Having been part of hundreds of coaching sessions by now, I’ve started to notice a pattern in how clients show up to the work. Not necessarily in what they say at the beginning, but in the mindset they bring with them.
They rarely arrive knowing this about themselves. And yet, over time, it becomes clear that something in them has already decided to engage in a certain way — often unconsciously.
These are some of the things I’ve noticed.
They are curious about themselves
There’s a genuine interest in learning, not in the sense of collecting new skills, but in developing a deeper understanding of who they are. They want to know what drives them, what gives them energy, what drains them, and what they may have been overlooking for a long time.
That curiosity is often the first real shift — an early awareness that appears before any concrete action is taken. The action usually follows later.
They know the work can’t be outsourced
How tempting it would be if a book, a podcast, or a single conversation could simply hand us the answer to feeling stuck. And while those resources can be supportive, my clients understand that real change asks for more. Reflection, honest — sometimes uncomfortable — conversations, and experimentation are part of the process.
They’re willing to work between sessions, sit with questions that don’t have immediate answers, and keep showing up even when progress feels slow or messy.
They’re willing to step outside their comfort zone
Growth asks for courage. That might look like voicing a new boundary, exploring a different career direction, or letting go of things that once felt safe but no longer fit.
My clients are prepared to take risks — not reckless leaps, but intentional baby steps beyond what’s familiar. Steps that allow them to see things differently and gently expand their world.
They value growth over perfection
Clarity doesn’t arrive all at once. It unfolds over time. It often includes disappointment, wrong turns, and moments of doubt — all of which teaches us something along the way.
This growth mindset is something I see again and again. My clients aren’t looking for an off-the-shelf answer to their career stuckness (well, they might be looking for it but know that doesn’t exist). They’re willing to learn, adjust, and grow as they go.
They take responsibility for their choices
Change rarely comes from waiting and hoping something external will fix what feels wrong. Personal growth involves taking responsibility for our actions — and our non-actions.
My clients understand that choosing differently is part of the work. One of those choices is deciding whether they want to do something about their unhappiness at work, and then committing to that decision.
They are open to feedback — even when it’s uncomfortable
They don’t come to coaching to hear what they already know. They’re open to reflections that challenge their existing story, or gently question assumptions they’ve carried for years.
That openness creates movement. It creates space for new perspectives to emerge and settle.
As I’m writing this, I feel deeply grateful for the people I get to work with. My clients help me grow every day through the way they dare to show up to their own lives.
As I said at the beginning, people don’t arrive knowing all of this. But over the years, these are the patterns my wonderful clients have shaped — session by session, question by question.
Career change coaching 