There’s No Perfect Moment
“I’m really busy right now; I’ll start once I’m done.” “Let me finish this first.” “When I’m more ready.”
These phrases feel legitimate. But most of the time, they’re just a form of procrastination.
There’s no “perfect” moment to start coaching. But there are signs of a good starting point.
Signs of a Good Time to Start
Being in a transition period: A career change, a new role, a breakup, a move, or a major decision. Transitions are times when you’re most open to change. Coaching progresses the fastest during these periods.
Having a concrete but unanswered question: “Should I stay in this job?” “How will I make this decision?” “How do I break out of this cycle?” These questions are sufficient starting points for coaching.
Being open to change, even minimally: You don’t need perfect motivation. The feeling that “something needs to change” is a sufficient starting point. Coaching builds on that feeling.
Reaching the “enough is enough” point: Sometimes hitting a wall is the best trigger. Seeing the same pattern repeat itself, realizing you’re back at square one—this point often generates strong initial momentum.
The Expectation of “Being Ready” Is Misleading
Prochaska and DiClemente’s stages of change model (Transtheoretical Model, 1983) shows that “readiness” for change exists at different levels. Coaching doesn’t require full readiness—a minimum level of openness is enough.
“I don’t know exactly what I want” is not an invalid reason to start coaching. On the contrary: coaching exists to help clarify this.
Cevvela’s Perspective
- There is no perfect moment to start; “when I’m ready” is often just a form of procrastination.
- A transitional period, a concrete question, a minimum level of clarity, and the “enough is enough” moment are strong indicators of a good starting point.
- “I don’t know what I want” isn’t a valid reason—coaching is there to help clarify that.
- Challenging periods that aren’t clinical crises are often the most productive starting points.
- The first session at Cevvela is free—to test compatibility before you begin.
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