Finding the Right Personal Coach/Mentor

Hiring a personal coach to guide you through the trials and challenges of life, career, and relationships is a smart move. Rarely do we have someone who is completely devoted to our problems, our goals and desires, and our time frame. Friends and family can only go so far. They have their own lives to attend to and may not be able to be there for you on a regular and extended basis. In addition, people with whom we have personal relationships are often too emotionally involved with us to really see things from an objective point of view. Your best friend or your mother may not be able to see you without picturing all your past mistakes and successess. Your brother or your business colleague may not know enough about your inner dreams and motivations to accurately offer you advice that could bring about the most desired result for you. People can only offer you what they have learned from their own experiences.

This is where a personal coach can make all the difference. But what should you look for in someone who will be with you on a regular basis for potentially several months, even years? How do you know what type of person is best suited for personal coaching and most compatible with your lifestyle and goals? Is this really all about finding someone who can protect you from the pain of reality or do you want a drill sergeant to snap you into line?

The answer to the last question is probably neither. Think about it. While it would be great to have someone simply cheer you on and tell you what a great person you are and how everything is all going to be okay as they pat you on the head, this type of interaction does not do much to further your goals. Sympathy is something you get from your friends or your loved ones, hopefully. But it is not what you need from a personal coach.

Unfortunately, many of us stay in a rut because we are too afraid or too closely involved in a situation to see the true nature of it. The only way out of this denial is through it. Sympathetic hand-holding will not give you the necessary motivation to move through your fears if you have been stuck there a while.

On the other hand, a drill sergeant approach to your life is not necessarily healthy either. Most people do not appreciate being insulted or talked down to, much less given orders. It’s hard enough to take orders in the workplace; you do not need that type of relationship with a personal coach. The job of your coach is not to tell you what to do or how to do it. Your coach does not have all the answers to every question. Instead, you coach is a listener, a facilitator, and a motivating factor inserted into your life voluntarily that can bring about lasting change.

Honesty, then, seems to be the best policy. Rather than sugar-coated platitudes or disrespectful commands, a straightforward personal coach can bring you to the truth of a situation gently, yet firmly. Your coach will motivate and inspire you to look within yourself for the answers you already possess. In a crisis, this type of honest feedback is invaluable. A personal coach can provide a challenge to your preconceived ideas about your life and youself, offering you the opportunity to be honest in return. Without influencing your decisions or opinions, your coach can be the best friend you have.

Call 01594-564133, or email me