Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

From what DefMall is saying, it sounds to me that we end up with definition problems. Does a life coach ask you what`s your definition of "success," for example? Or do they give you their (the?) definition, and direct or coach you toward that?

We`re doing that SuN book club thing about "Think and Grow Rich." What does "rich" mean to an individual? Is it "rich" or being "wealthy" they mean?

I guess I`m wondering how interactive is the life coach with the client in terms of values? What are the principles they`re using in the coaching process, what constitutes the "best" ones to follow, and how do those values connect with someone who wants life coaching?

Craig - From what I`ve experienced, life coaches don`t try to tell you what your values are or tell you what`s "best".  The person being coached decides that, and the life coach helps them work towards it, whatever that "it" may be...

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Becky Boyd
Alexandria, VA
rebeccalboyd@hotmail.com

So a life coach offers a sort of "reality check?" By that, I mean if I were to say that I value spending more time reading, the coach then acts as an objective reference. I have a weekly appointment, and in it, the coach asks how much I`m reading lately.

If I`m not reading all that much, then the life coach asks how much do I really value reading more if I`m not doing anything towards increasing my reading time, right?

Craig -

You`re certainly in the right direction, although perhaps using the most simple example.

I look at it more like a Fitness Coach. A Fitness coach will say "OK, you want to lose 35 pounds, gain upper body stregnth and tighten up your legs. I`m going to help you do that, but i`m also going to show you how to KEEP doing it, so it becomes your new lifestyle."  Then,1 or 3 tiems a week, you work w/the coach to reach your goals.

A Life Coach, theorhetically, does that for your...well, for your life!

"OK, you want to get out of debt, you want to achieve X, Y and Z...you want to be better at (insert goal here). We`re going to work together to achieve these things. We`re going to create steps, and we`re going to work on weeding out the things that interfere with those steps."

So to Speeak.

If you read anything by Tony Robbins, Jim Rohm or Charles Givens, you`ll get a good understanding of (at least) what a `traditional` life coach is. I am sure, over the years, the template for coaching has changed a bit as new ideas and mediums have been introduced.

I guess the reason I started asking questions has to do with the various life coaches who come along looking for Web site critique. There seem to be a number in the community, and I was curious how come we don`t get many (if at all) posts where people have life questions.

Now, asking what the heck IS a life coach, how come we don`t have one or two explaining it? What makes for a life coach as opposed to a motivational speaker, or a guru for that matter? ;-)

heh heh...I actually waiting all day to reply because I didn`t want to act like a `know it all` or so...but let me answer your question based on my experience.

First off, MANY life coaches are ALSO Motivational Speakers. Just my experience here, but they seem to go hand in hand.

The only difference, is there is a distinction, is that Motivational Speakers speak in broad messages to a group, and Life Coaches deal in one-on-one environments.

As far as not many Life Coaches being here...I am not too surpised.  Most people here know what they want and how to get it. The coaching they need is in how to meet their specific entepeneurial goals. Check out Tony Robbins` board for people who need life coaches...

So a life coach works better for someone who doesn`t know what they want, doesn`t know how to get whatever it would be if they figured it out?

Well...you`re half right!  LOL!

You wouldn`t get a life coach if you didn`t know what you wanted.

Once you know what you want...but can`t get there under your own steam...then you need some Coaching.

What I meant earlier was that Entrepeneurs...at least the ones I see here...know what they want AND how to get it. We just come here to bounce ideas off each other and ask for specific help.

The word `Life` in LifeCoach is talking about tackling ALL of your life..not just your entrepeneurial goals. You certainly COULD hire a life coach just to tackle 1 specific `aspect` of your life...but I think you will find that Life Coaching involves showing how to use those principles in all aspects of your lilfe, so there would be some `blled over` into other areas. 

 

Okay, so it sounds like a Life Coach is an "organizer" for a person`s life, right? Like those folks you can hire to come in and clean out the attic or garage, where they have the objectivity and discipline to throw things away that you really don`t want or need, but you get distracted when you see them again, saying, "Well...I MAY need that someday!" Is that closer?

Well..I really think we`re getting closer.

They help you to organize, prioritize, evaluate, reflect, and act.

Again, my favorite comparison is to a Weight Trainer. If you`ve ver used one (or know what they do) you can easily apply what they do to ALL of one`s life...