What can life coaching do for me?

I was recently out with a group of friends and acquaintances when the inevitable question of “What do you do for work?” was asked. When I responded to the group that I am a life coach, I was met with both some nods of appreciation as well as some blank stares. While most have heard of the profession, it was obvious that many still didn’t understand what life coaching is about, and who can blame them?  The term life coach is ambiguous given that life covers, well, everything.

What is a life coach?

In a sentence, a life coach is someone who helps you get from where you are to where you want to be (in life). This is done by partnering with you (the client) to help you set and achieve specific and realistic goals and objectives. The life coach will also work with you to tackle limiting beliefs that may get in the way of achieving the goals and replace those limiting beliefs with positive, empowering thoughts. Finally, a coach will also hold you accountable for reaching your goals.

The premise behind life coaching is that you, the client, are capable and resourceful. You may just need someone to help you figure out what it is you are missing, needing, thinking, feeling etc, and to create a strategy to move ahead to achieve the outcome you want to reach. The coach is there to support you by asking thoughtful questions, allowing you to reflect on your thoughts and feelings, as well as challenging you at times. However, the coach will not direct you. You have the answers in you, it just may not be apparent to you, and the coach is there to draw out the answers.

So now that we know what life coaching is, let's see how you may benefit from it.

Three ways you can benefit from life coaching

1) Clarity – Perhaps you are at a crossroads in your career and don’t know what to do next. Maybe you are feeling unfulfilled in life and want to understand how to find happiness. Whatever the situation, a life coach can help you to gain insight and identify the answers you are seeking. This is done by partnering with you, using tools and techniques to identify your values, beliefs, and strengths to help you to see clearly what you have been missing. You have the answers in you and a life coach helps you to reflect in order to find the answers. Think of your thoughts and feelings as pieces of a puzzle - your coach will help you put those pieces together to create the bigger picture you haven’t been able to see.

2) Focus – You may already have clarity around your situation, e.g. you may know you want to change your career from accounting in a big firm to working in the social sector. While you know this, you don’t necessarily know how to get there. A coach will partner with you to identify the specific, realistic, and measurable steps to take to get you from where you are to where you want to be. Again, you have the answers inside you but could use the support of a coach to create a plan of action to move you towards your goals and aspirations.

3) Accountability – OK, you may know what you want, and you may even know how to get there, yet you have trouble seeing it through. Coaches are ideal for holding you accountable to achieving your goals. Many clients benefit from knowing they have a session with their coach to discuss progress and challenges that come up along the way. A coach can help you to strategise to proactively identify tactics to stay on track towards achieving your goal and can help you to overcome the obstacles you may face. Ultimately, the coach is committed to being there with you along the journey to help you to reach your goals.

These are three key ways a life coach can work with you. Many life coaches start by offering a free consultation where you can meet with the coach to discuss your goals, understand how the coach will work with you, and see if you feel the coach and the coaching process is right for you.

If you are interested in exploring life coaching, why not schedule a consultation to further explore the benefits? You have nothing to lose and so much to gain!