The Life Coaching Question

Really there are several questions you might be asking yourself about life coaching! What is it? Who can have it? Why would you need it? When might you need it? What's the point of it?

When you are a child you have magical dreams about who you will become when you get older. The amazing things that could happen to you as you make your birthday wishes or daydream during a maths lesson (personal memory there)! As a teacher, I have heard everything from children wanting to be ice skating champions to prime minister (I was particularly proud of inspiring that young lady to aim high) to the inevitable footballer and You-tuber. And yet...as we get older those dreams can so often disappear and be replaced with the reality of mortgages and family commitments and the day to day business of living. So how come some people manage to hold on to those dreams and actually do the things they dreamed of as a child? Perhaps they all had a life coach?

Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, is a great advocate of coaching stating that, 'everyone needs a coach'. He's in good company too with other global icons like Hugh Jackman and Oprah Winfrey also being known to utilise coaching and its benefits. They, like many others, recognise coaching as something that can optimise their focus, navigate immense pressure, and upscale their achievements. Well if it's good enough for them!

Coaching, in general, is used across business and education, the fitness industry, by celebrities and anyone who feels the need to work through ideas or options, explore new directions, steer their way through change or work on their self-belief to achieve a goal (be that magical or otherwise). The premise being that we all have the answers to our own questions but in the busy noise of our mind and life in general, we don't always take the time to find them. This means that we can find ourselves drifting along in a status quo that we are simply unhappy or dissatisfied with.

Unravelling our thoughts and ideas with a coach is very different to chatting with your friends on a night out, or talking to a relative - these people think they know what you want or need because they are so close to you - because they know you. I listened to a podcast recently about setting yourself up in business by Mel Robbins. I was taken aback when she said one of the key things to do was to sack your family! I mean, your family are meant to be your cheerleaders, enablers and supporters of all your hopes and dreams are they not? No...apparently not, this view point is that they have a vested interest in you and what ever you choose to do can have an impact on their lives too. So, the argument is here, that they are not objective and could give advice based on what is better for them rather than the best thing for you. Harsh! I will let you decide what you think about that.

A life coach doesn't give advice and has no personal reason to influence your decisions. Neither do they mentor you our become your councellor. So what does a coach do?They help guide you through the process of unpicking what you want to achieve and the steps you need or want to take to get there.

A great coach is completely objective, listens actively to you, asks the right questions at the right time and is armed with knowledge and tools to support you in your goal setting. A great coach enables you to be future focused and set your own goals with informed decision making. When you leave a coaching session you should feel empowered, excited and determined to achieve your next step. I love this quote from Emma Louise Elsey - life coach, author and founder of The Coaching Tools Company,

“Coaching works because it’s all about you. When you connect with what you really want and why – and take action – magical things can happen.”

Who doesn't want magical things to happen in their life? We all did once - when we were that child sat in front of the birthday cake with the flickering candles. The only difference is that as adults we actually have the power to do something about our hopes and dreams, and a life coach can help you to see that - as well as how to set yourself goals to achieve them.