“Do I need a coach?” is a question I see popping up everywhere.
Did you know accomplished people dedicate a lot of their success to their life coaches?
Have you been thinking about hiring a coach? This article is for you if you are indecisive about taking this step.
We know it can be quite the investment… Everybody needs a coach.
Coaching has turned into one of the indispensable tools in any type of environment. This discipline is fundamental for all the workers who wish to empower and generate interpersonal relations.
The good news is that this method of education can apply in many fields of life: sports, school, work, etc. By offering many advantages, thousands of companies and organizations have been encouraged to hire coaches, improve the performance of their workers, and keep them motivated, thus improving the performance of the company.
Do I need a coach?
If you don’t know what direction you want your life to go next, or how you want to do it, then a coach, or a life coach, is exactly what you need.
You’re not alone, by the way. The good news is you’re right to wonder whether working with a life coach is going to be worth it.
Because it is. There are professional people out there working hard to help others get what they want.
Year after year, the life coaching industry keeps making a difference in people’s lives.
The International Coach Federation did 3 studies (ICF 1998, ICF 2004, ICF 2009) aimed to measure clients’ satisfaction with their life coaches, and in every year, the results were strikingly similar (better even) to the previous year.
The results coaches achieve
(Source)
- Boost in self-confidence and self-esteem (ICF 1998, ICF 2009).
- More harmonious relationships, better communication, and heightened interpersonal skills (ICF 1998, ICF 2009).
- Increased work performance and smarter business management (ICF 1998, ICF 2009).
- Greater career opportunities (ICF 1998, ICF 2009).
- Improved goal-setting and higher rates of project completion (ICF 1998, ICF 2009).
- Increased personal organization and better time management (ICF 1998, ICF 2009).
- Better work/life balance, more fun, and more free time (ICF 1998, ICF 2009).
- Improvements in health, fitness, and wellness, more energy, and lowered stress levels (ICF 1998, ICF 2009).
- Success in stopping a bad habit (ICF 1998, ICF 2009).
- Improvements in quality of life (ICF 1998, ICF 2009).
- More income (ICF 1998, ICF 2009).
- 5% of clients found their coaching was valuable or very valuable (ICF 1998).
- 99% of clients were satisfied or very satisfied (ICF, 2009).
- Clients were pleased with brainstorming with their coach (ICF, 2004).
- Clients were happy with being accountable and being listened to (ICF 2004).
- Positive encouragement and feedback were well-received (ICF, 2004).
- Brainstorming with clients’ coaches (ICF, 2004).
This goes to prove that the industry is growing at unprecedented levels, topping the $1 billion mark, and trending across the globe.
You know things are right when an industry is making billions of dollars.
Here are other juicy numbers to keep in mind:
- The business coaching industry is trending with a revenue increase of $15 billion in 2019.
- The average income for life coaches ranges from $27 000 to $100 000 annually.
- 92% of life coaches remain active in the field, suggesting solid opportunities.
- The life coaching industry’s revenue is estimated to increase to $1.34 billion by 2022.
Now, going back to the question “Do I Need a life coach”…
Consider investing in one if you:
- are lost and in desperate need of direction and discipline in your life.
- have trouble overcoming fears of public speaking and stage fright.
- can’t move forward in life because of traumatic experiences.
- cannot manage your time, be proactive, and accomplish career goals.
- are going through a major life transition (changing city, divorce, changing jobs) and you need help to adjust.
If the above resonates with you, then hiring a coach could very well be the missing link in your life.
Hold on, all this talk about life coaches might get anyone hyped but, what exactly do they do?
What is coaching at work?
It is the discipline to increase the personal and professional development of people — a process that boosts the transformation and the development of cognitive and behavioral skills when creating an ideal context through education.
Coaching applied to work allows the people to empower, fix limiting and toxic habits at work. In addition, it helps people develop skills to stand out and thrive. Thus, they can reach the success they wish for.
Each coach has a relationship of confidence with their students. In this way, they attain to discover their fortresses and weaknesses. They can generate strategies that help this person minimize their weaknesses and develop their fortresses.
Through personal analysis and observation, they motivate people to become a better version of themselves. Implementing coaching is one of the best alternatives for all those people who need to improve their leadership skills to carry their team to success with greater ease.
What do coaches do?
The coach is the person who commissions someone to take advantage of the maximum of each one of their skills to help them reach their maximum potential and turn them into an entirely successful person. In this way, the person can attain all the aims that are proposed to them with greater ease. They also receive support from somebody who always will be there to encourage them and give them breath in the most difficult moments.
