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There are a number of definitions for life coaching and what each coach offers can vary a great deal. Some cover a broad spectrum, with others specialising in a very specific area of expertise.
Overall though, life coaches have one main objective: to help their clients bridge the gap between where there are now and where they want to be.
They are trained to analyse your current situation, identify current obstacles, and discover your own strengths so you can formulate steps to reach your desired outcomes. As well as providing encouragement and accountability throughout your journey of becoming a better version of yourself.
We all need help from time to time and just as a professional athlete employs a coach to optimise their performance, so too can you utilise the services of a life coach to help you take massive action and create lasting change.
The life coaching industry has grown exponentially over the years, demonstrating its power and value.
Life coaches can cover a broad range of areas, including (but not limited to):
It’s important to note that whilst powerful, there are some things that will fall outside the scope of a life coach and it’s important to also seek out appropriate support in these cases. You don’t see a dentist for skin irritation, so the same applies here.
For example, if you have complex mental health issues, then talking to qualified mental health professionals (GPs, psychologists etc.) should be your first point of call. Your life coach can still add much value and complement these other services, but cannot replace them.
Life coaching sessions can take many different forms. From online courses and programs, and one-on-one, to group sessions, conducted either in-person, over the phone or on the internet. Platforms such as Zoom & Skype have made coaching fully accessible, regardless of your location.
The process will vary depending on your individual needs and the services offered by the life coach. Here are some things you can typically expect:
Many life coaches offer a free discovery session. The purpose of which is to allow you both to discover if you’re a good fit for each other, without any financial risk. Each subsequent session usually lasts somewhere between 45 to 90 minutes each, the frequency of which will again, depend on your needs.
Initially, you will often go over your goals and get clear on your desired outcomes through the use of the life coach’s active listing skills and quality questions. Sometimes also through the use of tools such as personality quizzes, assessments, and exercises.
The data gathered will help to establish where you are now, and the steps required to bridge the gap and get you to where you want to be.
You may also be asked to do some work on your own in between sessions (often called homework). These will generally consist of specific tasks relevant to your needs to move you closer to your goals. For example, if you need to build confidence, a homework task may be something that pushes you out of your comfort zone in order to build that confidence.
Committing to these tasks with your life coach holds you accountable to them, greatly increasing your chances of following through. Another reason why those who work with a life coach make much more progress than those who go it alone.
Coaching is an investment of both your time and money so it’s vital that you know how to get the most out of it. Here are our top tips:
Make your coaching sessions a priority by giving them the time and space needed to come to each session fully prepared and focused. Get specific on what you need to work on, do any “homework” assigned to you in between each session and make sure you remove any possible distractions.
It’s also ideal to allow enough time before and after each session. Beforehand, to get in an optimal mindset, and afterwards, to jot down any notes and do some self-reflection.
If you think you’ve already tried everything, or are closed off to change and new ideas, then to be completely frank, you won’t get much out of coaching. You need to be “coachable”; open to different perspectives and willing to take them on board.
Be prepared to have your beliefs and comfort zones challenged and trust in the process that it will be worth it.
It won’t happen overnight but it will happen (thanks Pantene!) Have realistic expectations and don’t expect to have your life transformed overnight. Your life coach can provide you with awesome insights and tools, but change takes time.
Make no mistake, contrary to what many believe being vulnerable is not a weakness, it’s a strength. One that will dramatically improve the impact of your sessions. You need to be completely open and honest with your life coach (and in turn yourself!).
This will facilitate getting to the root of your issues faster, and foster more meaningful results.
If you’re given “homework” or tasks to complete in between sessions, do them! This is where the magic happens. Don’t expect your life coach to do everything for you, that isn’t what coaching is about.
Your life coach is there to be your guide, but it’s you that needs to do the work… and you reap what you sew.
Not essential but highly recommended. In addition to taking some notes during the session, take some time afterwards to make sure you get everything important down and use the journal to help with some self-reflection to deepen what you have learned.
Knowledge on its own isn’t enough to affect change. Only in implementing what you have learned is where transformation takes place. Listening and taking notes are important, but to fast-track your progress, you must apply what you have learned to your daily life.
For example, how do you best build confidence in riding a bike? Simply listening to the feedback on what to do and not to do? Or taking that information and putting it into action?
Sure, this may result in you falling off, but that too is the only way to learn and get better at it!
Embrace the journey and enjoy the ride!
In order for all of the above to happen, it’s vital that you find a life coach with whom you have trust and rapport and whose approach resonates with you. We can help with that too…
Here are some more factors to keep in mind when choosing a life coach:
Not all life coaches approach the same problem in the same way, which is great because each individual will respond differently to varying styles. Similar to a fitness coach, some people would be put off by a “drill sergeant” type approach, whereas others respond to it really well.
As such you need to find a life coach who can effectively work with your personality type, communication style, and approach to learning. Essentially, this means someone you can trust, build rapport with and whose approach is in line with how you prefer to work, learn and grow.
Some life coaches cover a broad spectrum of issues, while others specialise in a very specific area of expertise. If you fall into the latter, it would be wise to seek out a coach who specialises in your specific issue. After all, if you break your leg, who would you prefer to see? A general practitioner or an orthopaedic doctor? It’s a no-brainer who you will get the best results with.
Additionally, some coaches will specialise in certain demographics, such as working only with children, couples, men, women, business owners or companies and so on. If you find a life coach who specialises in a demographic you fall into, again that would be the most ideal.
Currently, life coaching is an unregulated industry in that there are no standard curricula. Some life coaching courses and professional bodies offer certifications and professional memberships (such as the international coach federation) but they come with varying levels of criteria. This criterion does help ensure a certain standard of knowledge, skills, expertise and experience. The caveat though is the “varying levels of criteria”, vary a lot.
For example, some certifications are given after attending a 1-day course, others require years of study. If finding a qualified life coach is important to you, take a look into what their certifications and/or memberships actually entail.
Also keep in mind that if someone you’re thinking about working with isn’t a certified life coach, this shouldn’t be a deal breaker. Some coaches have done years of study and have a wealth of experience and coaching skills, but for a number of varying reasons, don’t have a piece of paper to go with it.
In these cases, I suggest paying close attention to other important factors such as the results they get. If they have case studies, great! Otherwise, testimonials and reviews are a great source of credibility and social proof.
As mentioned above, testimonials and reviews are a great source of credibility and social proof. You can usually find them on their website, Facebook page, Google My Busines listing or within their listing page on directory sites like this one.
If a coach doesn’t have any reviews yet, that can be for a number of reasons; such as they’re relatively new (doesn’t mean they can’t offer massive value though!). Or, they’ve been around for a while but struggle to get reviews from their clients. It’s a funny thing reviews. Even the most satisfied customer can forget, or not bother to leave one (we get it, life is busy!).
It’s a real shame though, as reviews are a vital element in contributing to the success of a coaching business (or any business for that matter!)…. so when you do find a great life coach, please leave them a review!
You’re not only supporting them but helping to connect other people with their valuable services also.
Like qualifications, these aren’t always essential, but you can learn a lot about a coach by what they blog about. Their personality, knowledge, skills, and experience.
If they have a blog section on their website or share articles online, take the time to have a read-through to see if the content resonates… It’s also a great excuse to grab a cuppa and have some “you time”.
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Our directory features an extensive selection of coaches who are ready to help you reach your highest potential, and find the success & happiness you deserve.
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This is the first step in a new journey! looks forward to chatting with you.
This is the first step in a new journey! looks forward to chatting with you.
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