Tips for getting a Life Coach

Reality Testing Around Coaching

Why would you want to get a life coach?  The answer was obvious to me after my many years as a solicitor. I learned in those years that it was nearly impossible to simultaneously hold a vision, map out a path, walk that path and measure my own progress. I was so often distracted by the apparently conflicting demands of the workplace and of my heart.

Even my body seemed to throw obstacles in my path as I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia then latterly with hyper thyroidsim, the fatigue and stress impacted on vision of my future and my ability to provide good quality work to my employers but within the restrictions of my medical conditions.

As I thought about the kinds of problems I faced I came to understand and accept that it would always be difficult to have both an overarching view of my long term goals, a cogent understanding of my near term strategies, and a confident and simple approach to walking my daily path.

As I thought about it the reason was obvious: each of these activities requires that I adopt a different perspective. It is hard to be in more than one place at a time, so often I would be conducting one activity from the perspective of another. No wonder I felt confused and overwhelmed.

Coaching offers a solution by providing objective recognition, validation and reinforcement. A life coach helps you to clarify your goals, test your plans against your resources and your intentions, and measure your progress. A life coach works with you to help you to live up to standards you set together while reminding you to enjoy the grace of being a person.

Life Coaching deals with the you as a person: it’s not about being or even becoming perfect. As a coach I believe that the kind of business consulting and personal  coaching which I practice as motivating, empowering, focused, challening and encouraging my clients to find solutions to their problems and to achieve a fundamental way of being confident understanding who they really are.

It’s easy to see that successful coaching requires a good match between coach and client. If you are interested in getting a coach, start by asking yourself these questions: -

• What are my goals and expectations around hiring a coach?
• What’s my time frame for achieving them?
• What’s my learning style?
• What kind of person is likely to support that style?
• How much can I afford to invest in coaching?

Dont go necessarily with the first coach you contact, make sure to speak to a few and go with the one who you get on best with and can help you on the topic in which you want to work on.  It is not cost effective to go with the cheapest coach if the rapport is not there and you may find that you have to move on to another coach.

Some coaches like myself  have an option of low cost introductory sessions and discounts for block bookings of coaching sessions. 

Other things to consider is how you want the coaching sessions to take place.  I offer online coaching, email coaching, MSN coaching, coaching ebooks, telephone / skype coaching.   A client can pick which option they want or have a combination of several. 

When you contact coaches about taking some sessions consider what questions you would like to ask before you make contact with them.  Contacting a coach with a list of questions is not the same as contacting them by telephone and communicating with them.  Depending on the type of coaching you opt for you may not wish to speak to the coach first, for example this may be less important if you are looking for online coaching or email coaching. 

Some questions you may wish to consider are;

• What experience does the coach have coaching people who have goals and challenges similar to your own. – Though remember the result you will get from coaching will depend on how focus and motivated you are.
• Do they work by phone, in person, by email?
• How long are the sessions?
• How frequent?
• What do they charge?
• When is payment due?
• What support do they offer between sessions? 
• Are you required to buy any support materials (books, workbooks, etc.)?
• What kind of commitment do they require?

Many coaches ask that you commit to a preliminary two or three month period after which you decide whether or not to continue working together.  Most will accept payment by Paypal a secure payment method that is widely accepted over the internet and a key payment source in Ebay.  You may be asked to pay session by session, a payment in advance for block bookings (to receive a discount) or by standing order.

Life Coaching can introduce you to the self you were meant to be. The time you invest in choosing your coach will be amply repaid by his or her greater ability to recognize, nurture and evoke that self.

Synopsis

Are you considering getting a life coach? The time you invest in choosing your life coach will be amply repaid by her or his greater ability to recognize, nurture and evoke the self you were meant to be. Find out what sample questions you can ask yourself and a potential coach before hiring her or him.

Keywords: life coaching, find a life coach, hiring a life coach, coaching, email coaching, online coaching, telephone coaching, coaching questions, hire a coach, coaching FAQ, life coach