For some people, you may be holding on to a career that you do not necessarily enjoy doing anymore, or you may have discovered it is no longer your forte. It is normal that the job that you have been doing for so many years may not necessarily be the one you feel is best for you. Simply put, you are no longer happy with your job. One of the career changes that you might be leaning towards is that of a life coach.
Here’s everything you need to know about working as a life coach:
You will first need to identify the symptoms that make you feel like you need a change in your career path.
Every individual is different, and there is no one foolproof way of identifying the changes in your life that leads you to decide that you need a career change. Often, this is something that you will feel deep within you, and that you know is something that you genuinely need.
As a quick guide, however, here are some of the common telltale signs that you are itching to switch to your dream job as a life coach:
- You no longer get excited to go to your work every day.
- You are no longer contributing well to the company that you are working for.
- You find it difficult to connect and be happy with your office mates.
- You have a sense of acceptance in your mind that you are in the wrong job.
When you start to feel any of the above-mentioned symptoms, then it might be best for you to pack up your things, submit that resignation letter, and get your head start on becoming the life coach, through iNLP Center, for example, that you have always wanted yourself to become.
You will not be working as a teacher or a counselor when you signed up to become a life coach.
One of the most common misconceptions about working as a life coach is that you are going to be like a teacher or a counselor. This assumption is false. As a life coach, you will be working hand in hand to help your client start with what they have in life, and how to work towards achieving their goals from there.
As a life coach, you will not tell others what to do. Often, your clients know what it is they want to do and achieve; they just do not know how to get there. In the same manner, do remember that, as a life coach, you will not need to have extra training in treating mental health issues. You will not be working as a counselor to help people suffering from anxiety, depression or other mental health problems. Your job as a life coach is to listen carefully and intently to your clients to give them a whole new perspective about the doubts they may be having in life.
You will be working towards identifying targets and goals for your client.
Working as a life coach is like working as a goal-setter. You will help your clients work towards achieving their projected targets by starting where they may be at the moment. Whether your client’s position in life is encouraging or not, there is always a way to work past the same. You can help your client do that.
As a life coach, you will be doing the following towards setting the right targets and objectives for your client:
- You should be willing to always be on call with your clients, so that you can also regularly track their progress, or that they can reach you immediately, like they can with a friend.
- You should have excellent communication and listening skills.
- You should learn to create targets for your clients that are specific enough, yet achievable, so that the process for them is also easier, rather than one that could merely be tedious.
Your work as a life coach won’t always be easy.
Yes, working as a life coach might be a lifelong dream of yours. Now that you have let go of your old job that left your lifeless and unhappy, you can finally pursue something that “sparks joy.” However, keep in mind that no job is ever going to be easy. The only advantage that you may have is that you will surely love what you do. However, you will still be faced with numerous challenges that can also leave you stressed out at the end of the day.
Regardless of the career path that you are planning to change into, be wary of the fact that no job is ever perfect and easy.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking to change up your career towards being an effective life coach, or any other profession for that matter, it is always great to know what you are getting yourself into. Do not enter into any decision haphazardly without first thinking well about each and every move you will make. A career change is not just as simple as changing clothes: there will be a lot of other factors you have to consider as well, and here’s to hoping that this article can help you succeed in making the right choice.