Life Coaches
November 23, 2011 –
Well what the effing hell are they about then? Actually I blame the life coach trainers. Nice one.
You managed to persuade a whole bunch of ineffectual people who have zero life experience to pay for a course that would magically transform them into ‘life’ gurus and then they would go on to try to desperately persuade the rest of us poor saps that we should listen to them. You could not make this up. Genius, really. One born every minute springs to mind. It reminds me of pyramid selling, remember that?
I am going to sound a tad harsh here, but you know, if you headline yourself as a ‘life coach’, I think you should be able to take it. I am not going to name names but…..
I used to do a lot of networking, (in my other life) dont need to now, not in the usual sense anyway, but at any networking event you would always get at least 10 ‘life coaches’ approach you.
The very, very naughty part of me wanted to pull and probe and ask them to justify themselves, what do they know about ladies of the night for instance? and travelling the world on your own? and starting a business from scratch? and falling out of love? and having children? and having a stalker? and being stuck in Mumbai in the middle of the night? and trying to find a great flat in London? etc etc etc (thankfully not all at the same time, hahahaha)
…..well, you know, life really. I never did of course because I am English (and therefore far too polite) and because they were around 12 years old (ok 21, same difference) and I would feel like a bully.
Most people who network, groan inwardly (oh for f**** sake) when a ‘life coach’ approaches them. Unless that person is superbly-successful in their life , if not, why they hell should you listen to them?? Really.
Recently I had a painfully shy 22 year old tell me that she was almost done with a life coach course and would I like to hire her. I didnt know whether to feel insulted or sorry for her. I didnt ask her how much it cost, the shock and horror on my face would have dashed her dreams, I am sure; and dashing anyone’s dreams is not what I am about.
However…… how a 22 year old who could hardly speak, who has never left the UK, who has never done much actually… could coach anyone is a mystery.
I could be a life coach, gawd knows Ive had many lives, enough for 10 people :) But I would be embarassed marketing myself as that unless I could produce outstanding results for people.
I have a friend who runs a v. successful networking ‘thingamgig’ and bans… in his words ‘bloody life coaches, business coaches or any other type of coach unless you can sit in it or it helps you exceed in sports’ hehe, I have to agree.
We do have to blame Mr Anthony Robbins for coining the term ‘coach’ in terms of lifestyle and for the uptake of wannabes wanting to emulate him, of course. However, having met him, he says he is a ‘coach’ not a motivator but I think he is. Totally. Nothing wrong with that.
Actually I’ve just had one of my brilliant ideas. I will set up a life coach website.
To become a life coach you will have:
1. Brought up at least 1 child
2. Be over the age of 60
3. Have travelled the world 3 times over, one of those years backpacking (never too late :)
4. Have built up and failed in at least 3 businesses but succeeded in at least one
5. Be emotionally mature and able to articulate your feelings to anyone
6. Have a life education that transcends the norm
7. Have dealt with death
Oh yeah, just realised, these life coaches ….they used to be called Grandparents.










