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June 8, 2025In a recent online conversation, someone commented:
"Now they have so many professions I've never heard of before—life coaching, career coaching, bla bla... Why do people always want to take advice from strangers on the internet? When I think of a life coach, I imagine my 85-year-old grandma, full of life experience."
That comment lingered in my mind.
Not because it's wrong. But because it's deeply human.
It brings up questions we've all asked at some point:
What qualifies someone to guide another person?
Why do we seek help from "strangers"?
And how does lived experience compare to professional frameworks?
Let’s unpack this thoughtfully.
There is undeniable value in life experience. Our elders carry stories, scars, and lessons forged through time. Many of us grew up sitting at the feet of a grandmother or uncle, soaking in real-life wisdom.
Someone who’s raised kids, survived loss, endured decades of change — these people know a lot. Sometimes they know exactly what to say to soothe or spark us.
But even they would admit: their advice comes from their story.
And life has changed. Rapidly.
The pressures, career paths, and mental health realities of today look vastly different than even 20 years ago. Navigating remote work, burnout, social identity, or meaning in a hyper-digital age often requires more than just wisdom passed down. It requires tools. Structure. And active listening without bias.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: yes, coaching can feel a little... new-agey or suspicious, especially when it seems like anyone with Wi-Fi and confidence can call themselves a coach.
But here's the reality: not all coaches are self-declared gurus.
There are certified, trained professionals who follow evidence-based frameworks, who are supervised, who work under ethical guidelines, and who go through years of training.
Yes, they may be "strangers" when you first meet them. But think about this:
When you go to therapy, you start with a stranger.
When you hire a consultant, you bring in a stranger.
When you read a book that changes your life—chances are, it's written by a stranger.
In many ways, strangers offer neutrality. They aren’t tied to your family history. They don’t carry your baggage. And that distance gives them clarity to reflect, challenge, and support you in ways loved ones often can't.
Another myth worth busting: Coaching isn't just about advice.
A good coach doesn’t tell you what to do. In fact, many trained coaches actively avoid giving advice.
Instead, they ask questions you may have never thought to ask yourself. They create space for you to think out loud. They reflect your own patterns back to you. They help you move from stuck to forward, without prescribing the path.
And they do it without judgment, agenda, or interruption.
Because our lives are more complex than ever. Because not everyone has a wise elder available, or a friend who can hold space without turning the conversation back to themselves. Because some decisions need a thought partner, not just encouragement. Because clarity is hard to find when you’re inside your own fog.
Coaching isn’t better than a grandmother’s wisdom. It’s different.
It’s structured. Intentional. Focused on unlocking your insights, not just offering someone else’s.
In a way, the best coaching might feel a little like sitting with your grandma. Only this time, she’s trained to help you see yourself more clearly.
We don't always need advice. Sometimes, we just need a mirror.
And that mirror might come in the form of a trained stranger, on the internet, who knows how to help you hear your own truth—loud and clear.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s a new kind of wisdom worth trusting.
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