BECOMING A LIFE COACH CHANGED MY LIFE – LET ME CHANGE YOURS

Carole Ann Rice, one of the UK’s first life coaches, is determined to help you find happiness and success.

Do you love what you do? A lot of us go through life doing something that earns money, but doesn’t bring any real joy. And for a long time that was me. I was a high-profile columnist in a daily newspaper – the kind of career people dream of – but I was miserable and wracked with imposter syndrome.

I have always been one of those intense people at parties wanting to know more about what life is all about. I would ask the deeper questions and loved finding solutions. For a while, I was even a Samaritan, answering calls from people who have come to the end of their tether. I realised I had a passion for helping people who are finding life difficult to deal with – and that passion couldn’t be satisfied with a career in journalism.

I didn’t want to be a therapist, but I knew how to help desperate people, because I’ve had times in my life when I felt there’s no one to turn to – when I’ve thought ‘how do I cope with the feelings?’

Then one day in the hairdresser’s I read a magazine story by a writer called Suzy who, struggling to make an income and drinking her way through the weekends, had found a new lease of life when she became a life coach. This was many years ago and back then I’d never even heard of life coaches, but I loved her story – it really spoke to me – especially as she too had been a journalist before she hit on this career change.

When, a few weeks later, I was made redundant, I spent about 24 hours feeling indignant and then made a momentous decision. I decided to put my redundancy money to good use by making Suzy my life coach.

A revelation changed everything
Life coaching helped me come to some important realisations, and I finally faced up to the fact that I didn’t have to carry on in a career I hated. I’d always come from a position of ‘you don’t have to like it, just as long as it makes you money’. But I knew there had to be something more. And I really loved what Susie did. It was a revelation when I realised that being a life coach would be a perfect fit for me, too.

This was 20 years ago, and in the years since I qualified as a life coach, I’ve helped so many people find their sense of direction, take the right steps and achieve real results. I’ve coached supermodels, footballers, scientists, concert pianists, writers, poets, nurses and teachers – each and every one has been amazing to help because they’re all committed to make the best of their lives.

As human beings we are very complicated, but we all have the same issues when it comes to making a big life change – What if I fail? What if people laugh at me? How will I make money? What if I’m not good enough?

These are the limiting beliefs we are all too often stuck with, and my job is to identify them and help change people’s mindset. Money is a huge one – people think they can’t make money doing what they love, but once you get over that belief the money miraculously starts to come in.

Sharing the wisdom
Over time I discovered that a lot of coaches don’t represent themselves very well. They may be great coaches but don’t talk the talk, and struggle with marketing themselves in a way that inspires and piques interest, rather than making people groan when they hear ‘Hi, I’m a life coach’.

And that’s how the idea for the Pure Coaching Academy was born. I train people to become world class coaches – in my style. For about 12 years now I’ve run the Pure Academy and have had over 200 coaches graduate – and they leave the academy feeling super confident, savvy and primed for success.

Co-created with a former client, this is an accredited life coach training course. It’s world class training as I give them what’s often missing from the coaching world – the business acumen to make a good living from being a coach. Because you can be the best coach ever, but if you haven’t got a single client, you’ll soon have to go back to the day job. My coaches change people’s lives and I teach them how to harness social media for marketing and advise on how to get press coverage so they can get the message out there. I help them bring their self-worth up to a level where they can charge good rates and enjoy a decent living.

Being real and relatable
I also teach my coaches that, on those days when your self-belief wobbles, it’s fine to be open about that. Even coaches have difficult times and being really relatable about this can work.

And the fact is, not everyone is going to click with what you’re saying. You’re not everyone’s cup of tea, not everyone’s ideal coach. Coaches don’t all have to be extroverts – some are very quiet people, and when they’re matched with clients who want a hand to hold and to go at their own pace with empathy and sensitivity, they’re in their element.

The fact is, in doing this, I too am always out of my comfort zone. I’m always thinking ‘this is the day it’s not going to work’ and I have to dig deep. And this is what I know: it’s not going to get any easier and that’s OK. Just find what it takes to help you feel more confident – make-up, nice clothes, affirmations or meditation. Whatever helps, keep it permanently in your toolkit.

The unique thing about me is that when I’m coaching, I get to the point very, very quickly. With all my years of experience, within seconds I get what the issues are, so I cut to the chase. I do use a lot of humour and can be quite hard-hitting but I’m also very kind. Some people love this, so if this sounds like you and you want to change your life, sign up for the next Pure Coaching Academy course.

I’m passionate about people not living with regrets – regrets are a life half lived. Never let regrets be your pension plan. You’ve got to live your life. And that starts now.

About the Pure Coaching Academy Course
Over 8 weeks, one day a week, you follow the syllabus on Zoom and learn all you need to know to be a highly successful and profitable coach. The course is accredited, international, experiential, fun and genuinely life-changing, with a unique spirituality module that enables you to explore how to be happy every day with your body, your life, family, friends, the community and the planet.

The next Pure Coaching Academy course starts on 24th Feb, 2024.