Podcast Summary

Mondays with Matt: "Stop Waiting for Permission to Coach"

Host: Matt Reynolds
Date: March 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode centers around the pervasive hesitation aspiring coaches feel about whether they’re “allowed” or “qualified” to coach. Matt Reynolds, leveraging almost 30 years of coaching and business experience, encourages listeners to take action and begin coaching—even (and especially) if they still have doubts. He emphasizes that permission comes from within and that real growth, knowledge, and confidence are built through actual coaching experience, not certificates or waiting for the perfect moment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Myth of Needing Permission

• You Don’t Need Anyone’s Approval

  • Matt dispels the idea that you must wait for an external authority to grant you the right to coach.
  • "The simple answer is that you don't need anybody's permission... You don't need permission from me. You don't need permission from anyone." [02:30]

• Caring and Questioning Means You’re Ready

  • If you’re even asking yourself if you need permission, Matt argues, you’re likely a better candidate than many coaching already:
    • "Even if the fact that you're even asking the question, should I have permission to coach? Means you probably do have permission to coach. You're better than the rest because you care enough to actually think about that sort of thing." [01:23]

• Taking Action Precedes Perfection

  • Key life progress happened when Matt “did the thing” without feeling ready: coaching, marriage, starting a business.
  • "I never felt I was ready... those are the times that have the greatest payoffs. If you don't swing for the fences, you can't hit the home run." [04:25]

2. Experience Is Irreplaceable

• Learning by Doing

  • Actual coaching experience exposes nuances that no course or textbook can convey.
  • Matt illustrates this with a story about Dan, a coach who learned vital lessons about calming clients only by actually coaching on the platform.
    • "The experience of actually coaching people helps you understand how you connect with them... You just can't know how to feel out all the nuances of a human that's on a platform." [10:18]

• Perfection Is Not a Requirement

  • Even Matt, after tens of thousands of sessions, has never had a perfect one. Each session is an opportunity to learn and improve.
  • "I don't know if I've ever had a session that I would say was perfect. There are always lessons to be learned there." [12:07]

• Start with Friends and Family

  • Begin with close contacts, where mistakes are lower-stakes and relationships forgiving.
  • "Start with friends, family, coworkers—people that you're close to, people that you know will still love you and care even if you screw it up, it's okay." [21:11]

3. The Value of Action Over Endless Preparation

• Be a Person of Action

  • Matt stresses repeatedly that reading, learning, and even discussing coaching are worthwhile, but never substitute for taking action.
  • "It's super fun to talk about a thing that we want to do, but until you actually make the leap and do the thing, you haven't really done anything." [23:00]

• Value in the Work and Process

  • Beyond technical skills, the act of coaching itself holds value. Early sessions are packed with learning—for both coach and client.
  • "Even coaching now, after almost 30 years, I still love to learn things on a daily basis from my clients." [25:41]

4. On Skill Development and Client Relationships

• Coaching Success Isn’t Just About Technique

  • Skills in communication, encouragement, and adapting to client personalities are vital.
  • "How you handle those things on the platform that really can't be learned in a textbook.” [15:20]

• Feedback and Growth

  • Early coaching will be messy; the aim is progress, not perfection.
  • "I wasn't a good coach when I started. Nobody's a good coach when they start... Just get out of it with a win." [29:30]

• Celebrate Wins and Don’t Overwhelm

  • In early coaching sessions, focus feedback on positives and keep instructions simple — don’t drown the client in minutiae.
  • "You can't give them nine things to think about... celebrate what they did well, don’t tell them what they did poorly." [33:30]

• Adapt Your Approach

  • The best coaches have multiple cues for every problem, ready to adapt to different personalities and situations.
  • "Great coaches probably have 20 different ways to say that... As time goes on, you'll start to understand which cues work for most.” [46:30]

5. Certifications, Readiness, and Practical Prep

• Certifications Are Not Essential

  • Most are unnecessary unless you want to work in highly regulated environments. The Professional Barbell Coaching Certification and Starting Strength are named as worthwhile, but not required to coach privately.
  • "There's no certifications that you have to have to be a great coach, period. And I've had all of them." [50:07]

• When to Charge for Coaching

  • After ~6 months of experience, consider charging — start simple, be transparent, and gradually increase rates as your skill grows.
  • "When you have probably six months under your belt, maybe a little less, you’re probably ready to charge." [42:45]

• Focus on the Basics

  • Know the major lifts, and have simple, clear teaching scripts or bullet points.
  • "Just understanding what the lifts should look like and the script for teaching them... you can also just go to the short versions on YouTube." [48:21]

• Building Trust and Authority

  • Kindness, integrity, respect, and genuine caring matter even more than technical skill, especially early on.
  • "That doesn’t require any experience to care." [45:31]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"If you want to be a coach... and you're passionate about helping people... then you can coach. You should coach."
— Matt Reynolds [06:40]

"You're not going to be good the first day. That's okay. Just get out of it with a win... give them something they can take with them to the next session."
— Matt Reynolds [29:55]

"There is value in the work itself and the process of learning these skills. I love the process. Even coaching now, after coaching for almost 30 years, I still love to learn things on a daily basis from my clients."
— Matt Reynolds [25:41]

"It's super fun to talk about a thing that we want to do, but until you actually make the leap and do the thing, you haven't really done anything."
— Matt Reynolds [23:00]

“That benevolence... Do you care? Does the client see that you actually care? That doesn't require any experience to care.”
— Matt Reynolds [45:31]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:23 — Why questioning your readiness is a sign you care (and that’s good)
• 04:25 — Personal examples: Growth by taking action before feeling ready
• 10:18 — The lesson only experience can teach (Story: Dan and coaching nervous clients)
• 12:07 — Why there are no perfect sessions and why that’s okay
• 15:20 — The nuance of adapting coaching style to the individual
• 21:11 — How (and with whom) to start coaching
• 23:00 — The difference between talking about goals and doing something toward them
• 25:41 — The value of the coaching process for both coach and client
• 29:30 — Early struggles: How Matt approached his first sessions
• 33:30 — Instructional advice: Keep it simple, highlight the positive
• 42:45 — When and how to start charging for coaching
• 45:31 — Building trust through care and benevolence, not just technical skill
• 46:30 — Building your coaching cue “toolkit” over time
• 48:21 — Practical prep: What you actually need to be ready
• 50:07 — The value (or lack thereof) of certifications

Key Takeaways

• Stop waiting for perfect knowledge or permission—successful coaches are made through action, not waiting.
• Experience is the only way to master the true art of coaching—especially the human side.
• Early sessions: Focus on giving clients a win and celebrating progress.
• Kindness, respect, and consistent care matter as much as technical skill.
• Get started this week: schedule time to coach someone, no matter your doubts.

Call to Action:
Text or call someone today and schedule a coaching session. Take action—don’t wait for permission!