A Life Coaching Experiment

I had a phone call early this morning from a guy that had seen the advertising on the back of my car and wanted to know more about Life Coaching.

To say that I field calls like this on a regular basis would be a huge understatement. It seems to me that if you ask people what life is, they can answer fairly easily. If you then inquire as to what does a coach do, equally they wont have a problem in explaining the role of a coach. Although I can pretty much guarantee you that the word whistle will be involved in the answer somewhere. If you now put the two together and politely ask “So what does a Life Coach do then?” You may as well have asked them if they can explain Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle without using the words photon, atom or Velociraptor. The perplexed look is enough to tell you that if you don’t intervene and help them out soon you may be dealing with a slobbering mess quicker than you can say “A mathematical statement of the principle is that every quantum state has the property that the root-mean-square deviation of the position from its mean”

So this is the cue for me to tell you what life coaches do, right? A-ha! No it isn’t, because I AM a Life Coach so I know what I do and I look at all things coaching from a professional perspective. You can read my home page and it will give you an idea, but that’s all it is, an idea, it’s not even a taster really. It’s like going to a restaurant to do a review and being told you could only look at the menu. In fact, you have to wear a clothes peg on your nose just in case any smells sneak in to influence your decision. By the end of the evening you’re hungry, none the wiser about the food and your nose hurts.

This is the reason why I do a risk free session with all new clients. I do a full session either face-to-face or over the phone and at the end of it let the client decide if coaching is right for them and just as importantly whether I’m the right coach. If they want to continue, great and I give them a lovely bill for my time. If they don’t, there are absolutely no hard feelings and alas, no bill either.

I want to offer at least 4 free life coaching sessions to somebody that is prepared to blog about it. I’m happyish to put my cock on the block (to use a quaint old English phrase), and risk being exposed as a charlatan. I don’t want any editorial input, it has to be an honest reflection.

If you write a blog that has more than 6 readers and would like to take me up on this please let me know either in the comments or via e-mail. I have no idea how I will chose the recipient of my amazing generosity, or how I’ll get out of this embarrassing corner I’ve boxed myself into if nobody wants to do it!

Criteria:

Sessions would probably be weekly so it would need a weekly blog although if we went past 4 (6 would be the maximum) it may stretch to two-weekly.

You need areas that you want to work on and improve
You have to be committed and want to improve
You have to be open-minded
You must have a sense of humor
You have to be available for 45 – 60 minutes once per week
You must blog about it even if it’s only a short update
You must be in either the US or UK

So what are you waiting for? It doesn’t mean you’re mental to take on a coach and you have absolutely nothing to lose and unless I’m a complete muppet, potentially a lot to gain.

Enjoyed this post? Please share it!

Digg it | Stumble it |

Send to a friend:

20 Comments So Far.

Comment by Dr. KC on 10 June 2008:

In order to understand life coaching or counseling or almost anything that is new to you, you have to experience it first hand. Somethings just cannot be explained appropriately in words. How do you explain the feelings of a first kiss, of falling in love, of losing someone close to you? You can’t. And on top of that, everyone will have a different definition or description because we all perceive things in different ways. Everyone is individual and unique and therefore, no two descriptions will ever be the same.

In order to truly know what something is like, you have to live it!

Dr. KC
http://www.DOCintheBiz.com
http://www.GLCzone.com
Comment by Sandie Law on 10 June 2008:

I can’t turn down something like this! I’d love to blog about it. I’m always looking for new tools and services that help geeks get the most out of life. Life coaching definitely falls into that category. Let me know if I’m the lucky person.
Comment by Laurie on 10 June 2008:

OK, I just emailed you on your contact tab. I look forward to hearing from you.
Comment by Simon on 10 June 2008:

contact Victory Darwin at http://www.BigLife.ws (life coaching social network) and see if he will take you up. I know some of the people there coach him. He would blog about his experience honestly I’m sure….

but he’s a bit eccentric and outrageous, so maybe he’s too much for you to take on.

you do much coaching of entrepreneurs?

