Is Coaching Right for Me?

People are using the word coach in so many different industries and contexts that there is no one definition of the word across the board. This is confusing for clients and potential clients so I want to take the time to help you understand the type of Coaching I do, how you can benefit from it and how to know if you are ready for coaching.

What Coaching Is

I am certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), which is one of the largest coaching certifications organizations in the world. The ICF has a strong foundation of ethics at it’s core, which is why I chose it. It’s not my job as a coach to tell you what to do, it's my job to ask you the right questions to help you figure out what you want to do. By asking you the right questions and helping you see things from a fresh perspective, I empower you to solve your own problems. I am always available to guide you and share resources based on my vast experience but you as the client get to own your outcomes. 

The Coaching Process

Before you start with coaching, it’s important to know what goals you want to achieve. Being clear on your objectives helps you get the most out of your coaching sessions.

As a client you would meet regularly with me, your coach, for coaching sessions to discuss and to solution around your goals to continuously make progress towards your objectives. Choosing one or two action items at the end of every session allows you to make progress between sessions and over time, you will have achieved your goals. Incremental progress towards your goals leads to success.

A large part of the process is looking inward and focusing on your internal locus of control, which are the things you have control over in your life: your thoughts, your behaviors, your actions. As a coach, I help you gain awareness around what is going on for you by asking questions that get you to self-reflect and see things from a different perspective.

Once you understand what is holding you back, I will work with you to determine actions and next steps you want to take to overcome a difficulty, achieve your goal or be able to accept a situation.

Having a coach will help you take action consistently towards your goals because you have an accountability partner. Also, things come up as you go through this process and I am there with you along the way to guide you, support you and help you stay accountable to yourself and to your goals.

How do I know if I am ready for Coaching?

Are you Ready to Look Inward? 

It takes a lot of self reflection to get the most out of coaching so if you aren’t ready to look within yourself to understand what is going for you, coaching might not be right for you. It can be uncomfortable, at first, to face yourself, the why behind your actions and how you may be contributing to your circumstances, but looking within usually leads to breakthroughs and finding the places where you need to own your personal power to move forward in your life.

Do you Have the Time?

While I partner with you to schedule at times and at a cadence that works for you, if you aren’t willing to dedicate the time it takes to attend coaching sessions regularly and make changes outside of the sessions, you won’t get the most out of your coaching experience. Not only does it require time, it requires time consistently and the willingness to make adjustments outside of coaching.

You get what you put into coaching so the more energy you are willing to dedicate, the more you can expect to achieve your desired results.

If someone is not in a place where they can dedicate time to the coaching process, I usually recommend they come back at a time that would work better for them.

Are you Ready to Own your Power?

There are things we can control and things we can’t. Knowing the difference is key and in coaching we spend time identifying the things we can control. I won’t tell you what to do, I will ask you questions to help you unlock your own power and wisdom to solve your problems. Being ready to own your power and your ability to take action in a situation is also a key success factor in coaching. Personal accountability and responsibility for your life is the one of the most important things to help you succeed, especially when it comes to coaching.

Do you Want Things to Change in Your Life?

If you are not content with the way things are and are willing to do the work to change things, coaching is perfect for you. Sometimes it is the pleasure of wanting to achieve a personal goal that drives people to change and sometimes it is the pain of not having what you want or experiencing what you want that sparks the desire for a change. Whatever the motivation, if you want a shift in your life, coaching can help.

If you are interested in learning more about coaching or working with me, contact me and I can offer you a free coaching session.