Introduction:
Hi I’m Max – I’m a life coach, who doesn’t like life coaches.
I’m going to be upfront with you—I’ve got a real issue with the coaching industry. In fact, it frustrates me deeply.
I love what I do, but I don’t like a lot of what I see in this space. Why? Because life coaching is mostly unregulated. Anyone can call themselves a coach, and unfortunately, many do without the proper depth of experience or understanding. It’s an industry where the barrier to entry is nearly nonexistent, but the barrier to truly being exceptional is incredibly high.
So, how can you, the reader, separate genuine coaches from those with no substance? How do you know who’s really going to help you grow and who’s just there to take your money? Coaches can charge from crazy little to crazy high amounts of money – are the more expensive ones better?
Let’s get one thing perfectly clear between us – today’s reading isn’t a plug for my own practice—this is an honest, passionate plea for you, as a potential client, to be discerning. This industry can be incestuous, with coaches coaching other coaches in a cycle of shallow learning. Don’t fall for it, please.
Here are three key tells that will help you spot a coach worth your time.
1) A Track Record of Results
Let’s get one thing straight—results matter. But here’s where people often get confused: a good coach doesn’t necessarily need results in your specific field. It helps, but this crosses over into the consulting space which we’ll get to later. A quality coach’s expertise isn’t about having done exactly what you’re doing—it’s about having helped people reach meaningful outcomes across the board.
Look at testimonials. Look at the people leaving them. Are they credible? Are they truly successful in their own lives? Don’t be fooled by “Sally made me think about life in new ways”—dig deeper. A coach’s track record should speak for itself, not through flashy marketing, but through real, tangible impact.
2) Ask About Their Coaching Philosophy
Of all the gripes that I have with the coaching space, this one is the killer for me. The truth is, many don’t have a solid philosophical foundation. They’ve taken a few courses, borrowed some buzzwords from a leadership workshop, and now call themselves a coach. Coaching is so much more than that.
A great coach is a thinker—a philosopher, even. They’ve taken time to develop a framework, a worldview, and a method. When my coach told me, “The conversations are easy; it’s the deep philosophical work that’s hard,” I couldn’t agree more. If you ask a coach about their philosophy and they can’t give you a thoughtful answer, walk away – “I help people become more effective”, is not a philosophy.
3) Understand the Difference Between Coaching and Consulting
And now to a crucial misunderstanding. A coach is not a consultant. They’re not there to give you advice, and if they are, they’re not coaching—they’re consulting. And the great shame about this is coaches will unethically set up the conversational paradigm so they are the ones that have the answers, and you have the questions. A great coach will work in the opposite way – they see YOU as the one who has answers.
A true coach gives you the tools to find your own answers. They create a space for you to think, reflect, and grow. They empower you, not by prescribing solutions, but by helping you figure out what’s best for you. If a coach is steering every decision for you, they’re doing you a disservice.
Conclusion:
I’m passionate about this because I’ve seen too many people misled, left stagnant, or even harmed by low-quality coaches. This isn’t about me—it’s about you getting the guidance you deserve. The coaching industry is full of people who haven’t done the deep thinking that true coaching requires.
So, be discerning. Look for results, ask about their philosophy, and make sure they’re coaching, not consulting.
Max
Life Coach.
