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Southern New Hampshire University
Featured Program: Online Degrees in Psychology & Counseling
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Featured Program: Online Master of Science in Psychology
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A life coach is a person who understands the basic principles to success, how to apply these principles, and teaches others how to effectively put these principles to use in their own lives.
Life coaches may focus on helping their clients identify and transition to a new career field. He or she may coach an executive on ways to successfully run their business, or guide someone through the process of weight loss. Some life coaches help people define a vision for their life, and seek ways to improve overall. Simply put, a life coach is someone who empowers their clients to be the best they can be!
There are any number of areas to pursue, including:
- Career coaching
- Business coaching and corporate coaching
- Executive coaching
- Retirement coaching
- Spiritual and Christian coaching
- Weight and body image coaching
- Work/life balance coaching
- Relationship coaching
- Time management coaching
Sponsored Life Coaching Graduate Certification
The International Coach Federation (ICF) is the leading professional association for coaches. The ICF defines coaching as "partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential."
Important Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Unlike within the psychology, counseling or social work fields, life coaching does not require a degree or training in areas, such as behavioral disorders, sociology, anthropology, statistics, counseling, or psychology. However, positioning yourself as a specialist in the field is imperative to your success. For example, because the economic situation in the US can be volatile at times, becoming an expert in the area of finances, financial markets, taxes, etc., is in high demand. Of course, there are many other areas to specialize in, from career coaching to substance abuse or interpersonal relationships.
Another problem with life coaching is that the industry is not regulated, which means anyone can call himself or herself a life, professional, or personal coach. As a result, the quality of coaching can vary. Because quality fluctuates from one coach to another, coaches who are trained or have a degree from an accredited university may find it easier to gain clients’ trust. In addition, becoming accredited as a life coach will also aid in drawing in new clients, as well as reinforce your relationships with existing clients and add credibility to you, as their coach.
Life coaches are typically required to be knowledgeable about a variety of topics, and they may work in a variety of areas, such as schools, gyms, hospitals, day surgery centers, private practice, long-term care centers, and government agencies. Some life coaches are even on the payroll at large companies. While most coaches will work in an office environment, some will travel now and then to a client’s home of office.
Life coaches may or may not have the background or experience in all fields. A life coach is a ‘life specialist’, an expert that helps individuals or groups develop all areas of business and personal life. That said, knowledge, skills and abilities are needed by life coaches to excel in this profession.
Knowledge:
- General or specific knowledge – Knowledge about a specific topic, or general knowledge about many topics. This is especially important if you choose to specialize in a particular area, such as career coaching.
- Knowledge about psychological principles – Although not required, general psychological knowledge goes a long way to understanding the differences in behavior, motivation, etc.
- Communication –You will be speaking with a variety of people from all walks of life, so it is imperative that you have clear communication and understanding of the English language (of course, being fluent in other languages is a bonus).
- Teaching – Knowledge of the different teaching techniques to coach, develop and demonstrate various ideas and solutions.
- Positive and Self–assured – Confidence in your ability to coach your clients is imperative for success, as is a positive attitude in your approach, attitude, tone and even writing.
- Thirst for knowledge and research skills – In almost every area of expertise, there are changes that take place every day; new laws, new areas of research, financial markets change, and businesses transform. As a life coach, you should be familiar with any new areas and opportunities you may encounter.
- Reflective Practice Theories – Knowledge of the method of assessing and evaluating thoughts and actions for the purpose of learning and developing.
- Written Expression – Ability to document all client interactions and recommendations, including skill assessments.
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Skills & Abilities:
Along with a desire to help people, a life coach must have excellent communication and listening skills, as well as considerable knowledge in any areas of life that you choose to cover. For example, a person who has experience working in a social service field, like healthcare may decide to coach clients in areas of stress management.
Other skills and abilities that would prove worthwhile to a life coach, include:
- Organizational skills – As a life coach you will see or talk to a number of clients during the day, and staying organized is imperative.
- Motivation skills – The ability to motivate your clients to make a change, or to draw out a person’s potential is vital to the career as a life coach.
- Flexibility – The ability to be flexible allows for personal transition on an individual basis.
- Empathy – Coaching makes no assumptions, it is not instructional or judgmental.
- Self-assurance – Because a life coach inspires people to make changes in areas of their personal and professional life, being confident in your ability to coach is crucial.
- Positive Attitude – Being positive in your approach, tone, and attitude.
- Creativity – A life coach must come up with new and exciting ideas for their clients, and being creative is necessary to attain desired results.
