Gourdin Coaching
@gourdincoaching.bsky.social
Find FOCUS, realize GOALS, achieve SUCCESS!
Coaching can get you a life where the easy things are easy and the exciting things are great. I specialize in working with people who have executive function challenges. https://www.gourdincoaching.com/
Coaching can get you a life where the easy things are easy and the exciting things are great. I specialize in working with people who have executive function challenges. https://www.gourdincoaching.com/
Pinned
Yes! You can learn executive functioning skills. Over simplified a bit, those are the skills that let your organize yourself to get something done. You can absolutely work on ways to remember goals, build good habits, take one step at a time.
You're really accountable to yourself in coaching, not the coach. www.youtube.com/shorts/CMqmP...
Accountability in coaching (to yourself!)
YouTube video by Gourdin Coaching
www.youtube.com
December 24, 2025 at 7:19 PM
You're really accountable to yourself in coaching, not the coach. www.youtube.com/shorts/CMqmP...
A reminder: you don't have to do things all the time!
This is, I swear, a real thing that I really coach people on. Fundamentally, resting is about pacing yourself and giving yourself permission. It's also something hard, not coincidentally.
This is, I swear, a real thing that I really coach people on. Fundamentally, resting is about pacing yourself and giving yourself permission. It's also something hard, not coincidentally.
December 24, 2025 at 4:46 PM
A reminder: you don't have to do things all the time!
This is, I swear, a real thing that I really coach people on. Fundamentally, resting is about pacing yourself and giving yourself permission. It's also something hard, not coincidentally.
This is, I swear, a real thing that I really coach people on. Fundamentally, resting is about pacing yourself and giving yourself permission. It's also something hard, not coincidentally.
I'm super excited to announce new subscriptions available at www.gourdincoaching.com/services! You get a 15% discount, special body-doubling sessions, and the ability to ping me throughout the week.
I'm really looking forward to working with people long-term.
I'm really looking forward to working with people long-term.
Gourdin Coaching | Services
Coaching services for sale by Gourdin Coaching, including different lengths and numbers of sessions
www.gourdincoaching.com
December 22, 2025 at 5:49 PM
I'm super excited to announce new subscriptions available at www.gourdincoaching.com/services! You get a 15% discount, special body-doubling sessions, and the ability to ping me throughout the week.
I'm really looking forward to working with people long-term.
I'm really looking forward to working with people long-term.
Hey, look! We're past the solstice! For everyone like me who hibernates in winter: we're halfway done!
Time to replenish the ol' fat stores and sleep until March.
(Wait, why is that not a thing? I feel like the eating, at least, should be nationally recognized.)
Time to replenish the ol' fat stores and sleep until March.
(Wait, why is that not a thing? I feel like the eating, at least, should be nationally recognized.)
December 22, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Hey, look! We're past the solstice! For everyone like me who hibernates in winter: we're halfway done!
Time to replenish the ol' fat stores and sleep until March.
(Wait, why is that not a thing? I feel like the eating, at least, should be nationally recognized.)
Time to replenish the ol' fat stores and sleep until March.
(Wait, why is that not a thing? I feel like the eating, at least, should be nationally recognized.)
If you're looking at having too much to do, try these questions:
What problem am I trying to solve? (Being clear helps choose what to do.)
What are my actual degrees of freedom? (You can adjust what you're doing.)
What are my supports? (Yay! Help!)
What problem am I trying to solve? (Being clear helps choose what to do.)
What are my actual degrees of freedom? (You can adjust what you're doing.)
What are my supports? (Yay! Help!)
December 19, 2025 at 8:27 PM
If you're looking at having too much to do, try these questions:
What problem am I trying to solve? (Being clear helps choose what to do.)
What are my actual degrees of freedom? (You can adjust what you're doing.)
What are my supports? (Yay! Help!)
What problem am I trying to solve? (Being clear helps choose what to do.)
What are my actual degrees of freedom? (You can adjust what you're doing.)
What are my supports? (Yay! Help!)
A friend once observed that it's better to pick your consequences than to just let them happen to you. I really valued it as advice because it includes a wider range of things than "prioritization" typically covers.
For example, if your boss gives you three things to do by tomorrow...
For example, if your boss gives you three things to do by tomorrow...
December 17, 2025 at 8:49 PM
A friend once observed that it's better to pick your consequences than to just let them happen to you. I really valued it as advice because it includes a wider range of things than "prioritization" typically covers.
For example, if your boss gives you three things to do by tomorrow...
For example, if your boss gives you three things to do by tomorrow...
One of my clients wanted help on writing to their boss to ask for a regular monthly meeting so they could get more consistent feedback. We worked on that message together during their session.
The boss came back proposing a weekly one on one, and a weekly team meeting on top of that! Yay!
The boss came back proposing a weekly one on one, and a weekly team meeting on top of that! Yay!
