12 May Tips for Finding the Right Life Coach
“A coach is someone who hands you a match and says, Strike this thing!” -Anthony Robbins
When making a major decision or life transition, life coaching is a practical option for people who are focused on results and goal achievement. The right life coach will help you assess where you are now, identify where you really want to be, and guide you to create goals and strategies to bridge that gap. If you already have a vision and set of goals -but you’re still stuck- a good life coach can motivate and support you in creating actionable plans to realize your vision. The right life coach should inspire, influence, challenge, and empower you! If you think life coaching is for you, let’s help you find the right coach!
Who Are You and What Do You Want?
That’s right! You want to be proactive in this process and in your own experience! One of the outcomes of coaching is to help you take control of your life instead of just letting life happen to you. Selecting a coach is personal. You’ll be sharing your dreams, fears, and perhaps a few embarrassing failures. You want to work with someone you trust and feel safe with, even when they are challenging you to raise your standards and take action. Consider the characteristics that are a must for you and keep looking until you find them. My personal #1 must is: I need to work with someone who has an outrageous sense of humor. I need someone to laugh with when s**t hits the fan. And, if your goals are challenging and powerful enough, I assure you this is going to happen! Life is always testing us and success is more about scaling the mountain than sailing smooth seas. That’s why you need a team. Know who you are and choose the right coach to create a partnership that is aligned with your values, beliefs, and personality.
Gladiator or Spectator?
In addition to a personality match, I’d look for someone who has already experienced and successfully mastered some of their own life challenges. I don’t take relationship advice from my friend who has been married 5 times or business advice from an opinionated spectator who has never put their ass on the line to run a business. If they haven’t been tested as a “Woman or Man in the Arena” (See blog, What to Look for in a Therapist), what they have to say is of little interest. No one builds statues to honor spectators. Ask a potential coach what personal challenges they’ve faced and successfully overcome.
An Eclectic Two-For-One Approach
In addition to life experience, consider the training and professional skills that your coach will need to take your life to the next level. Good intentions alone won’t cut it. Life coaching is modeled on a variety of modalities and principles of psychology. (Think Noom, the weight-loss program that utilizes elements of CBT.) Our therapists are all trained and licensed clinicians. I won’t hide my bias and enthusiasm for them and their expertise! Clients experience the best of both disciplines in being coached by professionals who are also trained therapists. Our eclectic approach combines the pragmatism of life coaching with the insight of therapy. When you’re stuck, your coach/therapist has more tools in their professional toolbox to help you overcome the inner blocks and limiting beliefs that are holding you back.
Make It Happen!
The right life coach helps you make things happen! But, change begins with honesty. Take a moment to identify the areas in your life that just aren’t good enough, yet. Think about your relationships, career, finances, personal health and fitness, spirituality, sexuality, life style, life satisfaction, daily happiness, level of joy, or anything else that is important to you. I don’t want you to beat yourself up here. Because what you’re really doing is identifying a starting point for change!
Clarity is the first step in the process of creating a life you really want. And, knowing what you want will guide you in finding the coach who understands your needs. If you’re still uncertain and need assistance to find a match that is right for you, please reach out to us. We’re happy to answer your questions and offer our support.
Until then, congratulations on your commitment to change! We’re here to help.
To life on your terms!