Every good team or athlete has a coach. A coach is someone that watches how the person is performing, looking for good attributes and also for areas where improvement can be made. Coaches are people who will give you good counsel, because they want to see you succeed and also because they are staking their reputation on the line. A coach will work with you to keep you winning and provide valuable input for when you are not being as successful as you want.

There are different types of coaches, sports coaches, business coaches, personal coaches, etc. and they work with your best interest in mind. A coach is not going to hold your hand but rather assist you in standing on your own two feet and facing the challenges before you. A coach is not always going to say the nice things but often the niceties is not what you need, you need a dose of deep reality and a coach will not fear telling you where you stand.

Coaches come with a varying degree of education, knowledge, experience, and background. A coach is never a “One size fits all” situation, you need to be able to relate to a coach and he with you. The relationship needs to be one of trust and understanding, confidence and confidentiality. If you choose to work with a coach and you feel that things are not working the way you had intended, don’t be worried about changing coaches, a good one will understand, and a poor one will become offended.

A really neat fact about coaches? Most of the good ones have a coach. It is said everybody needs a coach and every coach needs to coach and be coached. If you haven’t worked with a coach in the past but would like to consider it, know that most initial consultations are free, and it is a great way to see how well you and her fit together.

Be ready to be challenged in ways that you may not have been challenged in before, be ready to take a hard look at yourself and learn to see yourself through the trained eyes of your coach. You might just be surprised at just how good you really look.