Several years ago when I was searching for my life passion, I kept bumping into two careers that intrigued me -- counseling and life coaching.

Before I began my passion search, I'd never heard of life coaching. But once it landed in my field of awareness, I started reading about coaching everywhere, hearing coaches (like Martha Beck) on television, and seeing ads for life coaches in local magazines.

I even had a session with a career coach as I was trying to figure out what to do with my life, although I didn't know that's what she was called at the time.

In speaking with my friends and family, I got a lot of encouragement to become a counselor or licensed clinical social worker. That certainly fit my personality type, and I'd talked for years about going back to school to get my graduate degree.

But the more I explored both career options, the more convinced I became that having a life coaching business (or personal coach) was the best path for me. It ultimately turned out to be my career passion.

First, as an English major in college, I didn't have enough psychology credits to begin a master's program, which is required to become a counselor. And as a mom of three kids all living at home at the time, I knew it would take several years to complete the undergraduate and graduate work required just to begin a practice. (more…)