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Building a better work-life. |
Hey you,
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with something new: using ChatGPT as a thought partner — not just to get things done, but to slow down and reflect.
What started as a moment of frustration (after realizing an entire chat hadn’t saved) turned into an unexpected coaching session… with myself.
I approached it the way I would with a client: switching between my “coach” and “client” perspectives, asking better questions, and noticing what surfaced.
What came out of it surprised me — a deeper understanding of the difference between processing and powering through, and a reminder that sustainable growth starts with honoring our own wiring, not just doing more.
I’ve noticed something about ChatGPT that I think others might find useful, too. Every response ends with the ball back in my court. From a tech perspective, that’s brilliant — it keeps me engaged. But it also serves me. It keeps me moving. It creates momentum.
That’s very different from the kind of dopamine hit I get from Instagram. This is intention-driven. It’s an accountability mirror.
What this conversation reminded me is that perspective is powerful — but only when it’s paired with intention. Whether that’s coming from a coach, a friend, or a piece of tech like ChatGPT, the goal isn’t to find answers. It’s to find the right questions.
If you’re someone who’s investing time or money into personal or professional growth — and not seeing results — don’t quit. Don’t assume you’re broken. Maybe you just haven’t found the right method for your wiring, your context, your dreams.
If you’re curious what that kind of dialogue looks like in real time, I’ve included the transcript below. It’s raw. It’s real. And maybe it’ll spark something in you, too. Because growth doesn’t have to be a grind. Let it be gentle. Let it be yours.
What follows is a snippet of a real conversation between me as my own client ("Client Claire") and myself as a coach ("Coach Claire"), using ChatGPT to facilitate. I approached it like a self-coaching session, alternating between the perspective of myself as coach and as client:
Coach Claire: When you reflect on where your energy was today... if you were feeling warmer or colder — when, where, and what was happening?
Client Claire: Some bright spots: my morning coaching session, receiving kind emails after speaking, and the satisfaction of crossing off a time-sensitive task.
But I also felt a persistent, low-level annoyance all day. I discovered this morning that the reflection I wrote last night in ChatGPT wasn’t saved. And I kept getting annoyed at myself for not being able to let it go — even though I knew that was the best next move.
Coach Claire: Did you actually try to let it go — like a 5-minute reset, journaling, or some other emotional release?
Client Claire: ...No. I didn’t. I kind of expected myself to just snap back. I thought that if I did more work, crossed more things off, that satisfaction would erase the frustration.
But it didn’t. Because productivity isn’t the same as processing. And doing more work doesn’t undo the wound of feeling like something meaningful was lost.
Coach Claire: This really has me thinking about the difference between processing and powering through. Powering through is often the default because it feels like a quick fix. Like: "I'm mad I lost something? I'll just make something new!" But that’s a surface-level salve.
Processing is different. It requires me to look underneath the emotion and ask, What did this loss symbolize? What did it mean to me? That’s where real understanding — and change — begins.
Client Claire: I’ve noticed something about ChatGPT that I think others might find useful, too. Every response ends with the ball back in my court. From a tech perspective, that’s brilliant — it keeps me engaged. But it also serves me. It keeps me moving. It creates momentum.
That’s very different from the kind of dopamine hit I get from Instagram or Twitter. This is intention-driven. It’s an accountability mirror.
Coach Claire: What this conversation is reminding me is that perspective is powerful — but only when it’s paired with intention. Whether that’s coming from a coach, a friend, or a piece of tech like ChatGPT, the goal isn’t always to find answers. It’s to find the right questions.
If you’re someone who’s investing time or money into personal or professional growth — and not seeing results — don’t quit.
Don’t assume you’re broken. Maybe you just haven’t found the right method for your wiring, your context, your dreams.
After all, growth doesn’t have to be a grind. Let it be gentle. Let it be yours. Reply back if this resonated - I always love hearing from you!
We got this - together 💪
x Claire
PS I have the capacity to coach a few more clients this summer, reach out if you're interested in a complementary session.
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