Hi Star,

Very interesting point you’ve raised. I call myself a life coach. And it’s one of many “names” I can be called. I’m busy living my life and have various vocations. But I always find time to coach others to spread around a positive attitude and give to everyone that asks for it an opportunity to feel happy, enthusiastic and fulfilled. :)

 

I don’t know about your aunt but coaching isn’t about giving an advice on how one should live life. It’s more about asking right questions allowing coachee finding the best way for him/herself. It’s not a medical service providing you with a ready to apply remedy.

Obviously not everyone needs a coach, not everyone needs a life change or is ready to work on it. And some do perfectly well with self-help books, etc..

It’s all question of choice. ;)

 

Good luck w/ your life and have fun in every step you take  :w00t:
anushka, May 19, 2009 @ 13:01

Hi Star,

I'm with Anushka on this one. I used the advice of a Life Coach when I was facing big decisions, and it was just amazing. The coach didn't take the decision for me, but helped me better undersrtand the options, and realise what is important for me.

Nir
Nir Ofek, May 19, 2009 @ 13:49

Well...for me life has been the biggest coach....the ups and downs teach you everything...



my 2 cents



Cheers

Ehsaan
Ehsaan, May 19, 2009 @ 14:04

Hi all, as you can see I'm new here and I hope it is ok with you if I jump on topics even if I do not know you yet :-)

My best coach? Myself, friends, family and all the people who really care about me in the most pure way.

My best coach? Glocals, why not! :-)

Hope to meet you soon, maybe tomorrow at 7pm!

Cheers
Claudio
clodi, May 19, 2009 @ 15:27

Hi Star,

I've received coaching and completed a coaching certificate myself. As noted above, coaching is not about giving advice. Its history is in sports coaching, so often that is helpful to understanding a coach's role. Coaches can focus/specialize on a number of different areas but the underlying aspect is to facilitate and guide you towards whatever your objective might be. Whether or not its fashionable right now is much less important than what you want. If you do decide to try coaching, don't be afraid to "shop around" and find someone that can provide the support you seek. Read testimonials and ask around for recommendations.

Cheers

T.
tnt749, May 19, 2009 @ 15:35

coaching originally began in sports. the sportsman had an objective and the coach knew how to help attain that objective.

life is a bit more complex than running a 100 mtr. race. the race is over in 10 seconds, life is  continuous.  it would seem obvious that a "life coach" would be someone with life experience. it (experience) doesn't come easy, cheap or quick. and......you don't learn it in a 2 year university course. besides, where is the coach that gets paid only when the "coachee" attains their objectives. now that's what might make the coach think twice about who they take on and if it's attainable. just my 3 cents worth. 
epicure, May 19, 2009 @ 16:31

[size=5]Hmm... My two cents... ;o)



I know at least 4 professional life-coaches who are here on glocals & another who lives in Denmark... They all have the amazing ability to see all types of different situations from various, previously unthought of, new perspectives and I know they have truly been a positive influence to those who've sought their services.



They take an unbiased viewpoint (unlike close friends) and I give them the thumbs up!... In my opinion, life has the uncanny ability to knock the stuffing out of you from time to time and life-coaching builds you back up again; setting you up on the next runway to take off from.



Additionally, they're all really extremely affable people to know and their positive energy, enthusiasm and motivation are contagious! ...go, Go, GO!... :D



Cheers! :o) J.[/size]
JulianT, May 19, 2009 @ 16:37

Epicure said: "where is the coach that gets paid only when the "coachee" attains their objectives. now that's what might make the coach think twice about who they take on and if it's attainable".

-----------

Epicure, you're assuming that the task the coach takes on is relatively black & white, and thus it's success or failure could be easily and objectively measured.

But often coaches help us with major decisions where there's no objective right or wrong, just 2 different routes to choose from, which will probably lead to a different place long term.

The coache's role is to ensure that we're well aware of what the 2 routes imply, and that we're aware of what's important for us when deciding between them. 
Nir Ofek, May 19, 2009 @ 16:43

Just wondering what's the diff between a "life coach" and a psychiatrist.

The latter offers the same active listening service as the former, by helping you understand yourself and your choices and finding which choice is best, based on the way you function. Only they (psychiatrists) actually have a medical degree, whereas a lifecoach does not.

It looks like life coaches are another form of the gazillions of self-made consultants we have floating around nowadays.

