Many people come to coaching feeling stuck. They ask questions like, "What's my next career move?" or "What should I do next in life?" . While these are big questions, often the real challenge lies in even bigger underlying questions—questions about purpose, identity, and existence itself. Existential coaching is a transformative approach that helps individuals tackle these deep, existential concerns, leading to greater clarity and success in all areas of life.

The Philosophy Behind Existential Coaching

Existential coaching is grounded in existentialism, a branch of philosophy focused on the questions of existence—what it means to be human, to live, and to navigate life in a world shared with others. This approach invites individuals to explore life’s most profound questions, such as:

• Who am I?

• What is my purpose?

• How do I live authentically?

At its core, existentialism teaches that we each have free will and the responsibility to create our own meaning in life. It embraces the inherent uncertainties of existence, encouraging people to make their own choices and define their own path.

The Underlying Existential Questions

Often, the issues that bring someone to coaching—such as dissatisfaction with a career, relationship struggles, or feeling lost—are rooted in deeper, existential concerns. These may relate to:

• Purpose and identity: Questions like, "What's my why?" or "What am I here for?" form the foundation of more immediate concerns like career decisions.

• Death and endings: The inevitability of death brings with it an urgency to live meaningfully.

• Freedom and certainty: While freedom allows us to choose our path, it also comes with the anxiety of uncertainty.

• Connection: The human need for meaningful relationships and our constant confrontation with isolation.

Existential coaching explores these big questions because addressing them can make everyday decisions clearer and easier. Once you understand your purpose, your next steps—whether in your career or personal life—become more aligned with your true self.

Why We Avoid Big Questions—and Why We Shouldn’t

Human beings naturally seek to avoid discomfort. We distract ourselves from these existential givens—death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness—by focusing on day-to-day concerns. This is understandable; grappling with such deep questions can be intimidating. Yet, avoiding them often leads to feelings of being conflicted and anxious—a sense that we are not sure what’s right, what’s wrong, or what’s going to happen next.

Existential coaching challenges this avoidance. It helps clients face the fear of the unknown, accept life’s uncertainties, and begin to actively choose their own answers to these big questions. This process is not only about confronting discomfort but also about embracing it as part of the human experience. The braver choice is to explore these difficult themes, and in doing so, we gain greater clarity and empowerment.

The Existential Coaching Approach

Existential coaching offers practical interventions that guide individuals toward deeper self-awareness, resilience, and personal fulfilment:

1. The Four Worlds of Human Existence: This concept suggests that we exist in four interconnected worlds: the physical, social, personal, and spiritual worlds. By exploring which of these areas may be neglected or in conflict, you can bring balance into your life and alleviate distress.

2. Mapping Your Worldview: Your worldview consists of your beliefs and assumptions about life, yourself, and others. By articulating and refining your worldview, you can identify what needs to change to live a more fulfilling life.

3. Naming Avoidance: Sometimes we avoid uncomfortable truths by focusing on the past or future instead of the present. Existential coaching helps you recognize when you’re avoiding and encourages you to take an active role in shaping your life.

4. Developing Emotional Vocabulary: Understanding your emotional landscape is key to living authentically. Your coach will help you explore both common and overlooked emotions, fostering a deeper connection with yourself.

5. Taking Ownership: Existential coaching emphasizes free will and responsibility. By taking ownership of your decisions, you can make intentional choices that align with your values and aspirations.

6. Exploring Values: Your values are central to living a meaningful life. Existential coaching involves deep exploration of your values, helping you live in alignment with what truly matters to you.

7. Role-Playing Ideal Life Scenarios: Through role-playing, you can visualize and experience what it feels like to live your most meaningful life. This exercise helps clarify the actions and decisions that will lead to fulfilment.

Embracing Uncertainty and Fear

One of the key insights in existential coaching is learning to accept and even embrace uncertainty. Life and work are filled with unknowns, and existential anxiety—the discomfort that arises from these unknowns—is a natural part of being human. Rather than trying to eliminate this anxiety, existential coaching teaches you to appreciate it as a source of growth and self-discovery.

As you engage with life fully and answer the big questions about purpose, identity, and connection, you begin to experience life’s ups and downs with greater acceptance. This doesn’t mean ignoring or glossing over life’s difficulties but instead learning to appreciate them as part of a rich, meaningful existence.

Why Existential Coaching Leads to a More Successful Life

Success is often defined in external terms—money, status, or achievement. But in the context of existential coaching, success is about living authentically and purposefully, aligned with your true self. Here’s how this approach can help you live a more successful life:

• Clarity of Purpose: By addressing the big existential questions, you gain a clear understanding of what truly matters to you.

• Empowerment: Taking ownership of your choices and actions gives you the power to shape your life according to your values.

• Resilience: Accepting life’s uncertainties allows you to adapt and grow, even in the face of challenges.

• Authenticity: Existential coaching helps you connect with your true self, enabling you to live a life that reflects your deepest values, rather than conforming to societal expectations.

Existential coaching is a profound approach that helps you confront life’s biggest questions—about purpose, identity, and meaning. By tackling these existential themes, you not only gain insight into who you are and what you want, but you also create a life that is authentic, purposeful, and successful.