Finding The Right Life Coach

Where are you at in life? Do you want to reach a new level of success, but don’t know how to proceed? Have you been wondering how to find a life coach? Maybe you know you’re in need of a major change, but feel paralysed by indecision. Working with a professional 1:1 coach can help. With a coach by your side, you’ll stay focused and accountable to the goals you set. The best life coaches can teach you the proven strategies and tools you need to turn your dreams into reality.

Life coaching — what I refer to as Transformational Results Coaching — can be an incredibly powerful tool for achieving your most important goals. The best life coaches become mentors and guides, helping you through life’s challenges and strengthening your mindset so you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

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ATTRIBUTES OF THE BEST LIFE COACHES

What’s important to look for as you’re discovering how to choose a life coach who is right for you? Successful life coaches share several key attributes.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

As you set out on your quest to learn how to find a life coach, look for someone who asks meaningful questions to ensure that you think about your process in the right ways. They are not there to hand you all of the answers; their task is more acute, and it includes helping you explore your problems to find the solutions yourself. Successful life coaches will also determine your communication style and alter their approach to ensure you understand and internalise their guidance.

DEEP LISTENING

Communication isn’t just about talking – it’s also about deep listening. Life coaching is about you, your goals or outcomes and your path toward making them a reality. Top life coaches are willing to listen so they can truly know and understand you. They will make eye contact, provide nonverbal affirmations and follow up with insightful questions that show they were listening carefully.

NEUTRALITY

Your coach must be able to confront you as needed yet remain non-judgmental about your choices. They need to call you out in a gentle yet honest way when they see you impeding your own progress. A successful life coach walks the line between trusted confidant and professional consultant, pushing you outside of your comfort zone to the area where real growth happens.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Your coach must feel responsible for your success. You need to be able to trust your coach to follow up with you in regards to your progress and monitor how well you’ve applied what you learn during your sessions to your real life. If your coach cannot hold themselves accountable, they will never be able to hold you accountable.

STRATEGIC THINKING

You and your needs are unique, and successful life coaches are able to help plot a path that addresses your limiting beliefs and the outcomes that you seek to achieve. That’s why I create a personalised plan that uniquely benefits you and your goals, instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

GOAL-SETTING

It goes without saying that the point of coaching is to achieve lasting change as they help you reach your goals. How do you know whether you’ve accomplished this? The only way to measure your progress is to establish goals – what we refer to as outcomes – so it’s important to have a coach who can help you set the right metrics for success.

HONESTY

The ability to accept feedback from your coach and speak honestly and openly with them is absolutely essential. You need to be able to open up with your coach, but they need to maintain clear boundaries with you. They’re not there to be your buddy – their mission is to help you reach or exceed your goals. In return, you must make sure you’re honest with your coach about your learning style, preferences and personality. The clearer they are on your needs, the better your experience will be.

GROWTH MINDSET

Achieving change and attaining a state that will allow you to do anything you dream of will put you out of your comfort zone. The best life coaches have a growth mindset and will always challenge you to change, to do things that you otherwise would not and to improve. You are capable of incredible things and you need to find a life coach who recognizes that. Otherwise, that person will not be able to maximize your potential and guide you toward a truly fulfilling life.

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FINDING THE RIGHT COACHING SYSTEM

Different life coaches use a variety of systems, or methods, to help you meet the outcomes that are most important to you. Here’s what to look for to find a life coach with a system that’s right for you.

• Proven success. It’s important to see how successful a life coaching system has been and whether the coach is truly following it. Personally, I have received over 200 hours of training on the system that I use on my own clients. This system goes by the name of Meta Dynamics which combines positive psychology, neural linguistic programming and gestalt therapy techniques. This method was developed by the founder of the International Coaching Institute, Remi Pearson. who founded the he’s integrated into his own life, based on mentors and other successful people he’s met over the years. It’s important that you feel comfortable the methods your coach uses will take you where you want to be.

• Specialties. There’s often an inclination to pair up with a life coach that specializes in certain areas. Maybe you’re trying to revive the passion in your relationship with your partner or maybe you’re looking for help on improving your personal finances. Rather than looking for a coach who fits these specific traits, what’s more important are the experiences your coach has had and their expertise to get you in the right mindset for success.

• Perspective. You want a coach who has a different perspective than you and who can help you see your life from a different point of view, one that could completely transform your life. The best life coaches are the ones who can form a holistic approach to help you improve all areas of your life by changing your mindset and removing inner blocks.

MEETING WITH YOUR POTENTIAL LIFE COACH

Most top life coaches offer a free consultation which allows you to consider whether the match will work when you attempt to find a life coach. This initial session is the time to learn everything you can about your potential life coaching program and mentor and determine if it’s a good match. Here’s what you can typically expect.

EVALUATION OF YOUR GOALS

Your potential life coach will dive right into your situation – they may even provide you with a questionnaire to fill out beforehand. They’ll ask you questions like:

• How would you describe yourself?

• What made you decide to contact me?

• What is the biggest challenge in your life right now?

• What are you most proud of in your life right now?

• What are you grateful for?

• When was the last time you woke up excited about the day ahead?

• What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

• How will you know what success looks and feels like for you?

EXPLANATION OF THEIR PROCESS

During this meeting, the best life coaches will be able to explain specifically how they work, what they do and what methods they employ in their work. These methods might include:

• Goal visualization

• Incantations and affirmations

• Talk therapy

• Hypnotherapy

• Mindfulness exercises

• Neurolinguistic programming

• Guided meditation

• Experiential learning

If they’re unable to clearly describe their process or if you feel you’re being told what you want to hear, make sure to ask as many follow-up questions as needed until you feel comfortable.

DETERMINING IF IT’S A FIT

When you first meet a potential life coach, evaluate how you feel when you’re talking with them. Observe how they respond to you and their communication style and think about the points they’re making. Are they helping you see things in a new perspective? Are they successfully identifying your strengths and helping you find your top priorities so you can get the results you’re after? If you feel uneasy, keep thinking about how to choose a life coach. A great life coach will be able to answer your questions in a way that you understand and offer you a clear sense of what kind of progress you can expect over the time you spend working with them. When you find a coach who can accomplish this, you’ve likely found a good fit.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The journey to find a life coach who challenges and empowers you takes attention and care, but it’s worth the investment. The right life coach can help you reach and exceed your biggest dreams and goals. When you consider it in that light, isn’t working with one of the best life coaches the least you can do for yourself?