On the Importance of Finishing Strong

I’d been working toward my Master Certified Coach Credential for many years. On one of my first vision boards, I had “Michelle Akin, MCC” on it. You can’t see it in this video still, but you can see the board itself…

I remember putting it up there and thinking,
“will that actually ever happen?”

It seemed wildly unachievable to me. A complete pipe dream.

Fast forward to this past fall when I started Break Up With Your Bullshit:

I was on my own bullshit.

I had broken up with it around music and writing, but I was still dragging my feet around applying for my MCC. Once you submit your two coaching call recordings for evaluation, you have to wait 18 weeks to hear back.

18 weeks of waiting, just to find out I failed?

Nah, I was all set to give up on it completely.

Until my accountability partner, Christine, private messaged me during a company zoom call.

“I find it interesting that you’re not asking me for accountability around your MCC.”

UGH. SHUT UP CHRISTINE WHY ARE YOU SO NOSEY… oh right, I asked you to be.

I took a deep breath and responded, “I find that interesting too. I’ll get you my milestone plan by Monday.”

• I put in all kinds of accountability structures.
• I did a lot of practice calls, as well as sessions with my mentor coach.
• I listened to my own coaching ad nauseam.
• Truly, it all made me want to vomit.

I was fast approaching the deadline for submission. I knew that I could just renew my current credential and not stress… but I couldn’t live with my own bullshit like that. I knew I could do it if I really tried.

On December 23rd, the last possible day of the year when I could record a coaching call before everyone went on holiday, I recorded the final two. I sent them to my mentor, and felt this immense relief. I knew I had given it everything I had.

Six days later I got this email from her, letting me know that both calls were good enough to submit:

It was two days before the deadline. I was able to submit.

But here’s the thing: at this point, I didn’t even CARE what happened as far as passing the evaluation. I had worked my BUTT off.

I had pushed so far past my own bullshit, that I felt like a different person.

I sent her those two calls without even a hint of bravado, or self-doubt. I wasn’t sure they were good or bad.

I just knew that I had tried my absolute hardest, and so if it turned out that that wasn’t good enough, then I would simply try again.

I had so much peace around it, not because of what I did, but because of who I chose to be about it:

Unstoppable.

Yesterday marked 18 weeks since I submitted, and I am delighted to say that I am now a Master Certified Coach!

The cool thing, is that I already felt like one.