What in the World is a Life Coach?!

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world, many people find themselves feeling overwhelmed, confused, and unsure about how to achieve their goals. This is where a life coach comes in.

Photo of Tiffanie Daniel, Life Coach in a blue blazer and light jeans.

Life Coaching is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. With a life coach, you can gain clarity on your goals, develop strategies to overcome obstacles, and receive accountability and support as you move toward achieving your desired outcomes.

Working with a life coach can help you create a more fulfilling and meaningful life. Investing in yourself and your growth can give you the clarity, motivation, and support you need to live your best life. So, if you’re ready to take the first step towards creating the life you truly want, let’s get you some more information so you can understand the full benefits of coaching.

Defining Life Coaching

The dictionary definition of a Life Coach is a person who counsels and encourages clients on matters concerning careers or personal challenges. This definition captures the sum, but it doesn’t give you the grand scheme of things. So, I’ll give you my explanation also. A Life Coach is someone who you can talk to, who will listen to you intently, help you identify your limiting beliefs, call you on your self-sabotaging behaviors and help you develop the tools to be able to manage your mind so that you can freely live the life you want.

Benefits of Working with a Life Coach

One of the main benefits of working with a life coach is the ability to gain a fresh perspective on your life and goals. A life coach can help you identify your values, strengths, and areas for improvement, as well as guide you toward making positive changes that align with your goals and priorities.

In addition, a life coach can help you build confidence and self-esteem, which can be specifically valuable when facing challenges or obstacles that maybe holding you back. With the support of a coach, you can develop the skills and mindset necessary to act on your goals and achieve the life you’re after.

A photo where the focus of the picture is in the sphere that sharpens the blurred out image in the background. The photo represents the clarity you can achieve in life coaching when you focus on one goal at a time.

Finding the Right Life Coach for You

Finding the right life coach for you can be incredibly simple if you know where to look. Below we will discuss what to look for in a life coach, how to determine if a life coach is a good fit for you, and questions you should ask a potential life coach before hiring them.

What should you look for in a life coach?

When looking for my own coach, I wanted to make sure that I found someone who could help me with my concerns as random as they might be. But what happens if you don’t know your concerns? Well, instead of hiring a coach who specializes in one specific thing, you can investigate coaches who specialize in general coaching.

For example, if you wanted help with weight loss and getting through a divorce or starting over in your 30s. Those are all very different things, hiring a coach who specializes in one might help you in some areas, but you’d still feel like you should have included the others. A general coach is where you want to look. This coach can help you manage your thoughts and your mind when it comes to all areas of your life at once.

Much like a General Surgeon a General Life Coach is a game changer when it comes to having multiple areas of concern.

How can you assess whether a life coach is a good fit for you?

When you’re talking to a coach there are a number of feelings that can come up. If the coach you’re talking to makes space for you to lay your feelings out, challenges your thoughts, and curiously asks questions to seek your point of view. This could be the perfect match for you.

When it comes to deciding to start a coaching relationship, the decision should either be an ABSOLUTE YES, or an ABSOLUTE NO. There should be no in-between. You need to be All-In regardless of the way your choosing.

What questions should you ask a potential life coach before hiring them?

How I knew I had found the right coach for myself was simple. She could explain my problem to me more clearly than I could myself. She was right in front of me and ready and willing to help. We had a good chemistry during our consultation. I didn’t feel like I was listening to a sales pitch, and I could tell she was listening intently by the questions she asked.

Before we got to the end I knew I was absolutely on-board and when it came to discussing the money I knew that regardless of the price I would make it happen.

A meeting where three people are listening to. presentation and one person has a question.

Working with a Life Coach

What you can expect in a coaching session?

Life coaching sessions can vary depending on the coach and client’s needs and goals, but there are some common elements you can expect during a typical session. A typical session is focused on helping you identify and achieve your personal and professional goals or following up on progress made since the last session. The coach provides support, guidance, and accountability throughout the coaching process, helping you gain insight into your strengths, challenges, and opportunities for growth. Below are a list of common occurrences in coaching sessions:

Goal-setting: Your coach will start the session by checking in on your progress toward your goals, reviewing any accomplishments or challenges, and setting new goals for the session.
Assessment: Your coach may use various assessments or tools to gather information about your strengths, values, and areas for improvement. This can help guide the coaching process and identify any obstacles or opportunities for growth.
Exploration: Your coach will help you explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to your goals and challenges. This can involve asking questions, listening actively, and offering feedback and insights.
Strategy development: Based on the insights and information gathered, the coach will work with you to develop strategies and action plans to help you achieve your goals.
Accountability: The coach will help you stay accountable to your goals by setting timelines, reviewing processes, and offering support and encouragement.
Reflection: The coach may end the session by helping you reflect on your progress, identify any obstacles or successes, and plan for the next steps.

two woman in black sits on chair near table representing a meeting where a coach is providing life coaching.

How often should you meet with your Life Coach?

The frequency of meetings with your life coach depends on your individual needs and goals. Generally, life coaches recommend meeting on a regular basis to maintain momentum and ensure progress toward your goals.

At the beginning of the coaching relationship, you and your coach will discuss the frequency and duration of coaching sessions based on your availability and goals. Some clients prefer weekly or bi-weekly sessions, while other opt for monthly sessions.

It’s important that I stress the collaborative nature of the coaching relationship, it’s important to keep communication open and transparent. If you find you need more or less frequent meetings, you can discuss this with your coach and adjust accordingly.

It’s also important to be consistent and committed to the coaching process to achieve your goals. Ultimately, the frequency of coaching sessions should be determined based on your individual needs and goals.

woman in white long sleeved shirt holding a pen writing on a paper

How to get the most out of your coaching experience:

Getting the most out of your life coaching experience requires a willingness to be open, honest, and engaged in the coaching process. By embracing these tips, you can create a powerful and transformative coaching relationship that helps you achieve your personal and professional aspirations.

Be Open and Honest:

To get the most of your life coaching experience, being open and honest with your coach is important. This means being willing to share your thoughts, feelings, and challenges openly and authentically, even if they are uncomfortable or difficult to discuss.

Set clear goals:

Clarify your goals and intentions for the coaching relationship early on. This will help you and your coach stay focused and motivated throughout the coaching process.

Take action:

Coaching is collaborative process that requires active participation and engagement. Be willing to take action on the insights and strategies developed in your coaching sessions, and be accountable for your progress.

Embrace Feedback:

Feedback is a critical component of the coaching process. Be open to receiving feedback from your coach, and use it as an opportunity for growth and development.

Practice Self-reflection:

Take time to reflect on your progress and challenges outside of your coaching sessions. This will help you stay connected to your goals and reinforce the insights and strategies developed with your coach.

Be Patient and Persistent:

Personal growth and development take time and effort. Be patient and persistent in your pursuit of your goals, and trust the coaching process.

What Have We Learned?

Working with a Life Coach can be an amazingly transformative process if you are ready to answer the tough questions and do the work. Coaching is something that can benefit all types of people and provide help in seeing yourself and the world around you more clearly. Coaching can help you manage your mind and get to your goals faster and more efficiently than going at it alone.

At the end of the day the decision to receive coaching is an individual decision. Although its always feels great to have the support of friends and family, sometimes they don’t understand.

If you are still determining how you feel about coaching but would like a tool to help you figure out where you are in life, make sure you join or mailing list so you are the first to know when our workbook “You Are Here” and accompanying course are released. Ready to jump in now? Schedule a consultation here.

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