Everyday people decide they want to become a life coach, but few actually achieve their goals of becoming a life coach.  In fact, some of the biggest barriers to becoming a life coach arise just after they decide to become a life coach.  And unfortunately for most people, these barriers keep them from realizing their dreams.  Here are the top five barriers to becoming a life coach, and what you can do about it.

If You Want to Become a Life Coach You Can’t get Hung Up on Money

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Barrier to Becoming a Life Coach #1:  Money.  Or lack of.  “I don’t have money to quit my job and become a life coach.”  “I’m too busy working to have the time to devote to coaching.”  “I want to become a life coach but I don’t have money for training.”  Those are not the real reasons.  What is under the “Money” excuse that is really stopping you?

Finding the Right Peer Group is Important When You Are Trying to Become a Life Coach

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Barrier to Becoming a Life Coach #2:  Family and Friends.  These people are dangerous in your quest to become a life coach.  This is your peer group, and it is hard to go against the tribal instinct to belong.  If they don’t think you can do it, you’ll either believe them or you won’t take action.  You know that if you fail you will have to face the consequences of failing when they warned you.  If this is what you’re facing, you’ll need to find an empowering peer group.  I’m not saying to get rid of your family and friends, but you’ll definitely need to find some people who are supportive in your endeavors.  At least to balance out the noise from the nay-sayers.

If You are Serious about Becoming a Life Coach You Will Have to Get Over Your Fears

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Barrier to Becoming a Life Coach #3:  Fear.  If are serious about your dream to become a life coach, you’re going to have to face your biggest fears.  The best way to navigate around those fears is to hire a coach.  Actually pay someone to coach you, so both of you take it seriously.  But most people won’t do this, because of barrier #4.

Address Your Belief System if You Really Want to Become a Life Coach

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Barrier to Becoming a Life Coach #4:  Lack of Self –Worth.  The biggest reason why people don’t have what they want is because they don’t feel like they deserve it.  Or that they’re not good enough to accomplish it.  Which is your own belief system that you need to address if you really want to become a life coach.

Time Management Should Not Prevent You From Becoming a Life Coach

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Barrier to Becoming a Life Coach #5:  Time.  If lack of time is keeping you from your dream to become a life coach, then you will never have the time.  If you really want to burst through this barrier, you’re going to need to change your beliefs about time.  Start taking action, even if it’s 10 minutes here and there.  Do what you can, when you can.  And prioritize how you spend money so you can live the life you want.

These barriers to becoming a life coach don’t have to stop you.  In fact, most of the time if you are able to identify a barrier you can develop a strategy around it.  If you really want to become a life coach, commit and make a plan.  Face the barriers with commitment, instead of resolve.  In doing so, you’ll be able to live the life that you want.

Colette Seymann

JTS Advisors Bi-Designated Strategy and Accountability Coach

Technorati Tags: Become a Life Coach, Becoming a Life Coach

Become a Life Coach, Becoming a Life Coach Become a Life Coach, Becoming a Life Coach

Becoming a life coach and shopping for life coach classes is a lot like shopping for a diet. Have you ever heard an advertisement for a diet that says, “You just have to eat less, exercise more, and work consistently?” People want the magic bullet. Even at the risk of adverse side effects. Becoming a life coach is very similar. Have you ever seen advertisements for life coach classes that say, “Become a coach in 3 days!”

The truth is that becoming a life coach is very similar. Taking life coach classes and gaining a lot of knowledge isn’t going to turn you into a coach. You’re going to have to give up free time, work hard, and have a commitment for the long haul. How bad do you want to become a coach? What are you willing to sacrifice?

Becoming a Life Coach Means Investing Time to Perfect Your Coaching Skills

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Taking a lot of life coach classes isn’t enough. Knowledge without application isn’t useful in becoming a life coach. Coaching is about skill, and to master skills takes practice. Michael Jordan became a star by practicing the basics over and over. Becoming a coach takes the same type of practice.

Life Coach Classes Must Foster an Environment That Provides Accountability

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In addition, becoming a coach means you need an environment that provides accountability and an empowering peer group. This can come from other students in your life coach classes or from people in a mastermind group. It’s not really who you know, or who you talk to once a year. It’s who you hang out with on a regular basis that matters most.

