While many people have a general understanding of what a life coach does, most people are unable to clearly define what exactly the profession entails clearly. There are many definitions of life coaching, but all of them have the same basic element. Life coaching is about helping other people to live their best life. Life coaches guide their clients through life’s challenges while assisting them to make the most optimal decisions. In this article, we tell you more about the life coaching profession and the reason it may just be the right career choice for you.
Defining Life Coaching
According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), coaching is defined as “a partnership with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential” According to Fern Gorin, founder of the Life Purpose Institute (operating in the coaching field for 39 years), coaching is about moving the client from where they are to where they want to be.
A client comes to a coach to change, enhance, or improve some area of their life, e.g., to lose weight, change jobs, improve a relationship, or have a better life balance. The coach then establishes outcomes the client wishes to achieve, asks powerful questions, develops a plan, helps the client work through blocks and obstacles, and holds the client accountable to achieve that plan
Coaching Empowers
Coaching varies from consulting in the coach’s role is not to give the client advice or suggestions but rather to empower the client to come up with their answers. This ensures the client comes up with their solutions, and has a better chance of taking action and following through with those solutions. Coaching is also different from counseling in that it is not focused on healing issues from the past, and what happened previously. Rather, it is proactive and results-driven, focusing on the present and helping people move from this point forward
Opportunities For Specialization
Many coaches add a niche or specialty to what they do in addition to providing Life Coaching services. Niches or specialties include relationship coaching, health and wellness coaching, spiritual coaching, life transitions coaching, etc. They may also target a particular group of people. Life coaching for women in their midlife, life coaching for parents, life coaching for busy professionals, and so on.
Why Coaching May Be Right For You
If you are intrigued by the idea of being a life coach, then you need to know that there are many reasons why you should consider being a life coach. Not only does it allow you to build a thriving career, but you also get a chance to help other people. Through the process, you also get to enrich your life as well as build powerful connections. Life coaching is becoming more popular by the day and there is a lot of demand for life coaches. This is a great opportunity for you to create a practice that will help transform the lives of other people.
At the Life Purpose Institute, we have the tools to make life coaching your profession. We offer training and certification for life coaches to help you build your career. We offer small and focused classes to ensure that you get all the help that you need. You will also be glad to know that we will offer you marketing support during and after your training to help your practice succeed. Get in touch with us for more information about our courses.