Too Young to Coach? Think Again
Why Gen Z coaches might be exactly what the industry needs. (Written for Psychology Today)
Photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash
I’m a 24-year-old ICF (International Coaching Federation) Associate Certified Coach. That means I’ve gone to coaching school, coached clients for over 100 hours, trained under a mentor, and passed both a written and oral exam. And despite my credentials, I still hear this:
How can you be a coach? You have no life experience!
You coach parents? But you don’t even have a kid.
What could you possibly teach me?
How could you understand my problems?
These aren’t just questions — they’re assumptions. Assumptions based on the belief that age equates to wisdom, that the more life experience you have, the better a coach you will be. But this isn’t true. Holding onto this belief will only hurt the coaching community.
Breaking Down the Biases
There are two main issues with the previously stated beliefs.
First, let’s talk about the idea that young people “have no life experience.” If you measure life experience by the number of years we’ve been alive, then you’re right — we are lacking in that department. But we all know that’s not what life experience means. Life experience is about what you’ve lived through, reflected on, and learned. And my generation has had “life experience” thrown at us fast: from mental health crises, to exploring our identities in a polarizing political environment, to adapting to a global pandemic that uprooted our entire world, and more.
Second (and most importantly, in my opinion), there is a gross misunderstanding of what coaching is.
Do you know why you don’t need to have “life experience” to be a good coach? Because coaching isn’t about giving advice or sharing your story.
It’s about asking questions and digging deeper.
It’s about being skilled at holding space, not having answers.
It’s about being a partner, not a know-it-all.
It’s about listening, not teaching.
And none of that requires years of experience. It requires patience, training, presence, and trust.
The Advantages of Being a Young Coach
It’s easy to think about the disadvantages of hiring a young coach. But let’s flip the script. Why should you hire a young coach?
1. Beginner’s mindset
Shunryū Suzuki, the Japanese Zen Master who popularized the term “Beginner’s mind,” writes, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”
A beginner’s mind is the concept of confronting situations without preconceived ideas and instead, being open and curious to learning. This is exactly how any coach should approach a conversation with a client.
A younger coach is likely to come to each coaching engagement with a beginner’s mind, with more curiosity, partially because we are beginners! Unlike seasoned coaches, we can’t/don’t anticipate where a conversation may lead, so we are open to any possible outcome with the client. When you’re more curious, you open doors for the client that neither of you knew existed.
Because we don’t know or may not understand our client’s situation, we have to ask. We get to explore our client’s situation for the first time, maybe even seeing things that other coaches wouldn’t. That’s the power of a beginner’s mind.
2. A different set of experiences and a unique lens
Young coaches have lived a different life than you have, which means we get to help you explore your experiences through a unique perspective. Maybe we see the world through the lens of inclusivity, mental health, neurodiversity, technology, or something else entirely. But because we see the world differently, we can challenge your assumptions and pick up on your blind spots.
Think about your coach as a partner on a road trip. If they are just like you (same map, same playlist, same desired destination), you’re probably going to stay on the same route you have always followed. When you have a partner who reads the map differently, you’re more likely to find unexplored side streets and notice something new about a landmark you’ve passed a dozen times. That partner might ask you, “What would it look like to take a different path?” and that’s when you can truly learn something new.
3. We’re growing, too
How can you help someone else grow if you’re still figuring out who you are?
Great question.
Young people are constantly learning, adapting, and evolving. We might not have it all figured out, and that’s okay! Growth isn’t something we champion from afar — it’s something we experience every single day.
We are always challenging our assumptions, trying out new mindsets, and asking questions about our beliefs. We are growing in real time and fast. This doesn’t mean we are ill-equipped to coach. It means we are intimately connected with the power and process of transformation.
Wouldn’t you rather work with a coach who knows that growth and change are possible because they are living that experience, too? Who better to help you grow than someone who’s doing the work alongside you?
The Future of Coaching
You’re in charge of who you choose as a coach. You can choose someone based on age or experience, or you can pick someone based on what matters most: a coach who makes you better, who challenges you, and asks the hard questions.
And you might think that person can’t or shouldn’t be young.
Call it what you want — too young, too inexperienced, too bold. I’ll call it what it is: the future of coaching.