What is: Coaching
How It Helps You Unlock Growth, Clarity, and Success
Why Coaching Matters
In 2018, I knew I needed a change. Something in my life wasn’t working, but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what. I felt stuck, restless, and out of alignment, unsure of my next move.
That’s when I hired my first coach, Shannah at Nurtured.
Shannah didn’t give me a step-by-step plan or tell me what to do—she guided me through powerful conversations that helped me uncover my own answers. Through her coaching, I started a journey of self-reflection and self-awareness that changed everything. It changed my life.
Since then, I have sought coaching multiple times—whenever I felt out of my depth in my career, leadership, or personal development. I worked with Dr. Kyle Elliott of Caffeinated Kyle twice—once to land a role at Amazon during the pandemic and again, this past month, to secure my position at Stanford University Health Care.
His coaching not only helped me advance my career—it also led me to discover my passion for coaching, which is why I’m here today.
If you’re feeling stuck, unsure, or overwhelmed, coaching might be the key to unlocking your next level.
What Coaching Is (And What It Isn’t)
Coaching is a structured, goal-oriented process that helps individuals develop self-awareness, confidence, and strategies to achieve both personal and professional success.
People often confuse coaching with therapy, consulting, or mentoring. Here is an overview of the differences:
| Type | Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Coaching | Helps you set goals, build strategies, and develop a success mindset. | People who want growth, clarity, and action-oriented support. |
| Therapy | Explores past trauma, emotions, and mental health challenges. | People who need healing and emotional processing. |
| Mentoring | A more experienced person offers advice and guidance. | People looking for career or industry-specific advice. |
| Consulting | Provides expert advice or solutions for a specific problem. | Businesses or professionals seeking direct answers. |
Key Takeaway:
Coaching is not about providing answers—it’s about guiding you to uncover your own solutions.
How Coaching Works and Why It’s Effective
Imagine you're a sculptor and your life is a block of marble. A coach hands you the chisel, helping you see the potential within. They help name your strengths, clarify goals, and create steps to achieve them.
Coaching involves structured conversations that uncover your core desires and ambitions. It's like being a detective in your own life, with your coach as your sidekick.
Coaching is more than a conversation—it's a structured process to find obstacles, shift limiting beliefs, and take intentional action.
Step 1: Name Your Strengths & Opportunities
A coach will meet with you and ask you questions to assess where you are now vs where you want to be.
Your coach will collaborate with you to build your own self-awareness. You will uncover limiting beliefs, thought patterns, and behavior loops.
My Experience: When I first worked with Shannah, I didn’t have a clear "problem" to solve. I just knew something was off and I needed guidance. Through coaching, I realized that my biggest challenge wasn’t necessarily my job or my life circumstances, it was my ability to accept myself.
Step 2: Creating a Plan
A coach will guide you in setting clear, achievable goals based on your values and strengths. Working with your brain, personality, and life, instead of against it.
Together, you will outline specific, measurable steps. Your customized plan to achieve your goals.
My Experience: When I decided to leave Amazon and look for my next role, I turned to Dr. Kyle Elliott and his practice, Caffeinated Kyle, for career coaching. He helped me perfect my resume, prepare for interviews, and improve my job search strategy, leading to my new role at Stanford University Health Care.
Step 3: Overcoming Obstacles
A coach aids in reframing any limiting beliefs. They remind you of your strengths and past successes.
Instead of focusing on “what is wrong” coaching helps shift the focus to “what is possible”!
My Experience: A significant lesson I have learned from coaching is that self-doubt does not show a lack of capability; rather, it signifies that I am stepping outside my comfort zone. Each time I have made substantial progress; coaching has helped me effectively manage my fears and continue to advance despite them. Also, instead of emphasis on my struggles with ADHD, it was on my distinctive strengths and how I could reframe and use these to differentiate myself from others.
Step 4: Tracking Progress & Accountability
A coach will set up regular check-ins with you. They will hold space for ongoing reflection, strategy, and course correction.
