Let’s talk about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. You’ve probably seen the pyramid: it starts with those fundamental physiological needs—food, water, shelter—then moves up through safety, love, esteem, and finally, self-actualization. It’s a tidy little framework, right? But here’s the kicker: this linear, one-size-fits-all approach to human motivation has left many coaches stuck, frustrated, and second-guessing. As growth-stage coaches, we’ve been conditioned to work in this order, but it’s business suicide, especially when the adrenaline of the reactive startup stage has long passed.
The Illusion of Linear Progression
In a world that idolizes the “rags-to-riches” story, we glorify the image of the broke startup coach crashing on a friend’s couch while waiting for their “big break.” But here’s the hard truth: this narrative is just one small slice of the coaching journey. By framing success through Maslow’s linear model, we’re essentially walking into a trap.
This model conditions us to believe that we must climb this ladder step by step. “First, meet your basic needs. Then find safety. Next comes love, and only then can you self-actualize.” But life isn’t so straightforward, is it? For coaches, it’s not a simple ladder—it’s more like a web of interwoven experiences, decisions, and creative breakthroughs. We’re building inside and out with our inner work and connections with peers, clients and co-creators. .
The Trap of Conditional Success
I find that this linear conditioning can be especially damaging for growth-stage coaches who are long past the excitement of the startup hustle. Once the rush of blazing fresh trails as new business owners wears off, many default back to the old paradigm, where they feel they must hit every rung of the hierarchy in order. I hear comments like “I can’t truly grow my business until I have more stability,” or “I can’t scale until I’ve built out all the safety nets.” This mentality isn’t just stifling — it’s regressive and it stops you leading yourself to greater glory.
This is where I come in. As the catalyst for growth-stage coaches, I step in when they start falling back into the old, linear ways of thinking. My superpower is seeing where they’re clinging to outdated models and helping them break free to reach the 20k months and beyond — the point of scale.
The Power of Starting from Actualization
What if we flipped this narrative entirely? What if we acknowledged that as coaches, we *start* at self-actualization? The unique talents, experiences, and vision we bring to the table aren’t waiting for us to climb a ladder—they’re already part of us, waiting to be fully unleashed.
When we embrace our innate potential, we don’t need to wait for all conditions to be “perfect.” We can leap straight into our brilliance, innovating and expanding from a place of true personal power – and set our own standards, rather than measuring them against someone else’s.
Maslow’s 1943 theory (yes it really is that old) certainly made sense to unify the workforce and develop policies to maintain morale and exceed productivity so the big boys could cash in. Meanwhile the worker bees had structures for promotions, pay grades and various sweeteners to keep them locked in – until the redundancies hit. However Abraham Maslow never met an entrepreneur. His theory is the Anti-Christ to us and is another aspect of old conditioning we need to dissolve when we take our businesses and ourselves seriously. Coaches who understand this—and are brave enough to reject the old paradigm—create extraordinary results.
My Unique Perspective as an Ex-HR Professional
And trust me, I know how to spot these patterns. As an ex-HR professional and Employee Relations specialist, I’ve spent 20 years studying human behavior in a way most business mentors can’t. I’ve seen all the excuses and roadblocks people set for themselves, especially in the coaching world. That’s why I can confidently say I know more about breaking these patterns than most business mentors out there—especially when it comes to getting growth-stage coaches to that coveted 20k months—the point of scale.
Sometimes, just by a person’s Myers-Briggs type, I can tell how they’re running their business! It’s like decoding their entire operating system and spotting where they’re holding themselves back without even realizing it.
The Advantage of Being a Category of One
Now, let’s talk about what happens when coaches become a Category of One. When you claim this position, you alleviate a lot of the second-guessing that haunts most coaches. You become insulated from competition. You stop obsessing over what others are doing and instead focus on blazing your own trail.
In business, there are first movers and second movers. First movers set the standard—they innovate, create new categories, and become the go-to experts in their field. Second movers try to imitate, hoping to catch up by copying the trail someone else already blazed. But when you position yourself as a Category of One, you’re the first mover in your space, immune to comparison and competition from the outset.
This is the zone where I work my magic: guiding coaches to establish their *Category of One* positioning so they stop defaulting to old behaviors and instead scale with confidence and clarity.
You Can’t Read the Label from Inside the Jar
Here’s the thing though: no matter how much experience or talent you have, you can’t read the label from inside the jar. You might not even realize when you’ve slipped back into outdated ways of thinking. And that’s exactly why having a trusted mentor is so crucial.
A mentor serves as your blind spotter, someone who can see where you’re still operating from a place of Maslow’s conditioning. They help you move beyond the belief that you need to tick every box before reaching your next level. They remind you of the self-actualized brilliance you already possess and guide you to harness it.
As a mentor, I see where coaches default to survival mode and start spiraling back into that “I’ll be ready when…” mindset. It’s my job to call out those blind spots and get them back on the path to Category of One status—where competition becomes irrelevant, and scaling becomes second nature.
Rewriting the Playbook
Maslow’s hierarchy? Outdated. For today’s coaches, the journey isn’t a ladder. It’s a dynamic, messy, and thrilling web of possibility. You can pursue your next level while still figuring out the details, and you can scale even when everything isn’t perfectly in place.
Instead of measuring our success against an old-school pyramid, let’s embrace the plasticity of the coaching world. Our true potential doesn’t come from following someone else’s prescribed path but from embracing our own unique journey. Your personal brand, positioning, messaging and sales will skyrocket once you lean into this – which is why I offer a bespoke 12 week business intensive to get you up where you belong. [click through here).
Conclusion: Reclaim Your Narrative
To thrive as a coach, you must reclaim your narrative. You start actualized—you’ve got the talents, the vision, and the drive. Don’t let the outdated conditioning of Maslow or the linear narrative of success hold you back. By stepping into the full power of your *Category of One*, you liberate yourself from competition, second-guessing, and self-doubt.
The next time you find yourself slipping back into survival mode, remember: you’re not climbing someone else’s ladder. You’re creating your own path, already armed with the brilliance you need to reach that next level. And with the right mentor by your side, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.
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