Editor’s Note\r\nWhat’s Stopping You? \r\n\r\nEarlier this month, I traveled to Washington, D.C., USA, with two of my ICF HQ colleagues to spread the word about our organization at the annual convention of the Association for Talent Development (formerly ASTD). As we met with trainers, instructional designers and talent-development pros from around the world, we heard one refrain again and again: “I’ve taken a coaching-skills class, and I know that I do coaching in my job, but I need to take the next step and become a trained, credentialed coach.”\r\nDuring one such conversation, an ICF Metro DC member volunteering at our booth listened carefully to the visitor, smiled knowingly and slid one of our custom-designed coaching question cards (find them in the ICF Store) across the podium: “What’s stopping you?”\r\nI’ve had this powerful question on my mind ever since, as we approach the halfway point of 2014 and I evaluate the goals I set for myself back in January.\r\nWhat is stopping me from making (and sticking to!) a meal plan every week? From showing love to on my friends and family with handwritten letters and notes? And, more importantly, what can I do to move from excuse-making to action-taking?\r\nI think that “What’s stopping you?” is also an important question to contemplate during International Coaching Week (ICW). The energy that surrounds ICW is infectious: From celebrating the release of the 2014 ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study (read a summary on page 14) to organizing symposia, laser-coaching events and pro bono coaching programs, we’re all caught up in the excitement of helping our communities experience coaching firsthand. However, what’s stopping you from bringing that same unabashed enthusiasm to promoting professional coaching the remaining 51 weeks of the year?\r\nFor many coaches, more time spent growing their business equals less available time for volunteer initiatives. If you’ve experienced this, consider leveraging time-saving tools, such as Google Analytics: Mike van der Heijden shows you how you can use this free resource to better gauge the efficacy of your coaching business’ website, on page 10. Maybe you’re simply looking for an example of how to amplify the benefits of coaching to impact entire communities or organizations. In that case, you’ll find no shortage of inspiration in this issue of CW: From Chris Padgett, PCC’s, practical tips for applying the ICF Core Competencies to coach veterans transitioning from military to corporate life (page 30), to Elena Espinal, MCC’s, unforgettable story of building a coach-training program for adults with visual disabilities (page 18), we’re illustrating how coaching can be used to make a difference that extends well beyond the coach client relationship.\r\nAs a professional coach, you challenge your clients to overcome the barriers to their success daily. I want to challenge you to take steps toward overcoming the barriers to your advocacy of professional coaching. I’d love to hear how the process is going for you: Email me at [email protected] to share one thing you’re doing to better help others experience coaching firsthand. I can’t wait to cheer you on!\r\n\r\nAbby Tripp Heverin\r\nCommunications Coordinator\r\n\r\nThe February issue of Coaching World received a 2014 American InHouse Design Award Certificate of Excellence. Read more about this award here.\r\n\r\n