Huw JonesCoaching v Financial Life planning v Financial Planning
I’m a Coach, a Life Planner and a Chartered & Certified Financial Planner. I often get asked about the differences between the three disciplines and what are the benefits of each.
Coaching
The role of the coach is to help develop people to make deal with a transition, make a decision or improve an aspect of their life. It is not to give technical and tactical advice. The reason why I coach is to help people glimpse their greatness within.
When I coach entrepreneurs and business leaders this is exactly what I do. I help to create the environment that enables them to see what is truly possible so that they can move forward towards their maximal potential.
Importantly, the coach fulfils another really important role – that of objective 3rd party observer. We’re all riddled any number of cognitive biases that can undermine our decision making. Even if we know that we have these biases we still can’t stop them. A coach can help you see things from the outside looking. As the GapingVoid sketch says: You can’t read the label of the jar you’re in.
Financial Life Planning
With coaching defined life planning becomes a bit easier to explain.
Life Planning is nothing more than an in depth discussion about what is really important to you. It will enable you to create a priority order so that you can make sure you spend time and energy doing first things first. Who wouldn’t be interested in being more focussed on the things that are most important to them?
I’ve done it. Life Planning helped me identify two pillars that are essential for me to have in my life. The first is for me to continue to develop professionally and personally. I’m a learner and honing my coaching and life planning skills (whilst maintaining my financial planning skills) ticks this box very nicely for me.
By focussing on my own development I can satisfy my second pillar: helping people to glimpse their greatness within. This has the potential to change people’s lives – and the lives of those around them. This is why I get out of bed each day.
Financial Planning
This is the easiest one to explain. This is where I align money and motivation. I provide recommendations as to what I think people should do with their money and what actions they need to take to support my recommendations. This advice is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and I have obtained a load of qualifications that enable me to give it.
MEANS, DESIRES AND PLANS
Your means are you: Your talents, your time, your effort and your money. That’s all you’ve got to give. Your Desires are what you absolutely must have in your life. This is your priority order. Your Plans are what you must do in life to everything you want out of life. Where coaching, life planning and financial planning meet is where the magic happens.
