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FOWLER COACHING NEWSLETTER
Coaching Insights, Strategies and Stories from Berry Fowler
Explore practical coaching strategies, business-building ideas and personal insights from Berry Fowler, creator of the Fowler Method™.
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
October 30, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
— Lao Tzu
FIA Coaching FourSight
Why People Get Stuck...and How Coaching Helps Them Move Forward
Feeling stuck isn't always about lacking motivation. Sometimes, it's about not knowing what comes next.
Almost everyone experiences a season of feeling stuck, whether in a career, relationship, personal goal, or life in general. While the solution may seem simple from the outside, moving forward can feel overwhelming when fear, uncertainty, and limiting beliefs get in the way.
Why Do People Get Stuck?
Fear of failure, perfectionism, unclear priorities, and self-doubt can prevent people from taking action. Someone may want to change careers but fear losing stability, or dream of starting a business but question their abilities.
Often, the challenge isn't a lack of ambition. It's difficulty recognizing what's standing between where someone is and where they want to be.
How Does Coaching Help?
Professional life coaching creates a supportive environment where individuals can explore their thoughts, identify obstacles, and discover new possibilities.
Rather than providing answers, skilled coaches use active listening, powerful questions, and reflection to help clients:
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Gain clarity about their goals and priorities.
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Challenge limiting beliefs that hold them back.
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Explore new perspectives and possibilities.
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Turn ideas into action through manageable steps.
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Build accountability and maintain momentum.
Moving From Stuck to Forward
The benefits of coaching often extend beyond achieving a specific goal. Clients may develop greater self-awareness, confidence, and decision-making skills that positively influence other areas of their lives.
And progress doesn't always require a dramatic transformation. Sometimes, it's setting a boundary, making a difficult decision, or finally taking that first step.
Because moving forward isn't always about knowing exactly where you're going. Sometimes, it's about recognizing that you don't have to stay where you are.
Coaches Connect Has Moved to Evenings!
Great conversations, fresh ideas, and meaningful connections are even better when shared with fellow coaches! Join Ellen Ettinger, CPC, every Tuesday at our new time: 5:30 PM Pacific / 8:30 PM Eastern for Coaches Connect.
Whether you're looking to exchange ideas, share experiences, ask questions, or simply connect with others who share your passion for coaching, there's a place for you at the conversation.
Same great community, new time, new Zoom link! A reminder with the details and access info will be sent out via email.
Issue 107
Think about something in your life that currently feels stuck or unresolved.
Take a few minutes to answer these three questions:
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What's holding me back? Identify the fears, circumstances, or assumptions that may be preventing progress.
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What's within my control? Separate the things you can influence from those you cannot.
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What's one small step I can take in the next 48 hours? Choose a realistic action that moves you closer to your desired outcome.
For Coaches: Try this exercise with a client who feels overwhelmed by a larger goal. The objective isn't to solve everything at once, but to help the client identify a meaningful and achievable starting point.
The One-Step Forward Exercise
Want to Experience Our Coach Training?
Enjoy a free coaching lesson taken directly from our Certified Professional Coach Course, taught by Berry Fowler. Discover practical skills you can use to help others move forward while experiencing our clear, easy to follow approach to learning.
Enter your name and email to watch your free lesson.
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
October 23, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“What would being ready mean to you?”
A question to consider when waiting for the perfect moment keeps you from taking the first step.
FIA Coaching FourSight
Powerful Coaching Questions: How the Right Questions Help Clients Move Forward
A client says, “I know what I need to do. I just can’t seem to get started.”
It can be tempting to offer encouragement, suggest a strategy or ask when they plan to take action. But before helping the client move forward, it may be useful to explore what is keeping them in place.
“What feels difficult about getting started?”
That simple question can open a conversation that another action plan might miss.
Perhaps the client is afraid of making the wrong decision.
Perhaps they are pursuing something they believe they should want. Perhaps the first step feels so large that they cannot see where to begin.
Each answer points toward a different conversation.