… i mean OUTLAWPRENEURS?

s.g.
Comment by smtwngrl @ Writing: My Life on 10 June 2008:

I’ve been considering coaching for a while now, but haven’t been able to justify ponying up the cost, and honestly just wasn’t sure if it would work for me. I’d love to give it a try, though. I certainly have a couple of areas of my life that could use improvement, and since writing is my thing, I’d be happy to blog about it. In fact, I’m seeing a great article on the horizon!
Comment by Dr. Nicole Sundene on 10 June 2008:

I am in! What a great idea. I am happy to promote life coaching and share my experience.

I am excited to try this. Maybe I will give up my cynicism and life lived by Murphy’s Laws for a dose of chronic positivity!

http://kitchentablemedicine.com
Comment by JEMi | Tips for Life, Love, You on 10 June 2008:

Ok seriously? Count me in.
Comment by kris costello on 11 June 2008:

What a great offer. Throw my name in the hat please!
Thanks,
Kris
healthbuilder1.blogspot.com
Comment by Evelyn Lim on 11 June 2008:

Ok…I will need to move to the US or the UK in order to benefit from your generosity…LOL!!
Comment by Todd on 11 June 2008:

Did you REALLY just say this: ’m happyish to put my cock on the block’ LOLOLOL! Love you man, and glad you doing well!
Todd
Comment by Roxie on 11 June 2008:

Wow, this is a great offer. Please consider me for you coaching/blogging experiment.
Comment by Tim Brownson on 11 June 2008:

@ Todd, it had to be said mate!

@ Simon, thanks for the link, but I don’t think I’ll need it. Appreciated none the less.

Everybody thanks a lot for the interest. I was a bit concerned there would be crickets chirping, tumbleweed blowing and I’d be sat here glowing red wondering how to dig myself out of this one.

I’ve actually had 8 people approach me to date. I’m going to let it run until midnight on Friday (how dramatic of me) and then make a decision. In the meantime, to help me make up my mind, e-mail me the 3 things you’d most like to work on to tim at adaringadventure dot com.

If that’s too much like hard work, then so is life coaching ;-)
Comment by Tom Volkar / Delightful Work on 12 June 2008:

Tim I applaud your inventiveness and block-cocking. May I steal the idea after a respectable period of time? It really is brilliant marketing!
Comment by Tim Brownson on 13 June 2008:

@ Tom - You go for it my man! I may well apply myself because I seriously want to get my own coach again. Seriously, if you know a coach that wants to exchange services point them in my direction!

!2 people applied but only 5 have actually got back to me with what they want to work on. I’m not going to ask again and that means I very, very, very tough decision is now just down to very, very tough.
Comment by Tim Brownson on 14 June 2008:

Firstly, I wanted to say a massive thanks to everybody that contacted me through the comments field and also directly via e-mail. Special thanks to those of you that followed up with an e-mail explaining what you wanted to work on, I’m very grateful.

By the end of play I had over a dozen requests, (well 13 to be precise so I’m not exaggerating) and I have had a ridiculously hard job deciding who to go for. Seriously, it has been much, much tougher than I expected.

Anyway, enough beating about the bush, the ‘winner’is JEMi from http://www.inmyheels.com and we’re going to get up and running this week

Thanks again everybody.

@ Laurie - I e-mailed you several times but they kept bouncing back to me.
Comment by Laurie on 14 June 2008:

@Tim - I emailed you from a different email that I have. I am not sure what the problem was. Yours bounced back to me as well. Sorry about that. How do I refram this?
Comment by Keena on 17 June 2008:

Why must you “be in either the US or UK”? Canada is closer than the UK! ;-)

If you change your mind on the location, count me in!

Cheers!
Comment by nelsglenn on 18 June 2008:

Why not!!, anyone could use some coaching. I took a golf lesson and my game improved. I have never had a tennis lesson and my game sucks!! Why not a life coach?..
Comment by Tim Brownson on 19 June 2008:

@ Keena and nelsglenn - I’m sorry but you actually posted after I had announced the person I had chosen in the comments above you! You were right though Keena, Canada wouldn’t have been a problem and shame on me for forgetting. I will give myself a damn good talking to later on.
Comment by nelsglenn on 19 June 2008:

Hey no problem here on posting late, just wanted to post what I thought. Looks like you have a good idea and a great marketing strategy. I will keep my eye on your winner’s blog. I checked her site out and must say, was real impressed with it. Good luck,Tim. Nels