Wake up every morning with a job that changes peoples lives.

“I’ve been through many

classes in the last ten

years and this was one

of the best. The flow of

the class was just right

with lots of information

given, but I didn’t feel

overloaded. ...”

- Les from our Dallas class

Our class is

Fast paced

Step by Step

In person

Interactive

Q: Who are your clients?

A: Anyone who wants to achieve success in their personal

lives, their relationships, their careers, or to get help moving

forward with their goals.

Q: Can anyone be a life coach?

A: Do people approach you and tell you things they don’t tell

others? Do you feel like you have a sign on your forehead that

says “ Tell me your life story?” If so, you probably have

what it takes to be a coach.

We provide everything you need to begin as a coach.

You receive all of the Client Coaching forms and materials, a

full training manual. We don’t do “add-ons” like some schools,

such as extra books or products that you are pushed to buy

after class begins. Our awesome teachers and classmates will

provide you with all of the support you will need to start your

practice.

The Seven Biggest Mistakes Life Coaches Make

There are many reasons why clients may not move forward with the goals that they

have established for themselves. Our job as their coach is to identify the blocks that pre-

vent them from continuing to move forward. The following common mistakes happen to all

coaches at one time or another. Professional coaches must constantly be on the lookout

for some of these unproductive behaviors.

1. Interrupting the Client with a Desire to Assist or Save Time

Most clients need time and a safe space to talk about particular issues they may be experiencing.

Some coaches feel that it is not necessary or beneficial for their clients to talk at length about a

particular issue or problem that they have in their lives. Allowing your client to "empty out their

feelings" is important and coaches should allow them to speak without interruption from the coach.

The process of emptying out their feelings may allow the problem to lose it's power over them. Cli-

ents sometimes have few people in their lives that they can really talk to. Be one of those people.

2. Not Using the 80-20 Rule

Coaches sometimes do too much talking. The client has the answers. It is the job of the coach to

guide their clients to find their own answers.

Listen 80% of the time, talk 20% of the time.

A coaches job is to listen to their clients without judgment or an agenda. If a coach begins to judge

the client, then they have lost their objectivity. Judgment or an agenda on the coach's part will un-

dermine the trust that they have established and destroy the safe space they have created for their

clients to share their true feelings. Giving advice when in fact your client just needs to be heard is

a common problem with inexperienced coaches.

3. Not "Managing the Fixer" in You

Coaches may feel that they have the perfectly logical and realistic answers for their clients so they

will give them advice by telling them what they think is best. We may think we have the answers,

but the answers must come from the client, not the coach. Change is hard for everyone, but the

changes will not be long-lasting or will not "stick" if they are not initiated by the client.

4. Not Putting Yourself in Your Client's World

Seeing your clients lives from their perspective is the best way you can help them. Forcing your

clients to adopt your life approach, principles, or beliefs is not effective.

Remember - you must take your own shoes off before you can walk in someone else's.

5. Fear that you will fail as a professional coach

Beginning your practice as a professional coach can be scary.

How do I get clients?

Will I know enough to be able to help them?

Will I get enough clients to make enough money?

What does it take to set up a practice?

These are all common fears that a new life coach may have. Our Institute recognizes these fears

and helps you overcome them in a variety of ways. We provide a complete system of ongoing

support after the class is over to help you to:

Set up and market your practice.

Help with the "first client jitters".

Be able to bounce off your ideas with other more experienced coaches through friendships es-

tablished at the class with your fellow students and instructors.

And much more.

6. Not Watching or Listening for Subtle Clues

Not hearing or watching for small clues that clients always give the coach about what is most

important to them, and the changes they really want to make, can prevent positive change from

occurring. Effective listening will help the coach determine what feelings are really behind their

client's words. Don't be led down rabbit holes because you can't see the real problem, oppor-

tunity, or situation.

7. Not Knowing the Right Questions to Ask

Asking the right questions is one reason why coach training is so important. Asking appropri-

ate questions at the right time is key to guiding your client to success. Coaches are guides and

collaborators in helping their clients achieve their goals. If the clients want advice, they can

talk to their best friend, co-worker, or their mother; they don't need you!

Becoming a Life Coach is a rewarding and fulfilling career. With the right training and

proper techniques, you can effectively lead your clients to accomplish the goals they've

been striving for.

ICF approved

It’s REALLY HARD to get approved by the ICF.

We are proud to say we are in an elite group of only 172 schools worldwide that have been approved by

this prestigious organization.

Think of them as your watchdog or grandmother who does the work searching for a good school for you.

They scrutinize the school’s curriculum, instructors, manuals and content. They make sure the school

provides what the student needs to call themselves a certified coach after they finish the class.

Members of ACTO

Association of Coach Training Organizations

ACTO is a group of schools just like us that are dedicated to improving coach training.

The organization does this by:

sharing best practices

promoting high education and training quality standards

stimulating innovation

evoking excellence

The Better Business Bureau is an organization that monitors

businesses to insure they are in integrity have fair and hon-

est business practices.

