Credit: StarWars.com
“In a dark place we find ourselves, and a little more knowledge lights our way.”
- Yoda
In our last P4P blog, we talked about the importance of setting personal and professional goals. I think one of the key ways to actually achieving those goals is to hire a coach. A coach can help you unlock your full potential and achieve the success you want across many areas of your life. While self-help books and online resources can provide valuable insights, I can say from experience that nothing quite compares to a skilled coach’s guidance and support.
So today I want to share with you some of the reasons I think hiring a coach is worth the money! Don’t just take it from me. According to the Institute of Coaching, 70% of coaching clients improve work performance, communication, and relationships thanks to coaching.
It’s one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. Did you know there are 23,000 coaches in North America? One of them could be the coach you need!
Besides its strong success rate, let’s talk about other reasons you may want to hire a
life coach:
1. Access Your Own Wisdom
A coach helps you access your own wisdom. Sometimes we get stuck and lose sight of the forest through the trees. A coach creates a safe and thought-provoking space and asks good questions so you can see more clearly and come to your own insights and answers. Sometimes coaches help you identify your values and discern your strengths as tools for tapping into your creative and wise self.
2. Set Goals and Be Accountable
A coach assists you in defining clear and achievable goals, breaking them down into actionable steps. They hold you accountable, ensuring you stay focused and motivated. With a coach’s guidance, you create a roadmap to success, helping you overcome challenges more effectively.
3. Get Personalized Support and Guidance
We’re all unique people, and a coach understands this. Coaches tailor their approach to your specific needs and provide personalized support. By recognizing your strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations, a coach helps you capitalize on your strengths and address your limitations, maximizing your potential.
4. Build Confidence and Overcome Limiting Beliefs
Many of us struggle with self-doubt and limiting beliefs. A coach helps you identify and challenge these beliefs, replacing them with empowering thoughts and positive affirmations. As they build your confidence, it becomes easier to step outside your comfort zone and take bold action that propel you towards your goals. My coach also helps me “give myself some grace” when I try to do to much and feel unsuccessful!
5. Optimize Your Time and Energy
Coaches help you optimize your time and energy. They help you in prioritizing tasks and eliminating distractions. They help you focus on what is important to you based on the values you set out in the beginning of your work. Sometimes we focus on things with the nearest deadlines (the “tyranny of the urgent”) and leave the goals that will deliver the most meaning to our lives farther down on the to-do list.
6. Reduce Stress and Improve Work-Life Balance
Navigating the complexities of modern life often leads to stress and burnout. According to the American Psychiatric Association, “More than one in four people (26%) reported they were experiencing more stress at the start of 2023, up from one in five (20%) last year. At the same time, 29% American adults indicated they'd adopt new year's resolutions related to their mental health.”
Coaches help you strike a healthy work-life balance, ensuring you prioritize self-care and well-being. They guide you in managing stress, setting boundaries, and making time for activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.
7. Overcome Obstacles and Build Resilience
Challenges and setbacks are a part of any journey towards success. During severe personal adversity, 52% of people have post traumatic growth, which means they do not merely “bounce back” but thrive and grow as a consequence of adversity. A coach provides invaluable support during tough times, helping you overcome obstacles and bounce back stronger. They teach you resilience-building techniques, foster a growth mindset, and inspire you to persist in the face of adversity.
Tips on Hiring a Personal Coach
Figure out the general areas you want help with. What do you want a coach to help you achieve?
Talk to your friends. Maybe they can recommend someone great. My friend, Laura’s company, Crothers Consulting, provided me with my coach, Natalie. Check it out!
Interview 2-3 coaches to find the one who best matches your personality and goals.
Check out their credentials. Coaching is an unregulated field and as we mentioned before, there are over 23,000 out there.
Ask about their style of coaching, areas of coaching – career, personal, relationships, and their experience.
I can tell you that I’ve been working with a coach for several years now and I’ve reached personal and professional milestones that I may not have without her. She keeps me on target with a monthly meeting for an hour, so it isn’t a big commitment! My coach is my cheerleader, my organizer and my grace-giver.
I hope I’ve motivated you to consider adding a Yoda to your life. It’s definitely made a difference in mine!
"Your path you must decide.” — Yoda