By incorporating the principles of body doubling and accountability practices, a structured coaching program with regular sessions ensures you stay focused and on course.
Psychology and Neuroscience Behind Coaching
Coaching is not merely about motivational conversations; it is based on scientific principles. Engaging in coaching rewires the brain. Research has proven that coaching can enhance neural connectivity in regions associated with problem-solving and emotional regulation.
Consider the brain as a garden. Coaching assists in ending doubts and cultivating seeds of confidence and clarity. Over time, with the right nurturing, these seeds develop into a thriving landscape of success.
Coaching & Neuroplasticity: Rewiring Your Brain for Success
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to rewire and adapt by forming new neural connections throughout life. With consistent practice, learning, and experience, the brain strengthens helpful pathways and weakens unhelpful ones.
Studies show that coaching can fundamentally reshape the brain—through structured goal setting, problem-solving, and mindset shifts. Coaching reinforces new neural pathways, making lasting change possible, even in neurodivergent brains. 🧠✨
· Research published in the Journal of Positive Psychology shows that coaching significantly enhances psychological well-being, resilience, and goal achievement.
· According to the Harvard Business Review, coaching aids leaders in developing their critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence.
Coaching, Dopamine, & Motivation
Dopamine is a chemical in the brain associated with reward and motivation. Coaching uses methods to increase dopamine levels, such as acknowledging small achievements, tracking progress, and using positive reinforcement, to keep clients engaged.
Example: For an ADHD professional experiencing difficulties with starting tasks, Executive Dysfunction, coaching might involve dividing tasks into smaller, manageable tasks to reduce feelings of being overwhelmed and build progress.
Who Benefits from Coaching?
Coaching is useful for individuals seeking clarity, confidence, and a structured path forward.
High Achievers & Professionals in Career Transitions: Want to develop leadership skills, resilience, and strategic thinking.
Individuals Feeling Stuck or Overwhelmed: Struggling with self-doubt, decision-making, or motivation.
Neurodivergent Professionals (ADHD, Autism, etc.): Need executive function strategies, workplace communication skills, and burnout support.
Leaders & Executives Seeking Growth: Need help with delegation, confidence, and executive presence.
Who is Coaching for and How Can It Help You?
Coaching is not exclusively for corporate executives and athletes; it is beneficial for anyone striving to make significant changes in their life. Whether you are navigating a career transition, enhancing your leadership skills, or seeking personal development, coaching can serve as a valuable tool.
Here are some ways coaching can help you:
Clarifying your goals and developing strategies to achieve them
Building confidence and overcoming self-doubt
Improving decision-making skills
Enhancing leadership abilities
Achieving a better work-life balance
If you have ever felt overwhelmed by career decisions, plagued by self-doubt or imposter syndrome, or uncertain about your next steps, coaching can provide clarity, build confidence, and create actionable strategies for success.
✅ Want to explore coaching? Book a Free Session
Take the Leap
If you’re standing at the crossroads of uncertainty, consider giving coaching a try. It’s not about having someone tell you what to do; it’s about discovering the answers within yourself. Coaching can be the catalyst that propels you toward a more fulfilled and successful life.
So, are you ready to unlock your potential? The journey awaits, and the first step is just a conversation away.
📌 Summary & Key Takeaways:
✔ Coaching is a structured, goal-oriented process focused on growth, clarity, and action.
✔ Unlike therapy or mentoring, coaching helps you move forward, not analyze the past.
✔ Science-backed research shows coaching rewires the brain, boosts motivation, and improves resilience.
✔ Coaching benefits professionals, neurodivergent individuals, and leaders looking for support in their personal and professional growth.
Interested in becoming an ADHD coach yourself? I’m using the International ADHD Coach Training Center!
Related Topics: #ShineWithCharlotte #lifecoaching #professionalcoaching #leadershipcoaching #coachingbenefits #neurodivergentcoaching #careergrowth #self-leadership #executivefunction #adhdstrategies #impostersyndrome
