Need A Coach?

We all need a coach now and then. For entrepreneurs, coaching has been a big business for a long time. Life coaches and ministry coaches are all the rage. In the age of information we live in, there are too many options for most of us. We don’t know what to do. I’m ready for a change. Should I start a new business, write a new book, invest in real estate, or work a job? Then, there is the question of how?

Goals

Good coaches help you get to where you want to be, to reach your goals, whatever those goals are. Great coaches help you figure out what your goals really are. I’ve had a few good coaches. No, I am definitely not referring to the school gym coach. I’m not even talking about the coaches from the self-defense classes. I have had some friends that helped me determine my goals with some pointed questions.

These days, I need a coach more than ever before. I’m guessing that if you’re reading this you might too.

I don’t have any recommendations for you. I do know a few things to think about if you’re going to hire someone. I’ll follow with that list of considerations. For the moment, think about coaching yourself.

I coach myself. Some days are harder than others. Some days I need more help than others. I coach myself to get things done, to accomplish all kinds of goals. I am trying to get stronger after a long illness. This year, lost 25lbs, mostly muscle. So, I talk myself through my workouts. I might hold a pose for 30 or 90 seconds. Counting helps keep me on track. If I do squats, push-ups or run in place, I count and when I think I cannot do another, I encourage myself, “Do three more. Ok, Two left. Now one!”

Destiny

Most of us have so much to do we don’t know what we really should be doing. I am a believer. So, I want to do what God would have me do. There is plenty of coaching in Scripture to help keep me on track generally, but I might not be able to focus on the tasks for today. So, I use lists and break up goals that are challenging, but not completely overwhelming. You probably coach yourself the some ways.

If I want a garden, I have to break up the ground whether I plant seeds or plants, that has to be done first. Then, after the plants are in, they have to be maintained. They need water and they need the weeds, that will inevitably grow, taken out of the way.

Life is like that. You have a goal. You work backward from the final outcome to figure out the steps you need to take to get there. Then, you have to stay on track. Do the things that need to be done along the way and remove the things that will draw your energy or choke your progress.

Be your own coach all the time. Keep these things in mind when looking for a coach for those more challenging times.

• Do they ask or tell?

  A coach should ask you questions to help you figure out what you really want, what you really need. They ask, “Then what? What does that make possible? What would happen next? In what ways would that impact you, or those you care about?”

• Are they able to keep you accountable?

  They’ll have to be available and able to manage their own lives well. They will need to be someone you have tremendous respect for or you’ll ignore anything they say when you do want to hear it. They will need to be able to get you to answer the hard questions for yourself.

• Can you trust them?

  You won’t be able to accomplish much with a coach you don’t trust. Whether it is a physical achievement, like a marathon, or a business goal, like launching a new product, you’re putting a lot on the line. You have to know that they are going to be completely honest for your best interests. You need to be sure that they will keep your conversations confidential.

I’m my best FREE coach. You are your best FREE coach too. But as the old saying goes: You get what you pay for. It’s super hard to be our own coach sometimes. You might be paying in push-ups, but you set the fee. Motivation is a huge factor. A coach can really help with that too.

I hope you are able to be the very best coach for yourself. If you have hired a coach or have your own coaching business, or you just want to add value to this topic, post in the comments below. Let’s hear from you.