Becoming a life coach is an exciting and fulfilling career path, but it’s also one that can come with its fair share of uncertainties. As a new life coach, you may be wondering how to navigate the world of coaching and build a successful practice.
In this blog post, we’ll explore some key strategies for achieving clarity and confidence as a new life coach. From identifying your niche and defining your coaching style to marketing your services and building your client base, we’ll cover everything you need to know to start strong in this rewarding profession. So if you’re ready to take your first steps as a new life coach, read on for valuable insights and advice.
I’m delighted today to share with you all a guest post from one of our newest graduated Beautiful You Life Coaches – Katherine Mckenzie-Smith of The Beauty of Life – on gaining clarity and confidence as a new life coach. Katherine is an absolute inspiration and through her commitment to her study and a new life is now writing and blogging regularly and working with a number of paying clients too. She graduated just two weeks ago. Her words on how to gain clarity and confidence as a new life coach from a position of being really stuck in a less than happy inducing career and mindset will leave you inspired and help you understand that if you’re committed to creating a new life coach for yourself – anything is possible.
New Life Coach
It’s hard to believe that less than six months ago I was in a pretty bad place. I had finally, (after almost two years of procrastinating), finished my job in television and not taken on any more contract work. I was about to start my training with the Beautiful You Coaching Academy but I was stuck in a world of self doubt and anxiety.
As someone who can put the pieces of problems together and always see multiple scenarios and solutions, I was stumped. Even though I knew lots of coaches who had incredibly successful businesses, I couldn’t see this being a reality for me (and maybe that was the problem).
I was absolutely overcome with fear, self doubt, and comparisonitis.
I spoke to lots of close friends, family, and even the pros about the future that lay ahead of me, shrouded in fear and doubt, and they saw something I couldn’t see yet. It was frustrating to not see it until, one day, I decided it was time to get over myself.
That only I was creating this reality.
That only I could control what happened from here.
And that I had to get out of my own way before I completely lost the plot.
So I did.
And, suddenly, everything in my life, (and particularly in my business), changed. On my last day of work, I got my first paying coaching client – perhaps the true sign I needed to know I was doing the right thing. Opportunities have come up for me and my business and my blog started growing in whole new ways.
Plus – and possibly most importantly – I finally started to feel happy and confident in myself. A beautiful consequence of this being that it instantly uplifted my business once again.
What was once a vicious spiral of self doubt has become the positive upward spiral I have always dreamed of. And I can truly attest to it being because of a few changes I made to my beliefs and my mindset.
If you’re at the beginning of your journey as a life coach (or finding yourself in a bit of a slump), here are my best tips for how I got from uncertainty and doubt in my ability and my business to clarity and clients in a very short space of time:
Find your tribe and let them believe in you until you can
Despite my own fears stepping in as I stepped up into my new journey, the wonderful people in my life all believed in me so much, I will never stop being grateful to them.
At first it made me feel like a fraud. Why did they think that? Were they lying to make me feel better? How could they think that when I hadn’t even started, had no clients, and really didn’t know how to help myself, let alone anyone else?
BUT eventually I stopped myself and realised that maybe there was some truth to their unrelenting encouragement and enthusiasm (despite my own reservations). When I saw myself and my potential reflected back to me, it actually started to sink in. It was time for me to step up and start realising that if they believed in me, I better start believing in me.
Look out for the people in your life who are reflecting your true spirit and what they see in you – it might come in the most unexpected places – but cherish it (and ignore any negative crap) and eventually, you’ll come around!
Invest in yourself
Take a course, get a coach, see a kinesiologist or psychologist, buy some books, go to a conference. Making a time and financial investment shows your ego that you’re taking control whether you like it or not and it’s time for your inner meanie to fall into line. This happened last year when I invested in Marie Forleo’s BSchool and again this year when I joined the Beautiful You Life Coaching Academy.
Once I found myself in a supportive learning environment with other gorgeous women going through the same thing, I started to build my confidence and step into being a coach.
Own it
Oh this is the biggest one! It took me MONTHS to even say out loud that I was a life coach. I was worried what my friends would think, I was worried how strangers would react. But, you know what, people will feel the energy you put out there. I embraced being a life coach wholeheartedly and kept saying it to people until it started to just feel right.
Now I realise that my confidence begins the second someone asks me what I do and, more often than not, people are fascinated by the concept and want to know more OR they know someone who is looking for what you’re giving. And that’s where some of the most unexpected clients come from!
Understand that different people are looking for different coaches
Depending on the online community you’re part of, you might have noticed the recent boom in life coaches. This is not a bad thing. Even if you start out wondering how you fit in, (I know I sure did!), we all have different skills, unique abilities, and personality traits that appeal (or not) to other people.
I found it so difficult to understand why someone would want to work with me when they could choose from so many incredible coaches out there. BUT if you replace coaching with something else, like cafes, there are SO MANY cafes out there, with their own uniqueness and they stay open and thriving – especially when there are other successful cafes around. People like different types of coffee, different surroundings, different elements of a cafe, or they like to move around from one to another.
The minute you realise that there are lots of clients out there all looking for different things and that you can’t be everything for everyone, you will become a truly incredible coach.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
Practice everything! Practice saying out loud who you are, what you do, and what your business mission or philosophy is. Talk about it as much as you can and get comfortable with it (it gets easier the more you say it).
Get practice clients and trade them coaching for a testimonial and sharing your business with their network. Know your ideal clients and approach people who fit into that category and then practice with them so you can learn to easily identify the people you LOVE working with.
And, practice helping others, asking questions, and providing great service because – at the end of the day – that’s what being a life coach is.
What’s your best tip for overcoming uncertainty and becoming a confident coach (or your biggest struggle)? Leave a comment below and who knows who you might be helping!
Becoming a new life coach can be both exciting and intimidating. It takes courage to step into this role, but with the right mindset and tools, you can find success in helping others achieve their goals. Remember to prioritize clarity and confidence in your coaching approach, as these are essential qualities that clients will look for in a coach. By being clear about your coaching style and confident in your abilities, you can establish trust with your clients and help them reach their full potential. If you have any other tips or insights on becoming a successful new life coach, let us know in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the challenges as new coach?
establishing yourself as a trustworthy and competent information source.
establishing a reliable clientele.
producing leads and offering marketing services.
creating a successful coaching procedure.
handling challenging clientele and circumstances.
keeping a healthy work-life balance.
compassion exhaustion.
What are the biggest challenges of life coaches?
Keeping Boundaries. It’s simple to forget who in a coaching partnership should be putting forth the effort.
Managing the financial side of work, avoiding imposter syndrome, and scheduling time for self-care are all important.
What makes a successful life coach?
Life coaches must be affable, personable, helpful, and kind. They should have patience, a sense of humour, and be eager and sensitive. These characteristics play a key role in helping coaches make new business contacts and attract new clients.