Before committing hundreds and often thousands of dollars to a life coach, I want to know what I will receive for my money. I have found certain things that people expect from a life coach; I hope they help you decide when and if you hire one. Some are listed below.
Table of Contents
- People expect a life coach to live and breathe personal growth.
- People expect a quality perspective from a life coach.
- People want a non-judgemental life coach.
- People expect respect from a life coach.
- People expect encouragement from a life coach.
- Goal-Setting and Accountability
- People want Brutal honesty. They want the truth.
- People expect personal guidance and support.
- People expect inspiration and motivation.
- Conclusion: Finding the right life coach for you.
People expect a life coach to live and breathe personal growth.
How many times have you stood in front of someone and listened to or watched them live on media and thought to yourself, “How is it that this person gets away with puking info when it’s pretty clear they don’t practice what their coach or preach in their own life.” My go-to test for anyone I’m looking for advice from is that they must practice what they preach.
Take them off your list if they fail this simple but obvious test.
You can figure this out quickly by checking Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Don’t focus on their business page; you want to see their (personal) social media profiles. If you can’t find personal profile pages, ask for the URL.
If I do business with someone, I want to know who the person is after business hours.
Sure, there are caveats to this. The bottom line is that it’s your money. Find out who the person is. Social media and testimonials are a good start, but they can only get you so far to the truth.
People expect a quality perspective from a life coach.
People seek a quality perspective for multiple reasons and expect a life coach to give it to them. They do not want the same old canned, off-the-shelf perspective that your beer-drinking buddies or your mom and dad give. They want a solid, thoughtful perspective.
Our lives are so busy, there is so much going on, and sometimes our brains just get jammed up with useless information that it is often a struggle to figure out what’s important, what’s a priority, and what they need to let go of. People expect a quality perspective, clarity, and direction from a life coach.
People want a non-judgemental life coach.
Let’s be honest: the desire for understanding and acceptance has existed in human nature for as long as humanity has existed. However, this craving has intensified dramatically in the 21st century. We can assume why this is the case all day, but what remains true is that “we” are judged or feel judged every hour of the day. What people want and expect in a life coaching session is a judgment-free environment.
People expect respect from a life coach.
People want a life coach who respects and values their thoughts and opinions. People want perspective, guidance, knowledge, etc., and they want to receive it from someone who values and respects their journey and choices. They want a life coach who respects their uniqueness and recognizes their worth respectfully and without prejudice.
People expect encouragement from a life coach.
Encouraging others should be a no-brainer for life coaches specifically. Still, some coaches are so into themselves that they forget or don’t even consider inspiring others. Encouragement fuels people’s tanks and moves them toward their aspirations and goals. People 100% expect a life coach to provide practical strategies, perspective, insights, and unwavering encouragement.
Goal-Setting and Accountability
As silly as this might sound, people expect a life coach to help them with goal-setting and accountability. This is one of the primary ways to move forward in life, and sometimes, we need that outside influence to help set goals and have that accountability.
People want Brutal honesty. They want the truth.
Please give it to them. People expect a life coach to tell them what they need to hear. People are sick and tired of life coaches that pussy foot around the obvious. Too many life coaches fear losing a client when they should be more concerned and invested in helping the client hit goals, smash through, or sidestep struggles.
Ask them quality questions that get them moving in the right direction vs. telling them what they want to hear. Clients want a life coach that cares enough to tell them what they need to hear.
People expect personal guidance and support.
People are no longer willing to put up with or fall for bullshit canned off-the-shelf life coaching sold as an “experience” or “transformative” That’s a total crock, and people are not stupid. Life coaches must put effort into owning their shit and raising their own game if they expect to have the privilege of coaching people.
People expect inspiration and motivation.
Yes, this is on life coaches, too, and people expect life coaches to bring it. Granted, you (the client) will have to bring your game to the table, too, but don’t think it’s okay to have a bad attitude or be all mopey and expect a life coach to be ok with it. (Actually, if they are okay with it, I would get a different life coach) Life coaches are not your mom; they are your life coach. Side note to life coaches: if you are uninspired and unmotivated in your own life, you are ineffective (you might think you are), uninspiring, and unmotivating for your client who expects it.
Conclusion: Finding the right life coach for you.
You can do lots of research looking for a life coach, and sometimes, you will make the wrong choice. The good thing is plenty are available, but of course, the same thing as before, you will have to sift through them to find the one that works for you. You might find it helpful to have a 60-minute session with a potential coach.
Life coaches often offer a 60-minute free session to “get” clients. Many life coaches pooch this by being money-centered. At 100X EDGE, life coaches use this session to win over clients, not by brutal sales tactics but by impressing the heck out of them, by literally giving them an “actual” session. If the coach is client-centered, it’s an effective way to showcase yourself to potential clients. Regardless of whether or not a potential client comes on board, they will leave with something useful and impactful.