However, once I left I was faced with ‘If not this, then what?’ dilemma which I think many people who change careers, find familiar. It came to me in a moment of serendipity, I was giving a speech at one of my cousins’ marriage, and as I stepped off the stage I realised; ‘Of course! This is what I want to do’ - I want to be a public speaker. The question was; how? A lady at the National Careers Advisory suggested to me that a diploma in life coaching would be a good place to start. To be honest with you, I’d never even heard the term before!
I began my research on the internet, one of the names that came up was ‘Coaching Academy’! I saw that they were accredited, well respected and the largest coach training company in Europe. The 2-Day Foundation course was going to be held the next week, and I signed up for it!
I was both fascinated and thoroughly confused after attending the event! The idea that coaches helped clients, not by telling them what to do, but by asking questions was bewildering to me! But the speakers were amazing, so approachable, friendly and knowledgeable. There was just something about it that I loved, and a little voice inside my head that told me, that this was the right thing for me.
So, I joined in November 2015. I was still working part time (well if part time meant 8 hours a day), and found it hard to balance both, not to mention that I was in the final year of my MBA from Imperial, as well as gearing up for my brothers’ marriage which was to be the following April! There were times when I felt overwhelmed. What really got me through that were the accelerator days. The atmosphere was brilliant, I met such amazing people. I’ve made some incredible life long friendships. Those really helped to re-energise me again!
It was not only the philosophy of coaching that I loved, but the remarkable amount of knowledge I gained. I found all the modules engrossing. I also loved the way Coaching Academy modules were geared to practicality, it was not just coaching that we learnt about, but how to set up and run an actual practice.
Was it an easy skill to pick up? For me at least, the resounding answer is; no. But I realised that it was exactly like learning how to drive a car. In the beginning it seems almost impossible, but with practice it just becomes second nature. The encouragement from the mentors, the exciting course material and my friends on the course kept me going. But what really cemented it for me was seeing it work practically for my clients.
So where am I now? I have my own business; Iridium Life Coaching. While I still love speaking, I love life coaching just as much. Life is extraordinary, isn’t it!? Something that I hadn’t heard of a few years is what I love doing today.
Many newly qualified coaches struggle with choosing their niche, I know I did. My advice is, don’t panic! It will come. For me it was career change. I’m passionate about helping people find the career that’s right for them.
Please, don’t get discouraged if you don’t find paying clients lining up for your services straight away. Find yourself some coaching buddies, they will help you remember that what you’re going through is normal. Find good mentors, people who are successful and pick up tips from them. Again, just talking to them will make you feel so much better, because they’ve been through the lean starts onto thriving practices now. They can provide you with invaluable advice about all aspects of the business.
If you are looking to become qualified as a professional coach, my suggestion would be think it through. Delve deep to ask ‘why’. Come to the 2-Day Foundation courses. It will give you a very good idea of life coaching is and isn’t, and whether it’s for you. The clearer you are at the start and the more aligned life coaching is with your values, the higher the chance of you becoming a qualified life coach.
One more thing; be prepared that by the end of your diploma, you will be a transformed person!
If Reshma’s words have inspired you and you feel that Coaching could be a potential full or part time opportunity for you, or if you would just like to know a little more about what Coaching is and how it can benefit you and the lives of others, please contact our Specialist Course Advisor, Jamil on 0208 996 4830 or email: Jamil@the-coaching-academy.com
TRANSFORM LIVES THROUGH LIFE COACHING
Take your first step towards a rewarding & fulfilling career with our Free 2-Day Foundation in Life Coaching course.
The Coaching Academy was established in 1999, and is now the world's largest coaching school.
In that time we have trained over 14,000 people to become life coaches.
We are accredited by the International Coach Federation and the Association for Coaching, and we're rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