Becoming a coach is a journey, not a destination. The first few years may not be great. Keep taking life coach classes, and putting things into action. If you’re committed to the process, and really believe that coaching makes a difference in your life and the life of others, with time you will reap the rewards.

Collete Seymann

JTS Advisors Designated Accountability Coach

Technorati Tags: Becoming a Life Coach, Life Coach Classes

Becoming a Life Coach, Life Coach Classes Becoming a Life Coach, Life Coach Classes

Prestigious Life Coaching Certification Realities: Become a Life Coach and Get on Food Stamps

There are a lot of coaches training programs that are mass producing “coaches”, each offering their own version of a prestigious life coaching certification. But really, what does a prestigious life coaching certification mean to you? Does it mean you have become a life coach who can help anyone? Does it mean you have become a life coach who has a steady schedule of paying clients? According to an International Coach Federation (IFC) published membership survey, about 4 out of 10 coaches earn less than $10K per year. That’s because 50% of members of the ICF are only coaching somewhere between one and six clients per month. More than half of these coaches said it took them up to 2 years to get their first paying coaching client.

What is Currently The Most Prestigious Life Coaching Certification to Get as You Become a Life Coach?

What is considered the most prestigious life coaching certification? What is the biggest barrier to getting prestigious life coaching certification? Read more…

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Becoming a Life Coach, Prestigious Life Coaching Certification Become a Life Coach, Prestigious Life Coaching Certification

Do you ever feel like you are becoming a life coach who is getting stuck, or that a problem comes up that seems too big to handle?  It happens to your clients, but not to you, of course!

Ultimately, adversity effect all of us, and starting and growing a coaching business is no exception.  Your ability to handle adversity can be a great beacon of hope to your clients, or you lack of handling your own adversity can kill any good advice that you do happen to bring your clients as well.  These questions will help you become a life coach who can change your mental state quickly so you can access resources to handle the problem powerfully.

You Become a Life Coach Who Can Handle Just About Anything When You Start Asking Yourself Questions Like: 

What’s great about having this problem? 

What’s great about this problem? 

What can I learn from this problem? 

What is funny or entertaining about this problem? 

This first step is important in becoming a life coach who can see other points of view to a problem, and will start getting you into a mental state that is open to seeing the possible solutions.

Next, You Become a Life Coach Who Answers The Question: 

What’s not perfect yet? 

Becoming a life coach who can see the problem clearly is the key to the solution.

After You Become a Life Coach Who Diagnoses The Problem, Start Asking Yourself: 

What am I willing to do in order to make it the way that I want it? 

What’s missing in the situation right now that would move things forward?

Now you are in the process of becoming a life coach who sees solutions.

Now ask yourself: 

What am I willing to stop doing in order to make it the way that I want it? 

What am I willing to give up in order to resolve this problem? 

These questions will help you become a life coach who sees what might be keeping you from overcoming the problem quickly.

After you have answered these questions you become a life coach who can see lots of options. Now you are on your way to becoming a life coach who can see what they can do to achieve the outcome they want, enjoy the process and help others along the way.

Colette Seymann

JTS Advisors Accountability Coach

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Becoming a Life Coach, You Become a Life Coach Becoming a Life Coach, You Become a Life Coach

People Often Ask, “How Can I Become a Coach?”

“What are the start up costs in becoming a life coach?” “How can I become a coach if I don’t have a lot of extra money?” Becoming a life coach and starting up your own practice doesn’t have to cost you a small fortune.

How You Can Start Becoming a Life Coach on a Shoe String Budget:

1. Get a phone. If it’s a cell phone, use it to make your appointments and you can coach just about anywhere.

2. Get a library card. It’s free, and as you are becoming a life coach you will need to improve you knowledge base for strategies and coaching technologies.

3. Find a computer with internet access. You can get free coaches training on www.coachestrainingblog.com, which will definitely help you in becoming a life coach. You can even get access at most public libraries.

4. Find a mentor. If you are really committed to becoming a life coach, you will need a mentor to guide you. Or at least get some coaching.

