life Coaching vs. Transformational Coaching: What’s the Difference, and Which One Do I Need? (Part 3)
We hear about life coaching a lot these days! In the last two blog posts, we dived into what these two types of coaching are. Here, we’ll delve into the differences between them.
So let’s get into it!
Life Coaching: Direct-Action
Life coaching is direct. You show up with a goal — get a new job, start a business, create a routine, build confidence — and the coach helps you map it out and stick to it. Think structure, action steps, accountability, and measurable results.
Life coaching tends to focus on:
Clarifying goals
Creating plans
Overcoming external obstacles
Improving performance or mindset
Building motivation and consistency
It’s future-focused and very helpful when you already know what you want. It can also be helpful if you lack direction and need help deciding where to go next.
Transformational Coaching:
Internally-Based
In transformational coaching, we go into our inner worlds to see what changes we want to make. After gaining insight and clarity when doing deep internal exploration, and getting clear on the “why” behind your actions, you can make decisions that are more aligned with your values, beliefs, and what will make you most satisfied.
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Sometimes it can seem less direct. It goes inward first — exploring your beliefs, emotions, behaviors, nervous system, and subconscious patterns — so you can make choices from a place of alignment, not fear or habit.
pbzconsult.com explains it great:
“When done right, you empower clients to:
Feel more confident in who they are
Handle big life changes smoothly
Think in ways that help them grow
Know themselves better
Deal with emotions in a smarter way”
It’s less linear, more intuitive, and often slower in the beginning, but the results are more deeply integrated.
So which one do I need?
You may want a life coach if:
You already know what you want to achieve
You need structure, motivation, and accountability
You want short-term results or task-focused change
You’re ready to act, but need a plan, direction, and/or some support
You may want a transformational coach if:
You don’t know what you want…but you know something needs to shift
You feel stuck in emotional patterns you can’t explain
You’ve tried doing the work, but you haven’t shifted
You’re craving clarity, purpose, and a deeper sense of self
You want change that isn’t just about outcomes, but about becoming who you really are
Final Thoughts
Both forms of coaching are valid in their own right, but have different goals. Life coaching is about the external, and transformational coaching is about the internal. If you’re looking to start coaching with someone right now, then it’s all about what you need and what your goals are.
In the next post, we’ll explore how transformational coaching is different from therapy — and how to know which one might be the better fit for your current needs.
This is from the series “Stuck Between Who You Had to Be & Who You Truly Are - Coaching Explained.” The first post is here if you want to start from the beginning.
