coaching: new age fad or real life necessity?
by deb bennett

Life. Take a minute to think of your definition of this four letter word. If you allow yourself to wander back a few years, more years for some of us than others, and really look at what has been going on in your life, what do you see? Are you happy? Are you in a perfect relationship? Is your job satisfying? Are your friends supportive? Have you stayed on track with your financial goals? Basically, is your life what you want it to be? We are not talking about your parents’ or grandparents’ lives. No mention has been made about your aunts and uncles, or anyone else in your family or “circle” so to speak. The questions are about YOUR life. Your dreams, your desires, your plans. Where are you with those?

Typically we just move from day to day without much thought to what is going on around us. We just do what we do because it has to be done, or is “expected” of us. Few of us give much thought to what could be or might be. Dreams are just dreams that you hold inside. The voices in our heads or sometimes even our parents, friends, or those around us continually proclaim all of the phrases associated with “you can’t do that.” “That’s just not done, especially by a woman,” or “what will so and so think?” So your life is molded after what you see and hear.

Have you ever wondered if there was more to life? Have you given thought to how to make your dreams come true? In the mid-80’s a man named Thomas Leonard—a financial planner—decided to help his wealthy clients with more than advice about their money. They had issues that they were not comfortable talking to their family and peers about. He started counseling with them about their lives and what was important to them. He was not in the business of “fixing problems” but rather helping people create the type of life they wanted. He knew this service would be useful to more than the very rich. So began the “profession” of life coaching as we know it today. Coaching is one of the leading tools that ordinary people use to live extraordinary lives.

Some people ask if coaching is psychotherapy. No, coaching is not, and it does not attempt to diagnose mental disorders. Coaching is for “high-achieving” individuals who want their lives to be better. It is action-oriented and forward-moving. Coaches do not dwell on how you got to the place you are. The focus of the coach is to find out where you want to go now with your life and help you create a plan to get there.

There are many types of coaches. There are coaches who specialize in helping you develop better relationships, a more fulfilled spiritual life, or improve organizational skills. There are life coaches, business coaches, marketing coaches, writing coaches and coaches who find their niche working with creative types.

The first step is selecting a coach who is comfortable to work with. Many coaches provide a free session to test the waters. Sessions are typically held by phone so you can select your perfect coach locally or globally. There will be questions, sometimes homework, but most of all, there is commitment. The commitment is to YOURSELF. Are you ready to identify what is really important to you, and are you committed to make the necessary changes in your life to bring your dreams and desires into clear view?

This whole idea of working with a personal life coach is relatively new. Some people are skeptical and some are just not interested at all. The people who have worked with a coach will tell you that it works. You go at your own pace, but there is something about checking in and talking with your coach that keeps you on track to realize your dreams. Your coach will encourage you to set goals that you really want and then provide the tools, support, and the structure that you need to do more. Why do you need to hire a coach? If you could have made the changes on your own, you would have already done so.

Does everyone need a coach? Maybe not. But those who are serious about making change in their life will more than likely stretch themselves farther and go the distance with a coach. Today is a good day for change. If not today, when? Every athlete has a coach. Many executives work with personal coaches. Is your life important enough to step into a new era and try a new approach? If you want your life to be different, you have to do something different. Take control of your life. You are worth it.

Deb Bennett is a life coach and consultant. Founder of Zeal For Life Coaching and ZealWorks! in Asheville, she specializes in working with people who want to identify their purpose and passion in life.