Coaching

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.

Each coach 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.

Coaching used to be a niche thing for select individuals such as business executives, athletes, or high net worth individuals. While some coaching is geared specifically to such individuals, coaching is available for people of all walks of life who want to improve one or more areas of their life. If you have goals that you want to accomplish but you’re uncertain how to go about it, if you need direction, accountability, and clarity in an area of life, finding a coach is a good move to make. If you find yourself stuck in self-destructive patterns of behavior that are sabotaging you and your success, coaching can help you by identifying those patterns and any self-limiting beliefs.

Different types of coaching

Coaching addresses different areas of life, and so you’ll find several types of coaches who specialize in those areas. If you want to get the most out of your coaching, finding a coach with the right specialization is a vital step. Decide what you want coaching for, and then look for the right coach to meet that need. The various types of coaching are listed below:

Life coaching. This is a generalized form of coaching which aims to help you make improvements to your life, whether personally or professionally. Sessions may range broadly to cover the different areas over which you require guidance.

Spiritual coaching. Because we also have a spiritual aspect to our being, what’s happening in that area of our lives impacts everything else. Understanding how to grow spiritually, remain connected to God, and successfully maintain a Christian worldview can improve our sense of wholeness.

Relationship coaching. Relationships form a vital component of our lives, and fulfilling relationships contribute enormously to our sense of flourishing. We don’t always have a handle on them – whether it’s forming or developing them – and relationship coaching can help you build skills for initiating relationships such as romantic connections or maintaining relationships such as friendships.

Some relationship coaches focus exclusively on dating and romantic relationships, to help people get out of their own way and make good choices that enhance their relationship prospects. Others will help you develop tools that encourage all relationships to flourish, such as good communication, effective listening, and cultivating empathy.

Career coaching. Some coaching will focus on helping individuals set and meet career goals, including getting employed, developing professionally, overcoming procrastination, dealing with stress, and so on. In other cases, career coaching also includes career transitioning coaching, as when someone senses a change in their vocation and pursues a different career. A coach will help you move into the next stage of your work life or as you enter retirement.

Wellness coaching.“Wellness” refers to multiple aspects of life, and it includes fitness and lifestyle. Some coaches will help you with your health goals regarding what you eat as well as in life.

These and other different types of coaching can help you shape and meet your goals.

Coaching helps a person set and reach their goals by equipping them with the tools they need to do just that. A coach doesn’t do the work for you, but they guide, advise, and help you stay on task. Applying biblical wisdom to setting your goals and meeting them helps you to flourish.

A wise coach will help a person set and accomplish goals in a balanced and healthy way that doesn’t derail other aspects of their life. An exclusive focus on career goals, for instance, without attention to how it affects other areas of life such as your marriage, may lead to career success at the expense of relationships.

A Christian coach who applies biblical wisdom helps their client to keep the larger perspective in view as they go about setting and accomplishing goals. They can help a person listen to the voice of God in His word. If you want coaching for a specific area of life, feel free to browse the directory and look for a coach who can help you meet your goals. Make an appointment to begin your journey with a coach who will help you meet your goals, find your joy, and the path of authentic service that will allow you to be who God intended you to be.