That is why powerful coaching questions matter. They help clients examine their thinking, recognize choices and discover what deserves their attention.
A powerful question does not need to sound impressive.
Often, it is short, clear and directly connected to something the client has just said.
“What makes that important to you?”
“What are you assuming?”
“What part of this is within your control?”
“What would a manageable first step look like?”
The value comes from asking a question that fits the person and the moment.
How we ask matters, too. “Don’t you think you should talk to your manager?” points toward the coach’s preferred solution. “What options do you see for addressing this?” gives the client room to think for themselves.
Strong coaches also resist asking several questions at once. One thoughtful question, followed by enough time to consider it, can be more useful than a rapid series that leaves the client wondering which one to answer.
And sometimes the most useful question comes directly from the client’s own words.
When someone says, “I’m not ready,” a coach might simply ask, “What would being ready mean to you?”
The purpose is to help clients discover something they can use: a clearer understanding, a different perspective or a next step they are willing to take.
The right question begins with listening. What happens next belongs to the client.
Did you know?
Repeating a client’s exact words can sometimes be more powerful than rephrasing them.
If a client says, “I feel like I have no choice,” simply asking, “No choice?” may encourage deeper reflection without adding the coach’s interpretation.
This technique keeps the focus on the client’s language and helps the coach remain curious rather than making assumptions about what the client means.
Issue 106
During your next coaching session, listen for a phrase that seems important to your client.
It might be:
“I’m not ready.”
“I need more confidence.”
“I don’t have a choice.”
Choose one phrase and ask a short question using the client’s own language.
“What would being ready mean to you?”
“What would more confidence allow you to do?”
“What makes it feel like you don’t have a choice?”
Ask only one question, then give the client time to respond. Let their answer guide your next question.
After the session, reflect on what happened.
Did the client clarify what they meant?
Did an assumption become visible?
Did they recognize an option they had overlooked?
The purpose is to practice letting the client’s language guide your curiosity.
Their words can provide a useful starting point for a deeper conversation.
Coaching Exercise: Follow the Client’s Words
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
October 16, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”
— Stephen R. Covey
FIA Coaching FourSight
The Power of Listening: Why Great Coaches Listen Differently
Most people listen while preparing to respond.
Professional coaches learn to listen differently.
In a coaching conversation, the words a client says are only part of the information available. A coach may also notice hesitation, repeated phrases, sudden changes in energy, contradictions or topics the client repeatedly avoids.
That is why active listening is one of the most important skills in professional coaching.
A client may say, “I just need to manage my time better,” while spending most of the conversation describing how difficult it is to say no. Another may insist they want a promotion while becoming noticeably less enthusiastic every time they discuss what the new role would require.
The coach does not need to interpret those signals or decide what they mean.
The value comes from noticing them and creating space for the client to explore them.
A simple observation such as, “I noticed your energy changed when you talked about that,” can sometimes open a conversation that a more complicated question would miss.
Strong listening also requires resisting the urge to fill every silence.
Silence can feel uncomfortable, especially when a coach wants to be helpful. But those quiet moments often give clients time to think beyond their first response.
There is a significant difference between hearing a client and listening for understanding.
Hearing gathers information.
Listening looks for meaning.
For professional coaches, the challenge is not simply paying attention to what the client says. It is staying curious enough to notice what deserves another question.
Sometimes the most powerful coaching moment begins with four simple words: “Tell me more about that.”
Did you know?
Repeating a client’s exact words can sometimes be more powerful than rephrasing them.
If a client says, “I feel like I have no choice,” simply asking, “No choice?” may encourage deeper reflection without adding the coach’s interpretation.
This technique keeps the focus on the client’s language and helps the coach remain curious rather than making assumptions about what the client means.
Issue 105
During your next coaching session, practice waiting five seconds after the client finishes speaking before responding. Do not immediately ask the next question or fill the silence. Notice whether the client continues.
Often, the first answer is what they already know. The thought that comes after the pause may be where the real insight begins.
