Is Life or Leadership Coaching For You? (10 Questions to Ask)

“Coaching isn’t therapy. It’s product development, with you as the product.” Fast Company

When I trained to become a coach in the late 90's, then started a practice in 2001, hardly anyone knew what in the world I was doing, nor why I would leave more “normal” things to become a coach.

“What sport do you coach Jeff?”

The goofy side of me wanted to tell them I had become a sumo wrestler coach. Or maybe women’s gymnastics, but that might be even more unbelievable than the truth. (They typically assumed football…. For obvious reasons)

But, now a few years in to coaching and training “transformational coaches” as part of the Coaching Transformation Academy, I feel confident we’re on the cutting edge of training the best coaches on the planet… AND doing so in a way that involves a holistic approach of heart, soul, mind and strength.

Often, I am approached with the question: “Should I become a coach?” Or “Jeff, do you think coaching might be for me?”

Well, now that coaching has becoming mainstream and understood, you may want to really step back and ask, “Is Life or Leadership Coaching for You?”

Here are 10 questions to consider if that’s crossed or is crossing your mind:

1. Do you want to do something that’s more than the money?

Of course, there are times to do things to earn money. Jobs are a good thing. And it’s not always great to get paid for a hobby or passion. But just because you can get paid to coach does that mean you should?

However, if you’d love to find a job you can love AND get paid for…. But the LOVE part is primary, you may want to consider coaching. Most of us who coach really love coaching and would do it paid or not. We can’t help it. We just love coaching!

2. Do you LOVE growing and improving yourself?

I must say, I’m kind of a personal growth junky! I am always seeking ways to quit being negative, stuck or plain living in stupidity! Most coaches are always reading books, listening to podcasts, watching webinars, paying for their own coaching and seeking to grow new and better habits. Is that you?

3. Do you give a rip about other’s growth?

When it comes down to it, the best coaches are truly unselfish and generous. They actually LOVE seeing others become their best and truest selves. It’s part of their DNA. You know people have much more to offer and want to help.

Is that you?

4. Do you actively invest in your own growth?

I’ve seen this again and again. If don’t or won’t invest in your own coaching and growth, it will be practically impossible to have others work with you. If you don’t buy the product and invest significantly in it, how will you invite others to do so?

However, if you do, then you likely understand why a great coach is worth their weight in gold!

5. Do you want to coach as an entrepreneur OR as part of a team or company?

This more of an “either-or question. For most of the last 20 or so years, if you were to coach, you had to be an entrepreneur. However, today it’s possible to now coach for a company, a ministry or work for a coaching team (Example: Soul Care www.SoulCare.com) If that’s an interest, check out the assessment “Is Soul Care Leadership Coaching for Me?”)

It may be that you’re a great coach, but don’t love marketing and selling your own coaching. That’s OK! You can still be a great coach.

6. Do you want to be on the cutting edge of one of the fastest growing professions on the planet?

Coaching is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. In fact, it is the second-fastest-growing industry on the planet, only second to the IT industry.

It is a USD 2.4 billion industry and just continues to grow every year. Corporate titans such as GE, Goldman Sachs and Google now spend more than on $1billion per year in the US alone.

Do you think there’s a good reason for such growth? Do you want to help take coaching to the next level?

7. Do you care about how the brain works?

With all the breakthroughs in neuroscience and how the brain changes, you must understand how the brain works to be a great coach. Key word: “neuroplasticity” Look it up! Is that of interest to you?

8. Would You Love a flexible schedule or working from home?

Of course, some wouldn’t like the flexible schedule and opportunity to work from home or even while traveling (I worked from Bangladesh, Nepal, Italy and Tunisia in 2019! New Jersey too!) But might being able to have such flexibility be for you? (Or even as a lifestyle of “retirement?”)

9. Do you love being forced to be creative?

Coaching is always growing and changing. Each client is different. You will need to be operating in new venues all the time. Would you like that?

10. Would you love to get paid to help others?

You really can get paid a lot to coach! It’s incredible. But you must want to and be open to receiving payment that’s about their growth. Is that a fit?

Sooooo…. You may have just ruled this out. And that’s OK.

However, you may be thinking, “I really need to look into this!”

If that’s the case, you might

1. Take the “Is Coaching for Me?” assessment?

2. Or/And - Take the “Is Soul Care Leadership Coaching for Me?” assessment?