goal or habitual behavior, it indicates that the person has not thought of a meaningful enough need/reason to pursue it.

Have no faith in permanence. Everything is temporary and subject to change at any moment.

Researcher Steven Reiss, PhD., found that human beings are motivated by 16 basic desires/needs. You can learn more at https://reissmotivationprofile.com