Life Coaching – Do I need a Life Coach?
Life Coaching seems to be an “in” thing these days. Many executives have their own personal life coaches, some are branded as executive coaches or as business coaches, and they make sense, but do you need a life coach?
Let’s unpack coaching. It is easy to think in terms of a sports coach. An athlete does the work, practices their sport, but a coach can see and recommend the little things that need improvement to take the athlete from good to great. All the great sportsmen and women have coaches. It is a common sight at Wimbledon to see the top player’s coach in the stands. Yes, we are all used to sports coaches and have accepted them as a requirement to be able to play at the top of one’s game.
But a life coach is a different story. Life is not like sport, and everyone does life, so how will a life coach really make a difference? And who says a Life Coach is an expert in… Life? And should the life coach not be an expert in your life if they want to coach you?
These are valid questions, and potentially the reason why many people[le do not think of hiring a life coach.
So what benefits can you expect from a life coach?
- A life coach should be able to connect with you and make you feel safe so that you can be vulnerable with them
- A life coach does not have to be an expert at your life
- A life coach should have exceptional listening skills
- A life coach can sometimes be a mentor, but not always
- A life coach should be able to help you see things that are preventing you from achieving all you can be
- A life coach should be able to help you overcome obstacles by helping you see things in a different way
- A life coach should help you gain clarity and insight into your own life and circumstances.
In short, a life coach should help you get results. In this way, the life coach can me compared to the sports coach.
- You play the sport — You live your life
- The coach sees where you can make adjustments — the coach sees what you might be blink to (attitudes or mannerisms)
- The coach helps you change behaviour, e.g. a golf swing — the coach helps you change habits that you would like to change
- You can see the before coaching and after coaching picture — you should be able to see a before life coaching and after life coaching as well
So, to answer the question: Do I need a life coach. I think everyone can do with a life coach. But you have to be ready for one, since they will show you aspects of yourself that you have not seen before, and may just challenge you a little. You have to be ready for this. You also need to be prepared to take action. It is no point getting a life coach and then not doing any of the work that they recommend.
