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Make ADHD Your Superpower
This article aims to teach you how to utilize a practical framework to advocate for the support you need from coaches and other support providers;
January 30, 2022
How To Become A Certified Life Coach
Interested in becoming a life coach? You’ve come to the right place. A life coach is someone who councils and encourages their clients on their careers and personal challenges. As such, you will help people identify their goals and find meaningful ways to reach them. You need the insight and passion of a coach. Coaching is not currently regulated by any country or state, so you need to do your research on getting the experience necessary to become a certified life coach. Before you get started on your journey, consider the following questions:
1. Am I Passionate About Helping Others Pursue Their Dreams?
There is a common misconception that you should become a life coach if you ‘give great advice’. The job is much more nuanced than that. Coaches do not give their clients advice, but rather help them clarify their intentions and achieve their goals. You are responsible for holding your clients accountable and helping them achieve their dreams the best way possible.
2. Do I Have the Skills and Knowledge Required to Start a Coaching Business?
Before you can start coaching, you need to develop the skills. Your personal brand is going to be crucial in selling yourself as a life coach. With much ambiguity surrounding the position, you need to take into consideration the kind of coach you want to be. This is a fairly independent journey, so make sure you are doing the right things to make your coaching business a success.
3. What Else Do I Have to Offer?
For many life coaches, coaching is not their only source of income. Coaches have also been known to be: counselors, teachers, public speakers, mentors, consultants, etc. An option many choose to explore is to keep a day job while coaching part-time. Some people can be incredibly successful in this field, but that is not always the case. Taking initiative and finding what else you can offer to the world is a practical solution.
The Steps
Training
Technically, there is no certification to become a life coach. However, the International Coach Federation (ICF) has developed a standard for coaching that offers legitimized courses that align with your goals. During this training, you will be developing skills that promote better listening and trust between yourself and your clients. There will be a deeper discussion of ethics as you go through your training. This establishes a standard for your practice and holds you accountable to something bigger than yourself. You will likely have to complete a certain amount of hours in your training process before you can become certified, so keep in mind the time commitment. If you are looking to be certified in a specific aspect of life coaching (wellness, spirituality, etc), then gear your certification practices and methods towards that.
Here you could check out some programs.
Hours
The ICF will require you to complete between 100 to 2,500 hours of coaching before you can become certified. This must be primarily through paid coaching and can be completed through individual, group, internal, or third party coaching. The hours of training will vary depending on the level of certification you wish to attain.
ICF Certification
The International Coach Federation has most of the tools and training you will need to become certified and successful in this field. They are a company that helps coaches connect with one another, clients, and themselves in beneficial ways that improve their practices. Becoming certified is incredibly important for your legitimate business. If you are not certified, people may feel less inclined to trust you. Having a certification shows that you took the proper time and care to be in that position. Becoming certified will take time and patience, but provide you with necessary training and education that can only benefit your practice.
How You Will Work With Your Clients
As you develop your career, you can figure out which kinds of clients you want to work with. Some people like work in three-month increments or individualized sessions. The important thing is that goal setting is at the forefront of the coaching. Sometimes clients will come in thinking they need a life coach, when in reality they need more of a counselor or therapist. Perhaps provide a free consultation to new clients to gauge if the relationship is going to work. The way that you structure and price your services will be entirely up to you. Have a goal in mind when you start with a new client and once it has been reached, set up another. Do not be afraid to walk away if the fit is not right.
Be Prepared to Continue Your Education
Like in most professions, you are expected to continue your education to learn new skills and educate yourself to deliver the best possible experience for your clients. Life coaches should read, attend seminars and workshops, and seek out new ways to explore their practice. If you are active in the life coaching community, finding ways to educate yourself will be easier. LinkedIn and Facebook are great tools to start if you do not already have a network. If you are going through the ICF, they require 40 hours of continuing education every three years to maintain certification. The more educated you are, the more you can help your clients, so look for opportunities for continuing education and invest in your personal growth.
So, How Much Does This All Cost?
The answer to this question depends on the path you go down. Life coach certification courses are almost never free. It could cost you between $1,000-$8,000 to formally become certified. Once you are certified, you then have to consider your practice its own small business. You will need to register said business and find out which route is best for you (LLC, sole proprietorship, or corporation). You will have startup costs as a small business, and these can vary depending on if you are renting space, what insurance you have, etc. However, the good news is, life coaching does not have a lot of high upfront costs. Consider a digital business if you want a more cost effective method.
Conclusion
Life coaching is a rewarding experience, but a difficult career. You need to have a very strong, empathetic personality to get your clients to open up to you, and be okay with the idea of helping them as a form of income. Your clients will look to you for guidance and you will be a major support system for their dreams. If you still think this is the right path for you, take the first step and get started today!
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