So you’re passionate about health and wellness and want to make it a career – maybe even become a health coach. First, let me reassure you that you’re in the right place. About 15 years ago I felt a calling likely similar to what you’re feeling right now. I was working in Corporate Public Relations but feeling dis-satisfied with the trajectory of my career. I loved anything pertaining to wellness and discovered that I could become a Health Coach and make it a career! At the time, Health Coaching was relatively unheard of so I spent a lot of time researching the field to make sure I felt certain about the investment I was about to make. {Keep reading to make sure you snag my exclusive IIN discount!}
But, like many big decisions, I delayed it and overthought it because of an overwhelming sense of fear. Over the next five years I continuously pondered whether I should become a Health Coach and then one day I was tired of thinking about it and decided to take the leap. I called the admissions office and enrolled. Ten years later, while I wish I hadn’t waited so long, today I’m grateful I finally did it. I’m living the life I always dreamed of and helping people make healthy lifestyle changes that create massive shifts in their own lives.
When I first started Health Coaching, I never expected to make it a full-time career. I was still working full time and coaching my clients in the evenings and on weekends. However, as my schedule began to fill up, going full time became a goal for me. In the past 10 years I’ve … started a blog, written a book, led hundreds of nutrition workshops, created group programs and detoxes, coached hundreds of clients in my VIP program, designed a group program for Bar Method studios (where I teach barre classes), been quoted in Self, Glamour, The New York Times, Forbes and more, written articles for the Huffington Post and mindbodygreen, was contracted as a Health Coach by EmblemHealth to give nutrition talks and have been hired by companies like Pfizer, ASOS, Skadden Arps, One Medical Group, Lululemon and more to give nutrition workshops to their employees and commuities.
One of the burning questions I’m asked when I speak with prospective students is “if I become a Health Coach, will I be successful?” Nobody can answer that question but you, however, what I do know is that the world is in need of leaders who are passionate about wellness to inspire people to make lasting lifestyle changes and if you’re thinking about it and made it this far, the chances are pretty good you’ll succeed!
Here’s what I think it takes to become a Health Coach – and be successful.
One // An Entrepreneurial Spirit. If you’ve always dreamed of working for yourself or you’re a self-starter then you have what it takes to start your own business as a Health Coach. That said, if you’re someone who thrives as part of a team, needs more direction or craves corporate life, there are more and more wellness roles being created within organizations. If you become a Health Coach, you absolutely can keep your full-time job or find a new dream job that you feel excited about and fits your new skillset.
Two // Hard Work. Like anything worth having, becoming a Health Coach and starting a business is hard work. The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I got my health coaching certification, is incredible because not only do they train you in nutrition theory, they help you get your health coaching business up and running. However, years ago, I was under the impression I could hang the proverbial sign on my door and the clients would come. That’s not necessarily how it works. It takes a lot of time, dedication and hard work to attract clients and build a tribe even though it doesn’t always feel like work!
Three // Ambition. This is where it pays to dream big because literally anything is possible and as they say, if you dream it, you can make it happen. That’s one of the things I love about becoming a Health Coach – I could use my creativity to create any kind of program or content I wanted. If you see a need, you have the freedom to create a solution and make it your own.
Four // Resilience. Sometimes as a Health Coach you’ll try something – a new program, an event or an approach to a client challenge that doesn’t work. It’s important to be resilient, know when to pivot and try again. If you’re a natural problem-solver, you’ll be successful as a Health Coach, but if you give up easily you may find this work challenging.
Five // Growth Mentality. Becoming a Health Coach has challenged me to push the limits of my comfort zone and grow in ways I didn’t know I could. To be the best Health Coach I can and support my clients fully, I have to show up as the most complete version of myself I can be and that requires constant learning – from new nutrition concepts to personal development.
If you want to explore the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, click here to download a sample class and be sure to reach out to me to learn more about my IIN discount. I’ll personally put you in touch with the admissions team!
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