Serena Williams and her coach – Photo credit: http://2013.rolandgarros.com

I recently hired a coach to help me through some transitions in my life. Now for most independent, can-do-it-all-and-still-look-good, ambitious women out there, asking for help is already a stretch. Now, asking, looking, and paying for guided help, most times with perfect strangers only known through reputational guarantees or referrals, is a whole other ball game. Yet, what was considered pure luxury not too long ago, may prove to be a necessity today…

While many a successful athlete attributes their winning performance to the outstanding training of their coaches, most career and business people lack the same foundational support to their performance. Many wonder if a coach will really make any difference in their circumstances, or are even worth the expense. In my experience, here are 5 reasons why you should seriously consider hiring a coach, whatever your life or career station:

1. It’s an investment in yourself! How many times have you thought about splurging on a spa day, a nice manicure or that gorgeous pair of shoes that’s been calling your name (and credit card number), just in the past week? How about investing in re-committing to your life plan, or even finding out what it is and how to successfully reach your goals? That may pay off in way more spa days than you can imagine…

2. It helps you put yourself in perspective! One of the things a coach will help you do is take a hard, honest look at yourself. And it may sting at first…Through probing questions, and your own commitment to be as honest as you can, you will find yourself uncovering layers of yourself you may never have imagined existed. My coaching sessions made me understand I needed to set boundaries and stop relying on others for my own well-being, and it liberated me…

3. It will help you remove mental blocks! Our biggest obstacles are in our heads. By targeting your innermost convictions and ideas about yourself and the world around you, an effective coach will let you see your own mental blocks, and help you get past them. Sometimes you just need someone to tell you what you already knew all along…

4. It will help you make a plan! You’ve got to have a plan for success, or at least some faint roadmap of what success looks like to you. Success will require you to adopt new attitudes and thought patterns and ditch others. A powerful coach will provide you with tools to chart your own path. Something as basic as a daily calendar or a morning ritual schedule can change your entire life…

5. Last but not least, it will motivate you! We all need a boost, whether in life or at work. Success is not built alone! Effectively using a coach will remind you of why you started it all, what matters to you, and why you’re doing what you’re doing. And that’s the little extra motivation you may need to cross the finish line…

Have you used a coach before, or are considering doing so? Are you a coach yourself, and looking to provide advice? Chime in…

The Corporate Sis.