Go to a Life Coach

By Patricia Danflous

Your BFF gives great advice from helping you choose a new hairstyle to the best fitness app. The career mentor you were fortunate to find is proving to be an invaluable resource for powerful decision making and advancement. So why would you consider a life coach, like so many of your peers?  What in the heck is a life coach anyway?

Sports coaches guide, train and push athletes to be the best they can be physically. Life coaches, which often includes wellness coaches, nudge individuals toward success, peace of mind and achievement in their personal and professional lives by building on and nurturing strengths.

The benefits of working with a life coach rather than confiding in your friends or mentor come in just that – a coach is not on your side; he or she is neutral. A coach exerts the pressure to help you change your behavior and become the person you want to be. 

Most individuals choose to work with a coach via phone (Like Susanne Lentine with His Nature’s Wisdom. Check out her ad on page four.) although some may choose to meet face-to-face on a regular basis.

Depending on your visions, goals and action plan, you may check in from once to several times a week for short sessions.

Although some people may use life coaches for a year or longer – while completing a novel or launching  a business – others may only need a few months of work to clarify vision and start the goal journey.

How do you find a life coach? The field is expanding, and you should have no trouble finding the right person for you. Your corporate Human Resources or Learning Department may have suggestions or find listings with the International Coach Foundation and the U.S. Life Coach Association for certified coaches.

Would you benefit from a life coach?  The ICF suggests you are a candidate if you:

• want positive change in your life
• need career guidance to achieve your maximum potential
• are uncertain about your talents and strengths
• want to achieve a healthier, happier lifestyle with appropriate balance between work and life

The International Coach Federation (ICF) says working with a life coach can help to:

• define goals
• redirect actions or situations to deliver goals
• recognize challenges
• address challenges

How do you know you need a life coach?

Are you unhappy with the state of your career or home life but do nothing to change your circumstances?  It’s easy to put off your goals and dreams forever because it’s never a good time to uproot your life.  A life coach pushes you towards the things you want in life in record time and gives you insights into yourself. 

You can expect anywhere from $75 to $200 an hour for a life coaching session.