Your Brain's BFF

And do this instead.Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Did you know that I first discovered coaching because I was looking for a weight loss solution?I tell the whole story in this episode :)What started as “how do I stop stress eating?” turned into “holy crap, this is changing my entire life.”And if you want to learn more about the toolkit that not only helped me stop stress eating…But also made me more productive, got me onto a new career path, and changed my entire life…Come talk to me and let me tell you all about it :)Drop by for a no-strings-attached coffee chat ☕️We can just chat, I can tell you a bit more about me, and I can give you a coaching perspective on whatever's on your mind.Book one here: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatOr you can book a consult call, and we can map out a full coaching engagement.Let's set your goals, map out a plan to get there, and go through my six-point decision-making checklist to see if we'd be a good fit :)Book a call here: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact

Where is your brain right now?

When your brain gets STUCK Below The Line, it's the mental equivalent of having an autoimmune disease.Part 1 of this series: https://poojav.substack.com/p/the-biggest-mistake-high-achieversCoffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Is your brain Above The Line or Below The Line?Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Because holiday weekends can be weirdly high-pressure.Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

First ask: How can I do this without tradeoffs?Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Not your limits overall as a person. Just the limits of your current operating model.Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Is it the job, or is it your own mental operating model?Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

They are:

Employee Mindset vs. Asset MindsetCoffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

“My brain is...”Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Tell me if you ever go through this sequence of events…Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

But I think I was right.Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Doable > DauntingCoffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

A 30 second testCoffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

If you're feeling stressed or stuck – adjust one of these ingredientsCoffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

I use AI in my own self-coaching all the time…and there's no way I'm letting go of my own coach.Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

The enemy's gate is down.Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

One will burn you out. The other will keep you in flow.Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

I recommend building a jungle.Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Use this spectrum to toggle your brain out of fear and back into flow.Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Mistake #7: Expecting the process to be linear.Previous parts of this series: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-whenPuzzle box video: https://www.instagram.com/p/CAa1KUfDEFn/Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

It's not a productivity problem. It's an emotional avoidance problem.Coffee Chat - one-off coaching about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

You're probably burning out right now. Here's why.Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Akbar and Birbal tell you to stop cold-applying to jobs on LinkedInCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

So relax and have a great long weekend :)Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Mistake #6: Using the School Grading Model instead of the Matchmaking Model.Introduction to this series and Mistakes #1-5: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-whenCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

And start prioritizing them by this insteadCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

I recently had a chance to meet Amelia Noël, a Master Certified Coach and creator of the Breaking Free from the Grind coaching program.I was so excited to meet her because we are both card-carrying high-stress high achievers.She's a Columbia Business School grad. I'm a Harvard Business School grad.She worked in investment banking and consulting. I worked in corporate strategy and consulting.We both did our coach certifications at the Life Coach School, which means we both talk about the “Circumstance | Thought ➡️ Feeling ➡️ Action ➡️ Result” framework all the time.We both now work with high-stress high achievers to them break free from the grind of their careers and build their careers around flow :)And we just recently had an awesome conversation on her podcast, Breaking Free from the Grind, about helping our clients navigate the question of “Should I stay, or should I go?” in their careers.In this episode, we talk about…

Find the signal in the noiseCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Mistake #5: Being in Execution Mode instead of Exploratory Mode.Previous parts of this series: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-when5 quick and easy career experiments: https://poojav.substack.com/p/5-quick-career-experiments-you-couldCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

The right things aren't what you think they are.Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

You don't have a laziness problem. You have a misalignment problem.Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Mistake #4: Prematurely accepting tradeoffs.——— Intro to this series: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-whenMistake #1: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-when-3bbMistake #2: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-when-544Mistake #3: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-when-544Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Mistake #3: Discounting the value of your craft because it comes easily to you.Intro to this series: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-whenMistake #1: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-when-3bbMistake #2: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-when-544Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

One is signal, and the other is noise.Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Mistake #2: Thinking in terms of industries and functions…Instead of thinking in terms of goals, blockers, and problems to be solved.Intro to this series: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-whenMistake #1: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-when-3bbCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Mistake #1: Thinking in terms of jobs and roles…Instead of thinking in terms of applications of their craft.Introduction to this series: https://poojav.substack.com/p/7-mistakes-high-achievers-make-whenSubscribe to my email newsletter: https://poojav.substack.com/Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contactMy “your job vs. your craft” idea is heavily influenced by Simone Seol's concept of “your profession vs. your artistry,” which she elaborates on in this podcast episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4eGc3hQ01JjtzhErJv1DY1?si=hDt4ge33Q0q5kR-XXoJLyg——— 

A lil amuse bouche before we kick off the series next weekSubscribe to my email newsletter to see the whole series: https://poojav.substack.com/Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Correct these mistakes, and clarity, conviction, and momentum will swiftly follow.Subscribe to my email newsletter to see the whole series: https://poojav.substack.com/Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

“And if I don't get to pay $1000, I'm going to leave the store and not buy anything.”

You need to listen to thisCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

What it is & what it isn'tCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

A parable to help you find flow no matter what's going on around youCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

And get off the anxiety hamster wheel

Failing? Fucking up? Don't worry. You're right on track.Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Yes, it's as simple as thatCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

And everything to do with the emotions you're feeling during those hoursCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

Because they shine a spotlight on an operating model problem in your lifeCoffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contact——— 

What if it's not you?Coffee Chat - one-off brainstorm about your situation, no strings attached: https://calendly.com/pooja-venkatraman/coffee-chatConsult Call - let's talk about working together in a full coaching engagement: https://poojavcoaching.com/contactEsther Perel podcast episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Ybwx3GpjhRRW7zrOCXq1Q?si=0-X0hx0ISmOHH8pdosuQUg———