Coaching Giveaway Report: Today is the day (Oct. 24, 2011) I’ll be contacting the winners of the free coaching. I will not be publishing names to keep all coaching confidential. It’s an ethical bond I want to continue. There were seven winners—Thanks to all who left a comment!
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As people find out about creativity coaching and separate it from a football coaching, marriage counseling, and therapy, I start getting interesting questions.
Journal page, ink wash over white ink.
The first question is always, “How is creativity coaching different from life coaching?” The short answer is, “Creativity coaching focuses on that part of your life that fuels your ideas and talents. It helps you make meaning out of your life.”
Some other good questions I get at book signings:
Q: Do I have to be an artist to benefit from creativity coaching?
A: No, not at all. Creativity coaching makes the most of your ideas and innovative ideas, even change in your life, to help you feel worthwhile and show up in the world the way you see yourself.
Q: How long before I see a change in my life?
A: In the last two months, I’ve had two people who came for a sample coaching, had a powerful session, and found their direction. That’s great, but it does take most people a bit longer. I ask for a 12-week commitment, because change is not easy, and while the first session is powerful, it’s hard to maintain that surge on your own. Doubt creeps in. To overcome the fear of change, to make change work for you, and to take the fear out of it takes about 12 weeks.
Q: Does coaching always work for everybody?
A. Sadly, no. There are people who do not want to put in the work it takes to create change in their lives. Some people would do better in therapy. But at the end of 12 weeks, you will either have made the change, or know the reason you haven’t, and that is a lot of learning worth having.
Q: What’s the point of creativity coaching?
A: If you are sleep-walking through life, you probably aren’t happy. Most people don’t like their jobs, but stay in them because of the salary or benefits. That’s a dreary life that to feelings of worthlessness and low productivity. Finding something that fuels a purpose in your life, that combines left-brain drive with right brain insight can give you a completely different perspective. You life can fill with purpose and energy. That’s what focusing on creativity can bring you.
GIVEAWAY Today on Create Mixed Media’s website, North Light Books (my publisher) hosted me at a webinar about my book, Raw Art Journaling, which is deeply rooted in meaning making. I’m finding people hungry to use their talents to do something that makes a difference. I want to help. That’s what the giveaway is about.
WHAT: I’m giving away free full-length (one-hour) coaching sessions, one for every five comments, up to 10 free coaching sessions. No multiple comments necessary.
HOW: Leave a comment telling me how you think coaching can help you. It’s not an essay contest, but I’d like to know your perspective. You can live anywhere–coaching happens on the phone or via Skype.
WHEN: On Monday, October 24, I’ll announce the winners and contact them via email to set up a time in November or December to experience the coaching.
QuinnCreative 
I often think coaching would help me a lot, but really, I am not sure how. Maybe it would help me get clear on what I really want to do with my creative gifts? Where I should focus, if I should focus?
Wishing you all the best!
Coaching doesn’t help everyone, but it sure does help a lot. I have my own coach because it sure helps me!
I am blessed with a job that is my true calling and am very content with my life at the moment. However, I would like to be doing more art and see coaching as a way to begin looking at how to have that be the focus for nourishment now and for income after retirement.
Creativity coaching would be a wonderful way for me to create a more fulfilling future where art plays a larger role in my life.
Hi Quinn – I am ready to move forward and start the next chapter of my creative life. I am ready for new things and the next great adventure, personally and professionally. I feel that I would benefit from coaching because it would give me fresh insights, new ways to be in the world, and an energized wellspring of motivation for life. Creativity coaching would get me started plotting my course and mapping my quest.
I am taking an online Blogging Your Way class and all of us are given some tools to help narrow our blogging focus. I’m all over the place and am challenged to come up with at least one main area to focus on in my blog. A creative coaching might be VERY helpful. I don’t know if I could afford the regular fees but would love to win one free session and maybe find out more. I’m in Flagstaff, AZ.
I am so stuck as an artist. Its something I have battled for a long time. I know that coaching would help me gut unstuck and help me get on my right path.
PS I was in a meeting all day… is there some way to listen to a replay of your webinar? I was all signed up ready to go, but work got in the way!
I need to learn how to get out of my own way!
