There’s no denying this…
People want to live better.
Even people who appear to “have it all.”
It’s not that they are greedy. They’re just living the way we were all designed to live.
You see, each of us is born with an unquenchable desire for a better life and the ability to live out our dreams.
People often reach their next goal on their own.
However, sometimes they need help to get where they want to go. When that happens, they may turn to what is commonly referred to as a life coach.
What is a life coach?
A life (or results) coach can help you…
- See something amazing in you that you don’t currently see
- Identify what’s holding you back and causing you to get unwanted results
- Grow into the results you want
The life coach/client relationship should be a creative partnership which seeks to:
- Guide and encourage client self-discovery
- Identify, clarify and create a vision for what the client wants
- Encourage the client to set worthwhile goals that align with his or her purpose and vision
- Nurture and evoke strategies and a plan of action that will move the client closer to his or her goals
- Foster client accountability to increase productivity
Every aspect of the coaching or mentoring process should be focused on one thing: the client’s growth.
There are many misconceptions about life coaching. People wonder if life coaches are trained, what they do and how they do it.
So, let’s walk through some of the most common questions/myths about life coaching to help you get a handle on this growing industry.
5 of the Most Common Life Coaching Myths
Myth #1: Life coaches are professionals.
Fact: First, you should know that coaching isn’t regulated. So, there are no formal requirements for becoming a life coach.
Although Proctor Gallagher Institute and other organizations offer training and certification programs, some people hang a “coaching shingle” without getting any or sufficient training. The result, of course, is that they’re unable to help their clients move toward their goals.
That said, there are thousands of professional life coaches who have the right blend of knowledge, skills, and tools to lead, motivate and encourage clients to grow into the person and the results they most want.
So, before hiring a coach, ask about their credentials and philosophy to see if they are a professional who you believe can help you achieve your goals.
Myth #2: Coaching is only for people who have problems or who can’t succeed on their own.
Fact: Years ago, many people viewed coaching as a tool to help correct underperformance or to “fix” people. However, things have shifted considerably since then.
Today, top producers and other successful people use coaching to help them achieve their greater goals and navigate toward a more compelling future. I believe coaching and mentoring can help anyone’s performance.
In sports, for example, athletes at all levels have a coach in their corner. The same is true in life. Even the most skilled, talented and successful people get—and benefit from—coaching.
Myth #3: Life coaching takes too much time.
Fact: Unlike some types of coaching, such as personal training, clients working with life coaches can achieve remarkable progress on their goals in just one or two hours a month.
In most cases, clients don’t even have to travel to meet with their coach. Instead, they meet over the telephone—it’s easier, more efficient and there are minimal distractions.
Good coaching relationships generally require between two and four sessions per month, each lasting anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes.
Myth #4: Life coaches tell their clients what to do.
Fact: Parents, siblings, friends, and co-workers like to tell others what they should be doing. However, coaches don’t give advice or instructions; they focus on helping their clients change behavior. That is far more valuable than telling someone what to do.
Instead of listening to all the reasons their clients can’t do something, coaches help their clients dream, explore and stretch. Coaches encourage each client to come up with the best goals and choices for their vision of the future. And then they help the client adopt the behavior that will allow them to achieve their goals.
Myth #5: Life coaching is expensive.
Fact: Coaching can cost a great deal of money. Most personal coaches charge a monthly retainer of $500 to $2,000 a month; however, some charge much more.
However, an ICF Global Coaching Client Study indicated that individual clients reported a median return of 3.44 times their investment in coaching.
So, while it’s not an inexpensive process, coaching is paying off for many people. If it weren’t, people wouldn’t continue to work with life coaches and the industry wouldn’t be generating $1 billion a year.
Do you want to make a quantum leap?
Thomas Edison said, “If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves.”
And Steve Bow said, “God’s gift to us is more talent and ability then we’ll ever hope to use in our lifetime. Our gift to God is to develop as much of that talent and ability as we can in this lifetime.”
Like those two brilliant men, I know you can make an extraordinary jump in the quality of your life.
However, it’s really difficult to make that kind of jump on your own. Most people need a coach or mentor who can set them up to win.
If you want something you’ve never had or done before, consider getting a qualified coach. It can play a huge role in helping you get where you want to go.
To more and better,
Sandy Gallagher
Try or Programme Thinking Into Results