Have you been feeling stuck lately? Perhaps you’re starting to think that your life is stagnant or not improving on certain aspects, like career, relationships, studies, or personal responsibilities. Thankfully, one way to help you get started on self-improvement is through a professional life coach. Seeking the help and guidance of a life coach may inspire you to take action in your life and make decisions that can positively affect the overall quality of your life. (1)
What is life coaching?
For starters, life coaching is a type of wellness program which aims to help people make positive progress in their lives and attain greater fulfilment. The professional life coaches will develop personalized strategies depending on their clients’ cases that will help them overcome their obstacles and gain positive, long-lasting changes. For example, if you’re a woman going through a tough divorce, life coaching for women may be recommended for you. So, if you’re thinking of finding a ‘life coach near me,’ you may check out some life coaching Australia services like life coaching Brisbane or other coaching services in your local area. (1)
Meanwhile, if you can’t make time to visit your coach personally, you may also opt for online coaching services. The best thing about an online coaching service is that you can access the most prominent life coaches even if you’re miles away. Whether you need help with your career move, love life, work-life balance, or business-related problems, the perfect life coach is available for you.
Qualities of a life coach
Considering that numerous life coaches are available on the field, it may be tough to choose which one. Thus, this article will present the essential qualities you must look for in a life coach that’ll help you form a sound decision.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking to become a life coach in the future, you must take life coaching courses Melbourne from a life coaching institute Melbourne or any life coaching college in your locality. Most importantly, take note of the following qualities below when choosing a life coach.
- Excellent listening skills
The most important skill that an effective life coach should possess is listening. Keep in mind that their primary job is to help you regain control of your life and resolve your situations positively. To do so, they need to deeply understand what you’re going through and openly listen to your thoughts or emotions without any judgment. So, when selecting your life coach, ensure you go for someone who’ll give you all the space and time to speak without being interrupted or criticized. (2)
It may help you determine whether or not a life coach is a good listener when they tend to repeat what you said through their own words to check if they understood everything correctly. They’ll also ask if you’d like to clarify something or add details when necessary. (2)
- Curious and eager to help you
Another quality to look out for when hiring a life coach is their eagerness to help and genuine curiosity about you. A life coach who is indifferent or not curious enough to know about your life will likely not ask many questions about your situation and eventually have a hard time getting a clearer picture of your life and what’s really going on for you. So, always go for a life coach who has a deep sense of curiosity to know all the nitty-gritty details of your life and try to deeply understand you and your situation.
- Honest with no judgment
Perhaps you’re surrounded by people who would often give different opinions about your life that you don’t always agree with. Unfortunately, these people’s perspectives might only ruin your self-esteem and worsen whatever situation you’re in. That’s when a life coach comes in.
An effective life coach must be your safe haven and comfort zone whenever you’re opening up on all your thoughts, feelings, and whatever is troubling your life. Thus, you must expect your chosen life coach to be honest with you in a caring and kind way without prejudices. With their honesty, they can call you out whenever they see you’re holding yourself back or you’re starting to tell false stories to yourself.
- Versatile and can adapt to your needs
It’s expected that life coaches will encounter different types of clients dealing with various problems. So, an effective life coach should be able to adjust and adapt to your needs. To do this, they must take their time to understand your communication style, lifestyle, and personality. Being able to fully understand you as a person will enable them to provide the help or need you specifically require from them. (3)
- Goal-oriented and strategic
One of the reasons people seek the help of a life coach is because they’re feeling lost, confused, or they’re starting to lose perspective. In that case, they’ll want someone who can help them regain control of their life. Hence, when choosing a life coach, find one who is goal-oriented and strategic. With these qualities, they can help you identify your life goals and help you come up with actionable steps to attain these said goals. Their goal-oriented attitude will also push you outside your comfort zone until you feel capable of achieving anything you want. (4)
Takeaway
Overall, choosing your life coach should be done thoughtfully. Remember, this person you’re about to hire will be with you in your journey toward positive transformation. Thus, besides their years of experience and reputation, consider the qualities mentioned above when choosing your life coach.
References:
- “What Is A Life Coach?”, Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-life-coach-4129726
- “Why Listening Is The Number One Life Coaching Skill”, Source: https://trifocusfitnessacademy.co.za/blog/why-listening-is-the-number-one-life-coaching-skill/
- “What’s Your Coaching Approach? Different Coaching Styles Explained”, Source: https://positivepsychology.com/coaching-styles/
- “Comparing The Effectiveness Of Individual Coaching, Self-coaching, And Group Training: How Leadership Makes The Difference”, Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00629/full
