We recently connected with Chloe Mackey and have shared our conversation below.
Chloe, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Thank you so much for taking time to connect with me! Imposter syndrome is something that I’ve grappled with throughout my coaching journey. It’s also a topic that my clients bring up constantly during coaching sessions.
In case anyone out there isn’t on the same page as us, imposter syndrome is feeling as if your success wasn’t truly earned or that your achievements are not as legitimate as other people’s achievements. It’s almost as if you’re worried there will be a big “gotcha” moment or someone will call you out for being a fraud. Since imposter syndrome is more of a feeling or a little voice in my mind, I wouldn’t necessarily say I overcame it. Sometimes, new situations still bring up imposter syndrome for me! Instead of “overcoming it,” I started practicing a new way of interacting with that voice and feeling. Now that I’ve mastered my inner dialogue and mindset, imposter syndrome doesn’t slow me down or derail me in the ways it did previously.
If you are struggling with imposter syndrome, slow down and look at your thoughts. What do they sound like? Are they habitual? Are they helpful, or are they causing you to spiral? Gain awareness and try to notice trends and patterns without judgment. Once you know what your “imposter syndrome thoughts” sound like and what situations trigger them, you can start gently redirecting yourself and practicing a new inner dialogue. Please be warned, especially during times of high stress, this practice will feel repetitive and tedious. Be gentle with yourself!
Whenever I redirect myself, I focus on practicing self-compassion and having a growth mindset. It’s important to mention that there’s a lot more to self-compassion than treats and spa days, and having a growth mindset is much more than “failing fast” and being focused on your goals. Self-compassion and growth mindset are actual psychological concepts that have been heavily researched by Dr. Kristen Neff and Dr. Carol Dweck respectively. To employ them correctly, you have to do some research beyond pop psychology memes and Instagram posts. I promise it’s worth it, though!
Combining a growth mindset with self-compassion ultimately gave me the courage to face the things my imposter syndrome voice said I couldn’t. These practices have changed my life outlook entirely, quite honestly. I have never felt happier or more at peace.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Thank you so much for asking. For those who don’t know me, my name is Chloe Mackey. I’m currently a fully certified Life and Leadership Coach, but I did a bit of career hopping before settling on this path. Now that I’ve been in the industry for several years, I can confidently say that coaching is the perfect fit for me.
I’ve always loved helping people grow, learn, and evolve. My degree is actually in Education, so my first job out of college was teaching first and fourth graders. I loved working with kids, but working 60+ hours a week for less than $40,000 a year (not to mention all of the other issues within our educational system currently) wasn’t sustainable for me. I ended up burning out, developing severe anxiety and depression, and having a massive breakdown. It felt soul-crushing, to say the least, but it ultimately led to my “spiritual awakening.”
Pivoting to work in the corporate world led me to discover the coaching industry. After I left teaching, the company I began working for had a Professional Life Coach on staff full-time. While working with her as a client, I was promoted 5 times within 4 years and I became a key player on the company’s Learning and Development team. I was knocking all of my goals out of the park, but I was really impressed by my mindset shifts, how much I was changing as a person, and the new sense of control I gained over my mental health. It was all thanks to coaching. To make a long story short, I felt so inspired that my coach eventually became my teacher and mentor. My coach helped me get certified to coach others myself, and the rest is history.
Today I have a private coaching practice and contracts with several major companies. I am currently based in Palm Coast, Florida, but I coach clients all over the US. In 2022 alone, I coached over 100 unique individuals and hosted over 750 one-on-one coaching sessions. I work with clients from all walks of life, but often I specialize in helping high achievers overcome challenges with burnout, people-pleasing, perfectionism, self-compassion, communication, and boundary setting. Clients achieve goals by amplifying their self-awareness, practicing new skills, focusing on mindset shifts, and crafting personal commitments that feel achievable (not overwhelming). Noting excites me more than watching clients evolve into more confident and empowered versions of themselves. I have different programs at varied price points to make coaching as approachable as possible.
If you can’t commit to coaching but you’re interested in hearing more from me, get ready to tune in to your new favorite podcast! A former colleague and I will soon be launching a fun podcast called “Just Ping Me Later,” focused on helping people take back control when work is stressing them out.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I spoke earlier about self-compassion and having a growth mindset, so I’ll try not to repeat myself too much. Learning and practicing these two concepts had an immeasurably positive impact on my journey, however. In addition to practicing self-compassion and a growth mindset, learning how to define my personal values allowed me to move forward with confidence. Clearly defining your personal values without help or serious reflection can be difficult, but it’s a noble and worthwhile pursuit. Our values serve as the blueprint for understanding our emotions, what’s important to us, and who we truly are. Because values are so important, I guide every client who enrolls in my private practice through an in-depth values discovery exercise before we begin coaching.
If you are new to these concepts, or if you just began working with them, keep going! These personal development concepts are not mastered by simply learning about them – you must consistently practice them. To have a true growth mindset, you have to practice it. Read Carol Dweck’s book or watch her TED Talk to learn more, then make your practice plan. To make self-compassion your new default setting instead of self-criticism, you have to practice it. Visit Kristen Neff’s website or watch her TED Talk to learn more, then make your practice plan. To understand your values, you’ll need to think deeply about what kind of person you want to be and what is important to you. Then, you have to practice consistently embodying your values. There are many ways to go about this, but if you are looking for a structured “values activity,” I’d suggest searching for Brené Brown’s free values activity online. Evolving into a better version of yourself is not as easy as checking a few items off your to-do list and achieving a few goals. It requires consistently showing up for yourself and carrying on in the face of setbacks. It is hard work, but you are worth it. If any of this sounds complicated, daunting, or scary, consider partnering with a coach. A professional coach can help lighten the load and will guide you along the way.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client feels stuck and ready for a change. They’re ready to get to the “next level” in life (whatever that means to them). They’ve likely already read some helpful books, listened to many podcasts, and maybe they’ve even gone to a workshop or two… but they still haven’t found the life hack that allows them to make consistent progress toward their goals. They have a vague idea of what changes they’d like to make, but they aren’t sure what step to take first. My ideal client is sweet, kind, caring, and introspective but probably a little burnt out after doing the most for everyone but themselves. Assertive communication and boundary-setting are challenging for them. They struggle with people pleasing and saying no. They are very self-critical and have high expectations for themselves because they are a high achiever (maybe they’ve even been called a perfectionist once or twice). Imposter syndrome challenges them regularly. Despite all this, my ideal client believes that a more powerful version of themselves exists; they’re just unsure of how to evolve. They’ve probably considered coaching and therapy before but shrugged it off because asking for help is hard for them. If this sounds like you, let’s get in touch! I’d love to help you feel empowered, motivated, and capable again.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.coachingbychloe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chlothecoach
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-b-mackey/
Image Credits
Chloe B. Mackey
