Do you need accredited life coach training to be a life coach? Well, if you use the main dictionary meaning of the word “need” then no, you don’t need accredited life coach training to be a life coach.

The definition of “need” is “requirement.” There are no requirements to have any training, accredited or not, to become a life coach.

Should You Have Accredited Life Coach Training to be a Life Coach?

Now, if you change the word “need” to “should” it’s an entirely different ballgame. You don’t need, but you should have training to become a life coach. And that training should be accredited! You wouldn’t want to hire an untrained lawyer, or accountant, or even worse, an untrained doctor, would you?

Why You Should Get Accredited Life Coach Training to be a Life Coach

According to a review in Psycholtherapy Networker, there are some 10,000 coaches of various types working in the United States. The International Coach Federation (ICF) says it has more than 12,000 members, which is more than double the amount five years ago. Many of these coaches consider themselves life coaches.

The main reason you should get accredited life coaching training when you decide to become a life coach is the competition. With the ranks of life coaches growing every year, the competition for clients will heat up. The more you can offer, the more attractive you will look to potential clients.

Life Coaching Training Means More Knowledge

The expression goes: knowledge is power. This is especially true in life coaching. The more knowledge you have, the more you are able to help clients achieve their goals and dreams. The more knowledge you have, the more you have the ability to find outcomes for your clients. The more outcomes you find for your clients, the more clients you can attract and retain.

Accredited life coach training is much more than the piece of paper you can hang on your wall. It’s about all the knowledge and skills you can learn. That’s why it is so important to continue your education once you begin your career as a life coach. You have to keep current with the latest trends and information in the life coaching industry.

Will You be the Life Coach They Choose?

The ICF recommends to individuals seeking life coaches that they talk with three prospective life coach candidates before they hire one. If people follow this advice, and they talk to two who are accredited, and one who is not accredited, it is more than likely they will hire one of the two who are accredited.

The one who doesn’t have accredited life coach training may be a damn good coach, but potential clients may not be able to overlook the empty space on the wall where a credential should be. It may not mean the difference between a good coach and a bad one, but it does offer credibility to individuals seeking the right coach for their needs.

Do yourself a favor and get a credential from an accredited coaching program. While you goal may be to get accredited, you will also learn and accumulate a wealth of knowledge that will help you become a better coach.

Hope you took some great value out of this post today! I’d love to hear your feedback, so make sure you leave a comment with your thoughts or questions. And also, you can click on the Twitter button below to retweet this article… Thank you!

Fred Philips
Business Coach
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