This is a three page paper about life coaching. The paper is divided into sections with subheadings as follows: introduction, what is the goal, definition, long-term effects, and conclusion. The paper is written in an informal tone because it is supposed to be a letter to a new client. The relationship with the client is established and expanded upon as the life coach clarifies the client's goals and how they will be met.
Life Coaches
Hi! My name is Jane and I will be your personal life coach. Thank you for choosing me. I know you have a choice in life coaches, with over 12,000 of us worldwide (Pawlowski, 2007, p. 1). Now, I would like to introduce myself further and let you know what I can do for you. I became a life coach five years ago, after experiencing a personal crisis of my own. It was a tough period in my life, and a life coach saw me through it. Not only did my life coach help me cope with stress, she also helped me to renew my life in ways I never dreamed possible. A life coach is not a therapist or a counselor; but we can be helpful adjuncts to your counseling sessions. I will never ask you about your family of origin or try to interpret your dreams. Instead, I am here to get the clutter out of your brain and help you get out of your own way. Sometimes we need someone to help us clarify our goals, find the path on which to walk, and locate the appropriate tools and resources to achieve those goals. That someone is your life coach.
What is the Goal?
First, I want to emphasize that our goals are your goals. You set your own goals, and I help you to achieve them. I will help you set those goals, if you have a hard time clarifying what they are. Life coaching is "for the sole benefit of the client's learning and achievement of his or her goals," (Williams & Davis, 2002, p. 79). This is not about me, or what I think is best for you. It's not about what your mother or your wife thinks is best for you, either.
For your coaching experience to be effective, it would be best to start with a specific area of your life to work on first. Let's call this your target area. You might have three or four of these: such as your career, your relationships, and your spiritual life. Based on what you have told me so far, it seems like the place you want to work on most is your career. So we will start from taking a good look at where you are now, and where you hope to be. Then, we will make the goal as specific as possible, so that you can say, "I made it!"
You are a teacher who is deeply dissatisfied with your work. You have never considered the other options in your life, but every day you dream of being somewhere else doing work that you find more stimulating and rewarding. Based on your preferences for lifestyle, I would like to propose that you set forth on a writing career. You have already published two articles. This gives you a foundation, even if small, in the publishing industry.
Definition
Let's expand on the concept of being a writer. If you can make a name for yourself gradually, in five years you should be able to transition fully from being a part-time writer who teaches for a living to being a full-time writer who only writes for a living. This probably means quitting your job as a teacher, although it could mean expanding your definition of teaching to only teaching courses that interest you. A writer can help other people develop their writing skills. You might want to branch into freelance editing as well. We will therefore define the goal of being a writer as someone who makes at least 90% of your living from writing alone. Now, this might end up being freelancing or staff writing. Either way, you will be earning the vast majority of your income as a professional writer.
Long-Term Effects
The long-term effects of your choice, and your goal to be a writer, include feeling more deeply satisfied and proud of yourself. Your achievements will be yours alone and you will be completely independent, setting your own hours of work. Your stress level will subside, while your creative potential becomes boundless. You might find that you are able to coach, teach, or mentor others in the art of writing, thereby sharing your gifts. Before I conclude, I want to mention that one of your goals is to find a long-term meaningful relationship. I believe that when you feel satisfied with your own career life, your personal life will also fall into place. You might even meet another writer with whom to share your life. This would imply a deep, lasting, and meaningful relationship with someone who shares the same career aspirations. Even if your relationship is developed with someone with a different career, you will find deeper personal satisfaction because you will have cultivated first the wholeness within you rather than seeking wholeness through another.
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