Category Archives: Definition

I’ve always heard becoming a successful life coach costs a ton of money and loads of travel. Is there another way?

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What an interesting question! Officially I’ve been a Life Coach since 2013, though unofficially I’ve been doing it much longer than that. I’ve never heard it described in these specific terms. But now that you’ve put it like this, I must agree that money and travel certainly helps.

One of the most frequent questions asked is what a Life Coach does, how are they different from someone like a therapist, and why someone should take them seriously. These are all wonderful questions. As we all know, a therapist needs a degree. A counselor needs a certificate. A psychiatrist needs an MD!

But with a Life Coach, the emphasis must be placed on “COACH”. We’re the ones who work with others based on our own life experience, not because we went through a program or got a certificate. I like to describe a good Life Coach as a “single-serving” problem solver. We’re able to guide people through a specific crisis because we’ve been there. We have the perspective because we’ve walked the path at least once already.

Which takes me back to travel. Do you need money to do it? Yes. The amount varies. You can take the shoestring approach or sail the world, but an investment is required, not to mention the time it takes. It’s also the finest education possible. Usually a really good Life Coach has been around the block more than once, and has been around LOTS of blocks.

So a TON of money and LOADS of travel? I wouldn’t go that far. A good Life Coach needs experience, or else no one will take them seriously. One of the best ways to get that experience is via travel, and travel does cost money. How much you invest is up to you.

Incidentally, one of the best ways I know to cut down travel expense while increasing travel experience is to teach English while traveling. And that might be a good litmus test for Life Coaching as well, because the two utilize many of the same skill sets. Are you the kind of person that would find such an adventure appealing? Do you speak well in front of others? Can you think on your feet? Not afraid to get your hands dirty? Then you too might make a great Life Coach! 😉 It just takes a bit of experience.

What is a life coach? William Singer of the Varsity Blues scandal titled himself as a life coach. Is that a recognized or accredited title?

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Tell me about your mother…

I understand the confusion. People have a pretty good grasp on what a therapist is, what a counselor is, and what a psychiatrist is. But… “life coach”? Come on now… LOL Let’s see if I can help – it’s what I do. I’m a life coach! Or at least, I was. I’m flirting with retirement now. 😉

This is the stereotypical idea of a therapist …

So if that’s what most people think would happen in therapy, here’s my take of what a life coach would do…

Never give up, never surrender!

I’m the one standing with you on the sidelines, in the mud, in the rain, getting my hands dirty.

A therapist etc. typically keeps themselves at a professional distance. They’ve gone to school for years. They’ve got the perspective of a very specific type of training, and they’re seeing your issue(s) through the lens of a very specific school of thought. Typically you’d seek out their help for an extremely complicated, long-term issue.

By comparison, a life coach is a single-serving problem solver. You, the client, don’t really need long-term therapy. For the most part you’ve got things more or less sorted out. But there’s an issue in your life that you keep stumbling over. You’re fine, you’re fine, and then BAM! It hits again and knocks the wind out of your sails. Or you’ve got a massive decision to make and you just need another perspective. Or something came out of the blue and you simply do not have the life experience to cope with it constructively. That’s where the life coach comes in. They use their own life experiences to augment yours. They’ve walked the path you’re about to tread and can guide you through the worst of it.

To offer a specific example, I specialize in kink. I’ve been in the fetish scene since 1984. As I gained experience I began to mentor those who were just starting out. It started with answering basic questions, then letting Doms who had no experience practice on me. But as time went on I discovered something. A lot of people would reach out to me because I seemed nice. They’d tell me things like they really wanted to join the scene, but they were ashamed to do so. They were ashamed of their desire to be submissive, or to dominate people. They had a fetish that really turned them on, but they were so embarrassed by it that they simply couldn’t cope. But a friend heard I was a good person to talk to and…

… and six years ago I went pro. And let me tell you, I love my job. LOVE it. Helping someone go from hating a part of themselves to openly accepting that same part of themselves is wonderful. I’d still be doing it full time, except that I just moved from a very large metro area with a thriving kinky scene to a somewhat smaller metro area. I’m not sure what I’m going to do next. But even if I never see another client it was great while it lasted. 🙂

And that’s what a life coach does! I hope that answers your question. If not, please feel free to drop me a line!