Should you become a coach now? Jay Shetty shares 10 ways to assess your readiness
According to Jay Shetty, if you possess all (or most) of the following 10 qualities, you are likely ready to pursue a career in coaching right now.
#1 – Your passion and purpose feel misaligned
You may feel uninspired in your current job, that something important is missing in your life, or that you are unsure of your role and contribution to life. If these feelings are scaring or weighing on you, your true passion and purpose are likely out of sync with your current reality. Or perhaps you simply have not discovered your true calling yet! We all have a purpose in life; that is just the simple truth.
If you think it is time to act right now to find your passion and use it to improve yourself and others, coaching training is probably a good option for you. People often say, Jay Shetty advised them to find themselves and their role to build a better world. Let us tell you, it is the greatest feeling in the world to wake up in the morning with the prospect of making a difference and expressing your passion and purpose!
#2 – You believe all people have the best intentions and inner resources
Believing that all people just want to do the right things and have the best for themselves and their loved ones is one of the core presumptions of the helping professions. Of course, all people are not complete, resourceful, and creative ALL the time as you may temporarily lose these qualities during challenging times. But it is true for almost all people most of the time. This means that, with the right guidance and support, personal or professional, people can discover and unlock their inner strengths to reach their potential. Jay Shetty always reminds us that an important attribute of a coach is to gently hold clients up so that they can find their strength and believe in themselves.
#3 – You love learning
Coaching inherently involves constant learning. As you observe and work with clients, continuously update your professional skills and competencies, and increase knowledge to apply as wisdom, you learn and grow. To know more (if you can apply it appropriately and effective), means that you are better able to help your clients. You have a bigger arsenal of tools and techniques to draw from. You have a better grasp of proven theories and models to apply. You understand the cause-and-effect of how the body and mind work together. If your passion for learning is one of the drives that energizes you, you are one step closer to being a great coach!
#4 – You have a natural curiosity about others’ stories
Being curious links to a love of learning. Curiosity did not kill the cat! On the contrary, curiosity may have been what gave it nine lives… If you are genuinely curious about what goes on in your client’s life and shows it, you demonstrate empathy and interest. You create a space that safely encourages the client to share their deepest feelings as they feel no judgment from you. They feel validation of their lives. That their experiences mean something. Being curious is also a strong foundation for good questioning skills. In other words, when you really want to know how your client is, what they’ve been doing, what their dreams are, and so forth, deep questions will come naturally to you in the flow of the conversation as you are curious to fill in the gaps in their stories.
#5 – People seem to naturally trust you
Many people tell us that they became interested in becoming coaches when they realized that people tend to share personal stuff with them. If this is your experience, obviously you have an inviting demeanor, showing interest and empathy, maybe divulging some vulnerability that attracts people to open up. You probably radiate an aura of openness and morality as well that make people feel comfortable in your presence. They feel they can trust you with their secrets and their deepest fears and desires. They know you will listen and not judge. We have heard many people say that Jay Shetty makes them feel safe and “normal.” We all want that, right? To be accepted and acknowledged as our real selves. We know that creating this type of safe space removes the pressure from someone to be anything else than themselves. And, it is truly empowering!
#6 – You feel joy when seeing people grow
If you are naturally drawn toward coaching as a profession, you want to help, and you feel fulfilled when you see the results. Seeing people grow in front of your eyes is the most joyous experience for you. It is not the same as external validation or stroking your ego. Rather, it is a deep, inner satisfaction felt with the client, knowing that he or she, and the world, is a better place because of the positive change.
#7 – You are able and willing to invest
Any profession requires an investment. You have to spend time and money to learn the necessary skills, develop your competencies in practice, and establish your business before reaping all the benefits – monetary and non-monetary. Coaching is the same. First, you learn and train with all the competencies, such as being present, building trust, questioning, attentive listening, showing empathy. You develop your unique methods and techniques based on proven theories. It takes months or years to have a solid basis of practice that can sustain a successful practice. In coaching, ideally, your training and preparation will involve completing certified training. Therefore, before pursuing coaching, or any other career, ask yourself whether you are able and willing to invest the time and expenses right now in your life.
#8 – You are a good listener
You prefer to hear other people’s experiences rather than talking about yourself. You are genuinely interested to know how they are doing, what they are feeling and thinking. You give other people space to express themselves, to make mistakes, and to find their own destiny. You have empathy and you don’t judge. These are all qualities of a good listener, which is one of the most important core competencies of a coach. You give your clients and others your undivided attention and energy, showing them respect and that you care about what they have to say. You follow their direction and stay on point. Most of all, you thoughtfully observe, not only their spoken words, but their nonverbal cues as well. Their facial expressions, posture, appearance, gestures, and tone often tell you things that they are unable to express because they don’t feel ready to or it is in their subconscious.
#9 – People already come to you for guidance
If friends, family, and colleagues already ask your opinion or to give them guidance on a decision, you are already practicing some coaching in a rudimentary sense. If you enjoy being in this position and giving help wherever you can, it is likely that you will find pleasure in professional coaching too. Of course, it is different in some respects like always asking questions and guiding rather than offering advice and having a professionally contracted relationship that is different from helping a friend or family member. But being trusted like that and enjoying the interaction are good signs that you value the connection necessary in a coaching relationship.
#10 – Ethics and morals are important to you
Lastly, but equally important, if not more, is the requirement to act with ethics and morals in all relationships, including with coaching clients. The central tenet of the helping professions is to do no harm. This condition should always be on your mind when you interact with, plan for, or make decisions with a client. If what you are about to do, is (or may not be) in their best interest, don’t go ahead! If you are unsure, ask your client, a peer, or supervisor for their thoughts. Always place the best interest of your clients ahead of everything else. Jay Shetty always talks about professional credibility as the key support of a trusted image. As a coach, your credibility is the most valued asset you have. Take care not to compromise it!
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