If you're an energetic, charismatic, outgoing person who likes helping others, then life coaching may be right for you. A life coach's primary function is to help his/her clients clarify and achieve their goals. Life coaching is a proactive approach to resolve obstacles in an individual's life. A life coach can break down goals into manageable, easy-to-confront steps, while showing the client effective techniques for achieving them. A life coach must have a passion to inspire others to create success in their lives [source: Personal Development]. If you feel you have these traits and want to embark on a career as a life coach, then this article will interest you.
Before becoming a life coach, decide what area of coaching you want to specialize in. The word "life" is a very general term and covers a lot of ground. That's why life coaches tend to specialize in specific areas. Here's a short list of some areas you may want to consider.
Advertisement
- Business
- Health
- Relationship
- Financial management
- Time management
Once you've decided on your specialty, here's how to proceed:
- Get a formal education. Although it's not mandatory, it is advisable to get a master's degree in counseling. Remember, counseling and life coaching are related. A degree in counseling will prepare you to address the problems you will be confronted with.
- Attend life coaching seminars. The seminars will help you understand the practical aspects of life coaching. The lecturers will also advise you how to go about obtaining your certification.
- Become certified. There are a number of recognized, accredited certifying bodies to whom you can apply to get the required certification, such as The International Coach Federation and The International Association of Coaching. Make sure that you get your certification from a recognized institute.
- Get a job. You're now ready to market your skills and get a job as a life coach. You may want to start your own life-coaching practice [source: Becoming a Life Coach].
Advertisement
