Should You Have a Life Coach?
Personal coaching is a growth profession for a reason. People find that a life coach helps them clarify their goals, stay on target, and advance toward their greatest vision of success. And it’s fun to be coached.
Life Coaching and Personal Growth
A life coach is someone on your side who's only agenda is helping you understand and achieve your goals. Personal coaching, as practiced by today's trained professionals, is positive, supportive, and effective at helping personal growth.
Today's coaches are trained in the processes of listening, questioning, and supporting forward movement. People of all walks in life are turning to coaches to help them achieve their goals and dreams. Executives, athletes, writers, actors, people in transition, are among those who simply want to improve some aspect of life and are seeking the help of coaching.
What It's Like to be Coached
How does it feel to be coached? Energizing, exciting, motivating!
Discard the images you may have of athletic coaches who storm, scream, demean, and threaten in order to draw the utmost performance from an athlete. Personal coaches do not fit the athletic coach stereotype, but are more a combination of best friend, effective mentor, enthusiastic cheerleader, and empathetic listener.
An effective personal coach will help you clarify your goals, separating what you truly desire in your heart from the shallow goals that others may have urged on you.
With that goal clarity comes natural enthusiasm, energy, and passion. You'll be excited by your journey.
Molly's Story
This true story of an aspiring author's experience provides an excellent example of the growth possible with coaching. Molly (not her real name) had written a manuscript about her experience in living through a family tragedy. The draft was well written and offered a positive, hopeful message for others facing a similar experience.
But Molly was unsure of her book's value, whether anyone would read it, and how to proceed. Molly's coach helped her to see herself as a writer; she became able to declare, "I am a writer," which boosted her confidence and self esteem. Her coach reinforced the value of her book's message and helped her focus on the positive feedback she had received.
With coaching, Molly recognized that her main goal was to help others undergoing a similar life event and she focused on accomplishing that goal. Within a few short months, Molly self-published her book, gave several presentations, designed and delivered a workshop, obtained a web site, and sold several hundred books. Her books are displayed in local area shops and her church has purchased a supply to give to members facing similar experiences.
In Molly's own words, "Having a coach made all the difference. Jerry understood my goals, and he helped me articulate them and form realistic plans to reach them. Meeting with him on a regular basis kept me motivated. Coaching definitely helped me make my dream a reality."
Seeking the help of a coach does not imply a personal weakness or deficiency. To the contrary, it shows a personal determination to move forward and the self confidence to seek help in areas of unfamiliarity.
How to Find the Perfect Coach for You
A coaching relationship is very personal. The right coach for you will depend on many factors: the coach's experience, personality, style of coaching, training, and personality fit. To be effective, the coaching relationship must be open and trusting.
You'll find the perfect coach for you by a combination of attraction and audition. Browse the web site of the International Coach Federation for coaches in your area and with practices related to your situation. Contact those to whom you're attracted. Most coaches offer a complementary first session.
If you liked this article you may like Creative Goal Setting.
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