Job Outlook and Employment Projections for Life Coaching
Although many people believe that life coaching is a relatively new field, in truth, life coaching began as a formal profession in the 1950s, and was referred to as "business coaching". At that time, life coaching focused solely on helping corporate managers improve their performance. Today, there are dozens of potential careers within the life-coaching field. The International Coach Federation recognizes 15 coaching specialties, including health and fitness, weight management, spirituality, relationships, and of course, business.
According to Payscale.com, a life coach practicing in the US earns an average of nearly $36.00 per hour. According to a Forbes article (2014), “Surprising Six-Figure Jobs,” an estimated 20-percent of registered life coaches make more than $100,000 annually.
Experience and time on the job are the two biggest factors affecting the pay of a life coach, followed by geographic location. Most life coaches do not have benefits; medical or dental insurance, or retirement funds, unless financed personally. Most life coaches are female, and make up 74-percent of all coaching professionals. Work satisfaction is high, with most life coaches liking their jobs, the flexible hours, the opportunity to work with many different clients from all areas of life, etc.
Learn more about becoming a life coach.
How to Increase Job Prospects as a Life Coach
Today, it’s not uncommon to see life coaches from all kinds of professionals and professional backgrounds, such as teaching, healthcare, human resources, the police and the armed forces, counseling, and therapy. However, according to the International Coach Federation’s 2012 Global Coaching Study, nearly 43-percent of professional coaches believe untrained individuals (those without certification), yet calling themselves coaches, is the one of the biggest obstacles for the coaching industry to be regarded as a credible occupation.
Life Coach Certification
As of 2012, there was no requirement that life coaches be certified. However, there are agencies that provide such certification, such as the International Association of Coaching (IAC) and the International Coach Federation (ICF). These are the two best-known organizations that provide certification to professional life coaches. To obtain certification, you must complete both an oral and written exam, which consists of submitting recorded coaching session that demonstrate knowledge and practical application. The ICF certification takes longer to achieve, as a certain number of paid coaching hours must be completed prior to obtaining certification.
Although there is no specific degree program you need to complete to become a life coach, acquiring training in certain fields can better prepare you for the job, and increase your chances for higher wages and promotion. There are weekend workshops, life coach training schools, and classes in professional areas of study that teach communication skills, goal setting skills, and how to build client-coach relationships, etc., all of which will help you get ahead in this field. Before entering this field, consider participating in a coach-training program to assess your current coaching skills. Networking with other more experienced life coaches can also offer advice on areas you need to strengthen.
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Life Coach Organizations
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FAQs
Is life coach high demand? ›
Life coaching is growing fast. Between 2015-2019, the number of life coaches went up 33%. There are 23,000 certified coaches in the US (71,000 worldwide). 99% of individuals and companies who hire a coach are “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the experience.
What is the demand for coaching? ›Job Outlook. Employment of coaches and scouts is projected to grow 20 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 39,900 openings for coaches and scouts are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Is coaching a good career? ›A career in coaching allows you to do exactly what you love to do and what you're naturally good at, all while making a great living. Professional coaches see coaching as the ultimate “win-win” situation: helping others achieve their goals by working in a meaningful, purposeful, and lucrative profession.
What is the market for a life coach? ›| $1.4bn | Life Coaches in the US Market Size in 2022 |
|---|---|
| 3.2% | Life Coaches in the US Annualized Market Size Growth 2017–2022 |
| Purchase this report or a membership to unlock our data for this industry. | Life Coaches in the US Market Size Growth 2022–2028 |
The future of coaching is brighter than ever. In 2019, the coaching industry was worth $15 billion, with a total market value of $7.5 billion in the United States. The market is expected to reach $20 billion this year, based on a 6.7 percent annual growth rate from 2019 to 2022.
Is coaching a fast growing industry? ›It is expected the market value to reach $20 billion by 2022 with a 6.7% average yearly growth rate from 2019 to 2022. Moreover, according to PwC, the Coaching Industry was the second fastest growing sector in the world. It is estimated that there are currently 5,86,292 coaches worldwide in 2019.
How quickly is the coaching industry growing? ›The market size of the Business Coaching industry in the US has grown 2.8% per year on average between 2017 and 2022.
Is coaching a stressful job? ›Not every coach gets an ulcer or celebrates losing his job; for many the exultant highs more than compensate for the crushing lows. But virtually all of them, on every level - even those who insist they can deal with the pressure - agree that it is an uncommonly stressful profession.