Hi Quinn and thanks for the great broadcast today. I think that my best “take away” was about addressing the inner critic. I also think that’s the area where I could most benefit from with a creativity coach. Now if you could just knock my inner critic down while I beat her up I think that’s a winning team. 🙂
Normajean
Oh wow, I have only been following your for about a month, but I am so impressed and would love to win some one on on coaching sessions. I am about to make BIG changes in my life (retiring to pursue the artful life) and always ready for input.
Quinn: I have really been enjoying your posts and am in love with your book! I actually have no artistic talent whatsoever but love to dabble in art journaling although I feel I have to copy the work of others as I have no originality or talent. Also, I have been struggling for years to write a novel that is playing over and over in my mind but I lack the courage and kn0w-how to actually do it. I have a busy, stressful job, home, husband and kids as well. I guess I feel like I could benefit from creativity coaching because my brain is a total jumbled mess and I have no idea where to begin sorting it all out. Thanks for letting me vent! Nancy
Hi Quinn, I participated in the webinar today and I’m on fire! I’ve ordered your book and can’t wait till it gets here. Here’s how I think coaching would help me: to help me find my artistic purpose and then to help me focus on that purpose. I have some ideas about creating art and tying that into volunteer work and/or selling my work and I have ideas about – as you mentioned – finding a niche. I think coaching sessions would help me move beyond the idea stage and into the doing stage. I should mention that I retired a few months ago and I finally have the time to do what I want to do. Coaching could help me unfurl my wings and let me fly! Thank you for the opportunity to win this most generous prize you are offering.
Q!
…loved, Loved, LOVED the Webinar, today! Thanks for touching on this topic in that forum, too! In my mind, Coaching equates to better focus — something which I could DEFINITELY use! Also, I feel like having some ‘tools’ that are geared to my needs would further enhance the whole process – and my understanding (albeit limited) of the whole coaching thing is that the process is generally catered to the strengths of the participant to maximize the skills being implemented 😕 Thanks for the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of how this works 🙂
I have difficulty writing. I usually feel that what I’ve written is not very good…I have the eternal inner critic. I also like working with mixed media and art quilting too. Maybe focusing on one thing is better?
I am stuck in a rut that my head can’t seem to get me out of! I absolutely overanalyze EVERYTHING to the point of driving myself crazy. I know that when I Make I feel better, but getting started out of this grey muck just makes me nuts. I’d really appreciate a gentle, motivating outside perspective!
edie
purpleone at g mail dot com
Creativity might help me quiet that gremlin that keeps popping up “You’re not any good, why bother?” “Who do you think you are, wasting time on that?”
I feel light and happy when I paint or do creative stuff, but there’s so much guilt attached to it, often it’s hard to just DO IT.
Hi, Coaching would help me move past my stuff…I have started to let out the love of art I have had all my life but have put on the shelf for years. I am loving how it feels inside but can’t seem the time or the gumption to put it in my schedule regularly or to just do it…that is the real demon…sitting down and doing it! There is always an excuse that other things are more important. I want to take my tiny stuck inside creativitiy to the next level and am thinking that some coaching may do that…. thanks for the chance to win!
hi quinn, i hope that coaching would help me with two things. 1. time management. i have two boys 3.5 and 2, so finding the time/space to make art is challenging. but i also know i waste a lot of time doing other stuff. so i end up feeling frustrated because i can’t do what i want! 2. focus! i want to do it ALL! so i am all over the place. making dolls one minute, watercolor the next…do i need to pick one? or can i keep playing the field? thanks!!! laura
HI Quinn, Coaching would help me clarify my purpose. Over the past 9 years I have built a successful creative business with a partner, but recently I have begun to question my purpose. I feel as if I am being called to another direction, but feel great resistance to that calling. I know to change paths at this moment could have adverse impacts on those I care about most. So the opportunity to discuss these opportunities and clarify my purpose would be most helpful. Cheers, Kimberly
Oh my gosh! What an opportunity!! I know there is a creative streak in me but I stumble all over the place playing with it and never seem to be able to get things onto paper!!! Cards, 3D boxes, miniatures, yes! But drawing scares me!!!!
Hi Quinn,
I think that coaching would help me focus in on what I truely need to have in my life and those things I need to let go. I seem to just be floating through lately with no real direction. I have alot of interests but feel scattered or distracted when I attempt to be creative. And the biggest thing is worrying about what others will think about my work (photography, poetry, art journal etc). It holds me back from my full potentail, I am sure.
Thank you for such a generous offer.
Take care,
Vicki