Life coaching has come and gone in popularity over the years; sometimes it has had a positive press but often a poor one. Yet the industry seems to be growing and many people swear by the effectiveness of using a personal life coach consultant. So what’s behind the popularity in coaching and can it really work?
Changing opinions
Coaching has had a varied history and although it is seeing an increase in popularity in recent years it’s been around since at least the 1980’s. Back then, there were a lot more colorful leg warmers involved in the process and a substantial amount of encouraging us to be the “Best Me”. Thankfully, the techniques have changed considerably in more recent years and coaching is in starting to replace more traditional support systems in life. With changes in the way we live our lives and in the types of relationships we have, this should be no surprise. Families are often spread across different parts of the globe, and our careers seem to demand more of our time every day. Coaching, to some extent, fills gaps in our own modern personal support systems.
The coaching model
The name coaching perhaps deserves a closer look; it takes its model from way a sports coach works. These individuals foster motivation, offer support and, perhaps most importantly, have a close relationship with individual sportsmen and women. This is the model that the life coach consultant uses and it’s why the technique can be so powerful. A second pair of eyes and ears can help us to establish what we are capable of achieving and offer support and advice on how to reach our own personal goals.
The ‘To-do’ list
Perhaps you sit down once a year and write out a list of goals. We call these “New Year’s Resolutions” and most of us keep at them for at least a week before scrapping the list and going back to our old habits. Oddly, personal coaching is not that different; it’s about listing goals and setting targets, yet the technique is normally more successful than your failed New Year’s resolutions. Talking about (rather than thinking about) goals is the important part of coaching. Along with the talking, you’ll examine your attitude, any obstacles in your way and your own personal strengths, which can help to create a more realistic set of goals and lead to success.
While coaching may have had a mixed reputation over the years, as our lives become busier and more fragmented, it seems it may be more needed than ever.
Doctor Name, M.D. is a qualified medical doctor, life coach consultant and author of a number of health and wellness books. Having had his fair share of failures and challenges in life, he shares his own personal experiences with others, teaching them the principles he has used to transform his own life.