Once you have the equipment, you may find yourself asking, “How can I become a coach? I don’t have any clients.” Start by offering complimentary sessions to everyone you know. From those people, depending on your relationship with them, you will find two categories of people. Those who you will coach, and those who know other people you can provide free sessions for. You will need to coach at least 5 clients per week. For free if necessary, until you are confident in your ability to provide specific, measurable, ambitious, results for your clients that they know they would not have been able to achieve without your coaching.

Once that question is solved you will ask, “How can I become a coach who gets paid for what they do?” When you are able to provide so much value in a free session that your client sees coaching as the only vehicle to really achieving their goals, the consequences of staying where they are, and the pleasure they will have once they achieve their goals, they will pay you.

And once that question is solved, hopefully you answer the most important question which is, “How can I become a coach who is committed to elevating the coaching profession by providing exceptional results for my clients.” That’s the most important question a coach can ask!

Colette Seymann

Accountability Coach, JTS Advisors

Technorati Tags: Becoming a Life Coach, How Can I Become a Coach

Becoming a Life Coach, How Can I Become a Coach Becoming a Life Coach, How Can I Become a Coach

Get Even the Most Reserved People to Warm up to You Using These Seven Simple Life Coach Tips

Becoming a life coach isn’t always as easy as it seems. What happens when you begin a session and feel like your client is not engaged?  You’re getting one word answers to your open-ended questions, and you start to feel panicky.  Relax, and enjoy these seven simple life coach tips that will immediately ease your strain upon the road to becoming a life coach.

Life coach tips #1: When speaking, match pitch and rhythm with their tone – on an unconscious level this is familiar to them and will help them feel more at ease. This will also help you get yourself out of your own head, because becoming a life coach is about being able to truly see the world from your clients’ perspective.

Life coach tips #2: If you are doing a face to face session, match body language. Again this is something that your client unconsciously relates to.

Life coach tips #3: Smile. Even if you are on the phone. The warmth you generate will come through.

Life coach tips #4: Set the right intentions. Get yourself into the state where your number one intention is to help and serve your client. Becoming a life coach is about the client, their goals, and needs. Everyone has their b.s. detector up pretty high these days. Don’t think you can fake it.

Life coach tips #5: Be a mirror for your clients’ responses. Repeat back to them what they have shared suing their precise working and terminology. They will know that you are listening, and you understand them. This will also help you in becoming a life coach; and understanding your clients.

Life coach tips #6: Refer to DISC or other assessment results. You will have instant access to your clients’ personality type, values, and how to communicate in their style.

Life coach tips #7: If you are nervous, it usually means you are focusing on yourself and your needs. Becoming a life coach means you need to feel competent in your abilities? You need to know yourself as someone who really offers value.  Use your body’s feedback to shift your focus onto your client, and remember…it’s not about you.

So if feel like you are having difficulty establishing rapport, remember these 6 simple tips and you will find yourself back on track before you know it.

Colette Seymann

JTS Advisors Accountability Coach

Technorati Tags: Becoming a Life Coach, Life Coach Tips

Becoming a Life Coach, Life Coach Tips Becoming a Life Coach, Life Coach Tips

Why is environment so important in a coach training and becoming a life coach? According to recent studies 50% of your success will be determined by your environment and 40% by your mindset or attitude. So it seems obvious that when looking for a coach training program, you would want to be around positive people and an environment is supportive to your goals. But what about the skills you need to get from a coach training? How important are those in becoming a life coach?

The Big Coach Training Mistake That Most Coaches Make

If your goal is becoming a life coach, specifically a well paid life coach, you might think that the most important aspect of a coach training program is learning the skills you need. But studies show that only 10% of your success is determined by your skill sets. In becoming a life coach, or any other endeavor.

Obtaining basic and advanced coaching skills, marketing skills, and product development skills are crucial to becoming a life coach with a viable coaching practice. But where a lot of coach training programs fall short, is in creating an environment that will truly transform ordinary people into world class coaches.

When Becoming a Life Coach, People Work on Their Mindset or Attitude, But Most People Completely Ignore Their Environment.

How do you expect to attend a weekend coach training, come back to your old environment, and experience permanent transformation? You could, but it will take much more persistence on your part. It’s like trying to learn a new language. It‘s much easier to put yourself into an environment where people are speaking that language. You can try swimming against the tide, but it’s much easier to catch a big wave and go with it.

