i wish my coach would just tell me what to do.

I hear this so often when chatting with people about their experience working with a coach. To be completely fair, this thought has crossed my mind a few times, too: why can’t my coach be more concrete, more practical? They should tell me what a good next step could be or at least let me know if I’m approaching things completely wrong.

But here's the thing—why should your coach know better than you? After all, you are the expert on your own life. You have lived through every bit of it and experienced every moment firsthand. Your needs, goals, and dreams are unique to you, and no one understands them better than you do.

A coach can be your partner in figuring things out and gently nudge your thoughts a little further when you feel stuck. They can provide a safe and confidential space for you to share your worries and work through them, and they can give you tools to encourage you to grow and explore—but they shouldn’t tell you what to do.

A coach knows that you have all the answers within you already, and they definitely do not know what you should do better than you do.

about the author:

Hi there! I'm Silja, the founder of the wholesome growth club, an inclusive hub for career coaching with a soft spot for introverts and perfectionists. I’m an Amsterdam-based expat, but I love connecting with people worldwide. With a background in recruiting, I know the struggle of crafting a career path that feels truly yours. At the wholesome growth club, we're all about fostering sustainable growth, meaningful engagement, and authentic connections. Our blog is dedicated to making coaching accessible and sharing insights to approach work and life with an extra dose of confidence, slow productivity, and self-compassion. If you are curious to make things happen for yourself, get in touch—we offer personalized coaching journeys that will get you closer to your (dreamy) goals in no time.