“If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want, copy what they do and you’ll achieve the same results.” – Tony Robbins

It might come as a surprise, since I myself am a career coach, but I love a good life coach. I’ve had countless coaches and mentors in my career, that have helped me blossom and grow into the successful, happy person I am! I can’t stress how amazing a life coach can be if you’re feeling lost and unsure, or if you just want a little boost of positivity. In fact, studies show that life coaching can improve overall well-being as well as productivity, confidence, and the capability for self reflection. 

There are a few reasons you may want to hire a life coach. 

• You don’t have a clear vision for how you want your life to look. You’re directionless, purposeless, and need a little help cultivating a clear picture for your future. 
• You lack confidence. You need some assistance in boosting your morale, helping you find what you excel at, and using your skills to enhance your life.
• You don’t have the connections you need. Maybe you’re looking to start a new career, but don’t know where to begin or who to go to. Maybe you want to move cities, but are wary because you don’t know anyone there. 

You may know that you want a life coach, but where do you even start? How do you find the right coach for you? 

It may seem daunting to try and find the perfect guardian angel to help craft your dream life. But the good news is, the coaching business has skyrocketed in the last few years, and there are so many coaches waiting and willing to help you. And thanks to COVID, mostly everything is operating online, making it a lot easier to find who you’re looking for.

Here are the steps you should take to hire a life coach, and get started on your journey toward self-improvement!

• Make sure you want a coach

Before getting started with looking for a life coach, you should be certain that a coach is what you’re looking for. Remember that a life coach isn’t a therapist, or a friend — they’re a professional working with you to help you improve. Coaching is very much action-oriented and focused on the future. If you’re ready to take these steps and do the work, then you should move forward in finding a coach. 

• Set a budget

Unfortunately, life-changing work isn’t always free. The average coaching session costs about $185 per hour, but can range anywhere from the low end of the price spectrum to pretty high. But you have to consider this an investment in yourself, in your best life, in your brightest future. Setting a budget can help you eliminate options that are too pricey, and keep you on track for finding a coach that you can afford. After all, the right coach for you isn’t one you have to go into debt to work with. 

It’s also important to make sure you know exactly what you’re paying for. Ask your potential coach what’s included in the cost — it could be just the session, or they could provide extra resources for you to work with outside of your sessions together. 

• Do your due diligence

You want to make sure that the coach you choose is qualified, trained, and certified. There’s not much regulation in the coaching industry — it doesn’t require a special degree, and practically anyone can dole out advice and call themselves a coach. However, there are still ways to make sure your coach is qualified. 

There’s the International Coaching Federation, which certifies coaches after an extensive training program. Many coaching companies will only hire those who have been certified by the ICF, and certain companies may even have their own training requirements. 

If you’re not going through a company, you can still ask about their training and certifications, and make sure they can go in depth about their processes and practices. It’s not rude to make sure the person you’re paying is qualified to help you, it’s just doing your research and making sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck. This is your life, after all! 

• Have a consultation

So you’ve done all this work, but you’re still not sure if the person you found is right for you. Keep this in mind — Your life coach is all about you. Their purpose is to help you and guide you, and in order to do that there needs to be a connection between you two. If you dislike your coach, or don’t trust them, the process is going to be that much more difficult. And life coaching is supposed to make your life easier! A great way to see if your potential coach is a good fit is to go for an initial consultation. Most coaches will offer free or reduced consultations to make sure you’re a good match. After all, it’s just as important to them that you are the kind of client they want to take on.  

Finding the right life coach absolutely takes your time, energy, and attention. But it’s so worth it when you find yourself navigating life easier, meeting (and exceeding) your goals, and reaching your dreams. It’s up to us to make sure we get the most out of this life — having someone there to help you is one of the best things you can do to take care of yourself, and take charge of your life.