As you wait, remain attentive. Maintain a relaxed expression and give the client your full attention. Resist the temptation to spend those five seconds preparing your next question. Listen to what they have said and allow them room to consider what else they want to express.
Five seconds may feel longer than you expect, especially if you are accustomed to keeping conversations moving. Notice your own urge to speak. With practice, you may become more comfortable allowing silence to be a useful part of the coaching conversation. If the client continues, let go of the count and return your attention to listening.
After the session, take a few minutes to reflect. Did the client add something, clarify a feeling, or discover a possibility? What did you notice about your own listening? The purpose is to develop your ability to recognize when giving a client a little more time can help them think more deeply and discover their own answers.
Coaching Exercise: The Five-Second Pause
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
October 9, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The quality of your life is a direct reflection of the quality of the questions you are asking yourself.”
— Tony Robbins
FIA Coaching FourSight
The 7 Essential Skills Every Professional Coach Should Develop
Becoming a professional coach is not about having all the answers. It is about developing the skills that help clients think more clearly, make intentional decisions and move forward with greater confidence.
While every coaching style is different, strong coaches tend to rely on the same core abilities.
1. Active Listening
Great coaches listen for more than words. They notice patterns, hesitation, emotion, contradictions and what may be left unsaid.
2. Powerful Questioning
The right question can create more movement than a long explanation. Strong coaches ask questions that encourage reflection rather than steer clients toward a predetermined answer.
3. Building Trust
Clients are more likely to explore honestly when they feel respected, heard and free from judgment.
4. Maintaining Focus
Coaching conversations can move in many directions. A skilled coach helps the client stay connected to what matters most without controlling the conversation.
5. Challenging Assumptions
Sometimes progress requires looking at a familiar situation differently. Coaches help clients examine beliefs, patterns and assumptions that may be limiting their options.
6. Creating Accountability
Insight is valuable, but coaching should also create movement. Helping clients identify realistic next steps turns conversation into action.
7. Knowing When Not to Lead
Perhaps one of the hardest coaching skills is resisting the urge to solve the problem. The coach’s role is not to take over the client’s thinking, but to strengthen it.
Professional coaching is a skill set that develops over time. The strongest coaches continue refining how they listen, question, challenge and support.
The goal is not to become the person with the best answers.
It is to become the person who knows how to help clients discover better ones.
Did you know?
If a client says, “I feel like I have no choice,” simply asking, “No choice?” may encourage deeper reflection without adding the coach’s interpretation.
This technique keeps the focus on the client’s language and helps the coach remain curious rather than making assumptions about what the client means.
It can also help clients hear their own thinking more clearly. When a coach reflects a key word or phrase back without changing it, the client may begin to question an assumption, notice an exaggeration or recognize that more options exist than they initially believed.
Issue 104
Rate yourself from 1–5 in each of these areas:
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Active listening
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Powerful questioning
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Building trust
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Maintaining focus
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Challenging assumptions
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Creating accountability
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Allowing the client to lead
Choose the one with the lowest score and ask yourself:
“What is one thing I can practice differently in my next coaching session?”
Professional development does not always require learning something entirely new. Sometimes it begins by strengthening one skill you already use.
Coaching Exercise: Rate Your Coaching Skills
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
September 18, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”
- Often attributed to Charles Darwin
FIA Coaching FourSight
Meet the Client Where Life is Now
Goals are an important part of coaching. They give clients direction, create momentum and help turn intention into action. But life does not always unfold according to the plan we made a month ago, a week ago or even yesterday.
A client may come into a session with the same goal they have been working toward for months, but something may have changed. A family situation, health concern, work demand, relationship shift or new opportunity can suddenly alter what matters most. Sometimes the client themselves may simply be in a different place than they were when the goal was first created.
That does not automatically mean they are losing motivation or giving up. It may mean their priorities have changed. Accountability matters, but it should not mean holding someone to a version of their life that no longer fits. Sometimes the most helpful question is not, “What are you going to do next to reach this goal?” Sometimes it is, “Does this still matter to you in the same way?”
