There are so many steps to becoming a life coach. Consequently, many coaches spend all their time and energy taking coach training courses instead of taking action. Where do you start? After watching my daughter’s gymnastic class, it became clear that coach training is not much different than training for other sports.

I developed these 5 steps to becoming a life coach:

Coach Training Step #1: Focus on Your Goals

The first of the steps to becoming a life coach is to focus on what you want. Even the 6 and 7 year olds in my daughter’s recreational gymnastic class are deliberate. They inspired me with their ability to focus on the coach’s demonstration, watch their classmates and then take their turns. Sure there might be a momentary lapse in concentration while they look to see if a parent is watching them, but even this is rare. At what level are you playing in your coach training? Where is your focus?

Coach Training Step #2: Be Coached

The second of the steps to becoming a life coach is to get coaching and participate in a coach training program. You will learn strategy to help break down the steps to get you on your way, work on the basics with supervision, and be empowered by a peer group with similar goals.

Coach Training Step #3: Put in Some Elbow Grease

The third of the steps to becoming a life coach is to be prepared to work. With all your knowledge and coach training, are you letting fear stop you from taking steps? We all have ‘reasons’ why we can’t succeed. If we just do what we can, each step of the way we’ll find ourselves halfway to our goals before we know it. The girls I watched were outside their comfort zones, even with safety equipment and someone to spot them. Set up support structure for yourself. Develop a success team.

Coach Training Step #4: Practice Makes Perfect

The fourth of the steps to becoming a life coach is to practice, practices, practice. The only way to master the coach training is through repetition. Understanding alone is worthless. Make sure you reflect and get feedback along the way. One of the keys to mastery is to look at performance and to see what was great, what could be better, and then make appropriate changes.

Coach Training Step #5: Celebrate Achievements

The fifth and final of the steps to becoming a life coach is to celebrate your victories along the way. In my daughter’s gymnastics class they have a skills list, and they check off each skill as it is mastered. In coach training there are also specific skills that need to be mastered. They don’t wait for the big wins to celebrate, and neither should you. It’s nice to see progress, but beyond that celebrating a win is the key to fulfillment. Without fulfillment, achieving goals is hollow and empty.

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Colette Seymann

JTS Advisors Designated Accountability Coach