Coffee and meaningful talk? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Coffee and meaningful talk?

tiz

tiz

Member
So I was intrigued by an article on listening (actually a listening bar!), and wondered if I can practice my listening with some of you? Over coffee. Half hour. One-on-one. My treat. You choose the place.

Why? I'm a researcher-turned-life coach, and I'd like to practice my skills listening and asking questions. Topics like bikes and why they're meaningful for you, etc.

You get a coffee and a half-hour with someone who genuinely wants to practice listening and inquiring. I get practice, a ride to a new (hopefully nice) coffee spot, and some interesting company. Please message me privately and we can find a time/place. I'll include a profile link so you know I'm a real person.

And if you're curious about the bar, you can check it out here
Bit tangential, but curious to learn your take on where you find meaningful conversations?
 
You nailed a key point, Mikedezo44. The short answer is that anyone can say they're a life coach, no qualifications are necessary. But to me, training, experience, and certifications really are important because coaching is not a regular conversation (nor is it consulting or therapy).

The longer answer is that there are courses -- and I took one of them -- that are accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). This ICF certification requires knowledge, but more important, practice (i.e. experience), evaluations, mentoring, and written tests. I don't want to ramble on (and I could!), but great question, thanks for asking ; )
 
Mikedezo44 said:
What are the qualifications/experiences needed to be a life coach? Has always puzzled me when I read it listed as a profession on social media accounts.
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Cheques to on line universities for wallpaper with gold seals and calligraphy is a start. I don't think turtle neck sweaters are mandatory anymore.

I apologize to the OP for my sarcasm

Life coaching is not easy. I don't have any certification in medicine, marriage, psychiatry, physics, law or accounting so I'm reluctant to advise anyone on pursuit of what they should do with regards to the aforementioned. I will suggest a person look at realities and make their own decisions.

I would have told Muggsy Bogues to look at anything except basketball. Seriously, Muggsy, you, basketball? Are you kidding me?

Two friends in their late thirties asked me about what it's like having a kid. Their wives were in the brood mood and they themselves kind of liked being free to come and go without a diaper bag.
 
IMO good life coaches have their place. Most of the time though it's people who have zero skills so they turn into life coaches. Much the same as tradesman with no skill so they start painting companies.
I know a part time stripper, "dating" (scamming) a blind guy twice her age, certified personal trainer and health coach (with Xerox copies to prove from an online site). Oh and she's a life coach as well.
 
Mikedezo44 said:
What are the qualifications/experiences needed to be a life coach? Has always puzzled me when I read it listed as a profession on social media accounts.
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Have children, it becomes your job.

Life Coach is not an accredited or recognized profession any more than being a professional Tarrot card or Palm reader.

“Life coaches” is a bit of a misnomer, they do councilling, not coaching. They help clients who cannot plan, develop or organize themselves develop and follow life plans.
 
I was wondering what exactly does a life coach do? What are the metrics by which you measure success?

I’m a PENG, but heaven forbid you ask me to design something…zero chance of that happening.

Cool offer OP…I’m just not sure what exactly it is you do. But free coffee is always a plus.
 
mimico_polak said:
I was wondering what exactly does a life coach do? What are the metrics by which you measure success?

I’m a PENG, but heaven forbid you ask me to design something…zero chance of that happening.

Cool offer OP…I’m just not sure what exactly it is you do. But free coffee is always a plus.
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They provide counselling to people having trouble organizing their lives.

I know a couple of people who used them… both extended family and what I would call lost souls.

The first ended up renaming herself with a single monosyllable name, then left her 17,19 & 20 year old kids in Toronto to complete her journey from a tree house in Belize. The other is a crazy cousin who traded a 20 year string of abusive boyfriends for a $200 week life coach who provides her company 2 days a week - paid for by her mother.

Maybe others have more positive stories.
 
Mad Mike said:
They provide counselling to people having trouble organizing their lives.

I know a couple of people who used them… both extended family and what I would call lost souls.

The first ended up renaming herself with a single monosyllable name, then left her 17,19 & 20 year old kids in Toronto to complete her journey from a tree house in Belize. The other is a crazy cousin who traded a 20 year string of abusive boyfriends for a $200 week life coach who provides her company 2 days a week - paid for by her mother.

