Is Life Coaching Rubbish or Life Changing?

Everyone from Hugh Jackman to Oprah Winfrey is espousing the benefits of having a life coach these days, and because of this celebrity lifestyle trend, we’ve seen a huge number of people jump onto the life coaching bandwagon. New ‘life coaches’ are popping up all over the place, professing to be able to turn you ‘from zero to hero’ with their one-of-a-kind life coaching formula. But who’s to say these people are qualified to teach you anything about the game of life? Is life coaching a load of rubbish, or life changing? Here, we unlock the facts about life coaching and how to decide whether a life coach is for you.

1. Yes, some life coaches are charlatans

The truth is, there is no regulation around life coaching in Australia, nor the rest of the world for that matter. Just about anybody can call themselves a life coach these days, and start charging people an arm and a leg for their services. Because of the lack of regulation, this inevitably means that yes, some life coaches are neither qualified nor experienced enough to be of any great benefit to their clients. When selecting a life coach, be sure to check their credentials, experience, and client testimonials.  Sadly, we personally know of quite a few ‘life coaches’ whose own lives are in complete disarray and yet they are giving other people advice on how to improve their lives…scary but true!  Choosing the right life coach for you means finding someone whose experience level is adequate, as well as someone who makes you feel comfortable, inspired and motivated. It’s a very personal choice, but it’s worth doing your homework first.  

2. But there are life coaching experts who know their stuff

On the other hand, for every inexperienced or unqualified life coach, there is another who’s qualified, professional, and knows what they’re doing. Most of these kinds of life coaches have a background in counselling, psychology, or other related therapies. This means they understand how people’s minds work, how motivation works differently for different people, and are experienced in getting to the root of what’s holding someone back; they really understand human behaviour. No matter why you’re thinking of finding a life coach, be sure to choose one who has the background to support their claims.

3. Life coaching is a process

Ever watched a Tony Robbins video? Maybe you’ve even attended one of his famous events. He certainly has the ability to build up the excitement in a room and, at least temporarily, make people feel as though they’re capable of great things. But what happens to each of those people when they get home and the inspiration and excitement fades? Life coaching is an ongoing process focused on personal growth, which means it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes work to change your life, and requires regular input from your life coach. That’s why finding a qualified, experienced life coach who can tap into your own inner saboteur is so important. They will help you to break down your personal barriers, discover what’s been holding you back, and keep you on track when the inevitable slips and drawbacks happen.

4. Life coaching isn’t just a last resort

Just like counselling and psychology, many people think that life coaching is only an extreme measure, to be taken when you’re at your wits end with your life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Life coaching can help with so many aspects of your life, from finding your purpose or passion, to overcoming chronic procrastination, to building and maintaining motivation, and much more. Life coaching can absolutely help when you’ve run out of options, but it can also be an incredibly useful tool at any stage in life when you could use a little help with your direction, or just want to maximise your results in any area of life.

5. Don’t compare your experience or expectations to others

It’s likely that you’ve met someone who’s seen a life coach before. They might have wondrous things to tell you about their experiences, or they might try to dissuade you due to their dissatisfaction. The most important thing to remember when considering finding a life coach is that no one’s experience will be quite like yours, just as no one’s expectations, hopes, and dreams are quite like yours. Rather than relying on other people’s stories about life coaches, do your own research, pick up the phone and book an appointment with your potential life coach. The only way to truly know whether it’s for you is to give it a go and see how the experience makes you feel!

6. Life coaching isn’t for everyone

There are countless clients out there who’ve seen a life coach for a few weeks or months and then quit because they didn’t see the results they wanted. The fact of the matter is, life coaching is not a magic wand that will mean instant success by sitting down and talking on a couch each week. Life coaching requires input and effort from you, not just from your coach. Nothing in your life will change if you’re not willing to put in the work and make some real and lasting changes to your habits, behaviours and the way you think. That’s why life coaching simply isn’t for everyone: If you’re not ready to do the work, you’re not ready for a life coach.  Life most things – what you put into this process will depend on what you get out of it!

Are you ready for a change?

If – after having read some of the facts about life coaching and perhaps debunked some of your previously held beliefs about the profession – you’re ready to make some changes in your life, now is the time to book in a life coaching session.

At Integrated Health Specialists, we combine the powerful therapies of psychology, life coaching, neurolinguistic programming, and hypnotherapy to develop unique and personalised life coaching programs for you. Throughout the life coaching process, we will not only help you to gain clarity around what’s been holding you back, but also help you remove those limitations, develop a new sense of direction, and put into place actionable tools and providing accountability for achieving your goals.

At Integrated Health Specialists, we have over 25 years of experience in psychology, hypnotherapy, counselling, life coaching, human resource management and more. Our holistic approach means combining our powerful and proven therapies to give you the greatest chance for success. In fact, we are so confident that you’ll find our life coaching programs life changing that we offer a 100% money back guarantee. Read more about this, and our life coaching philosophy here, and then get it touch to book your appointment.