There is a constant flow of advice from the media today prescribing often-facile solutions for complex problems. From television therapists to political figures, the underlying message is that achieving success always requires ever-harder work and more personal sacrifice. Although no one has all the answers, the benefits of having a life coach include genuine help in achieving important personal goals faster and more effectively.
The individuals who do this job are not psychotherapists, and do not delve deeply into past psychological issues. Most are trained and certified, and the services they provide differ from analysis. Their primary purpose is to provide support in areas of living where personal achievement commensurate with individual potential is the desired product. Their clients are often professionals, but anyone can benefit.
A coach becomes an asset when there is a figurative chasm between achieving a personal goal and the realities of daily life. Support is not limited to achieving business or financial goals, but also includes issues such as building a stronger relationship with a partner, conquering paralyzing fears or anxieties, or transitioning to a different career. It helps people define what they want to achieve.
Coaching has been called a type of consulting that is not confined to the business world. The primary difference is that coaches stay connected with clients for several weeks, and proactively encourage constructive and ongoing responses. They help focus on personally realistic attainments in categories such as requesting a higher salary, developing better interpersonal relationships, making career advances, and much more.
The primary advantage coaches bring to the table is the wider perspective that exists only when there are no existing emotional influences or difficult-to-overcome personal histories to battle. They can view and assess situations far more objectively, and then provide action options that make success more likely. They very rarely specifically tell people what to say or how to act, but instead present viable choices.
Even though a client may already have a well-defined goal, personal initiative may be lacking. Coaches not only help clarify outcomes, but also provide more meaningful personal motivation for taking continued action. They may encourage the development of useful new skills, and provide support when the inevitable roadblocks or delays cause client frustration. The approach is not punitive, but positive.
Because each situation is different, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to problem solving. Individuals do not receive lectures on what they should be doing, but instead enjoy targeted advice that helps break ingrained patterns of self-limitation. They provide solid help for people serious about making personal changes, but who have not enjoyed the support and guidance that make those changes possible.
This type of aid provides a realistic way for many individuals to re-align their own priorities, and to better evaluate pathways to achieving the goals that matter personally. While personal independence in thought and action is admired culturally, it can sometimes result in isolation and produce stymied results. Having a personal mentor not only provides a wider perspective, but has already made a difference in the lives of many clients.
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