I agree with Epicure that this is a form of outsourcing family, church and friends by going to a life coach, just as we have done with so many other things.

Well, I wish good luck to those giving the coaching and to those seeking it as well.
MarmarK, May 19, 2009 @ 17:59

[quote]Just wondering what's the diff between a "life coach" and a psychiatrist.



The latter offers the same active listening service as the former, by helping you understand yourself and yourchoices and finding which choice is best, based on the way you function. Only they (psychiatrists)actually have a medical degree, whereas a lifecoach does not.



It looks like life coaches are another form of the gazillions of self-made consultants we have floating around nowadays.



I agree with Epicure thatthis is a form ofoutsourcing family, churchand friends by going to a life coach,just as we have done with so many other things.



I would be the first to state the a degree does not mean a person can actually understand life and people

the traditional healers in traditional societies like the one described in

"eat pray and love", by elizabeth glibert, is a man who learned to be a healer from an ancient tradition , much like the medicine man of the american indians



what makes me a bit upset is seeing those ads , mental fitness, what is that all about ??

yes, it is great some people have had good experiences with good people

but

i for one find it a bit difficult to trust someone who advertises on a website as if it were the back side of a bus

and i find the smartest, most creative people i have ever encountered i met by chance

or not, if one believes in fate, and none had degrees or titles

on the other hand i have met some really strange therapists and like i said

the people i know personally who have become life coaches have not been able to find their way out of a paper bag

so some food for thought in a world where it seems everything is a product , even your mind

and something in me sees the guy from "clockwork orange" being readjusted for society

and thinks, really? is it THAT simple

whatever happens to friends , a cup of tea and sympathy

(for free)

i am not trying to push my hikes but lately we have just had the most facinating talks

while walking in nature along the mountains and lake

and i think not only i met some great people willing to share their life experiences and listen

and give their insight all for free and with pleasure

i love it when people just listen to eachother and are humble enough to accept and give the benefit of their life experience just because they are really great people

so perhaps the best things in life are free??:)

end of speech . join a hike .

(another movie)





Well, I wish good luck to those giving the coaching and to those seeking it as well.[/quote]
star, May 19, 2009 @ 20:14

"Successful people make money. It's not that people who make money become successful, but that successful people attract money. They bring success to what they do."



I just bumped into this quote today :D That would apply to coaches as well I guess ;)



I'm be tempted to pick up Epicure's challenge and coach being paid based on results... although rather on a satisfaction level than a direct result because i agree w/ Nir the goal might change in the course of action :hehe: Anyone wants to give a try?



And I also agree w/ Star it's hard to trust an ad. It usually at the first intro meeting when you know if you have a good feeling / understanding with the coach before you both start working together.



BTW. I surprised other coaches don't speak up. There must be plenty of them in the 230 visitors to this topic :w00t:
anushka, May 19, 2009 @ 21:37

There is much literature that delineates coaching from other professions. Psychologist have a medical degree - still, I don't need to go to someone able to prescribe medication when I'm looking at new career objectives and am looking for support in a job search (as only one example!) As for other support networks, yes, by all means! Of course not everyone are blessed with the same support systems or have otherwise developed them (for a number of reasons). Or have the necessary knowledge. My sister has her own business and while she can share ideas on interoffice dynamics, her comments may be of limited use because of relativity. Consider also that friends/family etc may be part of reason an individual seeks coaching. Often an individual is looking for less subjective perceptions, in reviewing a tired/unsuccessful relationship for example. For further insight, consider also peer-reviewed literature on the value of business & executive coaching and those individuals that seek safe & confidential space for reviewing a number of issues that they have difficulty finding because of their position.



Much of this comes down to individual value systems. What I value to advance and develop in my life (and am willing to pay for) is different than my neighbors. Personally, I value my challenges and achievements more than my furniture so I'm willing to invest in that area. Others prefer a very nicely furnished home. As for advertising, certainly poor taste in this area isn't limited to coaching. I don't purchase web hosting from companies that sell their product/service with scantily-clad women -- no judgement call but its not aligned with what I'm looking for nor does it generate trust in their product. So along I go to find a service provider that does meet my needs.



Coaching isn't for everyone -- many people make do with their own systems and processes. For the rest of us, conviction is in the reward!



One final note... quality coaches are rarely in the business of convincing. Clients know what they are seeking and willingly pay for the service. And... they return as happy customers. Otherwise the profession would have withered away.



