The Formula for Change: Insights from Mentor Coaching

In my recent mentor coaching session, I explored with my mentee a foundational concept: every coaching session is, at its heart, about change. Clients come to the table seeking transformation. They may not always articulate it in those terms, but behind every goal, question, or dilemma is a desire to move from where they are to somewhere new.

A helpful framework for understanding this is the classic formula for change:

Dissatisfaction with the status quo + Vision for the future + First steps > Resistance to change

If these three elements are in place, a client can overcome the resistance that naturally comes with any change.

Uncovering the Blocks
In some cases, clients have a vague sense of what they want, but they haven’t yet articulated what makes their current situation uncomfortable. They’re aware of a desire for something more, but they’re unclear about what’s standing in the way. This is where coaching can illuminate the hidden hurdles—whether mental, emotional, or environmental.

One of the first questions I often use in these situations is:
"What makes it difficult for you to get what you want?"
This question uncovers the barriers—those invisible blocks that need to be moved before progress can happen.

​For coaches who prefer to frame everything in the positive, a powerful reframe might be:
"What would make it easy for you to get this?"
Both versions serve the same purpose: they shine a light on the gap between where the client is and where they want to be.

Dissatisfaction as Fuel
Then there are clients who are crystal clear on what they don’t want. They are deeply dissatisfied with the status quo. These clients don’t need help identifying what’s not working—they need help imagining what could work. The coach’s role becomes helping them paint a vivid vision of the future, and then identifying the first steps that will help them get there.

Amplifying the Cost of Inaction
Some clients may feel dissatisfied, yet continue to tolerate their current circumstances. In these cases, I’ve found it helpful to gently amplify the problem:

• What is the cost of staying where you are?
• What are you missing out on by not making a change?

Helping clients confront the opportunity cost of inaction creates momentum. It strengthens that internal tailwind—dissatisfaction—that pushes them forward.

The Two Forces, the Vehicle—and the Roadblocks
In summary, change happens when two forces come into alignment:

• The push of dissatisfaction
• The pull of a compelling vision

​And both must be supported by a vehicle—the first actionable steps that the client can take.

But there’s often a fourth factor: the roadblocks that stand in the way.

These blockages can be the most powerful aspect to address in coaching. Often they’re internal—limiting beliefs, habitual thinking patterns, or a distorted view of what’s possible. When these mental blocks are removed, change doesn’t just become possible—it becomes easier.

As coaches, when we help our clients surface and shift these invisible barriers, we remove the friction in the system. We make way for natural momentum to take hold.

​The Coaching Opportunity
This expanded formula gives us a practical and powerful lens to guide our coaching sessions:
Dissatisfaction + Vision + First Steps – Blockages > Resistance to Change
When all elements are addressed, change becomes not just likely—it becomes inevitable. And coaching becomes the catalyst that makes it happen.