INSTRUCTION - The phrase "Knowledge is Power" is absolutely applicable to personal growth and development. The better one understands how beliefs are developed; how emotions are generated; how habits are formed; and, most important, how the human mind works, the more effectively one can bring about productive changes in those areas. A key element of personal consulting is to to assist clients in taking more control of their individual destinies by sharing relevant expertise about human behavior to support their developmental efforts. This transfer of knowledge and skills enables the client to continue his or her personal development independently once the consulting relationship has ended.

GUIDANCE - Guidance pertains to offering clients advice or direction in helping to solve or overcome a problem. Sometimes false beliefs or personal blind spots can inhibit us from seeing our circumstances clearly or limit our ability to envision potential solutions. By not seeing the complete picture, a person may not fully appreciate the reasons behind certain challenges or fail to recognize potential behavioral options. A personal consultant may be able to offer insights by making relevant suggestions or asking appropriate question to stimulate a clients thinking. 

COACHING - Coaching has to do with helping clients develop personal goals along with corresponding plans of action and then supporting them along their paths to goal achievement. The coaching aspect of personal consulting is similar to the activities of a sports coach who observes client behaviors and then offers constructive feedback and encouragement to help keep the client on track toward improvement. However, personal consulting differs significantly from sports coaching in that the main focus (except perhaps in individual competition sports such as golf and tennis) is directed to the growth and development of the particular client rather than to that of the overall team of which the client is a part. Unlike sports coaches, personal consultant coaches never bench players or impose performance objectives to achieve team goals. They are completely and solely dedicated to the excellence of their individual clients. Personal consulting does not consist of a regular collection of coaching techniques or theories to be applied in every situation Coaching approaches are developed to meet the specific needs of each client. While sports coaches rarely adopt the attitude that they can learn something from their players, a fundamental feature  of personal consulting is the continual growth and development of the practitioner through his or her interaction with clients. Additionally, personal consultant coaching strives to generate self-discovery by eliciting insights from the clients themselves through the use of illuminating questions, which help them drive their own development toward building a happier and more meaningful life.