The Quiet Pull
Have you ever noticed that when you’re around others, people are naturally drawn to you and begin sharing things that surprise you both? Do people often seek you out for advice? Do you genuinely enjoy helping others think things through and make difficult decisions?
Some people feel a natural pull toward helping others grow.
What Coaching Actually Is
It’s important to know that coaching is not the same as counseling or therapy. It’s not about fixing people, solving their problems, or giving advice.
Instead, coaching is about:
- Facilitating awareness
- Helping people think more clearly
- Supporting intentional change
Signs Coaching Might Be a Fit
You may be well suited to coaching, if:
- People naturally and easily open up to you
- You ask thoughtful, thought-provoking questions
- You care about growth, both your own self-growth and the growth of others
- You get satisfaction from helping others get unstuck and move forward
Signs It Might NOT Be the Right Time
When you look honestly at yourself, you may notice that you:
- Want to “fix” people
- Need others to change to feel okay about yourself
- Are uncomfortable with uncertainty
- Expect quick or immediate results
What Coach Training Actually Develops
In a strong coaching program, you shift from being the person others go to for advice to developing the specific skills of coaching.
The desire to help people grow is natural, but coaching is a skill that can be developed.
The coaching skillset involves:
- Active listening
- Self-reflective and self-evaluative questioning
- Remaining grounded, even in the face of others’ confusion and big emotions
- Helping others discover or create their own clarity
Coaching isn’t about having the answers; it’s about helping others discover their own.
Mental Freedom® and Choice Theory® Connection
The Academy of Choice coaching program is grounded in Choice Theory psychology and Mental Freedom:
- Coaching aligns with responsibility, which is the first principle of Mental Freedom. The coach is responsible for bringing their best to the process, while the client is responsible for the choices they make. Outcomes always belong to the client.
- Coaching supports the client’s personal agency, which is central to Choice Theory and Mental Freedom. While people can only control their own behavior, they often attempt to control what is outside of them—people and situations that they can’t control. Coaching brings clarity back to what is actually within their control.
- Coaching helps people shift from reaction to intentional choice, something foundational to both Mental Freedom and Choice Theory.
You can learn more about the framework in What Is Mental Freedom?, as well as explore The Six Principles of Mental Freedom.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- Do I enjoy helping people think rather than telling them what to do?
- Am I willing to grow alongside others?
- Does this feel energizing and exciting or draining and bothersome?
Gentle Invitation
If you’re curious, that curiosity is worth exploring.
You can learn more about our Board Certified Coach-approved programs through the Academy of Choice. We’d be glad to share the field of coaching with you.
Reflection
What draws you to the idea of coaching, and what might be the downside for you?
