Do others tell you, “You should become a life coach!”?
When your friends are feeling overwhelmed or wrestling with a big decision, do they turn to you when they need help sorting it all out?
If you’ve repeatedly found yourself in the unofficial role of counselor, advisor, or trusted confidant, know that you’re special. Your peers and colleagues seek you out because they feel safe with you. They trust you and wholeheartedly believe that you’re not out to judge them for their decisions, thoughts, or feelings. You help them find the clarity they’re desperately seeking.
Maybe, once or twice, after a heart-to-heart “session” with you, they pass along the praise… “You should become a life coach!”
The first few times you hear it, you might smile, deflect, and wave it off. You didn’t do anything special, right? The tenth time the compliment is offered—this time by a near stranger—you may start to wonder, “maybe there’s something here after all.”
Are you ready to take your natural coaching ability to the next level?
As humans, we have this really annoying habit of ignoring opportunities that are right in front of us. We don’t recognize our own strengths and gifts, even after they’ve been pointed out to us by others. We take our expertise for granted and fail to realize that just because something comes easily to us, it doesn’t mean that it’s natural or intuitive for someone else.
These self-perceptions shape our beliefs about what’s possible, and what isn’t.
We feel like imposters and convince ourselves that we aren’t really good at what we do… that it’s so easy, anyone can do it. Even after dozens of people we trust tell us otherwise, we still find it difficult to believe that we could be successful with a skill that comes so naturally to us. We start making excuses about why we can’t pursue “that-thing-that-could-change-my-life” because we don’t fully understand its potential or how it can become our calling with just a little bit of training, intention, and support. So we put it off, and put it off, and daydream about it when we’re feeling especially stressed and overwhelmed.
It’s time to stop that cycle and realize you have the power to change your reality. With a shift in perspective, that thing that seemed out of reach is truly within your grasp.
Here are the three biggest limitations I hear from people who want to become a life coach but are hesitant to step into iPEC’s coach training program—and how you might work through them yourself:
1. Money is an obstacle.
It’s true—an investment in coach training is, well, an investment—but once you understand why it matters, it’s not a matter of affording it. If you’re a “natural” coach, certification will give you a higher level of credibility while also expanding your abilities. You’ll learn new skills and tools that will enhance your practice and deepen your connection with your clients—empowering them to move beyond their limitations and forging lasting, profound transformations.
Questions you might consider to work through money obstacles:
- How can you live below your means or prioritize your spending in a different way for a few months?
- Eat out a little less?
- Forgo the premium movie channels (or maybe even Cable TV in general)?
My favorite story was a student who ran a bakery out of her living room for a year to pay her tuition! Get creative with your savings, take advantage of special offers such as low-interest financing, and ask yourself, “What’s the best that could happen if I invest in this?”
2. Time is an obstacle.
We all have packed schedules, busy lives, and a smartphone in our back pocket. People are feeling busier than ever, but, again, perspective is a tricky friend. As Laura Vanderkam shares in her popular TED Talk, “Time is highly elastic. We cannot make more time, but time will stretch to accommodate what we need or want to put into it.”
Questions you might consider to work through time obstacles:
- Are you truly too busy to fit in 6-8 hours per week for professional development?
- How have you made time for new commitments that mattered to you in the past?
- And If you see yourself coaching clients regularly in the future, where will that time come from?
We’ve seen proof from thousands of iPEC students and graduates that you don’t have to quit your job to pursue coach training. Our program offers flexibility with multiple time options for weekly webinars and homework that can be completed on your time schedule.
3. Commitment is an obstacle.
Nobody says this one aloud, but it’s buried under the surface all the same. We all want quick, lasting solutions to our problems. But the truth is there are no “quick wins” when it comes to pushing yourself to the next level. It takes dedication and commitment. Trust the process: it’s an 8-month-long journey, with many a-ha! moments and transformations along the way.
Questions you might consider to work through commitment obstacles:
- What could be possible for you by deciding to become a certified life coach?
- What in your life could change for the better?
- And what are you willing to try to give yourself a real chance of opening those doors for yourself, and making those possibilities a reality?
At some point, you’ve come to the epiphany that a dozen people telling you the same thing—“You should become a life coach!”—is not false praise. There’s something there. It’s time to move past your reservations to fully explore it, so you can inspire and motivate more people, and, ultimately, lead a more fulfilling life.
You have the natural talent, now it’s time to build on it.
Ready to take a step closer to becoming an iPEC coach?
Your next step is to speak with an Admissions Coach one-on-one. Admissions Coaches aren’t sales people, and they won’t pressure you to enroll. They’re here to help answer your unique questions, and to coach you through your decision on whether coach training with iPEC is the right next step for you. Click the image below to get started and request a session.
