It’s been an interesting journey to be in the coaching space for so many years. Notably, it’s been interesting to see the types of people that seek out coaching, and the types who avoid it. Coaching, when it comes down to it, is about finding and fixing problems as quickly as possible. It’s about seeing what’s in your blind spots. It’s about letting go of some pride (“I know what I’m doing.”) and exchanging it for progress. Who needs a coach? Every one of us, at some point.
I used to be annoyed at how life coaches seemed to hijack what I see as an otherwise noble title, and just called themselves “coaches.” I’m over that now, and accept that even though they might not do the same things we do as sport coaches, any person who takes an outside perspective on your inside game and helps you through problems can be called a coach. In this way, I’ve received sport coaching, financial coaching, job coaching, relationship coaching, and business coaching all in the past few months.
The person that needs coaching the most? The one who’s unhappy with their progress.
In general, I am the last person a climber wants to contact. It’s not because I’m a jerk (usually), but because they are admitting the need for help and/or having to pay for that help. There is a continuum of methods people use in order to try and improve, and it goes from least cost/time commitment to most. We start with just doing the activity, then maybe watching someone else do it to learn some tips. Next we might speak with a close friend, watch a video or read a tip or social post about it. Beyond this we may pick up a book, take a class, or even go through a course.
At each turn, though, the person seeking knowledge is having to translate others’ versions of progress into how it might work for themselves. And this is where a coach comes in. A good coach is going to help you look at any piece of information and help you sort through whether it might be effective for you or not. If the two of you determine it is, they help you apply it. There are four big aspects to coaching here.
Structure
Having a coach is the easiest way to stay on track. When you have either a team coach, training partner, or personal coach, you’re going to have a training plan. If a training plan is any good, it is going to push you out of your comfort zone, and when that happens, it’s hard to stick. If you’ve got a coach, they’ll help you follow through, and then help determine the next steps.
Confidence
Having a plan feels safe. If I have a recipe in front of me, I have much more confidence that dinner is going to taste good. Plans for everything from dinner, to Ikea furniture, to driving directions give us a high level of security, and confidence we will succeed.
Drive
I am not a huge fan of external motivation, but having someone on your team that is helping you do the things you said you wanted to do can be useful. A coach is not usually a “pusher” so much as a “reminder” letting you know that there is work to be done.
Patience
The flipside of motivation is patience. Your coach will remind you that worthwhile changes take time, that going too fast might land you in the PT’s office, and that the training week is more important to consider than this-boulder-right-now.
Hiring a coach is not admitting defeat. It’s asking for a second set of eyes on what you may very well consider the most important thing in your life.
Is it a good idea to rest this week?
Can I train on two programs at once?
Is it wise to try and lose weight while doing these workouts?
The list is endless. Having someone there to course correct is not weak. It’s not cheating. It’s smart.