Do I need a coach? (and how do I know?)

Do I need a coach? The short answer is yes. Assuming you want to make any positive change in how you are currently living your life. The current virtual coaching market is valued at $1.9B and is expected to grow to over $4.5B by 2030. That is good news, coaching has never been more accessible. There are coaches to help you organize your life, make progress in your career, and learn a new sport or skill. The issue is, most of us adults don’t know how to hire a coach.

And most importantly, how much should I think about paying for that coach?

Now before we get into rates, if you are trying to make positive changes in your physical health, here are some things to keep in mind if you are thinking about getting a coach.

You have to know what you want and be willing to spend the time to share with your coach what you are currently doing.

Great coaching is not generalized feedback. Great coaching is able to provide you with the right next step (one step) for you to make progress. In order for a coach to help you determine what the next right step is, they need to have detailed context on what you are doing right now. If this feels like “too much work” for you to spend some serious time upfront with a coach to provide them with this context…..you likely are not ready for coaching.

Commit to overcommunicating with your coach for the first few weeks you are working together. Take the time to share with them, your fears, and what’s working, and give them feedback on the activities you are doing. Be specific!

The coach doesn’t do the work. You do.

Sounds obvious but it’s easy to get frustrated. In my experience, most people only hire a coach after they have tried to get healthier on their own. This can lead to a fragile mindset where they are frustrated and hire a coach out of desperation. This puts unfair pressure on the coach to look for quick wins and the person being coached doesn’t make the time to reflect on the changes they are making.

Give a coach three months. If you are not happy with the relationship after three months, then re-evaluate.

How much should coaching cost?

It depends. I know, terrible answer but it’s the truth. I argue that the most effective coaching is done 1:1. It allows both parties the space to get to know each other and focus specifically on what changes are a priority.

Because very few of us are walking around complaining about the excess of free time and money we have. Think about what you might be willing to give up in order to pay for coaching and increase the chances of achieving a goal.

For example, maybe you give up your $150 per month cable tv subscription for three months. That not only frees up money but it also opens up a window of time where you might replace the activity of watching tv with something else.

If TV is a must-have, can you downgrade your gym membership to focus on nutrition or vice versa? Can you give up one meal at a restaurant per week?

We all have goals and dreams. I argue that the investment in a coach is an investment that increases the chance that you achieve that goal or dream.

Let me know if you are looking for a recommendation ;-)

Cheers,

Jason