“Can I become a coach and make a difference in the world?” you ask. You’re asking the wrong question. The question is not whether you can become a life coach, the question is whether or not you will. Why wouldn’t you successfully become a life coach? What’s funny is that you’ll probably still ask, “Can I become a coach?” long after you begin your life coaching business. The point is this… there are things that can stop you in your endeavor to become a life coach, and you’d better know them before you sink your teeth further into that question.

Most of the things that stop someone from being able to say ‘yes’ to the “Can I become a coach?” question are just conversations. Simple attitudes, beliefs, and states of mind that any life coach can get involved in that stop them in their endeavor to become a life coach.

Can I Become a Coach or Not? Here are Some Conversations That’ll Stop You

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The first conversation that could stop you in your ability to become a life coach has to do with the all familiar selfish instinct in all people. Everyone needs to get ‘paid’ in some way for what they do, and coaching is no different, in fact highly paid coaches have made this industry attractive to many people just looking for an easy pay day (big mistake).

#1: The Compensation & Reward Conversation Will Kill Your Dream to Become a Life Coach

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When you’re asking yourself, “Can I become a coach?” you will hesitate at least if you are focused only on the compensation and reward that you expect(ed) to get as a life coach.

Your ‘Compensation & Reward Conversation’ may go something like this: “I’m not making enough money. I’m not getting paid. I’m not getting enough rewards, in fact I’m getting punished for doing this.”

Pretty Ugly, huh? Can I become a coach when I’m all wrapped up with this kind of selfish complaining?

No way.

That will stop you!

Become a Life Coach That Transforms The ‘Compensation & Reward Conversation’

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You’ve got to understand that you don’t get the return on your vast “Can I become a coach” investment instantly. I know that sounds like a bit of a buzz-kill, but it’s the reality that you need to expect before you get started. The problem here is that you, along with every other human being on the face of the earth, are programmed for instantaneous rewards.

Think about it. You weren’t programmed to become a life coach. You were evolved and programmed to go after your desires in life and try your darndest to get them fulfilled instantly! When you were out hunting for food or gathering fruit, you didn’t wait around to eat. If you waited around, then someone else got the food and you DIED. The same for being patient about finding and getting together with the mate you liked. If you were patient 1 million years ago, then you didn’t stick around and make more little ones with genes like yours.

Can I become a coach without thinking long term, however? We are in a long term planning type of society now, and even through this is a society that we weren’t designed for, we’ve got to consciously shift our patterns if we are going to become a coach successfully.

Can I Become a Coach Who Gets Some Serious Bucks? Only After You’re The Last Coach Standing.

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At the beginning of your life coach practice building, you’ve got to give ten units of effort for one unit of result. Eventually (usually years later) you give five units of effort and get five units of result in return. Then, after all the short term thinkers have taken their life coaching balls and gone home, and you’re the last life coach standing, you can give one unit of effort and get ten units of result in return. Sound good? Well, by that time, you’ll have become a life coach that deserves that kind of compensation and reward! But that’s only after you fail at it so much, and that’s only after giving a tremendous amount of commitment for years.

If you want to be at the receiving end after you’ve become a life coach, you’ve got to start at the giving end, and keep giving far past the time you wanted to quit. The rewards can eventually be well worth it.

So, CAN you become a coach?

I don’t know… Do you REALLY want to?

Jeffrey T. Sooey

CEO, JTS Advisors

Founder, Coaches Training Blog community

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Tell me… What does it take to become a mentor?   Can I become a coach before I have the experience and expertise to become a mentor?   To become a mentor requires knowledge.  A mentor is someone who has “been there, done that”.  They are an expert (at least compared to the person they are mentoring). 

Becoming a coach doesn’t necessarily mean you are an expert in a given area.  You just need skills and tools for breakthroughs, and of course accountability.

Knowing this, let me ask you, can I become a coach to CEO’s?  What if you don’t have the background to become a mentor at that level?

Can I Become a Coach, Really?  The 5 Different Ways Coaches Provide Value:

1.       Consultant (information)

2.       Guru (confidence)

3.       Friend (listening)

4.       Strategist (planning/ time )

5.       Leader (accountability)

Can I become a coach who is a consultant to a high powered executive?  It depends on the area they need results in.  You don’t want to give strategic business advice and become a mentor for the business of executives if you don’t have a MBA.  Your would-be client will “call you out” on it.  

“Hey! What do you know about this?”  Isn’t that one of the greatest fears of a coach? 

But can I become a coach who is more of a friend and confidant?  Is that valuable?  Of course.  It’s lonely at the top. 

Can I become a coach who is a strategist?  Would that be overstepping boundaries?  If they need strategy about marketing peanut butter in Europe?  I’m toast.  I have no grounds to become a mentor in that area.  But if they need someone to help with time management, getting past blocks that are keeping them from achieving their goals…I can get results. 

What about a guru?  That takes time and a following.

Can I become a coach who is a leader for someone that’s accustomed to being the top dog?  Sure.  If I have the skills to hold them accountable, with the finesse and skill to maneuver between being dominant and allowing them to still feel in charge.  

You Don’t Need to Become a Mentor to Lead

As a coach, there are a lot of ways you can provide value for even the most successful people in their field.  It’s all about getting them the results they are looking for. 

Colette Seymann

Accountability Coach, JTS Advisors

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