Most of us would like to believe that we can get through life on our own, and it’s hard to reach out for help. After all, we have been trained to be self-sufficient since a very young age. This is why we go to school, get an education, take post-graduate training, etc. It’s all good!
However, how often do you get stuck? Are you looking at your life and knowing that there should be more to it?
This is where life coaching comes in. A life coach is someone who has been where you are and moved through to success, gathering tools along the way. But the best part of this is that the life coach is someone just like you! There is a lot of energy in observing someone’s success and realizing that if he/she can do it, so can you.
All too often, we paint ourselves into a corner by validating ourselves without the input of others. This is where that stuck place happens, and gaining ideas and tools from a coach can be one of the fastest ways to jump-start your forward progress once more.
What can you expect from a life coach? Positive, constructive observations and ideas are the basic platform a coach uses. Your coach should first listen to you, to hear where you are presently and what you desire to accomplish, then they can craft a personal plan to help you get there. Regular meetings—either via phone or in person—make you accountable, and that accountability is one of the biggest ways to effect personal growth and success. Look at Weight Watchers—that level of accountability has been the trademark of their success in helping millions to achieve the goal weight they desire.
What areas can a life coach assist you to shift? It’s unlimited! Any area where you are feeling blocked is an area where you can benefit from coaching—health, career, relationships, spiritual growth are just a few.
How do you find the right coach for you? Start by asking your personal network to find who has benefitted from coaching and who your friends and colleagues recommend. Personal reference is generally best. Next check the internet. Google has become one of the best tools for finding not only what you need, but allowing you to check their references as well. Most coaches will offer you a complimentary meeting. This can give you several great benefits with no investment other than your time. First, you can tell whether you resonate with the coach. If you don’t, you can move on, no harm—no foul. Coaches are like shoes—if they don’t fit in the store, they aren’t gong to feel better after you get home. Second, you will be able to assess if you think this coach will be able to get you where you want to go. Most coaches will actually provide a tip or two in the initial meeting that you can use immediately, whether or not you decide to continue with them.
Coaching works because it is in alignment with the universal principle of combined force—when two or more are gathered together with a common goal, much can be accomplished.