December 12, 2025 at 7:05 PM
One of my clients wanted help on writing to their boss to ask for a regular monthly meeting so they could get more consistent feedback. We worked on that message together during their session.
The boss came back proposing a weekly one on one, and a weekly team meeting on top of that! Yay!
The boss came back proposing a weekly one on one, and a weekly team meeting on top of that! Yay!
My clients recommend books faster than I can read them--it's the best! It's also really nice to recommend a book to someone and have it be just what they needed. (Especially when they already owned it, and just hadn't gotten around to it.)
December 10, 2025 at 7:34 PM
My clients recommend books faster than I can read them--it's the best! It's also really nice to recommend a book to someone and have it be just what they needed. (Especially when they already owned it, and just hadn't gotten around to it.)
Wow--this is a better and funnier summary of the problem than I'd ever come up with.
Those first steps are SO frustrating and unrewarding. Who on earth likes remaking passwords and getting texts with codes and signing back in and accessing their email for 30 minutes?
Those first steps are SO frustrating and unrewarding. Who on earth likes remaking passwords and getting texts with codes and signing back in and accessing their email for 30 minutes?
![Comic. Doing a task using a company or organization’s website: [flowchart] Go to website, try to log in → Did it work? → Yes → Try to do your task. → Did it work? Yes → Nice! Done! If logging in did not work → Spend hours troubleshooting account / login. If that works, go to Try to do your task. If no → Give up and call customer service. If spending hours troubleshooting doesn’t work, also give up and call customer service. After calling customer service: Hold message: “Did you know you could do all this more quickly and easily on our website? Just go to w-w-w dot…” → Throw phone and laptop into the sea.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreiewqnkcrrc4tgla7j5skyz2djf3mrrvre3577c4xcgzurvq33bw4y@jpeg)
December 5, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Wow--this is a better and funnier summary of the problem than I'd ever come up with.
Those first steps are SO frustrating and unrewarding. Who on earth likes remaking passwords and getting texts with codes and signing back in and accessing their email for 30 minutes?
Those first steps are SO frustrating and unrewarding. Who on earth likes remaking passwords and getting texts with codes and signing back in and accessing their email for 30 minutes?
New YouTube short! www.youtube.com/shorts/4hFvo... tells you what a typical session with Gourdin Coaching is like.
Coaching session structure
YouTube video by Gourdin Coaching
www.youtube.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:43 PM
New YouTube short! www.youtube.com/shorts/4hFvo... tells you what a typical session with Gourdin Coaching is like.
I love update season for Ask a Manager! As a reader, we've already heard the set up--the updates are the punchline.
December 1, 2025 at 8:10 PM
I love update season for Ask a Manager! As a reader, we've already heard the set up--the updates are the punchline.
I swear--no really, I promise--that the work involved in getting yourself to do something is real. That's a part of starting the work. It matters. It can also be hard.
Sometimes it's the getting started that's the hard part. Setting a specific time or getting a friend to keep you honest can help.
Sometimes it's the getting started that's the hard part. Setting a specific time or getting a friend to keep you honest can help.
November 26, 2025 at 6:27 PM
I swear--no really, I promise--that the work involved in getting yourself to do something is real. That's a part of starting the work. It matters. It can also be hard.
Sometimes it's the getting started that's the hard part. Setting a specific time or getting a friend to keep you honest can help.
Sometimes it's the getting started that's the hard part. Setting a specific time or getting a friend to keep you honest can help.
One of the most interesting things that happens when I work with people is the unexpected successes that pop up. We'll set goals and see successes there. And then there will be this bonus success! Something got done naturally--it showed up and got taken care of and resolved. It's the best!
November 24, 2025 at 3:52 PM
One of the most interesting things that happens when I work with people is the unexpected successes that pop up. We'll set goals and see successes there. And then there will be this bonus success! Something got done naturally--it showed up and got taken care of and resolved. It's the best!
Medical paperwork: the worst.
You already feel bad, you've gotten as far as wanting help, and then you get a packet of paper that assumes you know your social security number and your relative's health history. Have fun reiterating every annoying thing about your own body!
You already feel bad, you've gotten as far as wanting help, and then you get a packet of paper that assumes you know your social security number and your relative's health history. Have fun reiterating every annoying thing about your own body!
November 21, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Medical paperwork: the worst.
You already feel bad, you've gotten as far as wanting help, and then you get a packet of paper that assumes you know your social security number and your relative's health history. Have fun reiterating every annoying thing about your own body!
You already feel bad, you've gotten as far as wanting help, and then you get a packet of paper that assumes you know your social security number and your relative's health history. Have fun reiterating every annoying thing about your own body!
If you have something small to do, see if someone will talk to you while you do it. It's a very small way to make things both more fun and more accountable.
(The cat counts.)
(The cat counts.)
