WHO NEEDS A COACH?

Q. What does an Olympic athlete have that you don't have?
A.
a. talent ________
b. training __________
c. drive __________
d. a coach _____X_____
An athlete would never consider functioning without a coach! A coach helps him/her realize their potential. A personal coach does just that: supports clients in reaching their full potential, being the best they can be.


WHO NEEDS A COACH?

We all do! But you must be ready for a coach - ready to take action to achieve your goals.
Are you ready for a coach? Are you coachable? (contact me..laurie@ingearcoaching.com.. for your *Coachability Assessment*)

WHAT IS A COACH?

When I tell people I'm a coach - they ask "what team?" and expect me to pull out my whistle and put on my cap..I tell them that I am like a sports coach in that I support people in achieving their potential - in bringing out their best.
Coaching is a new profession - it started formally in 1992 and is now the second faster growing profession in the world today!

There are now over 10,000 coaches in the U.S.- and a growing number in Europe, Asia, and South America.

WHY IS THE COACHING FIELD GROWING?

*People want to find fulfillment...achieve their potential...be all that they can be. We are in a stage of human, societal, and technological development where each person has the possibility to reach his/her potential, and people want to reach it NOW, without waiting for some vague, distant future life. A high quality of life is desired and expected now.

*It's socially acceptable to use a professional/expert

*People want to feel connected; a coach provides a supportive, inspiring, caring, challenging, committed, on-going connection.

HOW IS COACHING SIMILAR/DIFFERENT?

Coaching combines the best skills of many similar professions:

like SPORTS COACHES, life coaches bring out the client's best; unlike sports coaches, coaches focus on YOU not the team.

like THERAPISTS, coaches are empathic and good listeners; (see below for differences)

like CONSULTANTS, coaches give information and share their expertise; unlike consultants, coaches let the client do the work.

like MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS, coaches motivate people to achieve their goals; unlike speakers, coaches interact with you.

like FRIENDS, coaches are supportive and understanding; unlike friends, coaches can be objective.

like PERSONAL TRAINERS coaches hold people accountable (coaches have been called "personal trainers for the soul!"); unlike personal trainers, coaches are work on the personal not the physical.

The uniqueness of coaching is that it combines the best of all these professions but provides much, much more.

HOW IS COACHING DIFFERENT FROM THERAPY?*

Coaching is about achievement; therapy is about healing
Coaching is about action; therapy is about understanding
Coaching is about transformation; therapy is about change
Coaching is about momentum; therapy is about safety
Coaching is about intuition; therapy is about feelings
Coaching is about performance; therapy is about progress
Coaching is about attraction; therapy is about timing
Coaching is about creating; therapy is about resolving
Coaching is about moving from functional to superior; therapy is about moving from dysfunctional to functional
Coaching is mainly done on the phone, half-hour sessions - Therapy is in-person, hour-long sessions
*(for a more in-depth comparison, contact me at laurie@ingearcoaching.com)

HOW DOES COACHING WORK?

Basically, coaches support people in TAKING ACTION towards getting what they want in life; and coaches TELL THE TRUTH!

Coaching is a collaborative partnership that inspires you to achieve results beyond your wildest dreams; the synergy created from the coaching partnership can spark magical changes in your life.

Coaching is an on-going relationship which is action-oriented, goal-driven, pro-active, responsive, and based on accountability.

Also the format of coaching is very unique = it is done on the phone! weekly half hour calls from 3 to 6 months or longer.

Coaching is mostly "virtual!" - our society is becoming more and more virtual as we use computers and telephone for shopping, banking, communication. As we get busier and busier, this saves us time! One of the appeals of virtual coaching is that a half hour call is a half hour - no driving to a half hour appointment that ends up being a two or three hour appointment due to the hassles of traffic and parking. You are only a telephone away from your appointment; you can even call your coach from a hammock in Tahiti!

Many coaches Specialize (they have a Niche) in helping entrepreneurs, managers/CEO's, artists, people in career/life transition, parents, new retirees, ADD and much more - other coaches Generalize: helping people identify, prioritize, choose their goals..and then take action and be accountable.

WHY DO PEOPLE HIRE A COACH?

some reasons include....
*identify and prioritize and set goals
*take action in acheiving goals
*develop a marketing strategy
*learn skills: leadership, communication, networking,building a business, computer/web, time management
*be accountable
*get life more in balance between work and home
*find passion and purpose
*have more fun
*have better relationships
*make more money
*make shifts and have breakthroughs!
*take risks for personal/professional growth

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH A COACH?

