I was talking with someone two days ago, and suddenly she said: “I don’t want to be coached! Why a coach wants to change my beliefs? My beliefs are not good?!” She told me that she had a previous experience with a “coach” that pushed her to change her beliefs.
I’m really grateful for having that conversation, because I realised that there are some misconceptions about coaching.
While anyone could call himself a coach (since it’s not a regulated profession yet), a coach that is serious about this profession adheres to the Code of Ethics and complies with the Core-competencies of International Coach Federation (ICF). According to ICF, “Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”
Such a coach doesn’t want to change your beliefs, unless you want to … and ask for his assistance. If you don’t want to be part of this process, is ok too… you don’t have to have a coach.
We all have beliefs, but how many times (or how often) we step back and question our own beliefs: “Which one are serving me? Which one are holding me back from achieving what I want?” We are not raised with this habit, and certainly society keeps us busy enough so we usually don’t take the time to check out our beliefs.
Do you want an example? Let’s say that someone says, talking about career: “I don’t know what I want!” This is a belief, isn’t it?
When you say “I don’t know” you really block your mind from giving you ideas about what you want or you don’t want. You’re too open to find out; kind of… “That’s it”!
So, does this belief help you to understand what you want and motivates you to achieve it? When you look from this perspective, are you more willing to change that belief, and become curious to find out what you want?
How many people do you know that take courses, to find out later on that they don’t really want to go in that direction? They lost precious time and energy in the process. Been there, done that… before finding my passion! 😉
That’s what a coach could do: help you identify your limiting beliefs and empower you to replace them with more effective ones (based on what you want to achieve)… but only if you want to get there. If not, a coach cannot change your beliefs without your participation. Like in anything else, it takes time, commitment and patience to get where you want. And a coach could help you shorten this path, if you allow him.
I’m not talking about a quick fix. I’m talking about breaking through the limiting beliefs that are holding you back, to create great long term results.
What do you think? Are all your beliefs good? Are you interested in accelerating your path to success and happiness? Or … do you know someone who is? 😉
Gabriela
www.quantumlifecoach.ca