From “getting it done on your own” to not being “important enough” to warrant life coaching, here are 7 common misconceptions about working with a life coach.
1. A life coach provides solutions.
A life coach does not provide you with the answer or the solution to your problem. A life coach helps you see what you don’t see and will guide you through new ways of thinking to solve the problem. The resolution comes from you; the guidance comes from the life coach.
A life coach will ask you powerful questions to help you discover new ideas or solutions you would not have thought to explore before, which can lead to transformational “a-ha” moments and expanded awareness.
No one knows you better than you know yourself, and there is no better person to design your life than you.
2. Once I hire a life coach, the sessions may go on indefinitely — which gets expensive quickly.
Once you hire a life coach your life will never be the same. A good life coach will equip you with the right tools and a new mindset to use for the rest of your life.
It’s at your discretion to know when you are working through an issue and when you’ve reached a resolution and no longer need the assistance of a life coach. Many clients will work with a coach to solve a specific issue and no longer need a coach once it’s resolved. It could take only one session or more, depending on complexity and severity. You can always choose to work with a coach again for a new issue or not. It’s up to you.
If you are working with a coach and not making the progress you desire in the time that works for you, don’t hesitate to speak up or change coaches.
3. I’m not in a role important enough for a life coach yet.
I am not a celebrity, CEO of an important organization, so I don’t need a life coach.
This common misconception usually keeps people stuck in mediocrity. They believe that what they are doing is not important enough to warrant a life coach’s expertise or that they are not important enough to invest in themselves.
Anytime and every time in your development is the right time to invest in yourself.
4. There are so many life coaches out there, how can I possibly find the right one for me?
Finding the right life coach for you can be daunting.
Many life coaches have a specialized niche that creates the expertise required to help their clients get epic transformational results and make leaps and bounds of progress. So look for a life coach with a specialization in what you are looking for.
It’s important to also consider personality, coaching style and how much you resonate with a specific coach. Fortunately, many coaches offer free initial sessions, so you can find the coach that’s right for you at no cost to you.
5. I can’t afford a life coach.
This goes hand in hand with feeling “not important enough” for life coaching. You most likely already own at least 1-3+ electronic devices worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars and several designer items with a similar price tag. You probably also have expendable income to buy clothes, cool gadgets, fast cars or anything else to take your mind off the fact that you are NOT LIVING THE LIFE YOU KNOW YOU DESERVE.
It’s time to get real with yourself and invest in yourself.
Life coaching is designed to lead to growth, improvements and breakthroughs that outweigh the cost of coaching and end up saving you time and money, getting you the raise you’ve had your eye on for months or saving you from expensive health bills down the road. In many cases the time and energy you save much outweighs the cost of a life coach. Many people end up with benefits of great ROI on the costs. For example, a session or two with a life coach could lead to a substantial raise at your current job, find fulfillment in a new career, or find the love of your life —dramatically shifting your life for the better.
The idea of getting a life coach is to invest in your most valuable asset — yourself — and see a return on that investment.
Hesitating to hire a life coach has an opportunity cost, meaning the money you are missing out on by choosing not to take action on that investment. Once you hire a life coach you will wonder why you didn’t do it sooner!
6. It doesn’t matter if the coach is certified.
Yes, anyone can be a life coach, but when it comes to selecting a coach, does it matter if they are certified?
Actually, it does.
With a certified life coach you can be certain that they are trained properly as professionals to provide you with a valuable and transformative experience. Without certification, its hit or miss.
You can find a coach that has no certification who is amazing or someone who has their own ideas of coaching that may not align or live up to standards recognized by the International Coaching Federation.
These standards are globally recognized and can guarantee the coaches credibility in their mission to serve you.
7. I can do it on my own.
Yes, you can do anything.
However, it will most likely take your longer and be significantly more frustrating.
You are limited by your own thoughts and perceptions that you’ve been creating over the course of your life. You have your perspective of the world, that is unique ONLY to you.
Over time, you have developed many skills in various categories, however, you are not a master in everything. Every individual has their own track in life which creates mastery in certain areas.
It’s safe to say that, generally, the part of your life that you are struggling with is an area that you are not an expert in. This is exactly why you hire a life coach who has expertise and experience in THIS SPECIFIC AREA where you have a weakness. It’s perfectly natural and common for you to excel at certain areas of your life and to have room for improvement in other areas of your life.
If you are still wondering if you should hire a life coach, ask yourself,
“Why am I not where I want to be?”
“What have I been dealing with, dreaming about or avoiding for longer than required?”
😉 Hint: If it’s been years and you haven’t made progress, the answer is Yes, hire a life coach and get ready for the life you’ve been dreaming of!