Is life coaching only for rich people?
TLDR: Kind of but not really.
On the list of things I used to think life coaching was, “only for rich people” was also near the top. (For other things on that list, see post here Is life coaching quackery? and Is life coaching ‘white people nonsense'?).
I think we can all agree that life coaching is not a necessity. A colleague asked me what type of client I was looking for the other day. And after I listed a few things, she added… “and presumably someone with discretionary income…?” Pause for dramatic effect. She was right.
So we know it’s not essential. But is it really a luxury? Where might having a coach fall on the spectrum of expenses?
I think of having a coach as a form of investment. Much like a gym membership. You don’t need one to survive and it’s definitely in the wants not needs column of your budget spreadsheet. But the financial investment and the social connection of having another human expect you to:
Show up to something
Engage in an activity that is good for you
Build stamina and skill over time and practice and,
Be known
… that feels like a useful comparison.
It is free to go for a walk outside and sometimes, that’s all you’ve got. But if you have a bit of discretionary funds for a gym membership, having an fitness instructor trick you into doing more reps twice a week makes a pretty big difference in the long term.
Did I mention my HIIT instructor used to count down reps like this:
“5, 4, 3, 2… 3, 4, 5…” (insert audible groans) “... 4, 3, 2, 2, 2…” (insert dying) “2, 1!!”
She also used to say “welcome back!” if I had missed a week. She was paying attention to me. She knew me. And expected me to continue showing up for myself. I stayed in this class for years and got pretty fit, if I do say so myself. But I stayed in that class not because it was good fitness, but because I had someone else paying attention to how I was doing, supported what I was working on, and wanted me to keep going to hit my own fitness goals. And when I did, we celebrated together.
So, much like a HIIT instructor, if you have a goal in life, a coach can truly be a partner in getting you to that goal. They can provide the space and relationship in which you can:
Remain focused on your goals
Navigate setbacks
Stay accountable to your values, and
Keep taking steps forward.
Getting to your goals and dreams shouldn’t be a luxury - everyone deserves to have the kind of support a coach can give them. You deserve to have the life you want.
And if you’re thinking, oh well, a life coach can’t get me to my dream of living on a beach doing nothing all day… you’d be correct. That’s not a goal, that’s a vacation. And a good coach would help you ✨come to that awareness✨ without telling you that. 😉
But if you want to feel more free from the overwhelming burdens of work and life, much like you would on a beach vacation… that’s definitely something a coach can help you with. And they might be only one of the many people supporting you - alongside your therapist, your doctor, your friends etc. And that would be OK. In fact, wouldn’t it be amazing if we all had an entire constellation of support in our lives?
So… yes. A coach costs money. But in my personal very biased opinion, a good coach is worth it when you’re willing and able to invest in yourself. You should try it.
I promise I won’t yell at you and I know how to properly count down from 5. No tricks here.