Estimated reading time: 5 minutes, 18 seconds
You are too close to your own life to see all of it.
We all have blind spots, assumptions, and patterns we can't easily spot ourselves.
Sometimes the fastest way forward is to borrow someone else's perspective.
Today’s visual was inspired by a conversation that I had with WISER subscriber and fellow coach Helena Chan.
Here’s a visual that we both feel sums up the power of coaching:
This illustration captures one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned through coaching.
When we’re trying to solve a problem on our own, it’s easy to become trapped inside our own perspective. We can only see what we can see.
A coach doesn’t tell you what to do. They don’t solve your problems for you.
Instead, they help you widen your perspective. Through thoughtful questions and conversation, they help you notice opportunities, assumptions, strengths, and possibilities that were already there but hidden from view.
The goal isn’t dependency.
The goal is clarity.
Let’s check out today’s Saying:
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."
The answers we need are often hidden behind the assumptions we're making.
Sometimes a different perspective changes everything.
One of the biggest things I've learned during my coaching qualification is that powerful questions often create more change than powerful answers.
When people feel stuck, they often assume they need advice.
But coaching works differently.
Rather than telling somebody what to do, a coach asks questions that help them think more clearly, challenge assumptions, and discover their own answers.
I've seen firsthand how a single question can completely shift somebody's perspective.
Questions expose blind spots
Every one of us has beliefs, assumptions, and habits that operate in the background.
Questions help bring those things into the light.
A question like, "What if that's not actually true?" can dismantle a belief you've carried for years.
Questions create ownership
Advice often creates dependence.
Questions create responsibility.
When somebody discovers an answer for themselves, they're far more likely to act on it because the insight belongs to them.
Questions unlock possibilities
Many of us accidentally ask ourselves limiting questions:
Why does this always happen to me?
What if I fail?
Why can't I do this?
A good coaching question redirects your focus:
What can I learn from this?
What's one step I could take?
What would success look like?
The question changes.
Then the thinking changes.
Then the actions change.
Let’s dive deeper into today’s wisdom with these 3 journal prompts:
What challenge or decision have I been trying to solve entirely on my own?
What assumption am I making that might not actually be true?
If somebody asked me one life-changing question right now, what would I hope they would ask?
Over the years, I've helped hundreds of thousands of people engage with wisdom through illustrations, videos, newsletters, journal prompts and so on.
Coaching is a natural extension of that mission, allowing me to offer a more personal and tailored service.
It's an opportunity to slow down, reflect deeply, and gain clarity about your goals, challenges, decisions, and ultimately your next steps.
Whether you're navigating a career change, exploring purpose, feeling stuck, wrestling with uncertainty, or simply wanting to live more intentionally, coaching provides a dedicated space to think.
I won't tell you what to do, but I will help you ask better questions, uncover new perspectives, and identify the next step that's right for you.
If you'd like to explore coaching, check out this link:
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Catch you in the next issue!
Thanks,
Michael