5 Ways a Life Coach Can Help You Get Unstuck!

A vast majority of people--probably all of us at some point--deal with a similar problem in life when it comes to their goals. Most people know what they want and even how to get it, but when it comes to moving forward, they have a tough time sticking with it. Or they make any kind of excuse to not get started or justify why they quit trying. If you are one of those people, you might consider getting a Life Coach.

Contrary to some myths that Life Coaching is simply someone telling you what to do, a skilled Life Coach listens and asks questions. In fact, the International Coach Federation (ICF), the largest coaching organization in the world, clearly states that the solutions should be elicited from the client (not the coach). Professional Life Coaches operate in an advice-free zone. A good Coach will bring out the best in you and help you focus on your goals, not boss you around or psychoanalyze you.

Here are five ways a Life Coach can help you get unstuck and get you back on the path toward your goals!

1. Listening for Structure

Many methods of listening are focused on the content of what the client is saying, like a reporter listening for who, what, when, and where. Coaches listen beyond the content and also on the structural components of what is being said, like language patterns (language that limits your power), hints at the bigger picture (suggests stumbling blocks), and how the client is thinking versus what they are thinking about. A Coach listening for these connections can help a client begin to think in different patterns, find new ways to organize the content, and create new solutions.

2. New Levels of Thinking

Albert Einstein is often quoted as saying, "You can't solve your problems with the same thinking that created them." A Coach is not limited by the same thinking the client may be stuck in. Coaches ask questions at different levels of thinking inspire a client to create new awareness. You cannot change what you are not aware of. For example, drawing the client's attention to different levels of abstraction (such as big picture to small details, from their actions to his self image), asking questions that offer different perspectives, or asking questions that filter different thinking styles (such as taking a critic's view of the situation) can inspire the client to grow outside of the thinking that created the