Re: #4 Part of coaching agreements typically includes some sort of nondisclosure clause. So you might not necessarily be getting the direct networking you're hoping for.

Though I'm sure they can help brainstorm the places and people you want/need to be meeting and how to make that happen.

I think life coaching can be a tricky thing, especially for people that are already motivated. Our first reaction is, I don't need someone else to guide me-I can do it myself. While personal motivation and drive is essential in reaching in goal or achievement, you also need awareness of what limiting beliefs you may have that are going against acheiving your goal. And this is where a life coach is able to help, and can be a key ally in the way a friend or family member is not equipped. A good life/career/whatever coach is able to ask insightful questions that get you thinking in a direction that you may not have even considered, raising issues that may have been blocking you or highlighting perceptions of the world and life that you are not even aware of, and more importantly not judging you or offering solutions for what you should do (which is typically the response of a caring friend or family member). And that is sometimes the exact thing that we need to push through and allow us to figure out what is best for us to do in order to achieve our goal on our terms.

While coaches (whether they specialize in life, career, business, leadership, executive, or some other branch of coaching) support their clients to set and reach their goals, a good coach does not merely support a client in designing and implementing an action plan. We empower clients to identify and play to their strengths, awaken to their vision for their life/career/business, and define their purpose and make professional and personal shifts in thinking and behavior that not only support "success" but also personal growth and greater life satisfaction.

An accredited coach has gone to school and has learned how to ask questions that now only enable a client to awaken to the right answer, but to his or her auhtentic answer. A good coach knows how to enable a client to identify limiting beliefs, thought patterns, habits, etc. and build a strong personal foundation that supports the achievement of goals. And perhaps most importantly, coaches know how to listen and reflect back what is being said as well as what is not being said, creating the space for genuine "aha" moments to emerge.

As many of you have commented, if you want someone solely to help you with your goals, yes, work with a friend, family member, or colleague. But if you are interested in working with a trained professional who will also help you show up to your life each day engaged, motivated, and provide you with the tools both to build and sustain success and anticipate and be resilient in the face of uncertainly, partner with an International Coach Federation certified coach.

Many, including myself, offer group coaching options for individuals who cannot afford individual coaching but are ready to invest the time and energy in becoming the best possible version of themselves.

http://www.generationwecoach.com/2009/02/register-for-future-proof-your....

Hey there-

Interesting post, thanks for sharing.

In line with your own thoughts and those from other commentors, I can't help but pay attention to this gut feeling that you are already coaching (and living) your own life in very productive ways. As you mentioned, you are blogging to increase your accountability and asking for help/advice through this post to get feedback and input from friends and a broader support network. In a way, you are shouldering some of the work-load that a life coach would be responsible for.

In another way, I see the psychological role of "conscience" being played by the life-coach in many of the points you numbered above. In my personal experience, I often project the role of conscience onto my fiance or parents--if they tell me it's wrong or right, than that's how I'll know it's wrong or right. This shines through in the life-coach example when you mention that he/she could be "objective." Objectivity really doesn't exist (noone is un-biased) and and outside perspective is nice--but it probably would only confirm the thoughts and decisions you already have in your mind. Rather than objectivity, maybe it is confidence that the life-coach can offer.

Thanks for the food for thought!
Andrew

I guess it all depends on what you want to accomplish. I agree with the whole accountability notion of a life coach. But to me it seems like life coaching ,career coaching smells like new age social work. In the end you have to do what works for you.

To me the concept of a life coach reaffirms the old saying that there is a sucker born every minute. I agree with the concept of a village raising a child, because it is in the villages best interest to have everyone productive and happy. However there is no motivation for an end game with a life coach. Like a good shylock it is in their best interest for you not to reach your goals, as then you would stop paying their juice. Plus, what makes someone qualified to be a life coach? Any snake oil salespeople, I mean life coaches I've ever met, aren't very succesful people. I'd stongly encourage you to watch Penn and Teller's episode dealing with the industry: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=799...

Great post! I prefer being my own life coach. I am a firm believer that you can have all the people in the world motivating you and still not accomplish your goals. Because unless you believe that you can do it and put forth the effort in doing so—it will not get done. Yes, it helps to have others motivating you, but the power to make your dreams come to fruition lies within you. If people took the time to really contemplate what they want out of life they will discover that they are the best life coach. I can’t think of a better person to coach me than me because I know where I have been and where I want to go.

I think life coaching is great - it's like therapy sessions, or physical checkups... it's not always crucial or necessary, but never hurt to get some from time to time.

Of course $$$ matters - so not everyone is privileged enough to have access to life coaching. But, if it were free - I think everyone should get some!

This is a really intersting article.

As a coach myself, I of course believe strongly in the power or coaching and know how it has benefitted my own life. I have also heard many horror stories from some of my clients about other coaches who didn't really practice the art of "coaching" effectively. The trouble is that the coaching industry is still highly unregulated and although there are organizations like the ICF and IAC who attempt to hold coaches to a certain professional standard, many underqualified coaches still slip through the cracks. What's more, the ICF and IAC are not held to high prestige by all coaches. There are many coaches, like myself, who hold no certification by either organization but have gained sufficient knowledge and experience through other means; thereby making them very effective coaches.

My advice to anyone who is seeking a coach is to make sure that you take advantage of the often free introductory sessions offered by most coaches. That is your opportunity to interview the coach and find out what their experiences and qualifications are. Know that having a certification does not make or break a coach. A potential coach should be highly engaging, non-threatening, connect with you easily and leave you with something to think about even in that first free session. If you walk away from an intro session feeling like you've just been through a sales pitch moreso than a valuable experience then seek out a different coach. There has to be a fit between you and the coach's style and values.