Personally I love online courses.  I love the freedom of being able to work through information in my own time and from the comfort of my own home and have support (usually) as I learn.

I have a range of online self help courses available ranging from my mini course ~How to be happy to my big speciality course Law of Attraction Bootcamp. I’ll talk a little more about those later on.

But are they right for everyone?

The answer is a clear “No!”

These types of courses are not for everyone.  We’re all very different and our style of learning is different.

How will I know if an online self help course is for me or not?

You know yourself better than anyone else in the world so you want to be thinking about how you enjoy learning.

• Do you like to be in a classroom working face to face with a teacher and surrounded by other students?
• Do you like to study alone?
• Do you like to have face to face real time support?
• Do you like self study at home with additional online support?
• Do you like the support to be via a support group online or through private online support?
• Are you someone who will move forward on a course without someone telling you it’s time?
• Do you like a lot of hand holding?
• Do you want the flexibility to work at your own speed?

These are some questions you really want to be asking yourself before purchasing an online course.  Of course not all online self help courses are the same.

Some offer online training without any support at all.  You just buy the information.  Others have Facebook groups where members can support each other and others have one to one private coaching included.

Warnings and advice if you’re thinking of purchasing a self help course.

As a coach who’s passionate about helping people create the life they want, my biggest frustration is when people buy my courses and then do nothing with them.  It’s crazy.  I’m all for people working through my courses in their own time but I really don’t understand it when I can see they don’t even get started.

Warning! Don’t buy things you don’t intend using.  They won’t help you at all, they’ll just take money out of your pocket or bank account.

Advice Start immediately and build momentum.  Set time aside in your diary to work through the course.  Make it consistent.  For example: 30 minutes every weekday evening after the kids have gone to bed.  Or every Monday for an hour before starting work.  The key is to get started and keep going.  Make a commitment that anything you start, unless you really hate it, and yes I’ve certainly investing in a few of them in my time, to keep going.

Warning! Don’t feel you have to do it alone.  I am able to check how my clients are progressing through a course through the online coaching platform I use and when I see they’ve started working through the modules and then stopped I’ll get in touch.  They often tell me they were struggling with an exercise or a question so they put it off.  In all of my courses I offer private support and I offer it because I want people to use it.  It’s usually the exercises that people struggle with that are the most important for that person.

Advice If support is offered ask for help when you need it.  Another thing I want to mention here is that my courses are module based and with questions at the end of each module. People who reply to these question get more, much more from me.  When they reply, I am able to help them specifically.  These people get much higher value from the course they bought and tend to have far greater success than those who do not reply.

Warning! If you’re someone who needs pushing to get on with the course then this style of course is not for you.  As difficult as it is for me, after years of coaching and providing online coaching courses I now do not chase people up.  A lot of work goes into the setting up of these courses and they are usually offered at a price that is lower than private coaching.  So it makes no sense for the coach to spend time chasing people who aren’t putting the effort in.

Advice If you need pushing, you may be better with private coaching where you meet up with a coach on a weekly/monthly basis.  I am personally available for private coaching via telephone/skype for a limited number of people and I have connections with coaches across the UK and worldwide if you require a coach near to you.  Contact me

More tips for choosing a self help course

If possible get in touch with the person offering the course, us coaches tend to be a pretty up front and genuine.  Tell them what’s going on in your life and ask for advice on the best option to work with them.  Tell them you’ve been looking at their course and ask for advice if you need guidance.

I’ve had people that have phoned wanting private (more expensive coaching) and I’ve advised them to opt for a specific course.  I’ll also guide people to my lower priced courses rather than my higher priced courses if I think that’s what is best for them.  I’ll also be honest and tell people if I don’t think I’m the coach for them.  After years of working with people all over the world, I now have a pretty good idea if we’re not a match or if I cannot offer what they need.  For example: I often work with people who are in business.  I work with them to create a positive mindset around their business, from the way they view their business, customers… to the way they interact with and guide their employees,  I’m pretty great at this.  Yes I do blow my own trumpet.  But what I can’t do is coach you in things like the best accounts system, employment issues, how to present your business to a bank for a loan… You’d be looking for a professional business coach or business advisor for that.

As I said we’re usually a pretty trustworthy and genuine bunch of people.  Most coaches have a genuine desire to help people, whether they gain from that help or not and are willing to recommend other specialists who would be a better match for what you want.

Check out what support is available

For me this is really important.  Whilst many of us like he freedom of working alone at a time that suits us and from the comfort of our own homes (maybe in our PJ’s).  I personally feel we do need some form of support if we get stuck.  So make sure you check this out.

Check time-scales that the course runs on

Is it an evergreen course where you’ll get lifetime access (for as long as the course is available) or do you need to complete the course in a certain time before it becomes unavailable to you?

Current online coaching courses available through Wendy Tomlinson Coaching.

You can find all of my online courses and downloads in the shop.