302. Unfinished: When Clients Don't Know What They Want Coaching On

So much of coaching can become an attempt to fix what feels wrong. A difficult thought shows up, an old pattern returns, or you react in a way you wish you hadn't, and suddenly the goal becomes getting rid of it. But what if the more useful place to begin is understanding why it's there in the first place?     In this episode of the Unfinished series, I'm joined by my friend and fellow coach Brig Johnson to talk about how her coaching has evolved, why safety and capacity matter more than simply adding more discipline or skill, and what she has learned about helping clients understand their patterns without turning those patterns into proof that something is wrong with them.                      For full show notes, transcript, and to submit your question, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/305                    Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach                   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf   Learn more about Brig's work here: brigjohnson.com

A successful coaching business isn't only about choosing the right strategy or working harder at the one you're already using. After a recent mastermind conversation, I couldn't stop thinking about two ingredients I see in coaching businesses that are working right now: enjoyment and hunger.       In this bonus episode of the Unfinished series, I break down why you need both and what can happen when one is missing. I share why the things that feel easy and natural to you may actually be valuable data for your business, how enjoyment can create consistency, and how hunger helps you turn what you love into an intentional, repeatable strategy.                          For full show notes and transcript, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/304.5                     Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach                   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf

Your work doesn't have to stay the same just because the version you've built has been successful. As your life, capacity, interests, and priorities change, the way you coach and the business you build can change right along with them.      In this episode of the Unfinished series, I'm joined by my friend, colleague, and mentor, Trudi Lebrón, for a wide-ranging conversation about her work and how she approaches coaching. We explore Trudi's expansive definition of coaching, what makes equity-centered coaching different, and how to hold a vision for your clients without deciding for them what that vision should be.                      For full show notes, transcript, and to submit your question, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/304                    Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach                   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf   Learn more about Trudi's work here: trudilebron.com

It's easy to look at a polished performance and assume you're seeing the whole story. But behind those few minutes when everything looks effortless, there can be hours of preparation, exhaustion, mistakes, frustration, laughter, and people working together to make it all happen.        In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of a weekend at my daughter's horse show and share why the experience had me thinking so much about coaching and entrepreneurship. From the realities you would never see watching a dressage event on TV to the struggles that happen behind closed doors in business, I explore what changes when you get to see what the experience actually looks like for everyone else.                    For full show notes, transcript, and to submit your question, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/303                    Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach                   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf

One of the most common moments that makes coaches question themselves is when a client says, "I don't know what I want coaching on today." It can feel awkward, uncomfortable, or even like something has gone wrong. But what if that moment is actually giving you valuable information?     In this episode, I revisit one of the most popular episodes of the podcast with six years of additional coaching experience. I share how my thinking has evolved, why "I don't know" is often telling you something important, and exactly how I approach these moments before a coaching call, during a session, when it becomes a pattern, and even in group coaching.                    For full show notes, transcript, and to submit your question, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/302                    Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach                   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf

So many coaches believe there's a point where everything finally clicks, the messaging feels effortless, the self-doubt disappears, and running a business becomes easy. After 10 years in business, I've learned that there isn't a magical "there" waiting for you.    In this first episode of my new Unfinished series, I share how these next 10 episodes will bridge the current podcast and the new chapter ahead, while looking back at three defining chapters of my own business journey. Along the way, I explore how my work has evolved, why my niche kept choosing me, how my clients shaped the direction of my business, and what can happen when you follow what feels aligned instead of relying on someone else's formula.                  For full show notes, transcript, and to submit your question, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/301                    Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach                   Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf

What do you do when you know where you want to go, but you can't figure out why you keep getting stuck? Sometimes the answer isn't another mindset shift or a better strategy. The patterns holding you back may not be accessible through your conscious mind at all.     As I celebrate Episode 300 of the podcast, I'm diving into the long-awaited follow-up to Episode 296 by exploring why you can still feel stuck even when you genuinely want to move forward. I explain how implicit memory and embodied patterns can influence your actions without you even realizing it, and how to recognize the kind of stuck you're actually experiencing.               For full show notes and transcript, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/300                   Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach                  Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf

What happens when you've achieved your dream career, but you start feeling called toward something more?      In this episode, I talk with performance and well-being coach Jo Zakany about her journey from spending 20 years as a violist with the Cleveland Orchestra to becoming a full-time coach for classical musicians. We explore how she navigated that transition, the role coaching played in helping her make the decision, and why building a life that reflects your values sometimes means writing a completely new chapter.             For full show notes and transcript, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/299                   Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach                  Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf   Learn more about Jo's work here: mindfulopus.com

There are so many ways to approach coaching, business, and personal growth, but finding your own style can sometimes feel harder than learning the actual tools.          In this episode, I talk with Amanda Stark, a coach who has helped hundreds of women put themselves first, about Human Design, coaching, and what it takes to build a business that actually fits your life and personality. We explore how Amanda uses Human Design alongside mindset coaching, what she learned from coaching inside another coaching community, and how she developed a coaching style that feels aligned with who she is.           For full show notes, transcript, and to join the waitlist for Reimagine, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/298                   Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach                  Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf

Sometimes your business can be working and still not feel like you. Maybe you have had your head down, doing the work, achieving the goals, and keeping things moving, only to look up and realize you feel a little lost. In this episode, I'm sharing powerful prompts for coming back to yourself, your work, and the reason you became a coach in the first place. These questions are designed to help you reconnect with what feels true, what matters most, and the kind of business you actually want to be building.      For full show notes, transcript, and to join the waitlist for Reimagine, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/297                 Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach                 Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf