Lifebook
A life-design certification program founded by Jon and Missy Butcher, built on a 12-category framework and now distributed globally through Mindvalley.
- Type
- Coach Training Organization
- Founded
- 2007
- Headquarters
- United States
About
Lifebook was created by Jon and Missy Butcher, serial entrepreneurs based in St. Charles, Illinois, who developed the framework initially as a personal tool for navigating life's competing demands. Jon began building what would become Lifebook in the mid-2000s after attending personal development programs and finding them fragmented, useful in isolation but lacking a unified structure. By 2007 Lifebook had taken shape as a formal program, and the couple began running in-person retreats, including a seminal 2009 Chicago event attended by Mindvalley founder Vishen Lakhiani. That encounter seeded a partnership that, in 2017, produced Lifebook Online, a digital version of the retreat hosted on the Mindvalley platform. In 2022, Lifebook formally became part of Mindvalley, with Jon and Missy joining Vishen Lakhiani as co-founders of the merged entity.
The core premise is that most people never deliberately examine what they want across the full range of their lives. Lifebook addresses this by dividing life into 12 categories (Health and Fitness, Intellectual Life, Emotional Life, Character, Spiritual Life, Love Relationship, Parenting, Social Life, Financial Life, Career, Quality of Life, and Life Vision) and guiding participants to write a detailed, personal philosophy statement for each. The output is a physical or digital document (the "Lifebook") that functions as an ongoing reference and decision-making framework.
A Certified Lifebook Leader is a graduate of the Lifebook Online program and Lifebook Mastery Membership who has then completed the proprietary Leader certification. They are trained to facilitate the Lifebook process for individuals, groups, and corporate clients. The role is scoped to guiding others through the Lifebook system, not to providing generalist life coaching.
The Programs
Lifebook Online
The entry-point program is a six-week online course, priced at approximately $449, available through Mindvalley and offered in multiple languages including English, German, French, Spanish, Romanian, Greek, Bulgarian, and Chinese. Participants work through the 12 life categories using the PVPS framework (Philosophy, Vision, Purpose, Strategy), producing a complete life vision document. The course runs in cohorts, with multiple start dates per month.
Lifebook Mastery Membership
After completing Lifebook Online, participants can join the Mastery Membership, a subscription tier that provides goal-setting tools, accountability structures, community access, and the Mastery Bootcamp, a self-paced program for translating life vision into an executable action plan. Completion of both Lifebook Online and the Mastery Bootcamp is a prerequisite for applying to the Leader certification.
Lifebook Leaders Certification Program
The Leaders program is an 8-week, application-only certification that trains graduates to facilitate Lifebook for their own clients and communities. It is conducted live, with regular group calls and direct involvement from Jon and Missy Butcher and their team. Certification also includes business-development training in marketing frameworks, sales materials, and community-building guidance, positioning Leaders to operate their own Lifebook facilitation practices. The program fee has been set at $2,995 USD; pricing for future cohorts is subject to change.
Important note on accreditation: The Lifebook Leaders Certification Program is proprietary and is not accredited by the ICF, EMCC, or any other professional coaching body. Coaches who complete the Leaders program receive a Lifebook credential, not an ICF or EMCC recognized qualification. Coaches seeking credentials recognized across the broader profession should pursue ICF- or EMCC-accredited training separately.
Philosophy and Pedagogy
Lifebook's intellectual foundation rests on two explicit principles: living consciously (deliberately examining assumptions, beliefs, and desires in each life domain) and taking responsibility (treating your life as a product of your choices, not your circumstances). These principles shape the curriculum throughout. Participants are not given a prescribed vision of a good life but are guided to articulate their own.
The 12-category structure is the program's most distinctive feature. Unlike generalist coaching programs that address goals broadly, Lifebook systematically works through each domain in sequence, on the premise that clarity in one area often depends on clarity in adjacent ones. Within each category, the PVPS framework asks for a personal Philosophy, a defined Vision, a sense of Purpose, and a concrete Strategy, giving the process a repeatable, transferable structure that trained Leaders can deploy reliably.
The pedagogy is experience-first: Jon and Missy teach primarily from their own lives, and Leaders are expected to have completed and lived the program themselves before facilitating it for others.
Where It Sits in the Coaching Field
Lifebook occupies a distinct position in the personal development market. It is not a generalist coaching school; it does not produce coaches trained in the ICF Core Competencies or prepared to work across a broad range of client issues. It is closer to a proprietary framework with a certified facilitator network, similar in structure to programs offered by organizations like Mindvalley (of which it is now a part).
The consumer-facing program is broad in reach and openly commercial in how it is sold. Mindvalley reports more than 75,000 members in over 85 countries, and the program is marketed actively through Mindvalley's large digital audience. The Leader program is selective by design: applicants must be existing members with proven engagement, and cohorts are limited in size.
Coaches who hold ICF credentials and are also certified Lifebook Leaders exist, but the credentials are independent of one another. Prospective clients should not assume that a "Certified Lifebook Leader" designation implies ICF or EMCC accreditation.
What This Means for You
If you are considering working with a Certified Lifebook Leader, expect the engagement to be structured around the Lifebook system: a systematic pass through all 12 life categories to help you clarify what you want and why, followed by goal-setting and accountability work tied to that vision. This is most useful if you are looking for broad life-direction clarity rather than help with a single, well-defined challenge.
What the credential reliably signals: the coach has completed the Lifebook program themselves, invested time in the Leader training, and been accepted into a selective cohort. It does not signal independent third-party verification of coaching competency in the way that ICF ACC, PCC, or MCC credentials do. Before engaging a Lifebook Leader, it is worth asking whether they hold any additional coaching credentials, how many clients they have facilitated, and whether they have experience working with clients in situations similar to yours.
Most people live by default, shaped by circumstance, culture, and other people's expectations. Lifebook is built on one premise: that you can consciously design every dimension of your life, and that clarity of vision is the prerequisite for everything else.
Approaches coaches use
Challenges our Lifebook coaches help clients through
Lifebook coaches on Dream Coach Match
Kicki Petersson is a sustainability coach with 14+ years in education. She helps teachers reclaim joy, energy, and balance through her signature Life Map method—an inspiring, visual guide to a sustainable lifestyle. With over 800 clients served, Kicki empowers you to align with your values and take action. Book a consultation and start designing a life that truly supports you.
I’m Dhivyaa Chelvan — Authenticity Coach, energy healer, Ayurvedic wisdom keeper, and guide for women on the path of deep becoming. My mission is simple: To help you remember that your truth is sacred, your voice is powerful, and your life is meant to feel like a full-body yes.
I help you navigate a journey of self-discovery and growth to unlock your fullest potential. I empower you to gain clarity on your goals, develop emotional resilience, and build the confidence needed to overcome obstacles.
We turn your vision in action, your purpose into practice and your pressure into results. Cut out the noise - wake up the LEADER inside!
I serve business owners making 100-500k in revenue. They are often men in their 40s. They share with me that they are frustrated working 60 hours a week and still achieving their growth targets. They tell me they are longing to achieve all their goals by working less than 40 hours per week and taking weekends off for their family and hobbies. If that resonates, then we should talk.
With focus and attention, taking inspired action, we can achieve anything. Preparation is necessary before a commitment to get clear. Commitment is what makes a promise into reality. Accountability, internally and externally adds fuel to the fire of momentum to achieve goals and create results.
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Questions about Lifebook
Q.01What is Lifebook, and how is it different from other coaching programs?
What is Lifebook, and how is it different from other coaching programs?
Lifebook is a life-design framework built around 12 categories of life, from health and career to relationships and spiritual life. Unlike generalist coaching programs, it guides participants through a structured process of articulating a personal philosophy, vision, purpose, and strategy for each category, producing a written document (the Lifebook) that serves as an ongoing reference. A Certified Lifebook Leader is trained specifically to facilitate this process, not to provide open-ended coaching across any topic.
Q.02Who founded Lifebook and when?
Who founded Lifebook and when?
Lifebook was created by Jon and Missy Butcher, entrepreneurs based in St. Charles, Illinois. Jon developed the framework in the mid-2000s as a personal tool, and by 2007 it had become a formal program delivered through in-person retreats. In 2017, a digital version launched on Mindvalley; in 2022, Lifebook became a fully integrated part of the Mindvalley company.
Q.03Is the Lifebook Leaders Certification accredited by the ICF or another professional body?
Is the Lifebook Leaders Certification accredited by the ICF or another professional body?
No. The Lifebook Leaders Certification Program is a proprietary credential issued by Lifebook and is not accredited by the ICF, EMCC, AC, or any other professional coaching body. Coaches who want ICF or EMCC recognized qualifications must complete separately accredited training. Some Lifebook Leaders hold additional ICF credentials, but those are independent of the Lifebook certification.
Q.04What are the prerequisites for becoming a Certified Lifebook Leader?
What are the prerequisites for becoming a Certified Lifebook Leader?
Applicants must have completed Lifebook Online (the six-week foundation program) and be active Lifebook Mastery Membership subscribers who have also completed the Mastery Bootcamp. The Leaders program is application-only and selective; not everyone who applies is accepted. Prerequisites are designed to ensure Leaders have genuinely lived the system before facilitating it for others.
Q.05How long is the Leaders certification program, and what does it cost?
How long is the Leaders certification program, and what does it cost?
The program runs for 8 weeks and has been priced at $2,995 USD, paid in full before the cohort begins. It combines live group calls, self-paced modules, and business-development training. Pricing for future cohorts may vary. The prerequisite Lifebook Online program costs approximately $449 separately.
Q.06What does a Lifebook Leader actually do with clients?
What does a Lifebook Leader actually do with clients?
Leaders facilitate clients through the Lifebook process, guiding them to examine and articulate what they want across each of the 12 life categories and develop a personal vision document. They may work one-on-one, with groups, or with corporate teams. The certification also covers marketing and community-building so Leaders can operate their own Lifebook facilitation businesses.
Q.07What is the relationship between Lifebook and Mindvalley?
What is the relationship between Lifebook and Mindvalley?
Lifebook partnered with Mindvalley in 2017 to launch a digital version of its program on the Mindvalley platform. In 2022, Lifebook formally became part of Mindvalley, with Jon and Missy Butcher joining Vishen Lakhiani as co-founders of the combined entity. The Lifebook Online program and the Leaders certification continue to operate under the Lifebook brand, hosted at mylifebook.com alongside Mindvalley's broader platform.
Q.08What are the 12 life categories in the Lifebook system?
What are the 12 life categories in the Lifebook system?
The 12 categories are: Health and Fitness, Intellectual Life, Emotional Life, Character, Spiritual Life, Love Relationship, Parenting, Social Life, Financial Life, Career, Quality of Life, and Life Vision. Participants develop a written philosophy, vision, purpose, and strategy for each category, creating a complete personal blueprint.
Q.09Is working with a Lifebook Leader the same as working with a life coach?
Is working with a Lifebook Leader the same as working with a life coach?
Not exactly. A Lifebook Leader is trained to guide you through one structured system, the Lifebook process, rather than to coach you across any life challenge. If you have a defined issue (career transition, relationship conflict, leadership development), a generalist ICF-credentialed coach may be a better fit. Lifebook Leaders are most effective for clients seeking broad life-design clarity across all major domains simultaneously.
Q.10How many people have completed the Lifebook program?
How many people have completed the Lifebook program?
Mindvalley has reported more than 75,000 members in over 85 countries have engaged with the Lifebook Online program since its 2017 digital launch. The number of active Certified Lifebook Leaders is not publicly disclosed, but cohorts are deliberately kept small to maintain quality and the application process is selective.
Q.11What does the Lifebook Leaders certification tell me about a coach?
What does the Lifebook Leaders certification tell me about a coach?
It tells you the coach has completed the full Lifebook system themselves, from Lifebook Online through the Mastery Bootcamp to the 8-week Leaders certification, before being trained to facilitate it for others. The credential signals structured training in the 12-category life-design framework and the PVPS methodology, plus basic business-development training. What it does not tell you is whether the coach holds any broader coaching qualifications: the Lifebook Leaders certification is proprietary and is not accredited by the ICF, EMCC, AC, or any other professional coaching body. The credential does not certify the holder to provide open-ended coaching across any life challenge. The scope is specifically the Lifebook facilitation process. Lifebook facilitation is also distinct from therapy: a Lifebook Leader guides you through a structured life-design system and is not trained to diagnose or treat clinical mental health conditions. Clients dealing with clinical anxiety, depression, trauma, or related issues should work with a licensed mental health professional, not a life-design facilitator.
Q.12What should I ask a Lifebook Leader before hiring them?
What should I ask a Lifebook Leader before hiring them?
Ask whether they hold any coaching credentials beyond the Lifebook certification. An ICF ACC or PCC, EMCC EIA, or equivalent independent qualification confirms training and assessment in broader coaching competencies, not just Lifebook facilitation. Ask how many clients they have guided through the Lifebook process and what those engagements typically look like: a single pass through all 12 categories, ongoing accountability, or group facilitation. Ask what they charge and how they structure engagements. If you are dealing with clinical mental health challenges alongside life-design work, ask directly how they handle scope-of-practice boundaries and when they refer clients to licensed professionals. The Lifebook credential tells you someone has trained in the system; it does not tell you about post-certification depth, client experience, or whether their facilitation style suits you.