Is it hard to make a living as a life coach? ›About becoming a coach, the average income of a life coach in the U.S. today is between $30,000 – $40,000. Only 10% to 20% or so make six-figure incomes, and many more life coaches don't make anywhere near $30,000. It's not an easy path, and clients simply will not fall in your lap.
Is life coach worth the money? ›While you can certainly work toward your goals on your own, there are several reasons why paying for a coach is worth the money. Working with a qualified coach can: Help you discover what's holding you back and find the motivation to move forward. Challenge your assumptions; help you find truth and meaning.
Can you make a living life coaching? ›
The average income for life coaches ranges widely, with rates landing anywhere between $75 hour to $1,000 an hour . The annual income, naturally, varies even more because of that. It wouldn't be hyperbolic to say the life coaching industry is like the wild west.
How many clients does the average life coach have? ›According to the ICF, active coach practitioners are serving 11.7 clients at a time. For life coaches with 10+ years of experience, the average number of active clients is 15. But for life coaches with less than a year in practice, their average is 6 clients.
What is the average age of a life coach? ›Life Coach Age Breakdown
Interestingly enough, the average age of life coaches is 20-30 years old, which represents 32% of the population.
Your existing network is perhaps the best way to get your first coaching clients fast. It's very likely that you know people in the exact niche that you desire to help. If you don't know people in the niche, your friends, family or colleagues definitely will.
Is life coaching over saturated? ›The life coaching industry has grown exponentially but is not saturated.
Is life coaching a viable business? ›With a large part of our lives taken up by our work it's no surprise that career coaching can be a highly profitable coaching niche. Feeling valued at work and being fairly compensated can be life-changing, both financially and in terms of your own feeling of self-worth.
Do life coaches make a lot of money? ›How much do life coaches make annually? In North America, life coaches earn an average annual revenue of $62,500 from coaching, per the International Coaching Federation's (ICF's) 2020 Global Coaching Study. That's a solid salary, and that number only reflects earnings from coaching.
How do I find my life coach niche? ›...
Ask yourself:
- What am I passionate about?
- What do I love doing?
- What am I specifically drawn towards?
- What feels natural?
- Define your target audience.
- Provide free sessions.
- Make an appealing program package.
- Attend workshops and other events.
- Differentiate yourself from your competitors.
- Organize events.
- Use social media to establish a strong presence.
Life coaching is part of the $2.85 billion global industry of professional coaches, according to ICF. Beyond life coaching, there's also executive, career, leadership and even nutrition coaching.
Which industry is growing at a fast pace? ›
Banking and finance has flourished post pandemic
Currently, the financial market in India is growing at a much faster pace than any other sector. It has widened itself and also organized from the 19th century. Rapid growth in the industry definitely calls for a huge workforce throughout the nation.
Why have coaching and mentoring programmes become so popular? Hartwick suggests it's about getting more individual and immediate-need learning. “It's also longer-term and provides access to someone who is independent and who brings a different perspective to the process,” he adds.
How do I get coaching clients fast? ›- Guest blogging. By sharing content that is helpful to your ideal audience on other websites, you'll build up your profile as a helpful expert faster and get your message out to a new audience.
- Social media. ...
- Podcasting. ...
- Online Communities. ...
- Email Marketing.
Life coaches may prefer the flexibility of working part time. Or they may work full time in another occupation and pursue life coaching as a sideline.
What are the negative effects of coaching? ›- Scope shift – Triggering of in-depth (often psychological) problems that could not be dealt with by the coach (26% of respondants),
- Mission shift – The unwanted modification of coaching goals without coachees' explicit approval (17%), and.
Whether you're looking for a side hustle or a complete career makeover, life coaching offers possibilities geared to your passions and interests. Ready to get started?
Can a life coach make 6 figures? ›However, the average salary range for a life coach is $40,000 – $100,000 per year. So you can make a great living as a life coach, and many coaches are earning six-figure incomes (and more) successfully.
How much should I pay a life coach? ›Cost of Life Coaching
The typical range for personal life coaching is from $75 to $200 per hour, with an average cost of $120 per hour. Many coaches offer packages, such as $300 per month for four 30 minute sessions. A longer term option might be $2000 for eight 90 minute sessions.
Life coaching is part of the $2.85 billion global industry of professional coaches, according to ICF. Beyond life coaching, there's also executive, career, leadership and even nutrition coaching. ICF estimates there are 71,000 professional coaches worldwide and 23,000 based in North America.
