If you’re familiar with any form of organized sport, you’ve come across the word “coach” and you have an idea of what a coach does. There are several types of coaches, but overall, they seek to perform the same function in a person’s life which is to help them get the most out of themselves to accomplish their goals. Another way to think about the role a coach plays is to think of them as a guide, encourager, or mentor.
In any sport, there’s a clear difference between a coach and the rest of the team. The coach is usually on the sidelines, giving instructions to the players and reminding them of their training. It’s up to the players to do the demanding work of implementing the strategies devised in concert with the coach, and the coach can’t play the game for them.
Similarly, among the various coaches and in different areas of coaching, the coaches don’t do the work for you – you must put in work yourself with their guidance. Your coach will help you discover unhelpful habits and patterns in your life that may be derailing your performance and help you build up new habits that will be leveraged for success. A coach will help you to articulate your vision, set realistic goals, and develop strategies and steps to meet those goals, along with providing you with accountability for your journey.
Eachcoach will hold to a certain philosophy that will reflect their personality and training, so it is important to find a coach who is a good fit for you.Asking questions when you first meet your coach will help you establish whether you can work together well.You may want to ask them whether they are professionally trained and accredited by a coaching body, how they handle time together with a client, what work they expect you to do, and what role they will play in your journey. Getting clarity on these matters in the beginning will help you to avoid confusion later and help you to pair up with the right coach.