The Real Benefits Of Having A Life Coach

By Beryl Dalton


There is a constant flow of advice from the media today prescribing often-facile solutions for complex problems. From television therapists to political figures, the underlying message is that achieving success always requires ever-harder work and more personal sacrifice. Although no one has all the answers, the benefits of having a life coach include genuine help in achieving important personal goals faster and more effectively.

The people performing this job should not be considered psychologists, and do not treat specific mental health issues. Most have been trained and received certification, but the services they provide differ greatly from therapy. The overall goal is to create a platform of support that allows people to achieve personal goals that ideally match their own potential. The services provided are for anyone, not just professionals.

When there is a gap between desired achievement and the realities of day-to-day living, a coach can help. The support provided is not limited to reaching a business or financial goal, but also includes personal solutions helpful in conquering anxieties, building better relationships with others, or making a significant transition to an entirely different career. Coaches help clients define those goals.

These efforts have been described as a form of consulting outside of business. Unlike standard consultants, coaches remain in personal contact with clients for many weeks, encouraging both accountability and continuing response. They help crystallize realistic goals in the areas of career advancement, making more money, becoming more skilled socially, and other categories.

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.

Even though a client may already have a well-defined goal, personal initiative may be lacking. Coaches not only help clarify outcomes, but also provide more meaningful personal motivation for taking continued action. They may encourage the development of useful new skills, and provide support when the inevitable roadblocks or delays cause client frustration. The approach is not punitive, but positive.

Because each situation is different, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to problem solving. Individuals do not receive lectures on what they should be doing, but instead enjoy targeted advice that helps break ingrained patterns of self-limitation. They provide solid help for people serious about making personal changes, but who have not enjoyed the support and guidance that make those changes possible.

This approach forms a solid foundation of support for those pursuing attainable goals, and helps define the ways that those goals can be realized. Although independent, single-minded action is widely admired in modern culture, it can promote social isolation while encouraging less productive results. The services of a personal coach create a wider, more productive perspective, and have a solid track record of achievement.




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