So you’ve decided you want to find a life coach — but where do you start? Luckily for you, life coaching has exploded in popularity in the past decade, which means your ideal life coach is out there waiting for you… you just need to find them!
But before you reach out to a coach you idolize on Instagram, you’ll need to take a step back and evaluate what you want from a life coach. Consider this article your “coach” on how to find a life coach!
What is a life coach and why should you hire one?
Lots of people get confused when they hear about life coaches — what exactly do they do, and why should you hire one?
It’s easier to understand what a life coach does when you compare their mission to that of a sports coach! Everyone knows what a sports coach does — they help athletes develop their full potential for the sport they’re playing.
That’s exactly what a life coach does, but for your life. A life coach can help you realize and attain your life’s potential and achieve your goals!
Life coaches are able to do this by:
- Helping you get clarity on where you are right now
- Guiding you to create the vision of where you want your life to go
- Creating (and helping you implement) a plan to get there
- Providing support every step of the way
Keep in mind that life coaches are different than therapists. Both have their own benefits. While a therapist can help you unravel your past and overcome trauma, a life coach focuses on the future you desire and how to get you there.
Not everybody NEEDS a life coach, but everyone can definitely benefit from a life coach’s unique perspective. If you’re not sure whether a life coach is for you, read the following and tell us if it sounds familiar:
- You’ve read countless self-help books, but you can’t seem to put anything into action
- You’ve already tried to make changes in your life, but you keep reverting to your old habits
- You’re confused about what you want and could use some clarity
- You’re ready to make a big step in your life (a career change, moving across the country, retirement, etc), but you’re scared of taking the plunge
If you’ve been nodding along to one or more of these points, finding the right life coach could be an amazing way to break through what’s holding you back!
Plus, a life coach isn’t just a “life strategist” — they’re also your cheerleader and your accountability partner. When you’ve got someone cheering you on and making sure you don’t fall off the wagon, it’s so much easier to attain your goals!
How to find a life coach
With so many coaches starting their businesses all across the world, how do you find the best life coach for you?
Here’s what you need to do to establish what you want from a life coach, so that you can find your ideal match.
Choose your life coaching niche
Life coaches aren’t one-size-fits-all. Although there are generalist life coaches who can help you figure the grand scheme of your life out, you’ll also find tons of more specialized coaches to help you in more specific aspects of your life.
Some examples of life coaching niches include:
- Health and wellness coaches
- Nutrition coaches
- Business coaches
- Retirement coaches
- Relationship coaches
- Divorce coaches
- College success coaches
- Career coaches
- Executive coaches
- Financial coaches
- Spiritual coaches
If you’re not sure what coaching niche you’re looking for, skip to the next step and start looking at potential coaches. What you’re looking for may become clearer to you as you start speaking to coaches directly! (That’s how magical they are!)
Vet potential coaches for certifications and experience
Despite that it feels like life coaches are popping out of nowhere, not just anyone can become a life coach. Life coaching relies on evidence-based methods to work, which means that anyone who wants to become a life coach needs to take the appropriate training and certifications.
Without those certifications, someone may call themselves a life coach — but it’s difficult to tell if they have the skills it takes to help you along your journey.
However, there are no regulations stopping someone from calling themselves a life coach. That means it’s up to you to vet potential coaches for certifications and experience.
One widely respected organization is the International Coach Federation (ICF). When you meet a life coach who has undertaken training programs certified by the ICF, you’ll know they meet an international standard.
But you should look deeper than training and certifications to ensure your potential coach is a good fit. Even brand new coaches should have at least one or two case studies or testimonials showcasing what results they can obtain for their clients.
Looking at testimonials and case studies won’t just help you validate a coach — it’ll also help you align with the type of coach you need. Look for testimonials of people who are in similar situations to you. You’ll feel much more confident investing in your future when you know your coach has succeeded with someone like you in the past!
Ask your potential coach about their coaching style and methodologies
Because everyone is unique, not every coaching style works well for everyone. Likewise, not all life coaches will vibe with every coaching style and methodology.
Are you someone who gets more motivated by warmth and comfort? Or do you need a bit of fire behind your buns to take action? Do you thrive with organized and structured sessions, or do you feel you’d do better with a coach who uses a more free-flowing approach to their consultations?
If you have no idea what coaching style would work for you, go ahead and skip to the next step: a consultation.
Book a coaching consultation
Once you’ve found a life coach in the right niche who is certified and trained, it’s time to hop on a free consultation with them.
Most coaches will allow you to book that first call free of charge — this will allow you to dip your toes in and get to know them better. And because coaching is such a personal experience, you’ll get to see how your personalities match.
During the coaching call, make sure to ask any questions you have about this person’s approach to coaching, if you couldn’t find this information on their website or social media. You can also ask any clarifying questions if there are terms you don’t understand.
But free coaching consultations also help your potential coach get to know you, so they can understand whether or not they can help you. If you get on a call with a coach who barely asks you any questions about yourself — run!
Assess your synergy with the coach
All done with the initial coaching consultation? Now it’s time to step back and assess how you feel.
There’s no perfect way to go through this process — it mostly comes down to your gut. While you were talking to this person, did you feel at ease? Did you sense some synergy between you two? Did your interactions feel effortless?
But most importantly, do you feel like you can trust their advice?
If your potential coach passes the gut check, there are a few more things you should check for before you make a decision. For example, did they follow up with the appropriate resources if they said they would? Does their schedule match yours, and does their pricing match your budget?
Remember that there are no right or wrong answers when finding a life coach. But if both the facts and your gut check out — you’ve likely found your match!
Where to find a life coach
What if you have no idea where to look for a life coach? If you start looking in the right places, you’ll find your dream coach in no time.
Want to know how to find a life coach online quickly and easily? CoachCompare is free to use and pairs you with the perfect coach who resonates with you!
Additionally, if you want to find a life coach near you, start with local services such as Yelp, Bark, Craigslist, or other similar coaching directories.
You can also ask your friends and family who have a life coach of their own! Just make sure to do your research and check for compatibility before you hire a life coach based on a friend’s recommendation.
Even if someone is a close friend, they could have a completely different temperament from you, which means the same coach won’t necessarily be as successful with you.
How to find a life coach online
The easiest way to find a life coach is by going online. First, you’ll find plenty of life coaches in the niche you’re looking for by searching on social media like Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube!
Just search for relevant hashtags, such as #financialcoach or #careercoach. Survey potential coaches’ profiles, and look through their content to get a feel for their personalities.
Many coaches will also make their coaching packages available on their websites. Look through these packages to see if a particular coach has the roadmap it takes to get you where you want to be.
Life coaches with a high level of experience will often offer tailored coaching packages that can help their clients overcome specific challenges. If you find a coach with packages that resonate with you, don’t hesitate to reach out to them to see if you’d be a good fit!
Find your ideal life coach with Coach Compare
Overwhelmed with all the life coach choices you can find online? Cut through the noise and find the perfect online life coach that resonates with you by using Coach Compare. Click here to start your search and find your coach for free!
