How Do I Know If Becoming a Coach Is Right for Me?

August 26, 2026

By Kim Morgan

‘How do I know whether coaching is right for me?’ is a question we have been asked many times over the past 30 years, and the answer will be different for everyone. So, in true coaching style, here are some thoughts and practical exercises to help you decide for yourself.

As Barefoot’s founder, I have always believed in giving honest answers when people ask whether coaching is right for them, partly because the answer depends on so many factors and partly because there is no single route to take. Some people build full-time practices; many combine coaching with consultancy, facilitation, training, leadership development or another job; others use coaching skills in an existing role or in their personal lives.

Thousands of coaches have trained with Barefoot, and I have had the privilege of seeing where that learning has taken them. Many have continued to grow and flourish as coaches, adding new areas of expertise as their careers have developed. Some now work with us as Barefoot associates. Some have developed coaching companies, written books, completed masters degrees and PhDs in coaching, delivered TEDx talks, moved into senior leadership roles, created charities and social enterprises, and received awards for their work. Many others have built satisfying portfolio careers in which coaching is one important part of what they do.

If you are interested in exploring whether coaching is right for you, you will need an understanding of the options, demands and possibilities. These questions and exercises will help you gather evidence so that you can make a well-informed decision.

1. Have some coaching yourself

Before investing in coach training, experience coaching as a client. Notice what it feels like to be listened to with space to think and to arrive at your own answers. Pay attention to what the coach does and whether you are interested in learning to create that space for others.

Practical exercise: Experience Being Coached

Arrange some sessions with a professionally trained coach. Afterwards, note: What helped me think? When did I feel challenged? What did the coach do instead of advising? What felt energising or uncomfortable?

2. Understand what is involved
in working as a coach

Having an interest in people is a good start, but professional coaching requires a range of skills. A coach listens closely, builds trust, asks thoughtful questions, challenges respectfully and helps clients take responsibility. Coaches must also contract clearly, understand boundaries, behave ethically, engage in coaching supervision and keep learning.

Much of the work involves helping people think well and find their own answers rather than advising or consulting.

Practical exercise: Listen Without Fixing

Ask someone you trust to talk to you for five minutes about a decision they are considering. Listen attentively, demonstrate interest and ask open questions. Give no advice even if asked. Afterwards, ask yourself what you learned from that experience.

3. Research the realities of a coaching career

A coaching career can be meaningful, flexible and intellectually rewarding. It may also involve variable income, business development, administration, cancellations and quiet periods. Earnings for coaches vary according to market, experience, credibility, clients, pricing and the proportion of the week spent in paid coaching.

Build your plans around the full picture rather than an attractive hourly rate. Paid sessions also include preparation, follow-up, marketing, networking, learning, supervision and administration.

Practical Exercise: Speak to Coaches

Ask several practising coaches about how they became a coach, how they earn their living, how long it took to establish their work and what a standard week looks like for them.

4. Ask what level of uncertainty your life can accommodate

It is important to look at your relationship with money and risk. How much financial security do you need? What happens to your thinking when income or plans are uncertain? Consider how much time and energy you could give to training, practice and finding clients, and who else would be affected by a change in your circumstances.

You may decide to remain employed while you train, build experience and put money aside until you feel financially secure enough to make a change.

Practical Exercise: Your uncertainty budget

Score yourself from 1 to 10 for financial capacity, available time, emotional energy, support from those around you and your tolerance of uncertainty. For every low score, consider one action that would improve it: reduce expenditure, protect study time, talk with your family, delay a major change or retain reliable income.

5. Consider coaching alongside your
current role

Many people begin coaching part-time. It can sit alongside consultancy, facilitation, teaching, training, HR, leadership development or another profession. It can also strengthen current work: managers can hold better development conversations; HR and learning professionals can encourage ownership; consultants can judge when to offer expertise and when to help a client think.

Not every coach opts to be self-employed. For some people, incorporating coaching into an existing role is the destination, not a half-way house. The important question is whether the learning helps you do work that matters with greater skill and integrity.

Practical Exercise: Your Coaching Opportunities Map

Draw three columns: Current role, Part-time practice and Future possibilities. List realistic ways coaching could appear in each, such as one-to-ones, internal coaching, volunteer clients, private clients or work linked to your specialism.

6. Test the water before making a big leap

You can take a gradual route and still be serious about coaching. Attend taster sessions, speak to graduates as well as course tutors, and explore opportunities to practise in your current work. Research the clients you might like to work with, what they need and how they find coaches.

When you have worked through these questions and exercises, use the coaching readiness check below to take stock of what you know and identify anything you still need to explore.

Practical Exercise: A coaching readiness check

You have experienced coaching and understand how it differs from advice, mentoring, consultancy and therapy.
You are willing to practise, receive feedback and examine your habits and assumptions in training to become a coach.
You have researched credible training providers.
You understand the income, costs and time involved in building work.
You know how much uncertainty your circumstances can absorb.
You have considered part-time, portfolio, workplace and self-employed routes.
After all your research, you are still excited by the prospect of becoming a coach.

You don’t need to answer ‘yes’ to every point. The check highlights what to explore next, and your readiness will become clearer through experience, research and honest reflection.

So, is becoming a coach right for you?

It could be! If you are curious about people, interested in the psychology of change, willing to listen without rushing to fix, open to feedback and prepared to keep learning, coaching may suit you. Your route might be a new career, a small practice, a portfolio of related work or a more coaching-led approach to your current role.

And if coaching does turn out to be right for you, it can open doors you cannot necessarily see at the beginning. One of the pleasures of doing this work for more than 30 years has been watching people take their coaching skills into places, organisations, communities and areas of work that none of us could have predicted when they first walked into a training room.

The aim is to make a well-informed decision that respects your ambitions, values, responsibilities and the realities of the profession.

Frequently asked questions about coaching

How do I know coaching is right for me?
Experience coaching, learn what professional practice involves and test your interest through small experiments. Look for evidence that you enjoy listening, inquiry, challenge, reflection and continued learning.

Can I coach part-time?
Yes. Many coaches begin alongside another role, and coaching may remain one part of a wider portfolio career. A part-time route can provide income stability while you build skill, experience, credibility and a client base.

Is coaching a good career?
It can be rewarding, flexible and meaningful, but earnings, workload and opportunities vary. A sustainable coaching practice often takes time to build, and many coaches combine coaching with related work.

Can I use coaching in my current role?
Yes. Coaching skills can strengthen leadership, management, HR, learning and development, consultancy and other people-focused work. For some people, using coaching inside an existing role is a valuable outcome of training.

Should I leave my job to become a coach?
Build enough evidence before making a major career decision. Understand your finances, training commitment and likely route to clients, and consider building experience while keeping some reliable income.

Do I need previous coaching experience?
You do not need previous coaching experience to begin training. You do need a willingness to learn, practise, receive feedback and work to clear professional and ethical standards. Your existing work and life experience will also shape what you bring.

What should I do before choosing coach training?
Have some coaching, attend more than one taster, speak to graduates, compare the live practice and feedback offered, understand the professional pathway and check that the time and cost commitments are sustainable.

Curious About Coaching?

Discover our coach training programme and experience coaching in action. Join a free taster session and see what’s possible in a safe, supportive, and no-obligation environment.

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