What Does A Life Coach Do? Real Examples!

October 21, 2023 | Life coach , examples

Learn what a life coach does and get some real examples.

What Does A Life Coach Do? Real Examples!

Life coaches employ a mix-and-match approach, using various tools and techniques, to best serve their clients:

  1. A Clear Roadmap: Life coaches help chalk out clear, attainable goals.
  2. An Open Ear: They listen, without interrupting or judging.
  3. A Friendly Nudge: Clients are accountable for their actions and commitments, with coaches providing gentle reminders.
  4. The Go-to Guy: Support, feedback, advice - life coaches are the one-stop-shop for it all.
  5. Teach a Man to Fish: Life coaches provide a set of techniques and exercises to promote self-betterment and reflection.

Ever wonder about life coaches? You’re not alone. With more and more folks focusing on personal growth, the term ’life coach’ is slithering its way into everyday chitchat. But what are life coaches, really? Like, seriously? What are they? What magic spells do they cast to change people’s lives? Why do I feel better after I talk to a life coach?

To put it simply, a life coach isn’t too different from your trusty old GPS. They don’t do the driving for you but show the way, cheer you on, and sometimes quite literally, coach you to your destination. Yet, their roles are as diverse as a Swiss Army knife.

Life coaches often help individuals navigate various challenges, like dealing with self-doubt or managing the stress of busy lives. They might offer strategies for coping with alarm anxiety or assist in developing mindfulness through practices outlined in articles like Discovering Mindfulness.

One aspect that intrigues many is how life coaches can assist in transforming self-doubt into confidence. This transformation process is explored in-depth in resources such as Transform Self-Doubt, Build Confidence.

So, while the term ’life coach’ might seem like a buzzword, their impact in guiding individuals through life’s twists and turns is undoubtedly substantial.


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Let’s look at some real-life examples:

Career Confusions to Career Clarity:

Sarah – an undervalued marketing whiz. He felt like a hamster in a wheel until she decided to consult a life coach. After several enlightening conversations and exercises, Sarah could finally hold her dream career up in the clear light of day. Cool, right?

Here is what they did:

  1. Identifying Her True Calling: Sarah was initially unsure about what she really wanted from her career. He felt stuck and unmotivated. Her life coach guided her through a range of introspective activities. This helped her realize that her passion actually lay in Corporate Social Responsibility programs, not just general marketing.

  2. Crafting an Action Plan: Together, Sarah and her life coach created a detailed roadmap. They mapped out skills she needed to develop, people she should network with, and potential companies that aligned with her career goals.

  3. Mastering Confidence: Sarah felt anxious about making a career shift. Her life coach introduced her to confidence-boosting exercises. Practicing these, she began to feel more assured about interviewing and networking in her new field of interest.

  4. Overcoming Setbacks: At certain points, Sarah felt demotivated after facing rejection. Her life coach remained her pillar of support. They worked together to figure out what might have gone wrong and how she could improve. This kept her on track and determined to succeed.

  5. Celebrating Successes: Whenever Sarah accomplished a small goal - be it a successful networking event or getting called for an interview - her life coach celebrated with her. This kept her motivated and looking forward to achieving her dreams.

Her life coach wasn’t just a guiding force but also became her cheerleader, mentor, and support system. And that resulted in Sarah finally being able to lift her dream career into the spotlight. Not bad, huh?

Startup Struggles to Startup Success:

Then, there’s David. David dared to dream up a startup but stumbled on too many roadblocks. Enter: Life Coach. Like a seasoned troubleshooter, the life coach helped him root out the real issues and find his way around them. Now, David’s closer than ever to making his entrepreneurial dream a reality.

Here’s a look at how David’s dialogue with his life coach:

Question 1: “David, can you articulate what your startup’s core mission is?”

David’s response helped him understand if his business’s mission was in line with his personal passions and values, which always gives a founder a more significant drive.

Question 2: “What are the major roadblocks that seem to prevent you from moving forward?”

David’s honest answer to this question helped his life coach understand the main obstacles. This could have ranged from budget constraints to lack of proper team communication, helping the coach devise viable solutions.

Question 3: “How do you usually cope with failure or setbacks?”

David’s answer gave his life coach insight into his resilience and adaptability to critique and failures, two character traits crucial to navigate the unpredictable world of startups.

Question 4: “What are the skills that you think you need to help your startup grow?”

David’s response helped his life coach determine any evident gaps in David’s skill set that may need addressing or refining to set his startup off for success.

Question 5: “What’s your long-term vision for your startup?”