Meeting a client where they are does not mean abandoning a goal every time life becomes difficult. There is a difference between facing an obstacle and experiencing a true shift in priorities. Good coaching helps the client determine which one they are facing.
Maybe the goal still matters, but the timeline needs to change. Maybe the strategy needs to be adjusted. Maybe something else needs attention first. Or maybe the client realizes that what once felt important no longer belongs in the life they are trying to build.
People change. Circumstances change. Priorities change. The work is not simply keeping someone moving in the same direction because that is where they started. The work is helping them move with intention.
Sometimes that means encouraging a client to keep going. Sometimes it means changing the plan. Sometimes it means recognizing that the destination itself has changed.
A strong coach does not just remember where the client said they wanted to go. A strong coach keeps asking whether that destination still makes sense for the person sitting in front of them today.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:
Coaches Connect with our founder, Berry Fowler
For the next two weeks, FIA Coaches Connect will be hosted by our founder, Berry Fowler.
Join Berry on Tuesday, September 22 and Tuesday, September 29 at 5:00 PM Pacific / 8:00 PM Eastern for conversation, connection, coaching insight and time together as a community.
Please note that a new Zoom link will be sent by email for access to these two sessions.
We’d love to have you there.
If you miss one, you miss a lot.
Issue 101
Choose one goal your client has been working toward and revisit it with three questions:
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What has changed since you set this goal?
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Does this still matter to you in the same way?
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Does the goal need to change, or does the plan need to change?
The purpose is not to give the client an easy way out. It is to make sure they are still working toward something that reflects where they are now, not simply where they were when the goal began.
Exercise: The Goal Check In
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
October 2, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Coaching is unlocking people’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.”
— Sir John Whitmore
Coaching Exercise:
Listen for the Problem Behind the Problem
During your next coaching session, pay close attention to the first problem your client brings to you—but do not assume it is the problem you need to solve.
Before moving toward action, ask three questions:
“What feels most important about this right now?”
“What do you think is really making this difficult?”
“If that obstacle disappeared, what would become possible?”
Then listen for changes in the client’s language, energy, assumptions or priorities.
A client who initially wants help with time management may uncover a boundary issue. A client asking for confidence may discover they are actually struggling with uncertainty or fear of disappointing someone.
The exercise is simple: stay curious long enough for the client to define the real issue before helping them create the next step.
Did you know?
One of the most important things a professional life coach does is help clients learn.
When coaches use active listening and powerful coaching questions, clients do more than solve one problem. They strengthen their ability to think through future challenges on their own.
A useful question for coaches is:
“Did this conversation help my client think more clearly for themselves?”
Issue 103
What Does a Life Coach Actually Do?
What does a life coach actually do? One of the clearest ways to answer that question is to look at what happens in the moments when a client gets stuck.
A client may arrive saying they need more confidence, better time management or help reaching a goal. But the issue they name first is not always the issue that matters most. Sometimes the real obstacle is fear, uncertainty, conflicting priorities or a decision they have been avoiding.
That is where professional life coaching becomes more than goal setting.
A skilled coach listens for what is being said and what may be underneath it. They notice repeated patterns, assumptions, changes in language and the places where a client seems to hesitate. Then they ask questions that help the client slow down, examine the situation and see it from a different perspective.
The value is not in having the perfect answer.
It is in helping the client reach a clearer one.
That may mean discovering that a time-management problem is really a boundary problem. A confidence issue may actually be fear of disappointing someone. A lack of motivation may be a sign that the goal no longer fits.
This is also what separates coaching from advice. Advice tells someone what you would do. Coaching helps them understand what they want to do and why.
For certified professional coaches, this requires discipline. The more experienced a coach becomes, the easier it can be to recognize patterns quickly and imagine solutions. But seeing a possible answer does not mean the coach should lead the client toward it.
One of the most useful questions a coach can ask themselves is, “Am I helping this client think more clearly, or am I doing the thinking for them?”
