There is a moment on the path from PCC to MCC which feels so uncomfortable that coaches rarely talk about it. Sessions which once felt fluid start to feel effortful and the approaches which once felt ‘good enough’ suddenly feel insufficient. As your self-awareness sharpens, your confidence wavers and self-doubt creeps in.
If you’re feeling this now, it is worth knowing that this is a sign of growth, not inadequacy. What you’re experiencing is the shift from unconscious incompetence to conscious competence, and it is one of the most powerful, transformative, and often uncomfortable stages of mastery.
Understanding the competence curve
Psychologists describe four learning stages on the path to mastery: Unconscious Incompetence, Conscious Incompetence, Conscious Competence, and Unconscious Competence. Understanding where you are within this framework can be reassuring, especially when you’re sitting in uncertainty.
In the early stages of learning any complex skill, we don’t know what we don’t know. We may feel at ease during this stage because our awareness is still forming and our coaching seems to flow naturally.
As our competence deepens, our lens sharpens. This is when we start to notice nuances that were previously hidden in our blind spots. We see missed opportunities in our sessions: the places where a different question might have opened something richer, where we moved too quickly, or where we filled a silence. We become more attuned not only to what’s being said, but also to what isn’t.
Paradoxically, this heightened awareness can feel like regression, and it’s often when coaches can lose confidence in their abilities. In reality, it’s refinement: you are becoming more aware of the gap between where you are and what is possible.
Why feeling less confident is a sign of growth
It sounds counterintuitive, but a temporary dip in confidence is often linked to increased self-awareness and mastery. Questioning your practice reflects greater discernment and a genuine commitment to self-development which is fundamental to mastery.
It’s not that your coaching isn’t good enough; it’s that you’re now raising it to a much higher standard.
On your journey to MCC, you will learn to coach more intentionally. You refine your choices, your presence, and your communication. This process of rewiring how you coach is not always quick or comfortable, but it is essential.
By doing the work, you become more impactful and the kind of coach your future clients will deeply benefit from.
Practical ways to stay anchored
Sitting in uncertainty is challenging, but learning to stay grounded within it is part of the work. When discouragement arises, try allowing what you’re experiencing to be present without judgment. From there, you can gently anchor yourself with intention. Here are some other approaches that my mentees find useful:
Notice what you can now see that you couldn't before
Rather than asking why coaching feels harder, shift your attention to what you are discovering. If something isn’t working with a client, can you approach it as an opportunity to explore new ways of connecting, rather than a shortcoming?
Acknowledge your courage and effort
Learning is brave because it requires us to step outside of what we know and risk making mistakes in front of our peers and clients. Growth at this level requires you to show up consciously, consistently, repeatedly, even when the training feels hard. That persistence and willingness to be vulnerable is a key part of mastery which often goes unacknowledged.
Connect with other coaches
Sharing your experience with peers can be incredibly grounding. It normalises the discomfort and reminds you that you’re not alone on this path.
Seek supervision
This isn’t simply for checking your competence or gaining reassurance. A skilled mentor or supervisor can help you recognise patterns, explore your discomfort, and translate new awareness into embodied skill.
Give yourself grace
Mastery is not a race. The time it takes is not a reflection of your worth. Stay curious, allow the process to unfold, and make space to enjoy the learning. It can be deeply rewarding if you let it.
When mastery transforms your coaching
The moment will come, perhaps without you even noticing, when your coaching begins to feel effortless again. This time it won’t be because you couldn’t see the gaps, but because the competencies have become part of who you are and you don’t need to actively think about them anymore. This is unconscious competence.
Mastery may feel distant today, but if you are here, you have already entered the space where transformation happens. You are no longer the coach you once were, and not yet the coach you are becoming.
You can’t skip over the discomfort to get there, because discomfort is the very thing which shapes you.
If you’re recognising yourself in this stage, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
I support coaches on the pathway from PCC to MCC through my Level 3 accredited ICF programme, Mastery in Coaching. It’s designed to help you move from effortful awareness to embodied coaching mastery, supported by experienced MCC mentors who understand exactly what this stage requires.
If you’re ready to deepen your practice and stay grounded through the discomfort, you can learn more here or sign up for my newsletter for regular content about coaching.
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