Question 1

What is Lifebook, and how is it different from other coaching programs?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 2

Who founded Lifebook and when?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 3

Is the Lifebook Leaders Certification accredited by the ICF or another professional body?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 4

What are the prerequisites for becoming a Certified Lifebook Leader?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 5

How long is the Leaders certification program, and what does it cost?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 6

What does a Lifebook Leader actually do with clients?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 7

What is the relationship between Lifebook and Mindvalley?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 8

What are the 12 life categories in the Lifebook system?

Accepted Answer

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 comprehensive personal blueprint.

Question 9

Is working with a Lifebook Leader the same as working with a life coach?

Accepted Answer

Not exactly. A Lifebook Leader is trained to guide you through a specific, structured system — the Lifebook process — rather than to coach you across any life challenge. If you have a defined, specific 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.

Question 10

How many people have completed the Lifebook program?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 11

What does the Lifebook Leaders certification tell me about a coach?

Accepted Answer

It tells you the coach has completed the full Lifebook system themselves — Lifebook Online, the Mastery Bootcamp, and 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.

Question 12

What should I ask a Lifebook Leader before hiring them?

Accepted Answer

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 — 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.

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