You will..
*make better decisions
*take more and smarter actions
*have a more balanced life
*focus on what's important to you and eliminate tolerations that drain your energy
*have fewer problems
*find more time for fun and relaxation
*take better care of yourself: physically and emotionally and professionally
*have more sustainable energy
*develop faster and better
*build your self esteem
*learn to attract what you want into your life
*take smarter risks that lead to personal/professional growth
*feel acknowledged
*feel inspired and challenged to be your best
*have an objective, professional, caring, supportive, intuitive, honest, skilled partner

Abraham Maslow, a psychologist, who studied "normal" people (different from Freud, who studied "abnormal" people) - developed what he called a "Hierarchy of Needs" Theory - which explains that people need to satisfy certain lower level needs (physiological/safety) before they can satisfy upper level needs (social/achievement) and then reach fulfillment=the top level need...what he called "self actualization".. Maslow believed only 1% of the population would reach Self Actualization - I don't believe this..do you?

Coaches help clients reach "self-actualization" - reach their own potential and find fulfillment - by helping people get their needs met.

So, are you getting your needs met? (contact me for a Needless Assessment). Are you in balance? where are you out-of-balance? (contact me...laurie@ingearcoaching.com...for a Balance Wheel Assessment)

HOW TO FIND A COACH?

*Contact me at laurie@ingearcoaching.com for a complimentary coaching session/informational interview.
*Go to the following websites: www.coachfederation.org, www.coachu.com, www.icfne.org, www.coachville.com

ARE YOU READY FOR A COACH?

Ask yourself...
*Are you ready to take the time to make changes in your life...and take action?
*Are you ready to invest in yourself? Do you feel you are worth the extra money invested in coaching?
*Can you commit to weekly appointments and complete your agreed-upon actions?
*Are you willing to change self-defeating behaviors?
*Are you ready to take risks?
*Are you willing to be honest with yourself and tell the truth?
*Do you feel stuck? out-of-balance? bored with life?
*Do you want more fun and passion in your life?
*Do you want more meaning/purpose in your life?
*Are you in (work/life) transition?
*Do you want to (finally) do what you have always dreamed about? (travel, create a new business, perform...?)

As more and more people find happiness and fulfillment within the coaching relationship, people won't be asking: "what's a coach?" -instead they will be asking: "who's your coach?"-

Coaching is the new Profession that will help you find the life you need and want now -

So, WHO NEEDS A COACH? YOU DO!!


Recommended BOOKS:


If you want to know more about coaching, here are some of my favorite books:

MASTERFUL COACHING - Extraordinary Results by Impacting People and the Way
They Think and Work Together, by Robert Hargrove

THE PORTABLE COACH: 28 Surefire Strategies for Business and Personal Success,
by Thomas Leonard

TAKE TIME for YOUR LIFE: A Personal Coach's 7-Step Program for Creating the Life You Want;
also LIFEMAKEOVERS: 52 Practical and Inspsiring Ways to Improve Your Life One Week at a Time;
and STAND UP FOR YOUR LIFE: Develop the Courage, Confidence, and Character to Fulfill Your Greatest Potential
by Cheryl Richardson

TAKE YOURSELF TO THE TOP: The Latest Trend for Executive and Entrepreneurs, by Laura Berman Fortgang

CAPTURE THE RAPTURE: How to Step Out of Your Head and Leap into Life, by Marcia Reynolds

CO-ACTIVE COACHING: New Skills for Coaching People toward Success in Work and Life, by Laura Whitmorth et al

BECOMING A COACH: The CoachU Approach, by Thomas Leonard

COACH YOURSELF TO SUCCESS WORKBOOK: Tips for Reaching Your Goals at Work and in Life, by Talane Miedaner

PROFESSIONAL FOUNDATIONS FOR MASTERFUL COACHES: Expanding the Ordinary to Achieve the Extraordinary! by Lee Smith and Jeannine Sandstrom
and by me, Laurie Geary:

<RISK-TAKING and BUILDING SELF ESTEEM> -my chapter in the book <A GUIDE TO GETTING IT: SELF ESTEEM. Ideas and Tools from 12 Life and Business Coaches to Help You Live Your Life's Dreams> edited by Marilyn Schwader

<RISK TO GROW! CREATE the LIFE YOU WANT through RESPONSIBLE RISK-TAKING>
a collection of articles, top tens, models, poems & quotes, and exercises



Recommended TASKS:
1. Call or email me for a complimentary coaching session or to find out more about coaching.
(617-494-1422) email = laurie@ingearcoaching.com
2. Go to my website: www.ingearcoaching.com for lots more information about coaching.
or go to www.coachu.com, www.coachfederation.org, www.thecoaches.com, www.coachville.com,
3. Take a TELECLASS - a great way to learn about or experience coaching at a reduced (often free) rate!
go to www.teleclass.com or www.teleclassinternational.com or www.womensu.com or www.teleclass4U.com
4. Check out all the articles about coaching at the COACHU website: www.coachu.com
5. Contact me for ASSESSMENTS that will help you: Needless (identify your needs); TruValues (identify your values);
Coachability Index (check to see if you're ready for coaching); Clean Sweep or Life Wheel (identify the areas you need to be coached); MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) to identify your preferences...For many more assessments
go to my website: www.laurie@ingearcoaching.com

A COMPLIMENTARY COACHING SESSION


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