How often have you been asked, “What is a life coach?”  Whether they ask it out loud or not, there isn’t really a simple answer to this question.  So how can you become a life coach who has enough confidence in their own abilities to answer with conviction?

No, Really — What is a Life Coach?

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What is a life coach?  Is it consulting?  Coaching is a form of consulting.  But someone who has become a life coach will also stay with the client to help implement the new skills, changes and goals to make sure they really happen.

What is a life coach?  Is it therapy?  Coaching is not therapy.  We don’t work on “issues” or get into the past.  Someone one who has become a life coach leaves that up to the client to know and figure out.  A coach will help them move forward and set personal and professional goals that will give them the life they really want.

Are You the Sort of Person that Wants to Become a Life Coach?

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What is a life coach?  Is it similar to sports coaching?  Coaching includes several principles from sports coaching like teamwork, going for the goal and being your best.  But unlike sporting coaching, someone who has become a life coach is not competition or win/lose based.  We strengthen the client’s skills instead of helping them beat the other team.  It’s win/win.

What is a life coach?  Is it a best friend’s advice?  A best friend is wonderful to have.  But is your best friend a professional who you can trust to advise you on the most important aspects of your life or business?  You probably are best off having a best friend and hiring someone who has become a life coach.

When You Become a Life Coach, You Should Never Stop Asking Yourself the Question, “What is a Life Coach?”

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The answer to “What is a life coach?” is not as simple as it appears.  Because life coaching is a relatively new field, it is not as well defined.  The more you step into the role of someone who has become a life coach, the more you will realize how unique coaching is.  A coach is close enough to care, yet by keeping an objective and professional distance can offer the benefits of looking at situations from a variety of view points.  All with the intention of making a profound difference in their clients’ lives and producing results.

Colette Seymann

JTS Advisors Designated Accountability Coach

Technorati Tags: Become a Life Coach, What is a Life Coach

Become a Life Coach, What is a Life Coach Become a Life Coach, What is a Life Coach

How many times have you been talking to prospective clients and after you tell them what you do, they immediately ask, “What is a life coach?” And the only answer you can think of is the Wikipedia definition of “What is a life coach?” So you tell them “coaching is a method of directing, instructing and training a person or group of people, with the aim to achieve some goal or develop specific skills.” And they stare blankly at you and wonder what planet you’re from. Now the real question is how to become a coach who can answer the question, “What is a life coach?” and have it turn into a meaningful conversation.

It’s crucial that you are able to describe what you do in a way that will help prospective clients understand that you are someone who could be a solution to their relationship problem, their business problems, or whatever your niche is. The test is how to become a coach who can position yourself in a way that intrigues the other person and gets them to genuinely want to know more about what you do after they ask you “what is a life coach?”

What’s The Secret to How to Become a Coach Who Draws Curiosity? 

Well, know that using your label as a “coach” can be confusing or a conversation stopper. And don’t start talking about the process. Most people will shut down.

So, how to become a coach who attracts prospective clients? Recognize people are motivated by two things. Pain and pleasure. They move away from pain and toward pleasure. So communicate the problem or pain, before you offer the solution. This works because when people have a problem, they have a type of “radar” that seeks a solution. So if you can communicate that you understand their problem, you will get their attention right away.

If You Want to Know How to Become a Coach Who Gets a Prospective Client’s Attention, Be as Specific as Possible 

“I work with real estate agents who face the challenges of a slow economy” will not get the results that “I work with real estate agents who are struggling to get clients.” That is really what is a life coach from the position of that niche of clients.

Now that you have their attention, offer the solution. Use stories and testimonials to communicate that you do indeed have the answer to their problem. Now you know how to become a coach who can talk with prospective clients with confidence…and avoid the uncomfortable question, “what is a life coach, anyway?”

Colette Seymann

Accountability Coach, JTS Advisors

Technorati Tags: How to Become a Coach, What is a Life Coach

How to Become a Coach, What is a Life Coach How to Become a Coach, What is a Life Coach