Get Unstuck Session

“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something - anything - down on paper. What I’ve learned to do when I sit down to work on a shitty first draft is to quiet the voices in my head..”


Anne Lamott

"While we have the gift of life, it seems to me that only tragedy is to allow part of us to die—whether it is our spirit, our creativity, or our glorious uniqueness.”

Gilda Radner

Oh, how I love the concept of Shitty First Drafts! If it’s not a phrase you’re familiar with, it comes from the brilliant book “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott. It is one of my favorite books EVER!

Although it is a book about writing, the lessons are equally profound when you apply them to life.

In 2016, a much-loved friend and coaching colleague, Laurie Foley passed away from ovarian cancer. She died 43 months after first being diagnosed.

Laurie was famous for telling people "your pencil is sharp enough".  

She was talking to those of us who have things that we want to do so badly but we stay in a state of perpetual preparation rather than actually doing those things. We keep sharpening our pencil more and more and more telling ourselves that we will write a book/launch a business/leave a job we hate/travel the world/turn our love of photography into a business/write a play/curate a show of our artwork/train to be a chef/start playing piano again/become a stand-up comic/etc/etc/blah/blah/blah when we are “ready”.  

We talk, we analyze, we procrastinate, we beat ourselves up for procrastinating, we go for dinner with friends and tell them again how much we want to do this thing or leave this other thing and yet, month after month, year after year, decade after decade, dinner after dinner, we don't actually do the things we say we so desperately want to do.

In her brilliant book, "Bird by Bird, Some Instructions on Writing and Life", Anne Lamott talks about the importance of shitty first drafts to writers. I'm a firm believer that "Shitty First Drafts" are equally important for anything else in life you want to do.



Sometimes you just need help to get started.  To go from thinking about what’s next to actually doing something about it.




“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won’t have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren’t even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they’re doing it.”



Anne Lamott

"While we have the gift of life, it seems to me that only tragedy is to allow part of us to die—whether it is our spirit, our creativity, or our glorious uniqueness.”

Gilda Radner

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Once you're out of analysis-paralysis and in motion, you're often able to take it from there by yourself.  

Which is why I offer Get Unstuck Sessions.

A Get Unstuck Session is perfect for a single issue: a challenge you are facing, a belief or behavior you want to change, a decision you are struggling to make, something you want to explore.

I want you to think about the things that you have known you have wanted to do for months, years or decades (!) and which - for whatever reason - you have chosen not to do. Write those dreams, passions and goals down and pick one of them - the one that calls to you the most - and then book a Get Unstuck Session with me. 

Once you have booked your session, I will send you a questionnaire to help you to prepare so that we can make the most of our time together.

During our 90-minute session, I will help you to map out where you are, where you want to be, and the obstacles in your way.

You'll gain deeper clarity, fresh perspectives, and a plan to take forward.  For additional accountability, we will meet for a 30-minute catch-up call 6-8 weeks after our 90-minute call.

As you think about the things that matter to you and the dreams you have put on hold, please ask yourself "If not now, when?".

As Laurie so wisely said, "your pencil is sharp enough."

Bring me your "pencil" and let's write your "shitty first draft" together.

It's amazing the clarity and insight you can get when you carve out the time to really focus. 

We will create a plan of action for you for the next 30 days - the things that you are going to commit to doing on a daily (or almost-daily) basis for the next 30 days. I’m convinced that being “in action” instead of being stuck in “inaction” is a vital first step towards embarking upon the bigger and bolder dreams that you want to take off hold.  

I will help you to get clear on what you want to focus on for the next 30 days and we will create an action plan that takes you from where you are now to where you want to be by the end of the 30 day period.

It might be finally taking better care of your health or starting to write the book you've always wanted to write or creating an exit strategy from a job you hate or fleshing out the details of a business idea you've been sitting on for months or decades or planning a year's sabbatical from work to travel the world.

Or it might be some multi-faceted combination of the above. You might need to take better care of your health in order to have the energy and stamina to start a business or to be physically strong enough to enjoy the type of trip you want to take.

You will leave our session(s) with a plan for the next 30 days so you know what to focus on and, equally importantly, what not to focus on anymore.

The plan we create together is focused on taking action. I’m convinced that being “in action” instead of being stuck in “inaction” is a vital first step towards embarking upon the bigger and bolder dreams that you want to take off hold.  

Too often thinking about THOSE BIG DREAMS can overwhelm you into inaction - which can last for years or decades even. Sometimes you just need to take a much smaller step. As Mark Manson wrote in his blog post, “The ‘Do Something’ Principle”, 


“What I found is that often once [my clients] did something, even the smallest of actions, it would soon give them the inspiration and motivation to do something else. They had sent a signal to themselves, “OK, I did that, I guess I can do more.” And slowly we could take it from there.”




 Mark Manson

"While we have the gift of life, it seems to me that only tragedy is to allow part of us to die—whether it is our spirit, our creativity, or our glorious uniqueness.”

Gilda Radner

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Book Now

What is included?

A questionnaire to complete before the session. I will review your questionnaire prior to our call so that we can hit the ground running when we talk;

One x 90 minute session by Zoom or phone. The session(s) can be recorded if you wish so that you don't have to be preoccupied by taking notes; 

Customized assignments for you to complete after the call(s); and

For a limited time, I'm adding a  30 minute follow-up call within 6-8 weeks after the 90-minute call.

COST: $500

"While we have the gift of life, it seems to me that only tragedy is to allow part of us to die—whether it is our spirit, our creativity, or our glorious uniqueness.”

Gilda Radner

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