Many people describe coaching as the esoteric solution to all of your problems. You hear phrases like "Less is more" and "Become attractive" as reasons to hire a professional coach. I don't know about you, but these so-called benefits sound like good reasons to head for the hills with my wallet. I fail to see how a phone call to a coach will help miraculously find my "life purpose". And if it is so easy, why do I need to call the coach again next week? Does my "life purpose" change each week? 

In contrast, I work with people on planet earth to find workable solutions to real problems. This is how I select my coaches and you should to. Don't waste your time getting coached on your spirit, your "Who" or the extract of snake oil. Find coaches who deliver results and understand the need to measure results. 

Here are the results you should expect to reach when working with your professional coach. Expect that your coach is all of these to you. (Substitute "he" with "she", as appropriate).

1.      He is an unattached professional partner. Your coach is rooting for you when you are discussing your future. Your coach has your agenda and is brainstorming, proposing solutions and challenging you, so that you are more successful. There is nothing spiritual here just simple teamwork. While supportive, your coach is not attached to your choices or outcomes. If you decide to follow path A and your coach feels that path B is a better option, then you go ahead and choose path A. You coach will partner with you along path A, and is not your mother-in-law constantly reminding you that path B would have been better. If you wish that you had a non-judgmental, unattached partner, then hire a coach to get the best of all worlds.

2.      He is a sounding board to talk through issues, challenges and opportunities before taking action. Your coach is not emotionally involved in your situation and will listen while you talk about issues and challenges you are facing, so that you can see your situation from new angles. Don't expect your coach to give you the answers. He doesn't have them, and your answers are probably the best answers available. If you feel alone on your path, with no one to talk to that understand your options, then hire a professional coach to bounce ideas off.

3.      He creates time and space to escape the Information superhighway. When you schedule regular coaching calls and retreats, you get a chance to focus on a few issues at hand, in depth and really think them through. If you don't make time for this, then chances are that you will be running from meeting to soccer practice to pickup pizza and then hitting the snooze button on the alarm clock before you realize that another day is over. If you don't have time to think with all of the chaos in your life, then hire a coach to schedule time for you to step out of the busyness of business and improve results.

4.      He reminds you of your goals when you get distracted. In the flurry of daily activity, distractions and crises are the norm. We lose focus of our major goals in life and your coach will remind you of your goals that are best for the long-term you. The only way to reach long-term goals is to work on them. If you don't remember to work on your goals every week, then the years will slip by and you will have nothing to show for them. Your coach is paid to remind you of your goals and keep them in the proper perspective and priority. If your annual goals this year are the same goals that you have been trying to work on for the past three years, then hire a coach today. Pay your coach to help you reach your goals, if they are important to you.

5.      He holds a mirror up for you to see. Do you routinely procrastinate on certain tasks? Are you blind to the fact that you procrastinate? Your coach will bring your behaviors back to you, so that you can look in the mirror and consider taking new paths, actions, or perhaps accept yourself for being yourself. If you are dissatisfied with getting the same results and not able to change your results on your own? Hire a coach to hold up your personal mirror.

6.      He challenges you in a number of ways. We all get comfortable and in our routines. Without realizing it, we forget to look for better ways to do things even though our way we is no longer the fastest, cheapest or most effective way. For example, there may be new options for you to enjoy your hobby now, than the last time you looked. I have wanted to fly Radio Control airplanes for twenty years, but was unwilling to invest substantial amounts of money in this hobby. I recently discovered a new era of electric planes that meet my objectives and allow me to enjoy my hobby on my terms. What are you putting off, or not aware of, just because you have not challenged you're thinking recently?

Your coach also challenges you to think bigger. We often think that we can't do something because we have not done it before or because it is out of the norm for our behavior. With questions like "Why not?, How else can you approach this?" and "What does success look like in this situation?" you will take a step back and to the side as you challenge your current viewpoint and see your environment from a different angle. The different angles may reveal new "aha" moments for you. If you haven't challenged yourself in a while, or given up on your dreams, then talk it through with your coach. What is stopping you?

7.      He encourages you and reminds you of what you bring to the table. For example, if you are about to interview for the job of your dreams (or just a simple promotion), then role playing the interview will dramatically improve your performance. If you could benefit from some encouragement along this journey of life, then hire a coach today.

You can certainly choose to travel through life without a coach at your side. I cannot fathom why anyone would consciously choose to go it alone, but I accept the fact that masochists are also entitled to make individual choices. I know that my life and income have improved exponentially since I started working with my trained professional and personal coaches. Your flesh and blood life on planet earth will also become better when you hire your coach.