We have an A rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Better Business Bureau

Accredited Business

Many of our graduates have written

books, started radio shows, became

motivational speakers, and given work-

shops. We even have a graduate who

has given a TED talk.

We like to brag about

our graduates

Managing your “Fixer”

In our amateur coaching days, often in our interactions with other people such as our

family members and friends, they would inevitably bring up problems that they are fac-

ing. Just as inevitably, we would often respond by providing advice on how these prob-

lems could be solved, thinking that we were being helpful.

Unfortunately, our such well-intended actions often resulted in doing more harm than

good.

Without even listening to the other person in sufficient detail, we already assumed we

knew the problem well.

We got 'credit' for advice giving because the advice would likely be something that we,

or others, already did and were successful. So if the listener did not succeed, or had

done it before but was not successful, the implication was that it is not because the ad-

vice was not good, but the listener did not take the advice or did not apply it properly.

This tended to make the advisee feel incompetent or incapable.

When we engage in advice giving, we make the person feel as if he/she is ignorant and

incapable. We talk 'down' to the other person. We're so eager to talk and show our

knowledge and 'wisdom' that we do not interact at an 'equal' level with the other person.

We take on the position of 'expert' and might tend to forget that the other person also

has knowledge to share with us.

We are giving the message that we think the person cannot work out the solution him-

self. This is disempowering for the other person.

We belittle the efforts that have been taken by the person. We become the evaluator of

what the person has done rather than helping him/her to self-evaluate.

People are solution oriented by nature. If the client only needs advice, he or she can

talk to any one of their friends. They don’t need to pay you.

Change is difficult for everyone but change is even more difficult if it is not initiated by

the person wanting change. Goals must be initiated by the client or they won ’t

‘stick.’ They will not follow through on their goals if the goals were set by someone else

and not them. No one likes to be told what to do.

The Benefits of Working with a Coach

Coaching makes a difference when two factors are present:

1. The client is willing to change and grow.

2. There is a gap between where the client is now and where he or she wants to be.

Period. The gap can be many things: Their personal life, love life, work life, boundary

issues, fears, etc.

With a coach you will:

Be “in action” because you set the goals you really want.

Finding out what you really want and what goals you want to set is the first course of

action.

Have a balanced life because you designed it.

Without a balanced life you don’t have a solid base to begin to make changes in your

life. A coach helps you determine what it means to balance your life.

Help you to “push the envelope”.

Your coach will nudge you out of your comfort zone. Your coach will make you reach

more and more without you being consumed by the process. When you have a part-

ner (coach) you can trust, you can feel safe reaching for more.

Help you to make better decisions because your focus is much more clear and

defined.

Have a lot more energy because you will be happier and more productive.

Help clear up unresolved issues

Find closure with issues that seem to keep re-surfacing.

Get your needs met

Learn to ask for what you want from yourself and others.

Family

Relationship with your partner

Friends

Career

Finances

Fun and

Leisure

Physical

Health

Emotional

Health Spirituality/Religion

Education/

Personal Growth

Life Balance

Physical Environment

Rate your level of satisfaction for each area on a scale of 1-10, where 10 is the greatest satis-

faction. Fill in the slice from the center outward, based on your rating, e.g., for a rating of 5,

fill the slice in from the center halfway to the outer edge.

LIFE WHEEL

How long does it take to get started in my business after graduation?

You will be able to start your coaching business right away. When you graduate you will

be fully certified to begin your practice.

How much do life coaches charge for their services?

Life coaches charge between $60 to $150 per hour, depending on their experience.

Some coaches charge by the month, seeing their clients weekly.

You can also offer group coaching or workshops and charge between $100 and $300 per

person, depending on the course you are providing for your clients.

Do I need an office to practice coaching?

No. You can coach over the phone, in an intimate public setting or in your home. We go

over the many ways to see your clients without leasing an office during class.

After I become a life coach, how do I get clients?

Becoming certified as a life coach doesn't mean much if you don't know how to get cli-

ents. That's why we spend a large block of time developing a complete marketing plan.

We provide over 100 ways to market your business, as well as work on your website,

brochures, business cards and much more. After sign-up, we even send you some mar-

keting homework to do before class begins.

Build my own web site? I'm not computer literate.

Not to worry! We provide help with a simple web site builder that anyone can use! We

offer ongoing support, even after you complete the class. This service is provided at no

charge to our students.

How can you teach me life coaching in just 3 days?

This is an intensive 3 day class with no more than 20 students. You attend school from 9

a.m. to 5 p.m., with only one break for lunch and a short break in the morning and after-

noon. We get down to business with step-by-step lessons covering all aspects of coach-

ing. With our "hands on" approach we can cover much more ground than you can

through any online or telephone coaching school.

Do I need to have a college degree to be a life coach?

While many coaches do have a college degree, it is not required to practice professional

life coaching.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS