Life Coach Gurus

“life coaches”

Snake-oil salesman.

Many of them seem to have seen the light after a traumatic event (illness, death of a child, bad car accident) and now share their newly found gift (for a price).

Well, it used to be a real job - précepteur - guiding a young aristocrat to adulthood and cosmopolitan success. Private banks in London and Geneva still handle requests from today's plutocrats. We need more people who can really do this job, and more billionaires interested to force their brats to make something of themselves.

Many of them claim to have seen is how I should have worded it, actually.

Life coaches get paid to be your personal cheer squad. Whatever the client wants to change in his life the life coach helps to accomplish it by being the one the client can talk to, discuss strategies, and get the life coach's assistance all the way to the end of the process.

It's perfect for those who have no other support system (no close friends or family members).

Obviously you have to shop around and find a good match.

It feels like they are the life equivalent of the fitness models working out on exercise gadgets they sell on TV. Obviously those models never became that good looking or got in that kind of physical condition using a thighmaster. They lead you to believe you’ll be as attractive and successful as they are if you just want it bad enough and unlock your hidden potential with a can-do attitude.

This sounds like a career for someone who has no discernible skills or abilities.

Similar to “influencer”.

Absolute and utter bullshit. I have a friend who does this and the particular program that he peddles is pretty much a pyramid scheme.

My former neighbor, very nice, is currently all over Instagram and Facebook promoting his Life Coaching business. Everyday it’s another post, picture, quote or whatever encouraging his followers to reach for their full potential or something. This weekend he’s at some Life Coach all star weekend blow bang.

When he lived upstairs, he sold lawn chemicals wholesale.

Can't people just fold towels at Marshalls or jeans at Old Navy and shut up.

Don't forget the current King of these Scammers: Jordan Peterson.

I have a former co-worker who was fired for gross negligence who is now a life coach

Good info

Ruby Gettinger of "Ruby", the failed weightloss show, still fat and jobless, is now a Life Coach.

Those who can't, teach.

You can use a life coach for stuff you are too embarrassed to ask your friends or family members for help and support. Life coaches basically get paid not to judge like shrinks and prostitutes / male escorts.

I feel like all this is part of our country’s addiction to magical thinking and that if you just work hard enough, you’ll make all your dreams come true. You used to see it on those American Idol auditions where people had been brainwashed by friends, family and paid vocal coaches that they were great singers. When told they weren’t by judges, they resorted to accusing these people of being jealous, unable to see their talent, etc—anything but accept the reality they had been led to believe. It’s not about what’s real, but rather controlling the personal narrative.

More often than not, successful people had distinct particular advantages they are unaware of, which leads people like these life coaches to think that they can simply teach it to others. For them it has never been more than a matter of dedication and will power. Good looks, good social skills, knowing the right people, being in the right place at the right time, or just fitting in socially (ie married with kids) can lead to huge personal and professional advantages. Not everything can be obtained by sheer will power, but that seems to be what these life coaches truly believe.

Life Coach, is that a euphemism for paid trollop?

Similar - making the exception the “rule”

[quote]I feel like all this is part of our country’s addiction to magical thinking and that if you just work hard enough, you’ll make all your dreams come true.

I agree 100%. And expanding on this, the people I know who work as "life coaches" have all failed in their grand dreams and the coaching nonsense is their way of saving face or maintaining self-respect.

Iyanla Vanzant is an excellent life coach. In her case, however, she was educated as a lawyer, so she uses that training to aid her in understanding people, and dispensing help and advice. I'd take her advice over trained psychologists like Dr. Phil.

And those who can't teach, coach. R17

There are actual life coaches who can be helpful to people in times of need.

However, like anything else, you had a few people latching on to the profession who joined it to make a quick buck who have no training in anything that would be actually helpful to someone. It's not necessarily about spouting out inspirational quotes and simple knowledge that any idiot would already know.

Some life coaches have degrees in psychology, business or even fitness if that's what you're aiming to improve.

Iylana is one who is aware that she needs to put on a bit of a show but aside from that she's also very good at removing herself from a situation and analyzing it. You can thank her background as an attorney for that.

I hired one for a couple of months when I was starting my business but the first thing he told me was, that it wasn't his job to tell me what to do. It was just his job to make sure that I was doing what I needed to do and he held me accountable for when I wasn't doing something. If I had specific questions he was able to answer them but for the most part he was my "cheering section" (as someone else here put it) and a "friend" whose job it was to listen to what I had to say in relation to the stress I was experiencing.

R23=Iyanla

All life coaches are super creepy to me.

Joe Jonas’ sober coach is now Sophie Turner’s life coach.

As an Australian, I was really impressed with how Karamo from Queer Eye was, particularly with the Aussie farmer. Those guys are hard nut to crack. And also with that Middle Eastern dude who lied to his mother about finishing college.

Life Coach is a mentor for money who uses Tim Gunn phrases like "You be You!" and "Make it work!".

In an ideal world people would not need any outside help to reach their goals, but a great deal of us are conditioned to believe that they are worthless pieces of shit who can do anything right.

The good life coaches keep their distance emotionally and all they do is listen and offer encouragement when needed and "hold their clients' hands" while they go through the options to find a solution for their problems and maintain their clients' confidence level until the issue, they came for, is resolved on the client's terms.

The bad life coaches push their clients down a path they think is best for their client.

Some people just need a kick in the butt.

^Sorry, but a great deal of us are conditioned to believe that they are worthless pieces of shit who CAN'T do anything right.

Bit of new age bullshit, bit of yoga, bit of exercise, bit of wellness, a lot of wankery. All bullshit.

If we lost every life coach on the planet the world would actually be a better place.

My fuckbuddy of over three year is now involved with a wellness coach (a variation on the life coach that starts with physical health but expands to other life domains). The guy met her through CrossFit, which I personally find culty. She is advising him on exercise, nutrition, and emotional well being.

He has returned to his super fit body after getting back to the CF cult more regularly, but I know he could have achieved that without her. He never fell into bad shape, just had a slight decrease in muscle size and a tiny increase in fat percentage. He definitely has body dysmorphia for someone who is naturally lean and toned, but at least he never fell into the steroid thing.

She’s put him on some combo of keto/organic/paleo diet that he keeps referencing as clean eating. He appears now to spend a shitload of time and money ordering and preparing grass fed meat and organic vegetables meals. He almost never eats out because the food is not clean enough. She also advised him to totally give up alcohol, which he did three months ago.

He also spends more time at home alone reading and journaling. He always talks about being positive and thankful (à la Tommi), which grows old after a while. I’m also not convinced that she’s told him to scale back on the fwb sex since we def don’t get together as much. If that’s the case, I have to undermine the relationship cuz he’s hot and into daddies like me who are 20 years older.

OP's guy looks like family-murderer Chris Watts.

wow, r33.

Sounds like your fwb is generally making personal improvements, life coach or no. I don't know why you'd object to that, other than the fact he's now less available to satisfy YOUR needs.

Either r33 is an EST or a really toxic person.

R33 is a Suppresive Person. He must be destroyed!

The only person I know who used one was this nasty female ex-friend of my partner's. After using a life coach, she turned into an even bigger cunt.

I think of Life Coaches, Wellness Coaches, etc. as the professional services version of homemade soap and candle sales.

Don't get involved with the life of a fuckbuddy. You are using the word "fuckbuddy" afterall. They are there for body contact and fucking. Nice little chat after the fuck is fine and you can have good feelings of course.

[quote]He has returned to his super fit body after getting back to the CF cult more regularly, but I know he could have achieved that without her.

But he didn't R33.

And nothing that you've said about the changes he has made seems negative to anyone but you.

All the life coaches I know are either massage therapists looking to fill their extra hours, or mommies who left the workforce to have kids and can no longer find a way to get back into their former professional lives at the level they want. In either case, I'm always reminded of the lyric from Sunshine by Jonathan Edwards: "He can't even run his own life...I'll be damned if he'll run mine."

Life coach is a valid option for some. But of course the wrong life coach for you can make your issues worse instead of better. You must know what you want and need. And that is in some cases very tricky (in those a shrink would be a better option).

Scott Wolf's wife Kelly (of REAL WORLD fame) does it. She was trained by Oprah's LC.

Scott succinctly describes his wife's profession as "therapy, for people who aren't disordered".

Coach = No Professional Credentials

I hired DL-Lifecoachess de luxe Mrs. Denvers. She helped my dear little sister to open new windows.

More like 'life roaches'

Life Coaches are just people who take money for encouraging their clients to reach for the stars and change something in their lives they feel they can't do on their own.

Chrissy Metz is now a life coach for trans.

Imagine how low you have to feel to turn to Randy Spelling for life coaching!!!

Every Life Coach I know is a complete and utter mess in their own life. I can’t imagine anyone taking their advice, even if it were free. Also, they all turned to coaching as a last resort, when they failed at everything else.

They all have self-help self-published books too.

It feels like for some it’s a way to justify their own narcissism, since they get to post unlimited selfies and videos with lame motivational quotes in the name of “advertising”. And to get paid to work with people with low self esteem who think you are amazing and are everything they wish they could be?

Self-help is addictive.

I have a public role leading an organization, and I get a lot of inquiries (too many) from coaches (leadership coaches and groups that promote them) urging me to hire them. Many had roles like mine in the past, but aged out of them or left voluntarily (or involuntarily). It’s annoying because they all want a few minutes for a call, but really push me to hire them. It feels huckster-ish. Some of them lead groups that charge $15k/year to meet up and share their challenges. I don’t really want to do that. My friend and peer swears that the experience changed his life, and seems distant since I declined to enroll. It feels like corporate Amway. I really hate some of the cheesy paternalistic way these coaches solicit you. Maybe I will need them some day, but for now I’d like them to leave me alone.

Tony Robbins. 'Nuff said.

[quote]Also, they all turned to coaching as a last resort, when they failed at everything else.

Bingo!

[quote]It feels like for some it’s a way to justify their own narcissism, since they get to post unlimited selfies and videos with lame motivational quotes in the name of “advertising”

Ditto.

I know one of these. He's fit-fat, has sleeve tattoos, bright white teeth, and disgusting stretched ear gauges.

You too can have pretty privilege just like me!** Sign up today!

**Cast of all white pretty friends not included

A lot of them genuinely want to help others. Of course every profession has its fair share of scammers and sociopaths.

And generally speaking there is nothing wrong with a support system for hire if there is none around for free (for some reason).

[quote]And expanding on this, the people I know who work as "life coaches" have all failed in their grand dreams and the coaching nonsense is their way of saving face or maintaining self-respect.

The irony...

I seriously doubt these "life coaches," if they are being honest with themselves, dreamed of being life coaches when they kids. I'm sure they all had grand ambitions (i.e. billionaire entrepreneur, pro athlete, movie star, President, even doctor/lawyer, etc.) that they inevitably had to give up just like the rest of us.

But if they only wanted it more, right?

Why would anyone take advice from a 40 year failure? If they were actually successful in life, they’d be a CEO or something similar.

Kinda like those programs where those infomercial guys say they can teach you the secret to getting rich. If you are already rich, why do you need to sell it? And if you sell it, how is it still a secret?

Prince Truvada is a renowned life coach.

Ugh— he’s the No-Life Coach. Talk about what NOT to do! 🤮

R64 ugh! These people and their selfies!

I made DL my Life Coach. My new motto is "jealous, bitches?"

Jackie Harris, 'nuff said.

DL fave Lisa Whelchel is/was a life coach charging people $500 per week, LOL.

R45 = ditto. That entirely sums it up - no credentials. If these folks wanted to be counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, etc... they should have gone through proper education. You don't just simply lose your spot on some phony reality tv show, then overnight get to reinvent yourself as a "life coach". I suffer from mental illness personally (persistent depressive disorder and severe anxiety to be specific), and shit like this makes my blood boil. Shit like this is as bad as fake ass "psychics".

"apparently" boy.

wrong thread whoops

Because everyone who is successful should be emulated

There's a Life Coach adjacent group of "productivity" (fka Time Management in olden times) or lifehack/lifestyle gurus, but they are fewer and tend to have sold more books. The cringey douchebro Tim Ferris (4 Hour Work Week) comes to mind, for example. I think a lot of Crossfit Paleo cultists admire him.

I think many Life Coaches aspire to be lifestyle gurus.

This is better than a SNL skit.

Lindsays OWN life coachess ligths a scented candle.....

Wow r75 I though that WAS an SNL skit LOL

I bet Oprah was PISSED she got played that hard by that two bit skank.

Life Coach, Consultant, Grifter...

Lindsay sounds like a brat.

Haha, my husband’s former coworker became a life coach. We used to laugh at her inspirational IG posts. She was always away at some conference or retreat for self-actualization, etc. The company did allow her to make a speech or two at the annual meeting (real estate Corp).

She was very fit and attractive, but perpetually single (I wonder why) and creeping toward middle age.

Anyway, last we checked, she followed her passion to some southern-ish country (Costa Rica?). I fully expect to hear that she’s not been seen since.

.......

Doesn't that repulsive barebacking burnout Ray Dalton call himself a life coach? Who the fuck would want to take life advice from that leathery cum dump?

My ex-roommate moved back to the East Coast, survived a car accident, and became a Life Coach. I wouldn't take Life Coaching lessons from him if you paid me. When he was my roommate he couldn't ever make the rent or get a job despite trying.

damn daddy

I have one who lives in my building. He’s very wiry and lanky and has a “Burning Man” vibe about him. He’s often on a call when you see him. He wears EarPods and sometimes sits in our building’s fancy common spaces videoconferencing on a silver iMac laptop. He knows I’m a CEO and made some friendly overtures to me when we first met, but lost interest in me when I didn’t try to hire him for myself or my leadership team.

I see online that his rate is something like $15k/day, but I doubt that he books that many days in a year. After a year of seeing him around, I suspect his money is likely coming from either some kind of psychiatric disability coverage or a settlement of some kind. There is something unusual about him, and he’s not great at masking it. I will say that I wish I were as thin as he is. He wears a lot of trendy hemp and linen clothing and flip flops, like a dessicated hipster. He is probably near my age and feels some competition, but our identities are very different. I guess we are both technically prosperous in our own ways. Still, I’m not a huge admirer of self-help, guru types. It all seems so fake.

Life coach=Therapist without training or license.

R85 That’s true. Paid meddler.

An aerobics coach is all anyone really needs.

Life Coaches are like Fortune Tellers. Most of them are charlatans and scam artists. On the other hand when a client so desperately wants to believe that his life coach helps him and the client does feel he makes huge progress then more power to the client, I guess.

Pretty much R88

It seems like it's a Thing in LA--people there mention their life coach and no one bats an eye, whereas in NY, there would be audible snickering and eye rolling.

People I know who have used them claim that they are useful in helping them stick to goals, whether it's going to the gym 5 days a week or working on their screenplay every day and actually calling people to have meetings to discuss said screenplay. Basically not allowing them to resort to bullshit excuses and to have someone to be accountable to.

It's sort of like the device I have that tracks my sleep. I can easily do that myself. but knowing that the software is going to hiss at me and tell me that I am "falling behind on my optimal sleep" is often enough to get me to go to bed an hour earlier.

So I can see the attraction of a person who fills a similar role

One of my friends is all wrapped up with a life coach lately, and going to some expensive Leadership conference out of town every few months. I'm watching from afar.

The online coaches seem very Scammy. And push that magical manifestation thinking.

My advice to you pixies: Never talk in public about getting your wings.

Related thread.

I know someone who graduated from college a few years ago, held a variety of jobs, and then transformed himself into a life coach who constantly spouts little affirmations about people being “good enough.” His IG stories are a barrage of clips that are like Pollyanna on steroids vomited through your computer.

My reaction: 🙄

No that unemployment I up thanks to shelter in place orders, I expect to see a surge in life coaches.