One of the aims of coaching is guiding the client to develop better self-care. This goal is built on the premise that if you take excellent care of yourself, you will build your energy and vitality to a level of overflowing aliveness. To live from that place, you must engage in wholesome activities, develop supportive friendships, surround yourself with uplifting people and environments, take healthy care of your body, and so on. If you commit to living this way, you will develop what Thomas Leonard, founder of Coach U, calls "irresistible attraction" ---a magnetic attraction to prosperity, health, and beneficial experiences in your life.

Coaching often entails a more direct approach than counseling therapy. Your coach may bluntly tell you things like, "You are kidding yourself. There will be consequences to that decision. Can you imagine the consequences?"

Generally, a therapist helps you heal issues from the past, while a coach assists you to envision and plan your future --- a future where you move out of being merely functional to being extraordinary ---your personal best! Therapy focuses on processing and healing emotional wounds; coaching centers on setting and achieving your highest goals.

A good coach has the ability to sift through your story to find the most important milestones: clarity about your purpose and mission, your vision of your best life, your highest goals and most dear values. Your coach can help you discover the things you habitually do to sabotage yourself, and helps you overcome these behaviors so you can manifest the life you want.

When you become clear about your life purpose, things fall away that are not in alignment with your purpose and doors open for you. With your coach as a partner, you can create a concrete action plan that will allow you to achieve your loftiest goals.

Most coaching is done on the telephone. Your coach does not have to be with you to recognize your limiting patterns and self-sabotaging behaviors. In fact, sometimes tele-coaching allows people to speak more candidly.

A good coach will encourage you to get your life in order: clean your messy garage, sort those old files, clean up those little deceits, and set healthier boundaries with people.

When you clean up your environment and affairs, and stop the emotional drains, more energy is available for positive endeavors and creative projects. If you handle the energy and power drains, your business will improve, too.

Most of us are engaged in some level of struggle in our lives. With proper coaching, you can work less, make more money and enjoy life more! Recreation and quiet time are necessary for integrating what you have accomplished and percolating new ideas.

Eliminating struggle, distractions, and addictions leads to living an effortless life full of zest and joy. It's great to have a coach there to cheer you on and to celebrate your successes. It's like having a personal trainer for your life.