Suppose you’re thinking of working with a life coach.

You do a search on the internet and Google returns several million searches.

How do you know where to begin, and who is likely to be the right coach for you?

What makes someone even qualified to call themselves a coach and start charging for their coaching?

Is it that they have a Cert IV / Diploma in Life Coaching?

Are they a Certified NLP Practitioner / Master Practitioner / Trainer? (Is that even necessary?)

What if they have 10 years of experience in helping others, and have dedicated significant time to their own personal growth along the way?

What if they have endured difficult and painful experiences – does that make them more qualified?

I guess what I’m asking is: in your list of criteria (which is probably subsconscious), how much weight do you attach to qualifications and accreditations, as opposed to other qualities and traits such as:

• How caring and empathetic are they?
• How well do they listen?
• Are they non-judgmental?
• Do I feel comfortable talking to them, or do my instincts tell me to be on my guard?

Now let’s reverse the situation.

If you are about to step out onto a new path, you probably have similar questions going on in your mind.

• Is it enough that I have this qualification?
• Do I need to study and get another, just to appear more qualified and professional?
• Will a potential client choose someone else over me because the other person has more certificates on their wall?

Remember that you are not a victim; you are not at the mercy of every potential client who happens to find you on the internet.

You are here to make a living, but you also have the power to decide who you want to work with – who you most love to help.

Create your own set of criteria for these dream clients whom you know you can help and bless and serve. Meditate on how you will feel when you are together. Picture the joy and relief on their faces in finally finding you and realizing that you can help them.

Instead of getting anxious about whether you are qualified enough, focus instead on who you can serve just because of what you already do and who you meet. Get in conversation with them, find out what they really need at this point in their lives, and invest your time and energy and gifting into making a difference to them.