Understanding David’s long-term vision helped the coach align David’s short-term goals accordingly, setting manageable steps towards that larger vision.

The back-and-forth of these questions and responses allowed David’s coach to pin down the exact issues and help plot a clear-cut, achievable strategy to turn his startup dreams into reality.

Self-doubt to Self-confidence:

Alex’s story is one steeped in self-doubt, ruining his relationships one at a time. Thanks to regular confidence-boosting sessions with his life coach, Alex acquired a new lease on life. Self-assured and assertive, he began to make meaningful relationships.

Here is a worksheet that Alex and his life coach looked at:

Date Situation Negative Thought Objective Evidence Rational Response Confidence Level (1-10)
20/1 Invited to a friend’s party “I can’t go, I’ll just embarrass myself.” Nobody has ever laughed at me or put me down at previous parties “I can enjoy myself and socialize comfortably with others.” 6
22/1 Asked to lead a project at work “I don’t have what it takes to lead. I’ll fail.” I’ve successfully managed several tasks before and my boss trusts in my abilities. “I have the skills and experience needed to lead this project effectively.” 7
25/1 Asked out on a date “They will find me boring and won’t want to see me again.” I have friends who enjoy my company and find me interesting. “I am interesting and worthwhile. The date will go well.” 8
28/1 Invited to play in a local sports tournament “I’m not good enough. I’ll let the team down.” Teammates have praised my skills before, and they trust me. “I’m competent and valuable to the team. I’ll play to the best of my abilities.” 7

These examples depict how Alex learns to challenge his negative thoughts with rational responses, gradually boosting his confidence over time. By continuously assessing and tracking his thought patterns

Here’s a breakdown of each column:

  1. Date: The day when Alex felt the negative thought.
  2. Situation: The specific situation or event that led to the negative emotion.
  3. Negative Thought: The negative or self-doubting thought that Alex had.
  4. Objective Evidence: Here, Alex should try to objectively analyze the situation. Has his fear or self-doubt come true in the past? If not, it’s likely just his self-doubt talking.
  5. Rational Response: Here, Alex needs to challenge his negative thought with a more realistic, rational response.
  6. Confidence Level (1-10): After replacing the negative thought with a rational response, Alex should rate his confidence level in the situation on a scale of 1 (low confidence) to 10 (high confidence).

This kind of self-analysis, coupled with the guidance of a life coach, can really make a huge difference in overcoming self-doubt and building confidence. Alex can fill out this table for different situations and track his progress over time.

Balancing Act:

Jessica’s rising career seemed just as demanding as her personal life. With a little assistance from her life coach, Jessica learned to set boundaries and efficiently manage her time. Now, she lives a stress-free life and enjoys a perfect balance between her work and personal commitments.

How Jessica’s life coach assisted her:

  1. Identifying Priorities: Together, Jessica and her coach took a hard look at her schedule and established what was truly important. He realized that she was spending time on non-essential tasks that could be delegated or removed altogether. This freed up time for what mattered most.

  2. Time Management Techniques: Her coach introduced her to effective time management techniques. Things like time-blocking, where Jessica divided her day into dedicated blocks for work, personal time, hobbies, and rest. This structured approach helped Jessica feel less overwhelmed.

  3. Setting Boundaries: Jessica learned to say ’no’. If a task could be done by someone else, or if it infringed on her personal time and wasn’t paramount, she declined. Additionally, she began to ‘unplug’ after work hours, creating a clear division between work and personal life.

  4. Self-Care Practices: Jessica’s coach emphasized the importance of self-care. He started incorporating regular workouts, healthy eating, and mindful practices like meditation and yoga into her routine. This not only benefited her health but also improved her morale and energy levels.

  5. Work-Life Integration: Jessica started to blend her work and personal life, taking short breaks to engage in something she loves - like a quick walk or a short reading session. These brief intervals rejuvenated her and made her more productive and content.

With these changes, Jessica managed to soothe the chaos that had once ruled her life. Now, her work and personal commitments are in harmony, radiating calmness and contentment all around. He finally broke free from the stress and found her perfect balance. Quite remarkable, isn’t it?


Life coaches, one could argue, are real-life superheroes. They enable individuals to bring out the best in them, crush hurdles, and lead wholesome lives - at the office, at home, and within themselves.

Feeling stuck? Lost? Maybe a little chat with a life coach could do the trick. The stories mentioned here are testimonies to the power of a skilled life coach and nudge toward a brighter, happier life.

Every personal growth journey is as unique as the person undertaking it. But, in every journey, a life coach is like a reliable companion: guiding, supporting, and sometimes simply lending a listening ear as your life starts looking up.