Confidence is everything. When we have it, we’re on top of the world. Without it, we second-guess ourselves, and even simple tasks begin to feel overwhelming.
It’s normal for confidence to waver—no one can feel their best all the time. But when self-doubt begins to infringe on day-to-day life, we may need help building ourselves back up. That’s where a confidence coach comes in.
Confidence coaches empower clients to feel secure in their abilities and proud of their accomplishments. With the help of a coach, someone afraid of public speaking could learn to walk confidently into their next work presentation. A person who’s nervous about picking up a new hobby might learn to overcome their hesitancy. Whatever the case may be, confidence coaches change lives for the better—and that’s rewarding work.
Do you think your skill set would be a great fit for this professional niche? Discover exactly what a confidence coach does and how to become one.
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What is a confidence coach?
A confidence coach helps clients to discover the underlying challenges keeping them from feeling good about themselves—then they map a path forward. This means implementing a plan to tackle the areas in which their clients lack self-esteem.
Progress is rarely linear. On the route to their goals, clients may hit roadblocks and need to change course. A great coach checks in frequently, provides and listens to feedback, and tweaks their program to best suit each individual’s needs.
At the end of a confidence coaching program, clients may still waver from time to time—everyone does. What’s important is the clients are equipped with the skills and techniques to continue to tackle moments of self-doubt when they inevitably arise.
How do confidence coaches help clients?
Coaches are like snowflakes: no two are exactly alike. As a result, strategies vary from person to person—there’s no one-size fits all approach to confidence coaching. With that said, many professionals follow a similar general framework.
A coach-client relationship typically begins with the client sharing why they are seeking coaching services. If the coach is equipped to help them, they proceed with an intake session. There, the pair may have an in-depth conversation to feel out what’s affecting the client’s confidence.
Once a confidence coach understands where the client is struggling, they work with the person to set realistic and attainable goals. They may ask any of the following questions:
- What skills do you hope to learn?
- How do you want to feel after our coaching program is complete?
- What challenges do you hope to overcome with confidence?
Next, the coach might talk with the client to determine when they feel most confident. This information helps the coach understand how to push clients out of their comfort zones without overwhelming them.
Finally, the coach and client collaborate to set a roadmap (with actionable items along the way). While the client’s confidence may falter along the way, the coach’s won’t—that’s what makes them the perfect pair.
While these niche professionals work with people aspiring to vastly different endpoints, their focus points often overlap. A confidence coach may guide a client to:
- Discover a new passion
- Let go of what others think
- Stop dwelling on past mistakes
- Stop self-deprecating thoughts
- Start a self-care regimen
- Stop worrying about fitting in
- Create a clear vision of a better future
- Communicate a need effectively
What it takes to be a confidence coach
Here’s a fact: confidence coaches, like all people, experience moments of low self-esteem. This doesn't mean they aren’t excellent at their jobs. In fact, it makes them more empathetic.
You don’t need to have bulletproof confidence to work in this niche. Here are the traits that truly make for an excellent confidence coach:
- The ability to think ahead: Coaching is all about planning for a better future and implementing a plan to get there. As a result, coaches need to see the potential for positive change, even when a client can’t. When people have limiting beliefs preventing them from living a better life, their coach helps them visualize a new reality.
- A penchant for teaching: Coaches don’t tell clients what to do – they push clients to find the answers within themselves. With that said, coaches still act as educators, giving their clients the tools and information they need to succeed. For example, a coach may teach a client to adopt healthy self-talk habits to mitigate negative thoughts.
- Knowledge of psychology: Confidence is all about how a person thinks. A great confidence coach benefits from a background in psychology so they can understand why people may struggle to think positively about themselves.
How to become a confidence coach
Aspiring confidence coaches should consider earning an education that prepares them for the role and accredits their skills.
Unlike other careers, there are no background requirements for becoming a coach. But strong coaches seek out learning opportunities that will make them better professionals. A potential route to confidence coaching could include a college-level education in a relevant subject and the completion of a coaching-specific certification program. Here are three confidence coaching programs available online:
Remember: Certifications prepare you for work as a coach, but they’re not a license to provide therapy (even if you hold a related degree). Those seeking to improve their mental health or treat a mental illness should be connected with a licensed professional.
Who can benefit from confidence coaching?
We all need a pep talk at some point in our lives. For this reason, most people could benefit from self-confidence coaching services. Still, some are more likely to access this service than others. If you choose to work in this niche, here are some clients who might come to you for help:
- Entrepreneurs who waver when the time comes to make a tough decision
- People starting or ending relationships who need to have difficult conversations with their partners, friends, or family members
- Employees who lack the confidence to take on more responsibility at work
- CEOs looking to take their business in a new direction
- People struggling with their self-image who want to see themselves in a more positive light
Run your business with confidence
At Practice, we understand that even the best coaches need support. Using a customer relationship management (CRM) tool can help you run your business more effectively, giving you more time to focus on building a client base. Practice’s CRM tool is specifically designed with coaches in mind, allowing you to schedule sessions, safely store client data, receive payments, and send documents in one digital space.
