Why do the most successful business people have coaches? Why do elite sports stars have coaches? Why do musicians, actors and writers have coaches? Probably for the same reasons that you need one…
…because sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees, or in the words of the great Les Brown, “You can’t see the picture when you’re in the frame.”
Sometimes you need someone who can see the big picture. Sometimes you need a different perspective. Sometimes you just need some support and encouragement to tap into your own resources, dreams and desires. Sometimes you just need your butt kicked a little.
If you really, REALLY want something, a coach is your best weapon.
So what is a coach? The word ‘coach’ actually stems back to its original meaning, as in an early form of transportation? It literally means to transport someone from one place to another….or as I like to say, “meeting you where you’re at and taking you where you want to go.”
It kind of makes sense when you think about a sports coach or a business coach but it makes even more sense when you think about a health and happiness coach. After all, we all have unique goals – a certain way we want to feel, or be or live. Sometimes we know what we need to do to reach these goals, but for some reason it’s just so hard to do. Sometimes we find ourselves going around and around in circles and we just don’t know where to start.
A Wellness Coach may well be – and probably is – just the person you need to help you to clearly define your goals, assess where you are at the moment, plot the best route to your goals and help yo to overcome the obstacles in the way.
Wellness coaches focus on their client’s physical, emotional, and behavioral health. While the client often has a specific goal, the wellness coach typically addresses their lifestyle more holistically.
Their primary goal is to help others adopt a positive lifestyle and make behavior changes to support their goals. They may double as nutritionists or dietitians, helping people be more mindful of their eating habits.
Coaches don’t have to work exclusively with clients on a one-on-one basis. They may also work at gyms, food stores, schools, clinics, and hospitals. Coaches empower people and also keep them accountable for their actions.
Why everyone should have a Wellness coach:
Objectivity: A coach can look at you objectively and give you an honest assessment without the cognitive dissonance we all possess when it comes to our own lifestyle and health. Even professionals have coaches. Tiger Woods has a coach that works with his nutrition, fitness, and his cognitive functioning. Top business professionals have coaches to train peak cognitive performance, health optimization, to train them in the gym, etc. Why do most people not appreciate the value that these top performers see? These professionals got to where they are because they have always understood the value of coaches. You will be hard pressed to find a professional athlete or Wall street executive that does not have a coach. Even in medicine, coaching is how we are trained, most of what we learn comes from our mentors in residency, not from books.
Individualization: Each individual is different and population based recommendations do not work. When it comes to dietary preferences, stress from work and family dynamics, time availability, and access to resources we have our own data sets. Some coaches are even delving into nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics to come up with personalized health & lifestyle plans.
Goal oriented: We all have our own goals that we strive to achieve. A coach can be your guide to helping you reach them. Many books and websites will TELL you what your goals should be and how to reach them but again this may not work for you. A coach can help you to navigate this world. You may want to lose fat, gain muscle, reduce stress, run faster, reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, or live more positively. Instead of looking at each goal as separate, a coach can look at the forest instead of each individual tree and come up with a plan as well as ways to assess progress.
Accountability: I know this sounds cliche, but there is great value in accountability. Coaches can fill this role. Knowing you have a call with the nutrition coach that will ask about your diet, keeps it at the front of your mind. Having a personal training session scheduled is much harder to cancel than a visit to the gym. A stress coach that is going to be watching your heart rate variability (HRV) reports or your neurofeedback sessions keeps you focused on completing these task. This is just human nature.
What Coaches are NOT
Coaching is not talk therapy. It’s not about rehashing the past and going over old ground. Coaching focuses on the future. It helps you to get clear on exactly what you want and the best way to achieve that…for you. Best of all, coaches are completely non-judgmental and totally invested in your best interests.
Coaches aren’t experts. They do not diagnose, treat or heal. You are the only expert on you and you are your own healer – but a good coach will empower you to listen to your own body, take your control back and take charge of your life.
More than anything, coaches are non-judgemental and only want the best for you. They encourage self-discovery, self-reliance and personal responsibility to enable you to live your very best life.
Coaches are not the sage on the stage. They are your guide on the side.
If things cannot continue the way they are and you want to make real and lasting change to your health and happiness, make a free appointment and let’s chat.
