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Coaches or Mentors — What’s the Difference?
November 6, 2019

If you know you need help navigating life and improving your approach toward achieving your goals, you may be wondering if lifestyle coaching or mentoring would be best for you.
Here are some comparisons between the two to help you determine which is the best fit for your life:
Mentoring
A mentor may work with a client for a year or even longer. While it may help clients achieve specific goals, the goal of mentoring is to improve overall development. This is achieved through informal meetings, which may be in an office setting or almost anywhere else.
Mentoring is also needs-based. This means that the person being mentored typically sets the schedule, giving direction to the mentor for what they want to achieve. They may achieve their goals by asking questions of the mentor, tapping into the seniority and experience in whatever area they are being mentored.
The outcome of a mentoring relationship may grow and change over time as the needs of the client shift. This is one of the many reasons why some people love mentoring – and why it doesn’t suit the needs of others.
Lifestyle Coaching
What sets lifestyle coaches apart from mentoring? First, relationships between coaches and clients tend to be shorter, since the approach is more results-driven. Meetings are more structured in both setting and schedule, with specific goals established upfront for clients to work toward.
The agenda for working toward those goals are established by both the client and the coach, who are typically hired for their experience and expertise in a specific area. This allows them to impart knowledge in a functional, practical way to help clients achieve exactly what they’re aiming to.
In this type of relationship, coaches do more of the asking of questions. They are known for using thought-provoking queries to get clients thinking and inspire them to work through their own feelings and apprehensions. This can help clients identify their own shortcomings and overcome negative or impractical thinking that might be holding them back from success.
The results of working with a life coach are meant to be measurable and defined, so success can be determined by reaching goals. This is the primary reason so many goal-driven people love working with coaches throughout their careers and personal lives.
Want to learn more about working with a lifestyle coach? Find the best online life coach with the industry experts at Hundred Life Design. We can help you find the perfect coach that suits your needs.