What does a life coach do daily? ›A life coach is someone who counsels and encourages clients through personal or career challenges. A life coach helps guide clients to reach their ultimate goals. A life coach can help individuals in different areas of their life. But because each human being is different, so will their goals.
Do you really need to be certified to be a life coach? ›
Life coaching is a fast-growing field but isn't regulated by any state or federal agency. There is no licensing requirement. Anyone who wants to be a life coach can pursue the profession. Certification lets others know you have specific training and are serious about the career.
What a life coach Cannot do? ›While working with a life coach may help you to deal with certain unresolved issues, life coaches cannot treat mood disorders, anxiety disorders, addiction, or any other mental health condition. Therapists have a degree and are licensed mental health professionals.
How long does it take to get certified as a life coach? ›How long does it take to become a life coach? Your first training courses as a coach can take 20 to 120 hours of coursework. Advanced credentials, such as ICF's professional coaching certification, can take six to twelve months to complete and require logging at least 500 hours of coaching experience.
Do life coaches make a lot of money? ›How much do life coaches make annually? In North America, life coaches earn an average annual revenue of $62,500 from coaching, per the International Coaching Federation's (ICF's) 2020 Global Coaching Study. That's a solid salary, and that number only reflects earnings from coaching.
How popular is a life coach? ›Life coaching is part of the $2.85 billion global industry of professional coaches, according to ICF. Beyond life coaching, there's also executive, career, leadership and even nutrition coaching. ICF estimates there are 71,000 professional coaches worldwide and 23,000 based in North America.
How many clients does the average life coach have? ›According to the ICF, active coach practitioners are serving 11.7 clients at a time. For life coaches with 10+ years of experience, the average number of active clients is 15. But for life coaches with less than a year in practice, their average is 6 clients.
Is life coaching worth the money? ›While hiring a life or executive coach can be a powerful solution to help you solve personal or business issues or attain goals, it's not a miracle fix. Working with a coach is likely not worth the money when you: Want someone to listen to your problem and explore your feelings. You may need a therapist instead.
What is the average age of a life coach? ›Life Coach Age Breakdown
Interestingly enough, the average age of life coaches is 20-30 years old, which represents 32% of the population.
However, the average salary range for a life coach is $40,000 – $100,000 per year. So you can make a great living as a life coach, and many coaches are earning six-figure incomes (and more) successfully.
How do life coaches get clients? ›...
4 Step Process to Find & Close Coaching Clients on LinkedIn
- Step 1: Adding Connections. ...
- Step 2: Engage in Conversation. ...
- Step 3: Advance to a Quick Chat. ...
- Step 4: Close on a Sales Call.
Is the life coach market saturated? ›
The life coaching industry has grown exponentially but is not saturated.
Who is the target audience for a life coach? ›People who are struggling to find their purpose in life. People who feel that they are missing out on something. People who are struggling to achieve their goals. People who are seeking a career change.
Who is the wealthiest life coach? ›Tony Robbins is a life and business coach, known for his bestselling books and audio tapes and his list of high-profile clients. He owns 33 companies and directly runs a dozen of them. He expects to generate $6 billion in annual revenues this year.
How much should I pay for a life coach? ›Cost of Life Coaching
The typical range for personal life coaching is from $75 to $200 per hour, with an average cost of $120 per hour. Many coaches offer packages, such as $300 per month for four 30 minute sessions. A longer term option might be $2000 for eight 90 minute sessions.
- Define your target audience.
- Provide free sessions.
- Make an appealing program package.
- Attend workshops and other events.
- Differentiate yourself from your competitors.
- Organize events.
- Use social media to establish a strong presence.
Life Coaching Hourly Rates
On average, a life coach will charge you anywhere between $75 and $200 per hour. However, these coaching fees aren't standardized. Novice life coaches looking for clients are likely to charge less than $75 per hour, while more experienced coaches are likely to charge more than $200 per hour.
The answer is a resounding YES. You can make lots, actually. The International Coach Federation (ICF) reports that the average hourly pay rate for coaches is $235/hour.
Is life coaching a real career? ›The Life Coaching industry is booming. There are countless ways to apply coaching whether you want to start your own business, bring coaching concepts to your team at work or apply coaching with your students. You'll be able to use coaching in whatever you're passionate about.
Is life coaching a full time job? ›Life coaches may prefer the flexibility of working part time. Or they may work full time in another occupation and pursue life coaching as a sideline.