If you love to help people and have a natural knack for problem solving, you’ve probably already thought about becoming a life coach. If inner, non-cheesy motivational speaker within you is desperate to find an outlet, this could be for you. A “project” could bode well for you and others who are in need of a little boost. However, as promising as this prospect may seem, it can also be overwhelming. Especially if you don’t feel truly clear on what it takes to become a good life coach. There is more than just some kind of instinctual guess that it would be a good fit for you. If you’re thinking of combining your entrepreneurship skills with a desire to help people, but aren’t sure you have the chops, then this article is for you.
The first quality you need to have - or take the time to cultivate - is being a good listener. You will be providing an empathetic ear to clients struggling with different problems in their life, be it big or small. Being a life coach doesn’t mean that you’re a therapist. However, it’s still a profession wherein the capacity to listen and attempt to understand your clients’ concerns are incredibly important. This is because, from the onset, a life coach needs to properly assess exactly what each client needs and how to tackle the problem at hand. Without the capacity for active listening, you will not be able to provide this essential part of the life coaching service.
When you’re a life coach, other people are essentially entrusting you with their life in a way. There’s usually a major dilemma that they need help with. They are coming to you to get the direction and advice they desperately need. Therefore, you definitely have to be organized and able to respond to their concerns as you begin the journey together. At the same time, because you will be managing many plates in the air as a life coach, organization is especially important for your own interests. This will enable you to properly manage your growing business. You need to be able to organize your time well so that the needs of the client are met while you manage your own budgetary concerns against the typical life coach earnings you’re expecting to receive. In all cases, set aside sufficient time to prepare. In turn, showing your clients that excellent time management skills are an important “life hack” will bode well for you. After all, how can a client in need of help in getting their own life together trust someone who seems to be all over the place?
Soft skills are a big part of what makes an excellent life coach. At the same time, a certain business sense is essential. Life coaches live a self-employed life. This is great but can also come with its own baggage since you need to manage your finances and keep your books pristine. You also need to have a taste for marketing in order to get your services out there. Most life coaches now rely on social media platforms and the wider digital realm to reach a wider customer base. This could include blogging, maintaining a website, hosting free seminars, and so on. If you’re a talented life coach but no one knows about your services, then you may be curtailing your own ability to thrive. Remember, it's a very cutthroat and competitive business. If you want to succeed, figuring out how best to get your message to the general public is key.
You’re not meant to coddle your clients. However, you shouldn’t be hyper opinionated in sessions and judge them all the time. A bad life coach is someone who doesn’t know when to listen or how to be supportive. Or, how to guide people to the right path. You can’t proselytize or impose your own view of the world on others, especially in a life coach setting. It will be incredibly difficult for you to secure the trust of clients if they feel like they’re in a dungeon every time they try to set up an appointment with you.
Life coaching is a growing field that in some ways traverses the boundaries between offering therapeutic or counseling services and consultations in a certain area of expertise. Choose your area of focus, and begin reaching out to people you can help straight away. Being a life coach allows you to help others, so it is also a tremendously gratifying profession to undertake in the long run.