Simply put, if you’re thinking about a better, more fulfilling future, that’s where life coaching comes into play.
But, make no mistake, a life coach is NOT a consultant, a therapist, or a mentor (more on that later).
A life coach’s primary aim is to allow you to excel in different areas of life; to get you from point A (identifying a goal) to point B (achieving that goal); to identify obstacles and limiting beliefs that are holding you back from going after your goals.
A life coach does not just give advice.
Kate Bathras, a Certified Professional Coach and member of the ICF, says “It’s not a coach’s role to impart wisdom, but to facilitate the client’s own process of connecting to their inner wisdom, and making choices about their actions and next steps from that place of connection.”
6 things a life coach can do for you:
Define a vision and then create a custom action plan to turn that vision into reality.
- Stay updated with your life and discuss pain points you’re going through without experiencing judgment or emotional investments in your decisions (as one does from loved ones…).
- Do some soul searching and digging deep into the root of why something is happening to you.
- Identify negative thoughts you’re been telling yourself, barriers, and limiting beliefs that are restraining you from being the best version of yourself.
- Give you the confidence to speak more openly about your personal struggles (that you may have otherwise found difficult to express elsewhere).
- Assess, measure, and track your progress and then pinpoint any potential obstacles.
Kristen, a solo traveler, blogger, and founder of bemytravelmuse.com, shares what her experience was like with a life coach: “My coach has helped me to identify and let go of many limiting beliefs around the worth of what I put out there and how I show up in relationships.”
“The biggest change has had to do with my personal life and interpersonal relationships. They are much healthier now and I can see my part in things more clearly these days. “
Whether you are in a crisis or feel like something is missing in your life, a coach can help you clear your vision, step up your game, and achieve your personal goals.
But when exactly is the best time to hire a life coach?
When is the right time to work with a life coach?
Anyone can work with a life coach; there are no requirements needed.
The life coaching industry aims not only to help people who feel unaccomplished but also to help those who are successful, healthy, and/or running successful businesses, and know they can do more in their lives.
This means that people from all different walks of life can work with a life coach.
What celebrities say about working with a life coach
“[Coaching helps] you stop the crazy mind chatter in your head that tells you all the time that you’re not good enough.” Oprah Winfrey.
“Something bad has happened to everybody on the planet. But if you continue to tell that story to yourself, that that is who you are, it will continue to be true. But it doesn’t have to be that way.” Hugh Jackman.
“The one thing that people are never good at is seeing themselves as others see them. A coach really, really helps.” Eric Schmidt.
Other celebrities include Leonardo DiCaprio, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi, and more.
This goes to show that anyone, regardless of social status, achievement, gender or phase in life, can resort to life coaching knowing that there’s always room for growth and abundance.
In a nutshell, there’s never a bad time for hiring a life coach.
If you want a positive change in your life—achieving a fitness goal, growing a business, becoming a better boss, moving up in the professional world, getting rid of stress or shyness, or improving relationship skills — you need a coach to assist you in your journey.
So now that we’ve answered these two questions, “do I need a coach?” and “when to work with a coach?”, let’s talk about MONEY.
How much does a life coach cost?
Prices vary depending on the coach, his experience (and knowledge), and the services offered.
For example, hiring a Tony Robbins results coach differs from hiring a Certified High-Performance Coach (CHPC).
- Tony Robbins, considered being the father of coaching, hand-selects his coaches, trains them, and expects them to achieve the success they want in their lives. Tony Robbins results coaches charge very expansive rates, ranging from $3000 to $14,500 depending on how many sessions you’re willing to have (18-36 sessions).
- Certified High-performance coaching, founded by Brendon Burchard, is another famous, high-demand coaching program. It charges $6000 and can be paid in three installments.
Most life coaches charge between $200 to $1000 per month (other times per hour), apart from other types of coaching, such as executive coaching, corporate coaching, and other top tier life coaching programs that charge high rates.
Obviously, coaches that are just starting out charge a lot less than others: up to $50 or $75 per session.
Working with a non-certified coach is cheaper, but less ideal, than working with a certified coach. You want to be careful who you’re working with before you invest your time, energy, and money.
How much does a life coach make?
Some coaches charge by the hour, others by a month’s worth of coaching, as in coaching packages.
- According to the ICF, coaches that make more than $150,000/year charge an average of $607/hour.
- Coaches making $100,000- $150,000 per year coaching charge an average of 365/hour.
- Private coaching prices range from $50 to $500 per hour.
- More experienced coaches will most likely charge higher rates.
- Other coaching companies, like Com, offer prices that go hand in hand with your budget.
- According to the website costhelper.com, consumers spend an average of $75 to $200 per hour on a life coach.
