The word coaching evokes multiple things in one’s mind. The most common thing which comes to the mind is a specific subject coaching or sports coaching. But a life coach has a different skill to impart in the present scenario. Let us explore.
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as,
“partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.” The ICF goes on to note that “We all have goals we want to reach, challenges we are striving to overcome and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can change your life, setting you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment.”
A deeper definition that I especially like is from Jenny Rogers in Coaching Skills: The Definitive Guide to Being a Coach (fourth edition, 2016)
Coaching is the art of facilitating another person’s learning, development, well-being, and performance. Coaching raises self-awareness and identifies choices. Through coaching, people are able to find their own solutions, develop their own skills, and change their own attitudes and behaviors. The whole aim of coaching is to close the gap between people’s potential and their current state.
Life coaching is greatly misunderstood. It is different from regular therapy. A great way to put what a life coach helps you with is guidance, empowerment, and improvement.
A life coach can help you out in all aspects of life, including:
- Boosting confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem
- Relationships
- Balanced life
- Self-care
- Finding purpose in life
- Stress management
- Food and Diet
A life coach helps you with specific professional projects, personal goals and transitions in many areas of your life. They help you grow by analyzing your current situation, identifying limiting beliefs and other potential obstacles you face and devising a custom plan of action to help you achieve the outcomes you want.
| Coaching is: | Coaching is not: |
| A partnership between coach and coachee | A method to get an expert’s advice on what to do(Consulting) |
| A positively focused way to explore options and opportunities | Observing and learning from a seasoned professional(Mentoring) |
| A process to create solutions resulting sustained change | A quick fix (Ineffective) |
I have been using life coaching as a tool in my practice to bring about holistic change in a person’s body and mind. I have seen tremendous improvement in the over all health of my clients. Life coaching paves forward and fills in a void in lifestyle medicine.
Work with me to change your limiting beliefs by behavioural changes and become a best version of yourselves.