Why I got a writing coach

Fast development in consulting is essential for success. But it's hard to get it right, especially if you don't get enough coaching. Learn what you can do to boost your growth.

Have you ever felt stuck in your professional development? You put in the hard work but don’t see the desired results? You want to learn and get to another level but don’t know how.

That's exactly how I felt about my writing recently.

In September last year, I sent my first email in the newsletter for MBB consultants.

For 12 months straight, I wrote 3,000 to 5,000 words weekly, resulting in over 80 emails and countless LinkedIn posts.

Don't get me wrong. I can't complain. Writing was a blessing for me.

This year, I left my consulting job and created my own business, doubling my income and claiming my time back. And writing helped me better connect with my clients.

You'd think I'd be feeling pretty good about myself, right?

I wish.

Despite all that practice and impact, I still didn't feel great at writing.

I was not sure if I was good or bad. If I was bad, what should I do about it?

Throughout this time, I took several writing courses, and they were amazing. Every time I took them, I could feel my skills improve.

But now I have hit a plateau.

That’s why I’ve got a writing coach.

I needed a human touch—someone with experience to assess my current level and tell me what I can improve.

Developing new skills is extremely difficult.

It's hard to learn something you've never done before. Sometimes, we need an outside perspective to help us break through our barriers, especially if we want to push to a higher level.

My coach is a professional editor specializing in helping experienced internet writers.

She cost an arm and a leg, as they say.

But I've always believed that investing in my learning has the best ROI, and it's always worked well for me.

And I was not wrong.

For example, here is the email I got from one of my readers.

---

---

So, how exactly did my coach help me?

She helped me in two ways:

1. Calibration

She gave me renewed confidence in my writing. It turns out I wasn't as terrible as I imagined (we often judge ourselves too harshly, don't we?).

It allowed me to become a more confident writer, telling my stories and expressing my emotions better.

2. Technical improvements

She helped me fix obvious mistakes that were hurting my writing. Finally, I received clear instructions on what to fix and how.

Now, you might be wondering,

"That's great, Rustem. Good for you! But what does this have to do with me and consulting?"

This is a great question, my attentive reader.

As a first-year consultant, I remember desperately wanting to find a great coach to help me grow faster.

Unfortunately, my leaders were not always gifted coaches and didn't have time for me. They were preoccupied with their own survival.

So, I couldn’t find a coach I trusted. And I had to reinvent the wheel myself.

But, I would argue that consulting is even more complex than writing, with many skills to master.

It always puzzled me why we think operating in such a complex environment without coaching support is normal.

Imagine professional athletes competing at the highest level without coaching. This sounds insane.

Of course, having a good coach isn't absolutely necessary.

But it's certainly a big lever if you want to improve your chances of success.

That's why I developed a coaching program for MBB consultants to help them achieve peak performance, just like my writing coach did for me.

So, let me ask you: If you feel stuck in your development, what exactly do you struggle with? Please share your pain points with me.

Book a Free 1-1 Consultation to discuss whether I can help you through my coaching program. There is no commitment, and you can ask any burning questions in a risk-free environment.

Read this post to learn more about the Hero’s Journey coaching program.