These numbers explain why the life coaching industry is the 2nd fastest growing industry after the information technology industry. The value people are getting in return makes it worthwhile.
So, how much do life coaches make? Again, prices vary a lot depending on different factors.
Now, let’s establish the difference between a life coach and a therapist.
Should you get a life coach or a therapist?
Both seek to improve your life. But who should you work with?
Well, it boils down to your personal situation and the issues you’re dealing with.
Let’s look at the difference between life coaches and therapists:
1- Life coaches
1. They focus on the present to help you create a better future.
2. They do not give you a diagnosis. They will, however, refer you to a therapist if they think you need it.
3. Anyone can call themselves a life coach because coaching is an unregulated industry for the time being.
4. They charge for the package or program they offer. Their pricing varies due to, again, a lack of regulation.
2- Therapists
1. They focus on the past to help you manage the present.
2. They work with people with health problems, such as anxiety, depression, grief or loss, and other mental health conditions. So, expect a diagnosis.
3. They become licensed individuals by going through proper, supervised training regulated by the state.
4. They charge for the session.
3- What experts say
According to Tess Brigham, a licensed psychotherapist and board-certified coach (BCC), she says “So while coaching is action-oriented, therapy is insight-oriented.” Life coaches encourage and motivate you to be proactive.
She also adds:
“My coaching sessions are very directive—clients complete questionnaires to identify goals and always have homework to accomplish between sessions, so I’m learning what they have or haven’t done since our last session. In therapy sessions, I let my clients decide which direction they would like to go in, and our conversation is usually determined by how they’re feeling in that moment, any insights they gained since we last met, and what people or events may have triggered their feelings.”
“They diagnose disorders, have the skills and tools to work with traumas, and work with short-term behavioral modifications.” Says Angela Kenzslowe, a clinical psychologist.
To sum it up, therapy is about healing, while coaching is more about going after goals and taking action.
So, which one is it? Do you need a coach or a therapist?
How and where to find a life coach?
There are thousands and thousands of life coaches in online directories.
To avoid being overwhelmed, the best way to go about it is to narrow down your search by finding a matching service or website.
Because another important thing here is to work with a coach whose values align with yours.
Think of a coach as a friend you want to get along with.
Meaning you need to hit it off because you’re going to be spending a lot of time together.
The good news is excellent coaches usually offer free consultations that’ll allow you to determine if they are a good fit for you.
In these consultations, they will also:
- Explain exactly how they’re going to work with you.
- Answer questions you might have for them.
- Show your strengths and priorities.
- Sketch out a custom action plan.
- Give you an estimation of how many sessions you’ll need to reach your goals.
The better a match your life coach is to you, the faster you’ll get results.
Is a life coach worth it?
If you’ve reached this far, chances are you are very much considering getting a life coach. That’s good.
Finding the right life coach is the best investment for your happiness, your health, and your fulfillment.
We all need a life coach. We all want better things for ourselves.
For them to manifest, however, it’s going to take you real-life skills and a different mindset that, unfortunately, we don’t gain in school, and even if we do, applying them takes work and commitment.
We do better in life when someone else (a life coach, a mentor, a teacher…) holds us accountable and guides us on the right path.
Good coaching helps us manifest what we genuinely want.
Does that make life coaching worth it?
Absolutely!
But don’t take just our word for it, listen to these people (from different online sources) talk about their experiences with a life coach:
I was stagnant in my career and needed a new start, so I hired a career coach, and we mapped out a strategy and figured out where my actual passions were. I ended up in a much better career for me, so much more a fit. It took about 4 months of working together, but the results will last a lifetime. Definitely, the best decision I have made. LUANNE.
“Without a doubt, coaching with Chris has been THE most impactful activity in my business and personal life. Chris delivers tough love and real-world experience with humor and humanity. He skillfully guides me to be more effective in business while having more fun doing so. I think everyone striving for excellence needs coaching—and Chris is a great coach.” Martin Bell, entrepreneur.
Things are going well for me here. I have spent a lot more time on social activities and balance and I am feeling more positive about myself. I would like to thank you again for being my Life Coach and for what you have given me… it has made an impact on my life and I am still trying to improve myself day by day. I came to the stage that I had achieved what I was looking for and am very satisfied with this. Daniel Robb, Hotel Desk Manager
Final Words
The next time you hear someone say, “Do I need a coach?”, bring them here or remind them of how successful this industry is; the numbers speak for themselves.
I hope you found some value in this article. Now, I would love to hear from you.
What facts surprised you the most about the life coaching industry?
Let me know in the comments.
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