Good life coaching creates clarity, but it should also create movement. A strong session helps the client leave with a decision, a new perspective or a meaningful next step they chose for themselves.
That is what a life coach actually does: not direct someone’s life, but help them see it more clearly and move forward with intention.
FIA Coaching FourSight
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
September 25, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” — William James
FIA Coaching FourSight
Will AI Replace Life Coaches?
Why Human Coaching Still Matters
Artificial intelligence can generate goal setting exercises, summarize information, create action plans, suggest questions, and offer ideas in seconds. As AI becomes more advanced, people across the coaching profession are asking an important question: Will AI replace life coaches?
AI will certainly continue to change life coaching. It may affect how coaches prepare, how clients access information, and what people expect from a professional life coach. But the real value of coaching has never been information alone. Most people already know many of the things they should do. The harder part is understanding why they feel stuck, recognizing patterns, making intentional choices, and following through.
That is where human coaching remains different. A professional coach creates space for clients to think out loud, explore assumptions, recognize what may be getting in their way, and discover solutions that are meaningful to them. A coach can notice hesitation, changes in energy, recurring themes, and the gap between what someone says they want and the choices they continue to make.
The growth of AI and life coaching tools may actually raise the standard for coaches. If clients can generate journal prompts, goal ideas, and basic action plans themselves, the future of life coaching will depend even more on skills like listening, curiosity, meaningful questioning, trust, accountability, and human connection.
That does not mean coaches should reject artificial intelligence. AI can be a useful tool for research, organization, administrative work, and creating resources. Used thoughtfully, it can give coaches more time to focus on the work that requires genuine human presence.
AI will continue to influence the coaching industry, but meaningful coaching has never been valuable simply because information was difficult to find. It is valuable because change is difficult.
AI can generate an answer. A great coach helps someone discover their own.
Did you know?
Research on coaching consistently points to the importance of the coach client relationship, especially trust, empathy, and accountability. Those human factors are a major reason professional coaching remains valuable.
Issue 102
Create two columns on a piece of paper. Label one AI Can Help With and the other Human Coaching Matters Most When.
In the first column, list tasks where artificial intelligence could be useful in life coaching, such as brainstorming goals, organizing ideas, generating questions, or creating basic action steps.
In the second column, list the moments when a professional life coach brings something more personal, such as recognizing emotion, challenging assumptions, building trust, creating accountability, or helping a client make sense of what they really want.
When you are finished, circle the three human coaching skills that you believe create the most value for your clients. Then ask yourself how you can strengthen those skills in your next coaching conversation.
As AI and life coaching continue to develop together, this exercise can help coaches identify where technology can support the process and where human connection remains essential to the future of life coaching.
Exercise: AI or Human Coach
Past Issues
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
September 18, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”
- Often attributed to Charles Darwin
FIA Coaching FourSight
Meet the Client Where Life is Now
Goals are an important part of coaching. They give clients direction, create momentum and help turn intention into action. But life does not always unfold according to the plan we made a month ago, a week ago or even yesterday.
A client may come into a session with the same goal they have been working toward for months, but something may have changed. A family situation, health concern, work demand, relationship shift or new opportunity can suddenly alter what matters most. Sometimes the client themselves may simply be in a different place than they were when the goal was first created.
That does not automatically mean they are losing motivation or giving up. It may mean their priorities have changed. Accountability matters, but it should not mean holding someone to a version of their life that no longer fits. Sometimes the most helpful question is not, “What are you going to do next to reach this goal?” Sometimes it is, “Does this still matter to you in the same way?”
Meeting a client where they are does not mean abandoning a goal every time life becomes difficult. There is a difference between facing an obstacle and experiencing a true shift in priorities. Good coaching helps the client determine which one they are facing.
Maybe the goal still matters, but the timeline needs to change. Maybe the strategy needs to be adjusted. Maybe something else needs attention first. Or maybe the client realizes that what once felt important no longer belongs in the life they are trying to build.
People change. Circumstances change. Priorities change. The work is not simply keeping someone moving in the same direction because that is where they started. The work is helping them move with intention.
