The issue I’ve found with the word coach, is that everyone knows exactly what a coach does. The problem is that 95% of them are wrong! The word coach means different things to different people and the word is used both correctly and incorrectly, to describe different roles. Let me explain:
What’s A Coach?
One version of a coach is someone who supports, trains and teaches sports men and women. This isn’t the version of coach I’m talking about in this article.
Another place that the title coach is used, is to describe someone who uses their knowledge and experience to support someone else to achieve what they have already achieved and actually, this is an incorrect use of the word coach. This person is a mentor, not a coach.
The kind of coach that can change your life (even if you’re not a fabulous sports person) if you’re simply an ordinary everyday person with aspirations, is a life coach.
Coaching Is A Superpower
Life coaching is transformational. It can take people from where they are now, to where they want to be – and way beyond that. If life coaching were a pharmaceutical drug, it would be in incredibly high demand. A drug that, taken regularly, could guarantee success in any area of life would be very valuable indeed. That’s what life coaching is – but without any nasty side effects.
Let’s look at five ways that having a life coach can change your life for the better:
1 – What Do You Want To Achieve?
If you know what you want to achieve, you’re already ahead of the curve. However, even if you don’t know, or can’t articulate what you want to achieve, a life coach is still an asset. The reason they’re an asset is that coaches are brilliant at giving their clients clarity. To put this another way, having a session with a life coach can clear the mist that’s preventing you from clearly seeing what you want to have, to do, or to be.
2 – When Do You Want To Achieve It?
Having a date by which you want to achieve something is brilliant; failing to achieve by that date is common. A coach is an accountability partner, who will challenge you when/if you make excuses. Having that person to really challenge you will significantly reduce your procrastination levels.
3 – What’s Stopping You?
Most people aren’t actually sure how to achieve the things they want to achieve. Coaching is a wonderful way to tease out a process. Again, the clarity of thought that is gained from a coaching session means that a path to the outcome you seek is much easier to find. Coaches use incisive questioning to get to the crux of your uncertainty and by the end of it, you will realise that you have a clear vision.
Another thing that stops us achieving are our beliefs. If we believe we can’t do something (I’m rubbish at maths, I’ve never been confident etc), then we live our lives according to that belief. In fact, we’re so good at this, we don’t even realise we’re doing it. A coach can spot these ‘limiting beliefs’ and challenge us on them. Realising that limiting beliefs even exist is empowering, understanding that just because we have a belief, doesn’t mean that it’s true is transformational!
4 – What Is The Right Order Of Events?
This fourth reason a coach makes a massive difference, is closely linked to number 3. Once you have a clear understanding of your direction, the map becomes clear. What I mean is that knowing exactly where your destination is, makes the journey there much simpler.
5 – Having A Personal Champion Is Powerful
A coach is your personal champion. They believe in you and in your ability to achieve anything you want to. A coach will challenge you to have, do and be more than you thought possible.
The wonderful thing is that having this challenge, and a willingness to take action, transforms your life.