So what do I actually do?
“Wow this is so amazing, you’ll be so good at it!”
“Brilliant, how exciting, yes Life Coaching … you’re so motivational.”
“Oh right, I’ve heard of life coaching but what do you actually do, I mean you give advice and help people right?”
“I just think a coach would be really good for me because I need someone to help me sort my life out, I’m sure a coach could give me some really good advice.”
These are just some of the many conversations I have had since I set up my Life Coaching Business and went on to leave corporate life!
When I tell people I’m a Life Coach they take a moment, some look at me a little strangely (particularly as I am not dressed in long flowing dresses, flip flops and wearing braids in my hair) and then they smile. They’re happy for me but ….
Do they know what I’m actually talking about? Do they know what it means to be a Life Coach, really?
Do they know what I do, what I actually do with the people I support, the ins and outs of the coaching process I go through? The outcomes my clients achieve as a result of our working together?
When I think about it, if I asked people (friends, family, business buddies) to describe what I do I think they would struggle. Many are still not completely sure what this ‘coaching’ thing I do actually is.
Sure people use the word, hear the term at work, heard me talking about it, but in a time where the trend is to apply the word ‘coach’ to so many different roles, why the hell should they understand what it actually means?!?!?
But hey if I’m honest neither did I really until I began my study and training and putting it all into practice!
So I thought I’d set the record straight and rather than baffle you with science, jargon and woo woo (yep many think I do that too and I do a little teeny bit!) I thought it might be easier to start with what I don’t do!
What I don’t do and why you probably won’t want me as your coach!
1. I will not be your teacher, mentor or consultant
In corporate life I have been all of these. They were great and I got to share my knowledge, my skills and my advice. And who doesn’t love giving their advice!
I’ve helped so many teams and individuals to move forward in so many ways through these ways, but along side this I found coaching: still a tool to move forward but in a very different way
As a teacher / mentor I am the expert. I answer the questions based on my experience and my skills
That’s not what I do
As a coach, the tables are turned. You, the client, are the expert because the subject is you and your life.
I ask questions, I give you space to reflect and most importantly you give your answers and YOU write your story
2. I will not be your counsellor
Therapy and counselling are great tools for supporting you through times of deep difficulty. Counselling helps you to go back into the depths of times in your life that have affected you in some way and are causing you pain or holding you back.
These tools absolutely have their place, but
That’s not what I do
I almost guarantee your past will come up. We’ll even go looking for it if its going to be useful, but our focus will be always be about the future, moving forwards towards your goal.
You will already be someone who knows they want to achieve something . You will know you want some support to move forward, you’re ready for more and ready to take action to find it and make it happen!
3. I will not allow you to hide in your comfort zone
If you want to take the easy path, you’re probably not ready for coaching. We all love to sit in our comfort zone. We ALL love familiarity, we pretty much all fear the unknown, it IS far easier to not do than to do that much is true
But that’s not what I do
I will challenge you to think differently
I will challenge you to think about what if?
I will support you to allow yourself to believe you can and to create actions that see you only moving onwards and upwards to your more
What I do & the reasons you WILL want me as your coach
You know you want more in your life, you want something to change however big or small
You don’t quite know where to start but you know you want to
You know you’re holding yourself back and you want that to change
You’re ready to take that step, to get out of your own way. To master your mindset, embrace your inner confidence and jump into action to live the life you want
That’s what I do!
I support you, I work with you and alongside you, challenging you, helping you unpick what’s holding you back and rewrite your story
I help you find your more, unblock your mindset and create the confidence to make your more happen
I will help you commit to yourself to take action and achieve your goals
That’s what I do
