What is Life Coaching?

Life Coaching is a sphere of personal development that is profoundly different from counselling. 

Although there are many definitions of coaching, fundamentally it is a discipline that addresses specific personal objectives through the use of SMART goals, supporting the client in reaching their desired outcome.

Focusing on outcome, a life coach will seek to analyse and understand what is going on for the client in the present and what they wish to achieve in the future, uncovering and addressing obstacles or challenges that might be hindering progress. 

A life coach will work with the client to develop a course of action around the SMART model which will also incorporate any personal motivational ques that are seen as positive and appropriate. 

Life Coaching is a working alliance between the coach and client where the relationship is thought of as being a mutual endeavour towards the outcome desired by the client. A life coach will help to uncover their client’s personal pathways that might appear to be shrouded, obscured or simply untrodden from the client’s perspective. 

Coaching is about empowerment, revealing the tools and resources within the client, in order to liberate the better version of themselves that they have within them.

Specific: Your goal needs to be quantifiable and targeted rather than a woolly or vague aspiration.

Measurable: Your progress is clearly discernible, providing incentive to continue and 'red-flags' if approaches need modifying.

Attainable: Your desired outcome, whilst stretching your capacity and endevour, is realistic and doable. 

Relevant: Focusing your energies towards something that is important to you and will be life enhancing for you, creates an implicit incentive to succeed.

Time-Bound: Having a firm timescale creates inbuilt deadlines which preclude prevarication.