Maybe others have more positive stories.
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$200/week you say….maybe another revenue stream for me is around the corner. I’m ‘fairly’ organized kol

OP I’m just kidding. I hope it works out but I don’t think it’s a service I have much need for.
 
mimico_polak said:
$200/week you say….maybe another revenue stream for me is around the corner. I’m ‘fairly’ organized kol

OP I’m just kidding. I hope it works out but I don’t think it’s a service I have much need for.
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Between that and your Onlyfans page you'd be doing pretty good!
 
Hey, appreciate this discussion, thanks everyone for weighing in. There seems to be a whole gamut of experiences out there, including some very negative ones that are way, way out of integrity. Complete with shady characters willing to take advantage of individuals who may need something entirely different (perhaps therapy or something else)

I can only speak from my own experience though as someone trained in engineering and schooled in cognitive science. As a researcher, I saw the various benefits of health coaching and that's how I got into this.

If I can be philosophical for a moment, it's about self-liberation through self-understanding. At least, that's my take.

Highlights of the training I took emphasized understanding the process of change. Basically that there are stages to change and different actions suited different stages. Actions when someone is in grief or loss, for example, look much different than actions when someone is not. So, through coaching someone might better understand where they're at, what might best serve them, why they're having a tough time reaching a certain goal on their own, what obstacles might be holding them back, and what in their toolbox they can do about it. And if they understand these things, including their blindspots, they can move forward. So coaching becomes about supporting someone's agency, in an area they were struggling with, so they no longer need a coach.

All that said, it's definitely not for everyone. Like anything, some due diligence goes a long way.
I really do appreciate the discussion.
Cheers all
 
This all seems very North American. It’s an alien concept to open up to a stranger and have that solve things. If I want to vent to someone that’s what my golf buddy is for and that’s free.
 
tiz said:
Hey, appreciate this discussion, thanks everyone for weighing in. There seems to be a whole gamut of experiences out there, including some very negative ones that are way, way out of integrity. Complete with shady characters willing to take advantage of individuals who may need something entirely different (perhaps therapy or something else)

I can only speak from my own experience though as someone trained in engineering and schooled in cognitive science. As a researcher, I saw the various benefits of health coaching and that's how I got into this.

If I can be philosophical for a moment, it's about self-liberation through self-understanding. At least, that's my take.

Highlights of the training I took emphasized understanding the process of change. Basically that there are stages to change and different actions suited different stages. Actions when someone is in grief or loss, for example, look much different than actions when someone is not. So, through coaching someone might better understand where they're at, what might best serve them, why they're having a tough time reaching a certain goal on their own, what obstacles might be holding them back, and what in their toolbox they can do about it. And if they understand these things, including their blindspots, they can move forward. So coaching becomes about supporting someone's agency, in an area they were struggling with, so they no longer need a coach.

All that said, it's definitely not for everyone. Like anything, some due diligence goes a long way.
I really do appreciate the discussion.
Cheers all
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I guess I take some opposition to a couple of things:

1) conflating the title of coach with counsellor or therapist.
2) a title that implies some form of professional services for a define-as-one likes service that has no governance, standards, or regulation.
 
Hardwrkr13 said:
IMO good life coaches have their place. Most of the time though it's people who have zero skills so they turn into life coaches. Much the same as tradesman with no skill so they start painting companies.
I know a part time stripper, "dating" (scamming) a blind guy twice her age, certified personal trainer and health coach (with Xerox copies to prove from an online site). Oh and she's a life coach as well.
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I’m not blind!
 
Mad Mike said:
Have children, it becomes your job.

Life Coach is not an accredited or recognized profession any more than being a professional Tarrot card or Palm reader.

“Life coaches” is a bit of a misnomer, they do councilling, not coaching. They help clients who cannot plan, develop or organize themselves develop and follow life plans.
Click to expand...
I feel like it's a "nutritionist" to a dietician. The former is a made-up nothing title, while the latter is an accredited and earned title. The fact that being a life coach seems to be trending among early 20-somethings (whom I'd trust to provide no more insight than a cantaloupe to someone twice their age), instantly screams a red flag to anyone claiming to do this.

No offense to the op, but if you studied engineering, why on earth are you a life coach? Don't mean to sound harsh... but come on now.
 
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