So if your goal is becoming a life coach, or any other type of coach, make sure the coach training you choose will allow you to become immersed into an environment that will help you achieve your goals.

Colette Seymann

JTS Advisors Accountability Coach

Technorati Tags: Becoming a Life Coach, Coach Training

Becoming a Life Coach, Coach Training Becoming a Life Coach, Coach Training

I get asked a lot of questions about becoming a Life Coach and I welcome them because there are many misconceptions about the profession and what it’s about. Let me start by saying what it’s not. Life Coaching is not therapy, it is not counseling and it is not consulting although many physiologists, consultants and counselors are becoming trained and using coaching skills and technologies as a compliment to their practice.

Here are some things to consider when becoming a Life Coach.

• What kind of life coach training do I need?

You need to be trained through a qualified organization. There are the major players that are credentialed by the ICF (International Coaches Federation)  or CTI but there are also many companies such as JTS Advisors who offer excellent training in strategy, accountability and assessment coaching.  Becoming a life coach is a true transition and there are serious skills sets to learn, so don’t skimp on getting the training and real coaching experience you need.  Why is training and coaching experience important?  Because you usually lack coaching skills when you are first considering becoming a coach, even if you think you’re a natural… professional coaches use their coaching skills every day and they’ve been honed after thousands of hours in varying situations.  You’ve got some work to do!

• Do I need to be certified to become a life coach?

Ultimately the answer is no but it is absolutely recommended. Life coaching is a relatively new industry and credibility is often questioned. Certification adds credibility and believability.  Also, getting coaching certification will no doubt help improve your coaching skills even if only from having the logical and theoretical grounding to perform the basics.

• So what is Life Coaching about anyway?

Life coaching or any kind of coaching for that manner is about bridging the gap and sustainable change. What that means is that often people want something different but are stuck in patterns or behaviors that are preventing them from getting to the next level. A great coach can get them unstuck like nothing I’ve ever seen

• Are there any age barriers to becoming a Life Coach?

In short – No. As an adult any age is appropriate. I’ve known coaches as young as 22 and others well over 60. Each one brings something unique particularly when they settle on their particular niche.  Even if you are lacking the coaching skills at first, learning a few coaching frameworks (step by step instructions for coaching processes), you’ll have something to do with your clients that will help to a certain extent.  

• How much money can I make as a Life Coach?

This is a very broad question and is tied directly to your business model, your marketing, and the level of your coaching skills. There are coaches who are six figure coaches and there are those who barely scrape by. I encourage anyone entering the field to get assistance in these two areas. JTS offers excellent mentoring and training in these areas. Their partnership with Eric Lofholm (sales and marketing specialist), and other notable business partners provides an excellent framework  Remember that even having the best coaching skills in no way assures success as a life coach!  You’ve got to get your butt out the door and talk to people every day to gather enough relationships to support a thriving coaching practice.

• How do I get clients when becoming a Life Coach?

You have more potential clients than you know starting with your friends, family and business associates. Don’t be afraid to approach them and offer them a free session. I used this when I first started with success. People felt great because of the experience they could see that the change they wanted was not only possible but doable. Develop a referral strategy through your client base and seek help with our sales and marketing strategy if you are uncertain what to do next

Hopefully I’ve provided some answers to your questions on becoming a Life Coach. If you have more, let us know by adding a comment on this blog. We’ll do our best to give you the answers you need.

Technorati Tags: Becoming a Life Coach, Coaching Skills, ICF, international coaches federation

Becoming a Life Coach, Coaching Skills Becoming a Life Coach, Coaching Skills, ICF, international coaches federation

Doesn’t it sound fun to learn how to become a dating coach? A long time ago, marriages were arranged…you got what you got, and didn’t make a fuss. Now there are so many options, life is going too fast, and people are putting off getting into serious relationships until they are well on their way up the corporate ladder. By the time they are ready to start, they often find it hard to find someone compatible. A lot of my friends have turned to dating services, and of all of them…only one is married. I’m sure these dating services work, but there has to be a better way to weed through all the available singles. Why not coaching?

