How coaching can help you find your life path

In today’s modern world, we are constantly exposed to a flood of comparisons. Comparing one product to another, an article of clothing to another, looking at the pros and cons of software/applications. The endless tug of war of the ‘this versus that’, where everyone competes for your time and attention and, ultimately, for your wallet. The question is, does everything have a return on investment for both your time and money?

Coaching as a catalyst for change

Coaching is the opportunity for you to explore yourself in a space where you are the focus. It isn’t to be confused with psychoanalysis - it doesn’t diagnose or treat, instead it operates within its own remit, dedicated to supporting you on the journey you are on in life whilst helping you gain clarity and unlocking your potential.

There is a timeline, there are goals, and there are steps. Ultimately, in every session, you - the client - are the driving force, and the coach is a catalyst to challenge you and offer insights and perspectives. But the only one taking any action and making decisions is you.

Is coaching the support you’ve been missing?

Everyone can benefit from coaching in the same way that everyone can benefit from exercising daily. The difference is, coaching has a broad number of sub-categories from business, health, performance, relationships and even spirituality. The types of coaching may have different focuses, but the principle remains the same - empowering individuals.

Similarly, to finding the right top that fits our unique body shape, coaching is all about exploring and finding the right approach that not only matches with what we seek to achieve but also matches with our goals, values and ways of thinking - it is not a one-size-fits-all. The golden nugget here is that you should experience being seen and heard because, as previously mentioned, you are the sole focus of the session.

Why is coaching useful?

There are so few places where we can truly explore ourselves without being criticised in one way or another. Depending on the coach’s background and life, you should have the opportunity to explore conversations, thoughts, feelings and ideas without fear of them being used against you.

Our support network may not always include people who are open to new ideas or experiences - human beings tend to resist change and prefer continuity, knowing where everything or anything is at any given moment.

One example from my own coaching experience is when I was brought in by a mental health coaching company to provide coaching sessions to employees from partner organisations. My schedule was filled with clients from within the actual company itself, which wasn’t surprising; however, what stood out was that many who appeared confident in what they were doing were in fact still searching for clarity/how to do it.

What stood out even more was that I became the go-to coach, as word had spread around the office, for conversations that helped people explore alternative perspectives and reconnect with themselves about what they truly wanted. Which leads us to the end of this article, with the question posed at the start.

How can coaching help you find your life path?

Coaching offers you the opportunity to hold yourself accountable in every session, in pursuit of what you truly seek out in life. If you don’t know what that is, working with an expert coach can help you explore your thoughts, questions, ideas and even options available to you. Often, we don’t see that the next step is right in front of us.

There are many techniques and methodologies that can aid clients in finding their life path. But my ultimate question that I always ask my clients - to get the brain working, the blood flowing, and the imagination going - is "What is it you truly want?" I’ll leave you with that question to think about.

On the other hand, if you know what it is you seek, but are struggling to get there, an expert coach can aid you in dissecting things into easy, tangible steps that you can put into practice immediately to progress and move forward. Because, as we know, once we build momentum in one direction, everything else can snowball and follow along.

Coaches don’t make the decisions; you do. The power of choice and choosing is important; not everyone understands it at first, but the autonomy of knowing that you are making the best decisions for yourself is what builds the confidence to go after what you truly want. Coaching has a timeline - there is a start, a middle and an end. Once we get to the end, you may choose to carry on and set new goals, but coaching shouldn’t last forever or follow an infinite timeline.

There are some fascinating things that happen when you’re working with a coach. One of them is that you will find that you learn a lot about yourself. Coaches reflect what they observe - from what you say, to how you say it, or even things you have wanted to do versus the things you are choosing to do. Eventually working towards our truth, that is the power of coaching - helping you find your truth and/or life path.

Most coaches offer taster sessions, free consultations or discovery calls because there needs to be a mutual connection between the coach and the client for the work to be truly effective. Coaches haven’t gotten to where they are simply from going to school/university; many of them have lived through experiences and chosen what was better suited to them. If you, too, are seeking to change something for yourself, then why not speak to those who have already gone through the journey and done exactly what it is you seek to do?