Sometimes that means encouraging a client to keep going. Sometimes it means changing the plan. Sometimes it means recognizing that the destination itself has changed.
A strong coach does not just remember where the client said they wanted to go. A strong coach keeps asking whether that destination still makes sense for the person sitting in front of them today.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:
Coaches Connect with our founder, Berry Fowler
For the next two weeks, FIA Coaches Connect will be hosted by our founder, Berry Fowler.
Join Berry on Tuesday, September 22 and Tuesday, September 29 at 5:00 PM Pacific / 8:00 PM Eastern for conversation, connection, coaching insight and time together as a community.
Please note that a new Zoom link will be sent by email for access to these two sessions.
We’d love to have you there.
If you miss one, you miss a lot.
Issue 101
Choose one goal your client has been working toward and revisit it with three questions:
-
What has changed since you set this goal?
-
Does this still matter to you in the same way?
-
Does the goal need to change, or does the plan need to change?
The purpose is not to give the client an easy way out. It is to make sure they are still working toward something that reflects where they are now, not simply where they were when the goal began.
Exercise: The Goal Check In
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
September 11, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Connection is why we’re here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.” — Brené Brown
FIA Coaching FourSight
Coaches Connect:
Back on Tuesday September 15th
There is something different about learning alongside other coaches. You can study the tools, practice the techniques and understand the process, but some of the most meaningful growth happens in conversation. It happens when one coach shares a challenge and another says, “I’ve been there.” It happens when a question opens the door to a new way of thinking, or when someone leaves a conversation with an idea they can use with a client the very next day. Sometimes, it is simply the reminder that you are not doing this work alone.
That has always been the heart of FIA Coaches Connect.
Over the years, Coaches Connect became more than a meeting. It became a place where coaches could come together, exchange ideas, ask questions, share experiences and stay connected to the larger FIA community long after their training was complete.
Those conversations created opportunities to keep learning in a way that no workbook or lesson ever could. They brought together coaches with different backgrounds, specialties and experiences, all with something valuable to contribute.
And this Tuesday, Coaches Connect returns.
For some, it may feel like reconnecting with familiar faces. For others, it may be the first opportunity to experience that sense of community.
Either way, the purpose is the same: to create a space where FIA coaches can continue learning from one another, talking honestly about what they are experiencing in the real world and finding new ways to strengthen the work they do with clients.
Because becoming a coach does not end with certification.
The tools matter. The training matters. But so does having a community that continues to challenge you, encourage you and remind you why you chose this work in the first place.
In many ways, certification is not the end of the journey.
It is where the real learning begins.
Did you know?
91% of teams develop new skills more effectively when they learn together.
Collaborative learning also increases learner engagement by 30%, reinforcing the value of connecting with peers, sharing experiences and continuing to learn from one another.
Source: CIPD, How L&D Can Create Value: Focusing on Social Collaborative Learning (2024), citing LinkedIn Learning workplace learning research.
Issue 100
Before Coaches Connect, take five minutes and think about one question you would love to ask another coach.
It could be about:
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working with a challenging client
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finding new clients
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structuring a coaching session
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staying motivated
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applying the Fowler Method™
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choosing a coaching niche
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building confidence as a coach
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growing your coaching practice
Bring that question with you Tuesday.
Coaching Challenge
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
September 11, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
— Anne Lamott
FIA Coaching FourSight
A Holiday Should Feel Like a Holiday
For many people, Labor Day marks more than the unofficial end of summer.
There is something about that long weekend coming and going that seems to create a natural reset. Vacations wind down. Kids head back to school. Calendars start filling again. People return to routines with a renewed sense of focus and, often, a surprising burst of enthusiasm for what comes next.
But for business owners, coaches and entrepreneurs, holidays can sometimes feel a little different.
When your business depends on you, it can be difficult to fully step away. There is always an email that could be answered, something that could be improved, a client who might need you or an idea that suddenly feels urgent.
The problem is that when we never really stop working, we also miss one of the things that can make us better at the work we do: distance.
