Read This Before You Quit Your Executive Function Coaching Biz
- Sean G. McCormick
- Sep 1
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 2
This article is brought to you by the Special Educator's 10-Minute Transition Toolkit.
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You’ve been staring at your calendar, your bank account, or another no-show client and wondering if it’s time to call it.
Maybe you’ve just been told you can’t keep working under someone else and now you’re on your own.
Or maybe you’re deciding whether to give your business a real shot or return to a school job with a steady paycheck.
Either way, you’re not just nervous. You’re terrified.
That means you’re at a crossroads.
On one side is fear, on the other is possibility.
You’re past the dreaming phase.
Now you’re in the part where you either bet on yourself or retreat.
You're at the dip. The dip is the lowest emotional point in the experience of starting anything new.
So before you quit or go all in, read this before you make your final decision 👇
Why Breaking Through the Dip Matters for Coaches
This is the place where most people quit.
Seth Godin coined this term in his book The Dip:
The dip is the ugly, uncertain middle where the excitement has worn off but the rewards haven’t arrived yet.
You’re not new anymore. Maybe you got certified. You’ve had a few paying clients and successful students.
But right now, it feels like you’re spinning your wheels.
You're trying to market yourself to clients and referral partners
Billing is a headache on top of running your coaching sessions
You can't seem to cut ties with those part-time jobs that keep you afloat when things are slow
Here’s the thing: every coach you admire has been here too.
The dip is where resilience is forged, and it’s the gatekeeper that separates those who quietly exit from those who eventually thrive.
If you stick with it, you build the staying power your clients will feel every time they show up with their own doubts.
If you prefer to watch a video and you're feeling overwhelmed starting your executive function coaching business, this video can help:
Three Traps That Take Executive Function Coaches Out Too Soon
Trap #1: You’re Surrounded by Safety-Seekers
Your inner circle wants you comfortable.
They’d love to see you with a steady paycheck, predictable hours, and a clear path.
When you talk about building something from scratch, they’ll nod politely and warn you not to “go too far.”
They mean well. They just don’t get it.
If you listen too closely, you’ll confuse their fear with your reality.
Trap #2: You’re Alone in the Cave
You’ve outgrown working for someone else, but you haven’t yet built something that fully supports you.
That in-between space is brutal.
This is the cave part of every hero’s journey: dark, quiet, and full of monsters you thought you’d already defeated.
Self-doubt.
Imposter syndrome.
That sneaky voice saying,
“Maybe this was a mistake.”
But every story worth telling includes this scene. Yours is no different.
EFCA graduate, Jordyn Shapiro, is a great example of someone who struggled with doubts and imposter syndrome, but pushed through and has built a thriving coaching business. You can read more about Jordyn's story here.
Imposter syndrome is very real and very common. For ways to overcome it, check out this video 👇
Trap #3: You Expected Faster Results
You thought you’d have clients lining up after a few months.
Instead, it’s been slower, messier, and a little humiliating.
Coaching skills develop over time. So does your client base. Revenue too.
But growth is sneaky.
Bamboo grows underground for years before shooting up 15 feet in a week.
Ice looks unchanged until it hits 32 degrees...then, suddenly, it melts.
You may be closer to your breakthrough than you think.
Three Moves to Keep Going When You Want to Quit Your Executive Function Coaching Biz
1. Find Your Expanders
Seek out people already doing what you want to do.
They aren’t the ones rooting for your backup plan.
They’re the ones showing you a future that feels possible because they’re living it.
For example, if you know a coach who went from tutoring three students a week to running a full coaching practice, study how they did it.
Ask them about the hardest months, how they got their first real referral, and what they wish they had done sooner.
If you're looking for a community of EF Coaches who are in the same boat as you, building their business and facing challenges along the way, check out the EFCA community.
When you see someone who has walked your path and made it through the hard part, it chips away at the voice in your head that says, “This isn’t possible.”
2. Reconnect with Your 10-Year Vision
Stop obsessing over this week’s client drought.
Ask yourself,
“One day, 10 years from now, what do I want my life to look like?”
Journal it like it’s already happening.
For example, imagine sitting at your desk with a full coaching roster, running group programs, and taking summers off because your systems are strong enough to give you freedom.
That picture can anchor you when today feels discouraging.
Your brain’s reticular activating system will start scanning for opportunities that line up with that vision.
You’ll notice articles, conversations, and invitations you might have ignored before.
3. Focus on Your One Thing Each Day
You don’t have to juggle everything at once.
The real progress comes from choosing the next best step and doing it.
“What’s the one action today that moves the needle?”
Do that.
For example, maybe it’s emailing five school psychologists to introduce yourself.
Maybe it’s recording a two-minute video to explain what you do and posting it on social media.
Or maybe it’s finally following up with that parent who said they might be ready in September.
Think of dominoes: knock over the smallest one, and the next will fall.
A series of small, deliberate moves beats a scattered to-do list every time.
The Bottom Line
Here’s your cheat sheet for continuing momentum when you want to quit your executive function coaching biz:
Find your expanders
Reconnect with your 10-year vision
Focus on one next best step each day
Hope this helps! 🤙🏻
This article is a part of the larger category of:
Mindset & Identity Master Article Library (Coming Soon)
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About Me
Hey! I'm Sean 👋
I'm a former public school special education teacher who realized that executive function skills are more important than knowing when George Washington crossed the Potomac.
Since then, I've made it my mission to teach anyone who will listen about how to develop these key life skills.
In 2020, I founded Executive Function Specialists to ensure all students with ADHD and Autism have access to high-quality online executive function coaching services. We offer online EF coaching and courses to help students and families.
Realizing I could only reach so many people through coaching, in 2021 I started the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains schools, educators, and individuals to learn the key strategies to improve executive function skills for students.
In 2023, I co-founded of UpSkill Specialists, to provide neurodivergent adults with high-quality executive function coaching services.
When not pursuing my passions through work, I love spending time with my family, getting exercise, and expanding my brain through reading. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.