When I first heard about life coaching, I was skeptical. Could it deliver value? How does it work? What exactly does a coach do? These were just a few of the questions in my mind. I also realized that I had a few assumptions about coaching that turned out to be untrue. The following are the top four myths about life coaching and the Academic Life Coaching program.

MYTH #1: WORKING WITH A COACH MEANS SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH ME.

Reality: Coaching is designed to give you skills and tools that benefit everyone.

The top performers, from professional athletes to business executives, all work with coaches. If you really want to perform at the top of your game, you need to have an outside perspective to help get you there. Coaching, whether it is sports, executive, or life coaching, is designed to help people get where they want to go. In fact, the name coach comes from the British use of the word meaning bus. Literally, a coach helps you get where you want to go.

Coaching is not counseling. It is not about sharing your deepest fears or emotions while trying to diagnose a deeper problem. Coaching is focused on helping you create more positive, sustainable action in your life.

MYTH #2: THIS PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE A LOT MORE WORK, AND I ALREADY HAVE TOO MUCH TO DO.

Reality: All of your coaching homework is centered on the academic work you already have or integrated directly into your life.

Most students have busy schedules, and this program will require you to learn new concepts. However, the work of this program is not reading a dozen additional books and writing more papers. Instead, the ALC program will offer you new ways to study and approach your work differently and sometimes more challenging, but applying these concepts will gradually free up more of your time and energy for other passions or activities.

MYTH #3: A COACH IS GOING TO BE A SPY FOR MY PARENTS AND IS JUST GOING TO GET ME TO DO WHAT MY PARENTS WANT ME TO DO.

Reality: Your coach will help with communication. If you want your coach to hold something confidentially, you have that client privilege.

A good coach rarely tells you directly what to do. The magic of coaching is that the client and coach design the action steps after each session together. You get to choose how you use the concepts in your life.

As outlined in the professional ethics of a Certified Life Coach, confidentiality is a central part of the coach/client relationship. If there is something you do not want your parents to know, your Certified Life Coach will not share it with them except in the rare instance that it is information about something that may harm you or others.

Academic Life Coaches are trained to help you get where you want to go and to help your parents understand the best way they can support you. You get an opportunity to let your parents know the best way to interact with you in a way that benefits you both. You and your parents get more of what you both want: a peaceful and strong relationship.

MYTH #4: OTHERS WILL KNOW THAT I HAVE A COACH.

Reality: Your coach will hold your coach-client relationship confidentiality.

Most people do not care if others know they are working with a coach. But if you care and do not want anyone else to know that you are working with a coach, your coach will respect your wishes. A certified life coach understands the confidentiality of the coach/client relationship, will not share it with others and will keep any of the information in a coaching relationship private. You, however, are free to share with anyone you want that you are working with a coach and what you are learning.

Working with a coach is one of the best investments you can make of your time, energy, and resources. By far, the best way to learn about coaching is to experience it. But before we jump in, here are some guidelines that will help make the program one of the highlights of your education.