SHOULD YOU BECOME A HEALTH COACH?

Before you become a health coach there are a few things to consider. I’ll highlight several reasons why you should (and shouldn’t) become a health coach.

Hopefully these tips will help you along your health coaching journey.

It may seem strange or even scary to ditch your career or the job you worked so hard in college for…. I know I was nervous as walking away from the medical industry to do something that has always just been something I did on the side and loved.  BUT, leaving your career or job is all optional.

To start building side income as a coach doesn’t mean you have to choose.

This is why it’s called, side income. Quite honestly, I’d never suggest someone quit their job that is bringing in their income to go all in as a coach.

Even if you didn’t enjoy your job and dream of the day you can put your notice in to quit.  I feel it’s best to build your experience, foundation, and success alongside what you are currently doing.

This will help you with financial stability, lessen stress, as well as make the process growing as an entrepreneur more enjoable. 

Depending. Some people DO hold those certifications, degrees, and credibility to their name. But being a “Coach” is just that.

Wikipedia defines “a Coach” as: Coaching is a form of development in which a person called a coach supports a learner or client in achieving a specific personal or professional goal by providing training and guidance.

You don’t have to be the expert, you just have to want to help support others towards their goals, even while you do the same for yourself. It’s about accountability and bringing people together.

So to be a successful coach, you are always learning. Some days I am a photographer, copywrite, Marketing agency, motivational speaker, trainer, video editor….. this all goes into what it takes to build your own brand and business, especially online. 

1. YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR OWN HEALTH AND THAT OF YOUR FAMILY

Many who join as a coach have zero desire to create a business, but really connect with the system of support to meet their goals.  

They simply want to learn more about nutrition, exercise, and  health to benefit their own wellness and help those around them. 

We will have greater success following through and achieving something important to us if we have the tools, support, and system that will help us get there.

This is why many people who join as a coach purely want to get a discount on the products they are already using and/or have had great success using.

They also like to be that person people can trust to help support them in their journey as well.  

So as you can see,  if you’re interesting in health coaching for your own wellness, you’re not alone. But if you are interested in creating additional income and potentially a business, read on…

2. YOU WANT TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE LIVES OF OTHERS AND CREATE A CAREER OUT OF IT

The thing I love most about being a coach is positively impacting someones life and helping them reach their goals. I’ve been a fitness instructor for over 1/4 century, and helping someone change their life never gets old.

It’s almost a bonus that I get paid for doing so. I’ve always said that I love to help people do something they never thought possible. Some of us just naturally help others even when there isn’t a commission atatched.  These kinds of people are the ones I find have the greatest success as a coach in person and online. 

Many discover along their coaching journey that there is a bigger purpose for themselves as well. They may not have thought about helping someone else get started as an entrepreneur or to develop leadership skills, but sometimes, this naturally reveals itself.

In my own career, I have always been the person who likes to put things together in a system and to lead others towards elevating their ambitions. I have and continue to work with mentors, trainings, and resources to develop my skills as a leader and entrepreneur especially because this is not my background. I have removed the ceiling that my college degree had put me under and am in the driver seat of developing and creating my own career path without limitations.

But getting to the root of the question – can you make a career out of it? Yes. Absolutely!

Coaching is considered one of the TOP careers for this decade! The abilty to expand your expertise, support, and income with coaching doesn’t require you to physically be anywhere. Virtual careers are the future.

But, if you must see some stats and proof that being a coach does pay off, I can share my team’s success with you.

I’m aligned with a health and fitness company and have been a coach with them for over 10 years.  The stability and foundation of my coaching team has developed a great level of success. You can find this info here.

3. YOU WANT TO CREATE A WELLNESS-FOCUSED BUSINESS, BUT NOT PROVIDE COACHING SERVICES REQUIRING MORE OF YOUR TIME

Hmmm, how does that work?

Many people pursue becoming a coach in health and fitness to have a solid, well-rounded background in nutrition, exercise, & health. 

Many want to become a coach so they CAN create a business for themselves, and one that doesn’t require more of their physical time.

In all my years in the fitness industry and as a fitness professional, I have uncovered thousands of personal trainers, health club owners, fitness instructors, boot camp companies, and so many more people who LOVE to help people in their health and fitness goals. The problem is in the fitness industry, expanding your career in fitness, especially to create any sort of stable income, requires more of your physical time.

This even relates to becoming a fitness professional, in fitness conferences, workout videos, certifications, and so much more. The vision for developing yourself in a fitness career is shortsighted and focuses strongly on giving more of your physical time to have any level of success.

But, on the flip side, if you have to give more of your physical self to be a success, you lose control of time, freedom, flexibility, and potentially; income.

Your success and income is strictly dependent on if you are there, if you have clients, and if they renew.

This is why expanding your ability to support others virtually removes the walls of location and physical time.

YOU’RE DRIVEN BY MAKING TONS OF MONEY.

Since we live in a social media world, the visions of become insta-famous or in creating massive income all by putting up a posts is quite attractive!

BUT, to build a business based on commisions and beating the algorithm to try and get more clicks is a short sighted goal.

To me, it feels empty.  Anyone can be a sales person, but not everyone chooses to help someone change their life. THAT means more to me than anything.

Additionally, being a sales person is very hard because people do not connect with a product, service, or company…. they connect with a person.

If you aren’t truly passionate about your efforts in coaching, the truth is always very obvious and revealed. Additionally, if you put all your efforts trying to push products on to others, you’ll easily burn your reputation and circle of friends.

Yes, you can make good income as a health coach, but it won’t happen overnight and it will take quite a bit of effort & consistency.  Clients will not automatically fall into your lap.