Image via WikipediaIn order to be a good life coach, you certainly need to have specific life coaching qualifications. However, many life coaches are not certified, and do not have the right skill set to be an effective life coach. Life coaches are similar to personal trainers - they can either really help someone get their life into shape, or they can do damage by not understanding the needs of their clients and not having the skills necessary to provide assistance to their clients.
Life coaching qualifications will differ from coach to coach - depending upon the type of life coach one becomes. A success life coach or business life coach will need knowledge and experience in the business world. A career coach or transition coach will need understanding and strategies to assist clients in overcoming fears or limitations during change.
Tony Robbins is an excellent example of a coach - knowledgeable, a good communicator, enthusiastic, a good listener, motivational and much more. But you do not need to be Tony Robbins to be a good coach and help people - each coach will have people they can reach and help - and every style is different.
There is no set of hard and fast rules for life coaches - but becoming certified is a great qualification to begin with - a way to see if you are cut out to be a life coach and it's a good fit for you. Training is available to help you through the process of finding clients, giving feedback, and listening rather than advising clients. There are several good life coaching training schools - but do your research and make sure the certifications are valid.
A good life coach is a good listener, compassionate and yet encouraging, helping people to overcome their own fears and find their own answers, and helping them set reachable goals. There is not a specific list of life coaching qualifications, but if you have a desire to pursue life coaching as a career it is a good idea to take some personality tests, talk to friends and family and see if they think you would be a good fit, and then follow up with finding good training.
