Life Coaching. Just two words that have a plethora of definitions.

Sure, there may be many ways to describe what a Life Coach is and does, but fundamentally they provide the space to help, support, guide and empower a client, assisting them in overcoming the stumbling blocks that are holding them back in life and keeping them stuck.

A Life Coach is someone who:

• Guides and supports you
• Provides a safe, non-judgemental space in which to share
• Supplies perspective
• Will help you gain balance and be consistent
• Asks you powerful questions to uncover inner clarity
• Helps to uncover your innate potential
• Shines a light on the ‘blind spots’ in your life
• Hones in on your strengths, and how to use them to your advantage
• Holds you accountable to your goals
• Gives you tools to achieve such goals
• Helps reframe beliefs and thought processes that will create long lasting change.

Sounds good, right?

If a person is looking for a professional to help them achieve what they desire in life while approaching their struggles in a more collaborative way, then working with a Life Coach may just be the answer…

THE COACHING CONVERSATION

These conversations usually involve the Life Coach largely listening throughout sessions, and then asking powerfully focused questions.

For example:

• When was the one moment in your life when you felt most like the real you?
• What would surprise people to know about you?
• What belief would be hardest for you to let go of?
• What do you waste most energy on?

The foundations of a good coaching relationship are trust and authenticity – this allows for vulnerability, which is when the most important transformational shifts happen for clients.

THE CLIENT

The people who work with Life Coaches come from a wide range of backgrounds, and with a whole host of things they are looking to change.

They may be experiencing:

• Low self worth, lack of confidence or self belief
• Incessant negative thoughts
• Lack of clarity
• Anxiety
• Low mood
• Feeling ‘stuck’ in life – knowing that they aren’t fulfilling their potential
• Stress at home and/or work
• Feelings of overwhelm
• Imposter syndrome at work/ in their role
• Wanting to progress in their career, but lacking the drive or courage
• Total lack of work/life balance
• A lost sense of self
• Lack of purpose

COACHING, NOT COUNSELLING

Sometimes people get confused between the two. But Coaching is not Counselling.

Where counselling is focused on the past, with healing from those memories the main objective, Coaching is more solution-focused and future-driven, with a collaborative and action-orientated approach.

Coaching is looking at where you are now and moving towards where you want to be. It doesn’t require you to dwell or dig up past hurts in detail – rather, a Coach works with a client to help them explore their current beliefs and help figure out how they’ll make changes going forward.

FROM CATERPILLAR TO BUTTERFLY – TRANSFORMATIONAL VERSUS TRANSACTIONAL COACHING

There are different kinds of Coaching approaches too.

Transformative Coaching is different to the more traditional Life Coaching many are more familiar with – there are no signs of a SMART goal, GROW model or Wheel of Life, for example. (All buzz words you may have heard around Coaching chat!)

More traditional Transactional Coaching is dealing with what is going on externally for the client – i.e., improving their skill set at work. The focus here is on actions and rewards.

This type of Coaching helps the client to achieve their short-term goal, with a focus on improving the immediate performance or solving the perceived problem at a ‘doing’ level.

Transformational Coaching works from the inside, out, and goes further in, so that it helps the client with personal growth, and so that they acquire the insights that will empower them throughout every facet of their life.

Whilst nothing may change on the outside to begin with, their whole internal experience will start to shift.

TRANSACTION is defined in the Collins dictionary as:

Something that is transacted, esp. a business deal or negotiation

The act of transacting or the state of being transacted

(plural) the published records of the proceedings of a society, conference, etc

(in business computing) the act of obtaining and paying for an item or service

(in general computing) the transmission and processing of an item of data.

TRANSFORMATION is defined in the Collins dictionary as:

A change or alteration, esp. a radical one

The act of transforming or the state of being transformed.

Both styles have a valid place in coaching.

As T. Harv Eker states in his book, ‘Secrets of the Millionaire Mind’, “In every forest, on every farm, in every orchard on earth, it’s what’s under the ground that creates what’s above the ground. That’s why placing your attention on the fruits that you have already grown is futile.“

“You cannot change the fruits that are already hanging on the tree. You can, however, change tomorrow’s fruits. But to do so, you will have to dig below the ground and strengthen the roots.”

Understanding our state of mind and HOW it impacts our life is a game changer.

SAY GOODBYE TO COMFORT ZONES!

Coaches will not let their clients hide in comfort zones. No, no, no!

They will challenge you to do things differently, otherwise what’s the point? Standing still and staying stuck isn’t an option when working with a Life Coach.

In order for something to change, something has to change, right?

An effective Life Coach will build relationships with their clients that allow them to act autonomously – here the client remains in control. While the coach provides the support and little nudges as needed, the client stays in charge of their own destiny.

Research has proven that people who are autonomously motivated are more likely to pursue actions that are of interest to them, and positive behavioural changes are more likely to take place. Result!

Many successful (and happy) people hire Life Coaches to ensure they stay accountable for the life they want to live. People who work with a Coach are more likely to have momentum in their relationships (both with self and others), health choices, and careers, and are able to live a life in line with their most personal values and beliefs.

Ali Campbell Coaching.