Cheers,

T.
tnt749, May 19, 2009 @ 22:48

[quote]one can not help but noticing a lot of advertisement on glocals for life coaching



personally i wonder about it



i have recently found out that both my aunt



a woman who had never married or had even a dog or a mouse to care for



has taken up life coaching , she even started to give me advice



i must confess the worst advice ever, based on a life full of dead end relationships



and no experience of taking care of even a common plant



then a friend from the university, a man i know who has never actually entered an adult



relationship for longer than a week has given me a business card



stating he is a life coach



give me a break !!



the people i want to coach me are people who are busy living their lives, and raising their



families or just persuing their goals



and probobly are too busy to coach others as they HAVE a life



so with all due respect , what is this fashion of life coaching



my friend, who graduated with me , said this is the newest fashion in our land



and it seems to have become extremly popular here



i mean, what ever happened to reading self help books , and talking it over with friends



and family?[/quote]



Funny, I have exactly the same experience with people I know who have become psychiatrists or counselors ... Both the ones I know and ones I know of are all (with one exception, but she went into research) more or less screwed up, extremely self centered and have problems in their relationships with other people. I'm not saying that this is a rule, just that this is my own personal experience (I'm sure there are plenty of lovely psychiatrists out there).

If these people are good at their job or not I don't know. But I guess it's possible that even those who don't show much understanding or interest in people around them privately can still be skilled enough at helping people on a professional level since they have their training and professional experience to go by rather than their intuitive feelings and personal experiences. Maybe it's the same thing with life coaches, although I guess that they of course have a much shorter and perhaps less thorough education.
charlotta, May 20, 2009 @ 17:43

Naturally my impulse is to dismiss life-coaching as utter woo. However, tnt479's post just about stalled me. So I'll wait, but the examples above: "reach my goals"; "helped me make a big decision"; it all sounds so... vague. Indeed my impression is that "life coach" is an intentionally vague description; one left without obvious meaning.



Given that on this thread there is (trying to remember here...) one life-coach, one person that has been to one; one person that knows 5 of them; and a couple of people with background knowledge, there are surprisingly few concrete examples of what they actually do (i.e. zero).



Can one of you believers give an example of when one would consider going to a life coach, and not say a financial adviser, career service, counsellor,... what one should said, and how they are likely to help?





Honestly, my impression is that they are just another group of people that pray on the insecurities of the population. Obviously there's a strong observer bias at play: you can say "I went to a life coach and they helped me with blah blah blah...", but obviously you can never know the outcome had you not done it. It could have been a million times better. Or at least ten times better.



Life coaches may be 'certified' but just who the hell is the certifying body? And who decides they are eligible to certify?



The analogous professions listed above are a bit lame, aren't they? If a doctor screws up they face the revocation of their licence, the end of their career, court action,... When a life coach screws up they face.... ??? nothing I suppose. Or do they? Do they get stripped of their certification from the Basel Institute of Contemporary Life Coaching? Or do they just whack up an advert on the back of a bus to get a few more clients.



What's the objective measure of a good coach against a bad one? It can only ever be feedback, can't it? In which case, I would assume, they it's so much about bedside manner so as to make almost everything else redundant.





In answer to tnt749's final note, professions that portray themselves as services but just peddle woo certainly do not wither. There are psychics, card-readers, what-have-you charging hundreds of dollars per phone call. Obviously they just tell people what they want to hear; they just use their nicest possible voice.





I withhold judgement. But I will probably relapse to thinking it's horseshit unless someone comes up with some good examples.



Also: just what kind of money are we talking about here? How many chuffs per hour?
hayes, May 20, 2009 @ 18:38

I thought Life coaches , were like the "bags for life" you get from the supermarket. Only pay once and you have them for life .. But isn't that what parents do for free .. tell you what decision you should make and how you've got it completely wrong.. and you have them for life , theirs or yours.
Jay_T, May 20, 2009 @ 19:36

Parents?

30 years ago the World was completely different than it is now.

HIV and Lyme disease were not known.



aardwolf, May 20, 2009 @ 19:45

do you think that your aunt is reading this thread ?
billmc23, May 21, 2009 @ 19:35

Dear Anushka,

I have found that 8 years old forum and I wonder if you are still in Geneva and around after those long year, could you please give me advice where to find a life coach? Do you still coach yourself?

Thank you in advance,

Lala

0786319317

curious6, Sep 23, 2017 @ 22:39