The Benefits Of Having A Life Coach

By Beryl Dalton


People are accustomed to being exposed to a barrage of media advice covering nearly every aspect of living. From politicians to pop TV therapists, the message is to work ever harder and sacrifice more in order to achieve success. While no individual has all the solutions, the benefits of having a life coach include guidance in achieving personal goals in a quicker and more personally satisfying manner.

Coaches are not surrogate psychotherapists, and their primary purpose is not to dredge up past issues. The majority are certified and have received training, but do not provide therapy in the commonly accepted sense. Their main intent is to give people support in those areas of life where it is truly possible to make positive achievements that match individual potential. Many clients are professionals, but anyone can participate.

A coach becomes an asset when there is a figurative chasm between achieving a personal goal and the realities of daily life. Support is not limited to achieving business or financial goals, but also includes issues such as building a stronger relationship with a partner, conquering paralyzing fears or anxieties, or transitioning to a different career. It helps people define what they want to achieve.

Coaching has been called a type of consulting that is not confined to the business world. The primary difference is that coaches stay connected with clients for several weeks, and proactively encourage constructive and ongoing responses. They help focus on personally realistic attainments in categories such as requesting a higher salary, developing better interpersonal relationships, making career advances, and much more.

These individuals have the ability to see a particular problem or situation from a different point of view, and are not sidetracked by related emotional reactions or a long-term history of under-achievement. They can assess a desired goal or a current situation objectively as an outsider, and provide courses of action that will actually achieve concrete results. They do not set forth non-flexible rules, but think outside the box.

Many clients have a specific achievement in their own mind, but lack the will or initiative to pursue it. A coach not only more clearly defines that goal, but also provides motivations that are more effective. They may suggest developing helpful new skills, and avoid the setbacks that can occur when clients are distracted by side-issues that threaten to derail progress. They use positive reinforcement, not punishment.

Coaches avoid a cookie-cutter approach to solving thorny problems, and realize that each client is unique. There are no lectures regarding actions that must be taken, but more useful advice on how to break free of self-imposed limits. For those who truly want to make changes in the direction of their lives, coaches provide the type of support and guidance that makes real change a reality.

Many individuals find this type of help is a good way to crystallize their own priorities, and to discover and evaluate new ways of attaining goals. Modern culture lionizes independent action and thought, but always going it alone can result in wasted effort and even isolation. The benefits of this type of mentor not only include a wider perspective, but solid, realistic achievements that were formerly frustrating.




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