Personal
Development Coach
How to Pick One - Do You Really
Need One?
A
personal
development coach may be a new concept to many. Here are tips
on how to pick one and to learn how to use one efficiently.
Since
you've found this page, you
must be tired of "going it alone" so you've decided to get
yourself a
personal coach for either some positive thinking help or personal
development help.
And
you've realized there are aspects of your life where you need a little
help and that a personal
development coach would be a good idea.
Or, perhaps
you're thinking about giving yourself a big boost to get over a hurdle,
so its worth seeking out just the right life coach.
Okay,
so the next step is to find that perfect coach.
Introduction
Whether
you're looking for a personal development coach, a positive thinking
coach, or just want some personal
development help, the first thing I'd
like you to think about is...
What aspect of your
life do you want to address first? If
you're unclear
about which area needs addressing first, you could find a personal
development coach who is called a “generalist” or a
“life coach” who can help you “sort
things out” and get you started with a personal development
plan.
If you're unsure of what you really
want to work on, a generalist would be the best choice. That gives you
freedom to move from one life issue to another.
If
you want to focus on a particular area, a specialist would best suit
you. There are actually those that focus on certain areas –
business coaches, family coaches, parenting coaches, etc.
Sometimes
a general “life coach” also has
“sub-specialties” so it's good to ask if they can
help you with your particular area if you've already identified one.
Since
there isn't any required certification process for a personal
development coach in the United States, areas of
“specialty” could be any subject with which a good
coach is familiar and has experience.
You'll
want to also check
out what additional tools the coach
offers. For example, if you seek a
positive
thinking coach,
what tools are available to help you “take action”
on your new thought patterns...
Or to ingrain your
new beliefs?
My favorite tool in this area is self
hypnosis, so I think a self-hypnosis expert who is also a coach would
be a good choice.
When
communicating
with a prospective coach, look for signs of evasiveness.
Are
your questions answered with a high level of confidence and
professionalism?
Are your feelings validated and
supported?
Is the coach warm and inviting?
Do
you feel comfortable with the coach?
Does it feel
like the coach “cares”
about you?
Do
you feel heard? This is the
most important factor when evaluating a personal development
coach.
Working
with a coach can help you in a variety of ways. Ask yourself
the following questions to see if you would like to work with a coach:
QUESTION
YES
NO
1. Do
I often feel stuck and frustrated?
x
x
2. Am I having trouble
staying motivated?
x
x
3. Am I falling behind on
reaching my goals?
x
x
4. Have
I “forgotten” what my goals are?
x
x
5. Am I
ready for support from a coach?
x
x
6. Am I
open to making change?
x
x
7. Am I ready to take safe,
steady
action?
x
x
8. Would I like personal
guidance to a better life?
x
x
If
you answered “yes” to
6 or more of the above questions, you are ready for a coach and would
benefit a great deal.
If you answered
“yes” to 4-6 of the above questions, getting some
coaching would be a good choice to advance you to the next level.
If
you answered “yes” to only 1-3 of the above
questions, you may want to get some positive thinking books or some
personal development books to work with before spending any financial
resources to work with a coach.
Summary
When
looking for a personal development coach, use your instinct to
tell whether you feel “heard” or not,
which tells you
which coach is right for you.