Time away gives your brain room to wander beyond the next task on your list. It allows you to reconnect with the people and experiences that matter outside of your business. And often, when you return, you see your work with fresh eyes.
That is why enjoying a holiday is not something a business owner needs to earn.
It is part of building a business and a life that are sustainable.
You may come back from a few days away with a new idea. You may suddenly see the solution to something that had been frustrating you. You may feel more motivated to tackle a project you had been avoiding.
Or you may simply return rested.
That counts too.
Did you know?
The idea that September feels like a “second New Year” isn't entirely imagined. Researchers have studied something called the fresh start effect: people are often more motivated to pursue goals after meaningful temporal landmarks, such as birthdays, Mondays, the beginning of a new month or the start of a new season. Labor Day can create that same psychological dividing line between “summer” and “what comes next.”
Issue 99
Before jumping straight back into your normal routine, take 10 minutes and answer three questions:
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What am I excited to get back to?
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What do I want to do differently this season?
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What is one priority I want to give my best energy to between now and the end of the year?
Then choose one action you can take this week that supports that priority. The goal isn't to create an entirely new plan. It's to use the energy of a fresh start intentionally.
The Post-Holiday Reset
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
August 28, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“A small change in language can create a much larger change in what someone believes is possible.”
- Anonymous
FIA Coaching FourSight
The Language of Possibility
The words we use matter because they shape how we understand our choices. A phrase like “I can’t” can make a situation feel final, while “I haven’t figured out how yet” leaves room for movement. The circumstances may be exactly the same, but the language changes the way we see them.
As coaches, we hear limiting language all the time. Clients may say, “I have to,” “I’m just not good at this,” “I’ll never be able to,” or “There’s no other option.” Those statements often sound like facts, but sometimes they are interpretations that have become so familiar they no longer get questioned. Rather than correcting the client or replacing the statement with forced positivity, a coach can simply become curious about the words being used.
A small shift can open an entirely different conversation. “I have to” might become “I’m choosing to because…” “I failed” might become “That didn’t work the way I hoped.” “I can’t do this” might lead to the question, “What would need to change for this to become possible?” These aren’t just nicer ways of saying the same thing. They create room for choice, learning, experimentation, and next steps.
This doesn’t mean every barrier can be reframed away. Real limitations, difficult circumstances, and painful realities still exist. The language of possibility isn’t about pretending everything is possible. It is about making sure our own words aren’t creating additional limits that don’t need to be there.
The next time a client makes an absolute statement, listen closely before trying to solve the problem. There may be an assumption hiding inside the sentence. Sometimes changing one word, asking one question, or offering one different way to describe the situation is enough to help someone see an option they couldn’t see before.
That is one of the simplest and most powerful things a coach can do: help someone find language that leaves the door open.
Did you know?
Your brain doesn’t only respond to what you say—it responds to how the situation is framed. A statement like “I can’t” tends to close the conversation. A question like “How could I?” invites the brain to begin searching for alternatives.
Issue 98
Think of a situation where you currently feel stuck, frustrated, or uncertain.
Write down the sentence you naturally use to describe it.
For example:
“I have to make this work.”
Now look for words that make the situation feel absolute:
have to, can’t, never, always, impossible, should, failure.
Rewrite the sentence in a way that leaves room for curiosity or choice.
Instead of: “I have to make this work.”
Try: I want to explore whether I can make this work.”
Or:
Instead of: “I can’t do this.”
Try: “I don’t know how to do this yet.”
Then ask yourself: What becomes possible when I say it this way?
Use this exercise with clients, too. You may be surprised how often changing one or two words changes the entire conversation.
Coaching Exercise: Change One Word
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
August 21, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“A small change in language can create a much larger change in what someone believes is possible.”
