Coaching Journal: When the Goal Isn’t the Goal

A client came to the session determined to leave their job. For weeks, they had been researching alternatives, updating their CV, and imagining a different future.

Naturally, they expected our session to focus on career planning.

Instead, we spent most of the hour talking about confidence. As we explored their reasons for wanting to leave, a deeper theme emerged. They didn’t actually dislike the work itself. What they struggled with was feeling unseen, undervalued, and afraid to speak up.

The issue wasn’t the job. The issue was the belief that their voice didn’t matter.

It’s fascinating how often this happens in coaching. People arrive wanting to solve one problem, only to discover that the real challenge sits underneath. By the end of the session, no resignation letter had been planned or discussed. Instead, the client committed to having one honest conversation they had been avoiding for months.

Sometimes changing your life starts with changing a single conversation.

Whether they eventually leave their role or stay, the confidence they build from finding their voice will travel with them wherever they go.