A few years ago, I had a friend who was single and looking for a bit of romance. He had a steady career, came in contact with a lot of people, but rarely even went on a date. I suggested a haircut change…to actually spend more than $8 and get his hair styled. Within a couple of weeks, he went from 4 months of being “dateless” to having 3 dates! He’s now happily married. I know, it wasn’t just the haircut. But we did have a laugh at the idea of having a business where men can learn how to be “dateable”…his idea was that he always seemed to get noticed by women when he already had a girlfriend. Maybe it was because there was a woman who was making sure he was properly groomed, and someone besides his football watching buddies was helping him pick out clothes to wear. Or maybe because he felt he could just be himself because his need for love and connection was being fulfilled. As a coach, offering some support, encouragement, and strategy, could have provided a world of difference.

Now when I think about how to become a dating coach, I immediately think about the DISC and Values Assessments. With that kind of information, a coach could really make some sparks fly. With the right marketing, you could actually set up a database that would be large enough to even take a stab at connecting people who might be a good fit. But even by helping your clients understand their dating history patterns through their personality styles and values would be of magical value. And, as with any other coaching, you want to be able to lead people out of their existing comfort zones so they can get new results.

So if you really want to learn how to become a dating coach, start with learning how to debrief the DISC and Values Assessments. Then you can provide exceptional value for those who are stressed out by the dating scene, and offer solutions and strategies so they can be on their way to finding their match.

Colette Seymann

JTS Advisors Accountability Coach

Technorati Tags: Become a Coach, Become a Life Coach, Coaches Training, how to become a certified relationship coach, How to Become a Dating Coach, LEARNING TO COACH

Become a Life Coach, Becoming a Life Coach, How to Become a Dating Coach, How to Become a Relationship Coach Become a Coach, Become a Life Coach, Coaches Training, how to become a certified relationship coach, How to Become a Dating Coach, LEARNING TO COACH

I just got back from a free coach training seminar, although it was really billed as a ski trip with my daughter. She just turned 7, and although we went on a few trips when she was 4 and again 5…she is now she is a head taller. She has longer arms and legs, and a 20% increase in height and weight. Technically speaking, she is working with a new set of tools.

So how is skiing like a free coach training? Because it reminds me that we are coaches 24/7. And going on this ski trip paralleled what often happens with a new client. There is the initial prep before the first session. Bags to be packed, equipment to be rented, with forms and waivers. Next you get to the first session, where goals are discussed. “Mommy, why is Anita going to ski in a different place?” Turns into a discussion of the over-crowded bunny slopes and long lift lines…resulting in the goal. “I want to ski at the top of the mountain, too.” If you want to go somewhere you’ve never been, you have to be someone you’ve never been.

We work on some strategies for getting up after falling, slowing down when you’re going too fast, and turning. At last we agree she’s ready to try to the beginner slopes at the top of the mountain. To get to the lift, we must traverse the mountain. More strategy, a lot of frustration and some fear of failing, not to be taken personally…this is about her and her goals. I remind myself it’s not about me when she’s yelling at me in frustration because she is down on the ground again. I get into her world, and I pull her with my pole (she doesn’t ski with them yet) where the ground is level. Then I lead her into the snack shack for a cup of hot cocoa and a little rest. She’s feeling refreshed and ready to take the next step.

Sometimes on the way to a goal, it seems like there is little progress. Like waiting in a lift line. Other times, we are on the way…but the process is so slow that we start thinking and getting nervous about what’s coming next. We’ll refer to that as the chair lift portion. I try to get my daughter into a state where she feels confident, and point out the beauty of mountains, remind her of why her goals are important to her. She is really into it. We get off the lift and start heading down.

The initial descent is a little steep. I lead the way. There is a lot of falling, and trying to get up. I am there for support and strategy, but she is the one who has to do it. She yells at me to get out of the way…feedback that she’s ready to do it on her own. She wipes out, feet up the hill. I trudge sideways up the hill to offer support, and a little nudge up. We make it down the initial descent and the slope levels just a bit. Enough though. She picks up speed, and starts flying down the mountain. The shift has occurred. Her voice confirms her feeling of empowerment. Weeee! Nice session. And so for the cost of some lift tickets and gear rental, I got some free coach training.

Colette Seymann

Accountability Coach, JTS Advisors

Technorati Tags: Free Coach Training, life coach

Becoming a Life Coach, Coaches Training Institute, Coaching Skills, Free Coach Training, New Coach Free Coach Training, life coach