November 19, 2025 at 7:35 PM
If you have something small to do, see if someone will talk to you while you do it. It's a very small way to make things both more fun and more accountable.
(The cat counts.)
(The cat counts.)
I spend most of my time encouraging people--it's really a nice job to have!
Many people are really hard on themselves (maybe you're one of them) and they pay more attention to failures than successes. I have an easy time catching those successes, and they're a really positive thing to point out.
Many people are really hard on themselves (maybe you're one of them) and they pay more attention to failures than successes. I have an easy time catching those successes, and they're a really positive thing to point out.
November 17, 2025 at 3:10 PM
I spend most of my time encouraging people--it's really a nice job to have!
Many people are really hard on themselves (maybe you're one of them) and they pay more attention to failures than successes. I have an easy time catching those successes, and they're a really positive thing to point out.
Many people are really hard on themselves (maybe you're one of them) and they pay more attention to failures than successes. I have an easy time catching those successes, and they're a really positive thing to point out.
If you've had enough of this week, I recommend entertaining yourself with goblin.tools/Formalizer. I just put in "i work with a bunch of poop slinging monkeys and i need to upgrade to actual humans."
Formalizer - Goblin Tools
goblin.tools
November 14, 2025 at 9:10 PM
If you've had enough of this week, I recommend entertaining yourself with goblin.tools/Formalizer. I just put in "i work with a bunch of poop slinging monkeys and i need to upgrade to actual humans."
Okay--I've been here, and you probably have, too.
November 14, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Okay--I've been here, and you probably have, too.
Reposted by Gourdin Coaching
Bird of the day!
linktr.ee/daily_bird
linktr.ee/daily_bird
November 14, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Bird of the day!
linktr.ee/daily_bird
linktr.ee/daily_bird
I'm a big fan of being done, not for abstract moral reasons but as a way to empty my head. I can't and don't want to worry about everything forever. That means that I need a way to handle the things on my mind in a way that lets me be done, finished, free. (Knowing what "done" looks like is key.)
November 12, 2025 at 2:40 PM
I'm a big fan of being done, not for abstract moral reasons but as a way to empty my head. I can't and don't want to worry about everything forever. That means that I need a way to handle the things on my mind in a way that lets me be done, finished, free. (Knowing what "done" looks like is key.)
Trash lives in the trash can. Recycling lives in the recycling bin.
The objects in your life can and do get used up. They served their purpose and need to go.
Yup--it's annoying that you have to pile them up and tote them around. But then they leave! They are literally never your problem again!
The objects in your life can and do get used up. They served their purpose and need to go.
Yup--it's annoying that you have to pile them up and tote them around. But then they leave! They are literally never your problem again!
November 12, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Trash lives in the trash can. Recycling lives in the recycling bin.
The objects in your life can and do get used up. They served their purpose and need to go.
Yup--it's annoying that you have to pile them up and tote them around. But then they leave! They are literally never your problem again!
The objects in your life can and do get used up. They served their purpose and need to go.
Yup--it's annoying that you have to pile them up and tote them around. But then they leave! They are literally never your problem again!
Where do I start on coaching sessions? Usually it's "how are you?" and "how was the week?" followed by checking in on the goals we set last time. Those open ended questions are important--sometimes the week isn't about what did or didn't get done. It might be about how hard the week was.
November 10, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Where do I start on coaching sessions? Usually it's "how are you?" and "how was the week?" followed by checking in on the goals we set last time. Those open ended questions are important--sometimes the week isn't about what did or didn't get done. It might be about how hard the week was.
As a follow on: most people really don't need heavy supervision most of the time. People routinely do dangerous things with real impact, and when I say that, I mean "They drive to work." You can and should trust them to have that much impact at work, and intervene only when there's a problem.
November 7, 2025 at 3:55 PM
As a follow on: most people really don't need heavy supervision most of the time. People routinely do dangerous things with real impact, and when I say that, I mean "They drive to work." You can and should trust them to have that much impact at work, and intervene only when there's a problem.
This matches my experience--trust your employees to be adults, and they'll act like it! www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/07/t...
Companies have found employees can be just as productive when working remotely. And they’re happier too.
Employers are perfecting their flexible work arrangements. They’re making in-person time strategic and ensuring new employees don’t feel isolated.
www.chicagotribune.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:53 PM
This matches my experience--trust your employees to be adults, and they'll act like it! www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/07/t...
Look, we have this cultural idea that people do work in a linear, step by step way. We don't. That's not to say that we don't have to do things in order--it's hard to cook without ingredients, say--but we don't sit down and do each little piece of everything all in order. That's what robots do.
November 5, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Look, we have this cultural idea that people do work in a linear, step by step way. We don't. That's not to say that we don't have to do things in order--it's hard to cook without ingredients, say--but we don't sit down and do each little piece of everything all in order. That's what robots do.