It’s easy to surf the web and talk to coaches about the profession of coaching in order to find out more about it. Going inward and finding out your ‘why’ is a more reflective process that some may be resistant to. Plus the true answers may not be apparent right away. You may need to understand the profession better and what your skills, expertise and talents are before you can get to the deeper answers.

You may be thinking that the ‘why’ isn’t really that important. According to Robert Kiyosaki, in “Retire Young, Retire Rich,” the why is more important than the how. Given that he obtained financial freedom at the age of 48, he’s worth listening to. When you think about it, it makes sense. Knowing your ‘why’ gives you the fire and drive to do what you need to do. Obstacles don’t become a dead-end, just a challenge that needs a solution.

Many of us know what to do but for some reason don’t always do it. And if we don’t know what to do, we’re intelligent and resourceful enough to find out what to do from books, seminars, or those who have obtained success in the area we want to achieve it in. Plus if we’re in touch with and listen to our intuition we will be guided towards resources and people.

We may even come up with tons of excuses for not doing the thing that could bring us success. And yes, that is likely an indication that limiting beliefs are in our way. From personal experience, when I’ve wanted something badly enough, those beliefs didn’t get in the way. Here we are… back to the why.

The ‘why’ somehow focuses our energy on what needs to be done. A sense of urgency develops. Action is taken. Momentum develops and we become an unstoppable force. The why and our desire are one and the same.

So how do we figure out the why?

Get a piece of paper or open your word processing document on your computer. Take a few minutes to get settled and take a couple of deep breaths to relax.

Ask yourself the question: Why do I want to become a coach?  Write down all the answers that come into your head without judgment. No matter how fleeting, just write them all down.

Review your list and put an asterisk besides those that resonate with you most, the ones that feel truest.

Now try to go below the surface of each answer to see if there’s a deeper answer. For example, your first answer might be “to help people” and your second answer might be “my skills and talents are a match for this profession.”

Ask: Why do you want to help people?
(answer) To make a difference in the world.

Ask: Why do you want to make a difference in the world?
(answer) Because then I know my life mattered.

When you can’t go any deeper, stop and proceed to the next answer.

In our example, we would then ask: Why do you want your skills and talents be a match for this profession? And continue a few layers with that question.

As you keep answering the original question, you’ll find the true ‘why’ for you. The one that resonates with a place deep within you. The one that reveals what you truly value.

If the ‘why do you want’ form of the question does not flow for you, try ‘why is it important for me to” or some other variation. The important piece is to keep digging down.

There’s one more step…

Take a look at the last answers from above and ask: Is becoming a coach the only way to obtain these outcomes? In our example, we would ask: Is becoming a coach the only way to know that my life mattered? If not, how else can you know your life mattered?

This is not to discourage you from becoming a coach or investigating the profession. You may find other more immediate ways to know that your life mattered, as per our example, in your life. Coaching may also be a way to have this desire or value expressed. Some of you may even find that your ‘whys’ can be expressed through your current profession or job after a perspective or attitude shift.

In summary…

Each person is going to have their own set of criteria for determining whether a profession is right for them or not. The above exercise is just one more tool to use in your research process.

Why Become a Life Coach?

Before we get into why some people become a life coach, let’s first define what coaching is.

The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as:

“Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking
and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and
professional potential.”

In other words, a coach supports each client to achieve their goals.

Let’s Ask Some Coaches

I interviewed fifteen life coaches and asked each of them why they became a coach and what they love about being a coach now that they are a coach.

Their answers to the first question, why they became a coach, can be summarized into four reasons:

• They wanted to help people.
• They wanted to make a difference in the world.
• Coaching was a calling.
• Their skills and values were a match for this profession.

Once they became coaches, most shared that they genuinely enjoy seeing their clients succeed and even get an emotional high from helping others reach their goals.

In addition, they love the freedom, flexibility and independence that self-employment (when done right) allows. They’ve been able to create a lifestyle that works for them.

Is Becoming a Life Coach The Only Answer?

The question is, do you need to become a life coach to help people, make a difference in the world, and create the perfect lifestyle for you?

Just think about that for a moment…

Frankly, the answer is no.  If you were to ask people in other helping professions – such as personal trainers, personal shoppers, virtual assistants, doctors, or web designers etc. – you would likely hear the same answers.

What Is The Solution?

It comes down to whether your values, skills, core genius, and passions match those necessary to become a great coach.

If they do, it’s a career that you will likely find fulfilling.  If not, you may find yourself hopping from career to career until you find a match.

You need to take the time to ‘go within’ and find what career coach Barb Richards, of VisionWorkCoaching.com, calls your ‘true north.’  Discover your values, skills, core genius and passions.  Then see if they are a match for the profession of coaching.

You can search haphazardly for the right profession or you can save time, money and frustration and do the inner work first.

Want to learn more about the profession of coaching? Get Chapter 1 from Sue Bond’s “How to Become a Coach” ebook and the transcript from an interview with Barb Richards on career transition.  Type you name and email in the box at the top of the left column.

Copyright 2008 * Sue Bond