Careers Advice – How Do I Become a Life Coach?

What is a Life Coach?

When we hear the word “coach”, most of us automatically refer to that person who makes us work harder in the sporting field. Nowadays, however, a coach is also used to reference a person who offers guidance and helps others to fulfil their potential and life goals.
A life coach works with their clients to discuss their current situation and talk about their mindset, before helping them to set goals for positive change. It can be one-to-one clients, a group, or even a business who needs motivation and support.
It is the role of the life coach to assess a situation carefully and suggest the best advice possible.

What do I need to become a life coach?

Life coaches are faced with a range of people, so they need to have a certain set of skills:

• Communication – it is important to be able to talk to and advise a wide range of people
• Confidence – you need to be able to believe in yourself and what you are saying in order to convince others
• Problem-solving – it will be your job to present a solution and plan-of-action to a variety of people with different problems
• Organisation – you will be in control of your client list and information, so it is important that you keep this in order
• The ability to form relationships – clients need to feel comfortable with and be able to trust their life coach

There is no specific qualification requirement for becoming a life coach; however, clients prefer those with some training and knowledge.

What do I do next? 

First you need to plan the route that you wish to take. Some people prefer to take active steps and attend practical coaching sessions; others opt to first study a course in order to gain knowledge before taking part in preparation activities.
A good starting point is to study a course that gives you some basic knowledge and training to begin with. At Open Study College, we offer a Life Coaching Level 3 course which is a great way to kickstart your career as a life coach. The detailed course covers:

• The basic principles of life coaching
• The application of styles through tools and techniques
• How to work effectively with clients
• The benefits of life coaching and how it can improve lives

A distance learning course offers you the freedom to study in your own time and at your own pace. Enrol online today or give our Student Adviser team a call on 03300 563100 to start your dream career today!