- Anonymous
FIA Coaching FourSight
Goals Aren't Always the Goal
What clients may actually be searching for underneath the thing they say they want. A client may come to coaching saying they want a promotion, a new relationship, more money, a healthier routine, or the courage to make a major change. Those goals matter, but they are often only the surface. Underneath “I want the promotion” might be a desire to feel valued. Underneath “I want to lose weight” might be a longing to feel comfortable in their own skin again. Underneath “I want to leave my job” might be a need for freedom, purpose, or greater control over their life. And underneath “I just want to be successful” may be someone who has never really stopped to define what success means to them.
One of the most valuable things a coach can do is resist the urge to immediately build a plan around the first goal a client presents and instead get curious. Why does this matter? What do you believe will be different when you have it? How do you want to feel when you get there? What would achieving this make possible for you? Questions like these can completely change the direction of a coaching conversation because they move the focus from the surface goal to the deeper meaning behind it.
When we understand what someone is truly seeking, we have more than a goal to work toward. We have a compass. The promotion may or may not happen. The relationship may look different than expected. The original plan may change entirely. But if the deeper desire is freedom, connection, confidence, contribution, security, or belonging, there may be many different ways to create more of that in a person’s life.
The goal gives us somewhere to start. The meaning underneath it helps us understand where the client actually wants to go.
Did you know?
Goals tend to be more meaningful and sustainable when they are connected to a person's intrinsic values and motivations rather than being driven primarily by external expectations, rewards, or pressure.
That is one reason understanding the why beneath the goal can be so important in coaching.
A client who simply believes they should achieve something may struggle to stay engaged.
A client who understands what that goal represents—and why it matters personally—has a much stronger foundation from which to make intentional choices.
Issue 98
This week, pay attention to the first goal a client brings into a conversation. Before discussing timelines, strategies, obstacles, or next steps, ask one more question than you normally would. Look for the desire underneath the goal. You may discover that the conversation changes completely.
That extra question can uncover what the goal really represents to them—freedom, confidence, security, recognition, connection, or something else entirely. Sometimes the real breakthrough is not in reaching the goal, but in understanding what the goal was meant to create.
Coaching Challenge
Fowler International Academy of Professional Coaching
NEWSLETTER
August 14, 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The goal isn’t to stay in someone’s inbox. It’s to stay relevant enough to remain in their mind when they need you.” - Anonymous
FIA Coaching FourSight
Stay Connected: Why Coaches Need a Newsletter
Not everyone who discovers your coaching business is ready to hire you today.
They may visit your website, attend a workshop, follow you online, or have an initial conversation with you—but timing may not be right. The real question is: Will they remember you when it is?
A newsletter helps you stay connected. Unlike social media, where your content may or may not reach your audience, email gives you a direct way to continue building relationships with prospects, current clients, former clients, and referral partners.
A good newsletter doesn't need to constantly sell. In fact, some of the most effective newsletters simply provide value.
Share a useful idea. Ask a thought-provoking coaching question. Offer a practical exercise. Tell a brief story. Highlight a resource. Then give readers an easy way to take the next step if they want more support.
Over time, those small touchpoints build familiarity and trust.
Your newsletter also keeps former clients connected to your work. They may need coaching again someday—or they may know someone who does. Staying visible keeps you top-of-mind when those opportunities arise.
And it doesn't need to be complicated. A simple monthly newsletter can include:
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One helpful coaching insight
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One question or exercise
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One brief story or resource
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One clear invitation or call to action
The goal isn't to fill someone's inbox. The goal is to remain valuable, relevant, and remembered. Because when someone finally decides they are ready for coaching, you want them to already know who to call.
Did you know?
Your email list is one of the few audiences your business can build that isn't controlled by a social media algorithm. When someone chooses to join your list, you have a direct way to continue the relationship instead of hoping your next post appears in their feed.
Issue 97
Take 15 minutes and outline your next newsletter using four simple prompts:
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VALUE: What is one lesson, tip, or idea my ideal client could benefit from right now?
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REFLECT: What coaching question could help them think differently or take action?
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CONNECT: What brief story, experience, or observation could make this message feel personal?
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INVITE: What is one simple next step I want the reader to take?
Coaching Exercise:
Build Your First Newsletter
