Life coaches are people who have had their own life experiences that they want to share with others. They use coaching skills to help people reach their goals and make the changes necessary for a better future. Life coaching can be used by anyone, regardless of age or gender, but adults looking to change careers or improve their lifestyles are the ones who often utilize coaching. This blog post will discuss what a life coach is and how you can use one in your life.

What is a life coach?

When people hear the word "coach," the first thing that may come to their minds is the coaches we see in sports. A sports coach is a person who assists an athlete or a team towards meeting a goal, usually winning a competition or event. They then devise a plan or strategy for how the athlete or team will achieve the goal and guide them. In the same vein, a life coach works precisely like this. An individual's life is the sport, and a life coach is the one who will guide you to the fulfillment of whatever goal you have in life.

A life coach is an individual professionally trained in the areas of self-growth and personal development. Professional life coaches get their certifications from organizations like the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Life coaches can also undergo training from certification programs accredited by the ICF. It is essential to take note of professional life coaches because the coaching industry is not universally regulated. As a result, some individuals label themselves as life coaches while not having the proper training and credentials. So if you decide to get the help of a life coach, make sure to get someone who has the appropriate training and certifications.

Life coaches: what they can do and can't do

Many people might think that hiring a life coach is the same as asking somebody else for advice, but a life coach's job extends beyond just giving advice. A life coach serves as the mentor or guide who will take you from your present state to your idealized future. A life coach will help you with your projects and goals in life. A life coach can help you grow by seeing how you are in your current state, identifying the things holding you back, and other possible problems and challenges preventing you from reaching your goals. Once the life coach identifies the situation and impediments, he can then formulate a customized plan. The program will detail the specific actions you must take to achieve the particular outcome you want. Keep in mind that a life coach is not the one who will directly solve your problems, but he is there to increase your productivity and motivation and provide accountability for all your actions. You will still be the one doing the process of achieving your goals.

There can be some confusion between a life coach and a therapist. Some people might see life coaches being no different from therapists, but there is an essential distinction between them. A licensed therapist is an individual that treats other people when they have some mental health problem like depression or anxiety. Life coaches don't provide therapy and treatment for mental health issues.

On another note, if you are the type of individual that wants immediate results, getting the help of a life coach might not work for you. Life coaches work by guiding and mentoring individuals over an extended period to meet their goals, such as building a business, improving one's career, or attaining an overall good state of life. Time and commitment are necessary before results happen.

The benefits of life coaching

There are many areas that clients can improve while they work with a life coach. The benefits you can attain will depend on your goals and under what areas. Life coaches can have different specializations such as business, executive, finance, health, or relationships. By identifying what area of your life you need help with, your life coach can help you attain the benefits that are associated with a particular area. So if your goal falls under health and wellness, then having a fit and healthy body is just one of the benefits you can have after doing life coaching. Starting a new business or expanding your current one will be the end benefit if it's under business. Improved relationships and better communication will fall under relationships. Having a healthier bank account and wallet will be under finance and so on.

In a general sense, identifying clear goals and vision is one benefit that a life coach can give you, especially if you feel lost in the first place and don't have a clear idea of what to do. What follows is your life coach giving you a concrete plan for your personal growth. In addition, your life coach will help you overcome beliefs that are holding you back. Financial independence, work/life balance, effective communication, and more meaningful connections are also part of the package of benefits a life coach can impart to you.

How do coaching sessions work?

Life-coaching sessions are not just limited to an initial call where the client talks to the life coach, and then the life coach makes assessments and gives advice, and that's it. Life coaching is a process that involves time and commitment from you before you see the results come in. The initial step in life coaching consists in asking you questions to get an idea of your goals and vision. If you don't have one, your coach will help you think of one, or maybe even two or more. Next, your life coach will ask you questions to figure out how your mind works and your attitude when working on things after identifying your goals and vision. Once your coach gets a feel for how you think and act, he will then give you the plan on what you have to do specifically to meet your goals.

Your life coach will then check on you now and then, depending on what you and your coach have agreed. It could be weekly or monthly. Your coach will use metrics and systems to check how you are doing and where you are on the path towards meeting your goals. Your life coach will check if any obstacles hamper your progress and see if your actions are working based on the plan. If it doesn't, modifications to the program may occur, and your coach will adjust accordingly to what you are doing. This checking, assessing, and adjusting process will continue until the client can finally achieve the goal.

Who can benefit from working with a life coach?

Knowing the benefits that a life coach can bring to your life, you might then ask yourself if you should get one. The simple answer is yes. Anybody can benefit from working with a life coach. Even successful individuals and those in leadership positions in businesses continue to hire a life coach to maintain their success and grow in their respective fields. The thing you need to know is that if you see yourself wanting to do more and you feel that you have yet to unlock your full potential, that's a sign that you need some direction and guidance from a life coach. Likewise, if you have a goal for the future and have problems in the present on what you should do to get there, that's another sign to get help from a life coach.

As "ordinary" individuals striving for some ambition and wanting to achieve our dreams in life, we are very entitled to get the help of a life coach. Various signs that happen at different points in our life can serve as clues that we need help. For example, feeling stuck in a rut, engaging in self-destructive habits, feeling stressed out, or being very negative are just some signs that we already need some help from someone like a life coach.

I want a life coach. Where can I find them?

So you finally decided to hire a life coach and are ready to improve your personal and professional life. Your next question then might be, where can you hire one? You won't have much difficulty with this since searching online can return a treasure trove of information about different websites that provide life-coaching services. In addition, many life coaches have their websites where they show in detail who they are, what they do, and how you can acquire their service. Of course, there will be fees, but most life coaches provide free initial consultation services. Prospective coaching clients can then feel if the life coach they are speaking with is right for them.

Aside from websites, there are also directories online where you can search for different types of life coaches and filter them out to find who you want to work with together. Always remember to check the professional background and credentials of the life coach you are looking for to ensure that you will be getting proper advice and guidance once you hire them. Also, most life coaching sessions happen online, and the advantage of that is that you can hire a life coach from practically anywhere in the world. Some sessions happen physically where the life coach is there with you, but this will depend on a life coach's particular terms of service and if the coach is readily available relative to your location.

Despite all this, some people might still shun the idea of getting a life coach to help them in life, thinking that they can do it all independently. We all have limitations, though, and there might come a time when a stumbling block will prevent you from moving on with life. Acknowledging that we will all need help from someone at some point in our life is an excellent mindset to have, and that's where a life coach can help us improve our present situation and get back on our feet.