Maybe you’ve been hearing a lot about life coaches lately. Perhaps you’re looking for ways to optimize your current circumstances and build towards an ideal future. Maybe you’re looking to change up your career, and you think you might have what it takes to be a life coach. Whether you are looking to hire a life coach or become one, the following will walk you through some of the things you should know about the life coaching profession.
Life Coaches Don’t Do Work For Their Clients
Life coaches are not someone who is going to do the things you’re supposed to be doing. That’s not how it works. A life coach will help you develop a plan to get everything you need to be finished, but they’re not going to do the work for you.
You’ll still be the one tackling the to-do list. But, what they do help with, is figuring out why you’re struggling to accomplish your goals, why you can’t ever seem to get to the end of your to-do lists, how you’re standing in your way, and what needs to be done about it. They help you figure out why you struggle to motivate yourself or avoid procrastinating. They allow you to feel confident about speaking up in that meeting or suggest a new project at work.
Sometimes we’re so deep in a hole we don’t realize there’s a way out. A good life coach (one that has had some professional Coach Training EDU) has been taught how to see the things that other people miss. The hidden doors. The alternative routes. Most likely, part of your struggles involves you following the “recipe” you were given as a young child by your parents and the school system and finding that features of it don’t quite work with your palate.
Life Coaches Are Not Trained To Diagnose Or Treat Mental Illnesses
Life coaches are not therapists. They are not counselors or psychiatrists. Because of this, they cannot address and diagnose mental health illnesses. Of course, life coaches can work with people who have a mental illness, but their time and attention do not replace a medical professional. It is not unheard of for someone to have both a therapist and a life coach. Depending on the individuals, they might even find working in tandem effective.
Good Life Coaches Produce Results
Studies have found that working with a life coach can have many positive results. 80% of people who worked with one report an improvement in their self-confidence. 72% said they felt they were stronger, more effective communicators after working with a life coach. 57% said they improved their ability to manage their time.
Life Coaches Can Have Spiritual Lenses
If part of your worry when it comes to learning about life coaching and determining whether it is right for you is your faith, you don’t need to be concerned. There are life coaches who practice all religions and denominations. There are atheist life coaches. There are life coaches who are open to working with clients of any faith. There are even life coaches who work on fostering more faith in your life and bringing you closer to God. It might take you a little longer to find the right coach if faith is one of your primary factors, but they are out there.
Life Coaches Are Not One-Size-Fits-All
It is worth your while to take a little time to interview a few candidates and wait for someone that you really click with when it comes to life coaches. Life coaching works best when both people feel like they can be open and honest with one another. They need to be able to communicate in ways that both people understand what is being said.
Beyond this, there are life coaches for every type of specialization out there: dating, work, family, love, faith, purpose, motivation…etc. If you are looking to tackle one area of your life, in particular, ask the potential coaches about their experience with this area. Depending on the coach, you may be able to request a reference number or two. Speaking to a coach’s previous clients is a great way to get an idea of whether they’re right for you.
With the above information, you should be well on your way to better understanding the life coaching industry. Pursuing life coaching can be a truly wonderful and rewarding experience. Just make sure you’re taking the time to pick the right coach and coaching style for your life and goals.