Do I need a coach?

“Do I need a coach for this?” This is a question that all sorts of high-achieving people have asked themselves before. From DiCaprio to Oprah and beyond, countless entrepreneurs, go-getters, thinkers, creators, executives, movers, shakers and leaders have worked with coaches to radically reinvent and improve their careers, wellbeing and personal outlook.

So, the question is: do you need a coach? Let’s take a look at when and where a coach may be in order.

Do I need a coach? 

Questions to ask yourself when considering getting coached:

1. Am I feeling lost, disconnected or challenged?

The most common reason people seek out coaching is because they’re feeling some sort of dissatisfaction with how they’re currently living their life. Maybe they’re frustrated. Maybe they’re disconnected. Maybe they’re annoyed, sad, tired, stressed or bored. 

If you’re feeling chronic dissatisfaction with how things are going, you’re in the right place. A good coach will help you address that feeling—a great coach will help you identify and understand the deeper beliefs that are making you feel that way so you can change your thinking and experience less frustration, anger and sadness in the first place.

2. Am I lacking clarity?

Sometimes we lose track of what we were doing during the workday. And sometimes we lose track of what we were doing in life. When that second scenario hits, you should consider working with a coach—coaches specialize in helping you decide how to reinvent your life and reset your priorities. 

3. Could I use someone in my corner right now?

A coach is a defender. They’re the person in your corner, and once your coaching relationship has begun, they’re going to stay there. No matter what comes your way, they’ll be there to support and guide you. Working with a coach is like having a friend for life whose primary goal is to make sure you get what you deserve and feel how you want to.

4. Are things good but I want to grow?

We’ll talk about this more in a moment, but you don’t have to be in “crisis mode” to need a coach. In fact, things can be good. Real good.

But feeling good doesn’t mean you don’t strive to grow. Working with a coach can help you level up and learn things about yourself you didn’t previously know. Instead haphazardly feeling good, you’ll have the tools to actively know why you’re feeling good and how to keep feeling better and better. 

5. Am I tired of “spinning” by myself?

Many people who come to coaching are high-achieving executives, entrepreneurs and leaders. They’re actionable people, they’re ambitious and they know how to get things done. It makes sense, then, that people who get the most out of coaching are people who really hate not making progress.

If you’ve been stuck in one spot for a long time and you feel like you’re spinning your wheels, you might need a coach right now. Sure, you’re smart and capable enough to figure out how to move past this roadblock on your own—but working with a coach is like adding rocket thrusters to your car. Your wheels shouldn’t be spinning, they should be rolling you forward. 

Do I always need a coach?

The short answer is no. The longer answer is that coaching is a fluid and natural process—sometimes, we really need it. Other times we don’t. And still other times we need it, stop needing it, and need it again. There is no “end” to coaching; there’s only progress and discovery. 

This is true of both good times and bad times. Sure, you might not feel like you need a coach when everything’s going wonderfully. If your marriage is fantastic, your career is advancing, your kids are behaving and your friends are at your side, you may be asking, “Everything’s great. Why the heck would I need a coach?”

The problem is, if you’re only ever getting coaching when your life feels like it’s falling apart at the seams, then you’re not really expanding on who you can be at your best. You’re only mitigating the problems that arise when you’re feeling at your worst. 

Put another way, you might need coaching when you’re feeling bad, but you also might need coaching when you’re feeling good. Only you know when it’s time to invest in a coach. And only you get to decide when you no longer need one, too.

Entering coaching from a state of curiosity

There is one major benefit of starting coaching from a good headspace as opposed to a bad one: if you begin a coaching relationship when you’re relatively okay, that relationship will still exist when you’re not. There may be times when you spend ten weeks in a coaching program, and after, you don’t talk to your coach for a year.

If something really challenging happens—say a divorce, the loss of a job or even the loss of a loved one—then you’re able to pick up that coaching relationship once more for support when you need it most. Instead of having to search for a coach who understands and connects with you when you’re in a confusing and tough spot, you’ll enjoy the benefit of a historical relationship with your coach—and they’ll be able to help you a lot quicker than a coach who’s just getting to know you. 

However, if you happen to be in that tough place right now, don’t worry: it’s still worth entering a coaching relationship when you’ve gone and hit a rough patch. Any problem you’re dealing with—no matter how big or small—a coach can help.

Want to see if we’re a good fit for each other? Let’s get started with a free exploratory call.